New-York tribune., 1900-04-22
HOLLANDS TORPEDO BOAT.
CAPABLE OF RUNNING UNDER WATER
FOR HOURS.
r>v1sfpr1ITY ADDS GREATLY TO HER AGGREs-
sIyE PowER-CHANGEs OF PLAN

rnv1sfRIITY ADDS GREATLY TO HER AGGREs-
sIyE PowER-cHANGEs OF PLAN.
Now that the Holland has been purchased by
the Government, and is a vessel or uncle oaih
Navy in good and regular standing a fresh IN
terest is taken in her history ana chai
istics This particular craft was built by a
ivota oornoration The designer had previ-
ously induced the Navy Department to adopt
another Of his plans and the construction Oh d
boat of the same unique character was under-
taken at Baltimore. the Government having let
the contract to we'll known firm OF shlppuiiu
ers in that city For various reasons ho"e'eA'
that boat-the Plunger-has never been hnisheo
When Mr. Holland projected the later poa''
which bears his own name and which was con-
structed at Elizabethport, he thought he saw
several ways in which he could improve Oh MS
original design The Holland, for instance is
much shorter than the Plunger, and hehce CAN
change her course more quickly. inns pos
sibi1itv eives her a great tactical advantage.
The Holland is shaped like sweet potato Is
53 feet 4 inches long and 10 feet inches IN
diameter at the broadest part When cruising
about one-eighth of her bulk would be above
the surface and she would draw about eight
feet of water. She can be wholly submergeu
and vet operate in a depth of twelve feet.
Propulsion is effected by screw that derives
ite mower from a gasolene engine when the boat
is running at the surface. When she is SUD-
merged the screw is driven by an electric motor
and storage battery. This battery would De
previously charged by the boats own engines
One charge of the battery ought to enable her
to run seventy-fve miles under water Wheh
submerged her speed would not exceed four OF
five knots When cruising she can travel
little faster. She has made a speed OF seven
or eight knots on the surface
tbo rlId6
to direct the boats course to the right or LETT
the Holland has a second one, extending in q
horizontal plane and intended to alter the level
at which she runs. Tiltng this horizontal
rudder downward depresses the bow of the boat
and lifting it slightly tends to bring her to the
surface again.
On ton Of the vessel, amidships, is a telescope
tube twenty inches in interior diameter ana
capable of being raised from a height of eight
inches 70 one of thirty. The opening at the
INNER end by which entrance to the interior is
effected is closed by a hinged door that can be
made water tight. This tubular device IS the
coming tower" through which the pilot makes
his observations. When the boat is about to
run below the surface the tower is contracted,
the trap door is closed, the opening through
which the products of combustion in the engine
escape is shut and the engine is itself thrown
out of service. After the craft has been en-
tirey submerged the pilot relies mainly on his
compass, but comes to the surface at intervals
for fresh observations. He can get his bearings
within few seconds, and then dive before be-
ing detected. For breathing while the boat is
under water the men supplied with com
pressed air
AS originally designed, the Holland had three
weapons. One was an expulsion tube of the
same type that the ordinary torpedo boat car
res This delivers the torpedo without any
special violence. The Whitehead prOjectile is