Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-05

what may be revealed by a sensational
squirt like the one just related. The argu-
ment. however. is that the large ones like
the Gustaye Zede cannot go far out TO sea
because OF the limitations Of their motive
power. The privateering csmbinati n
therefore. depends on the smaller ku1rsa-
rines of the Gymnote type.
Utterly New Type.
A swift steamship, preferably a transat-
lantic liner, carrying two or more light
submarine boats suspended at her sides IA
such a way that she could lower them to
the water promptly at the moment OF peril
would make A privateer OF an utterly new
type. This is the solution to which Adj
miral Aube has been leading the French
navy, and some such consideration must
have started up the British admiralty TO
order the immediate construction of thirty
five submarine boats OF the Holland spe-
cies. fact made public within the last
few weeks. The proposition is a sensa-
tional one. and il has taken fast hold of
the French imagination. At the naval
review in honor of the car all the talk
was of the submarines. Theirs was The
success of the review. To hear the talk
on board the Gasoline (sent out as a
high-class excursion boaD you might Inn
agine privateering restored and war with
England on the point of declaration.
1t is known also that the French subma-
rine fleet divides itself into two other cate
gories "a that Of the submarines properly
SO called, and ca that Of the 'submergi-
bles'
Electric Motive Power.
The submarines properly so called have
electricity alone for motive power. by
means OF accumulators and dynamos They
are: The Gymnote, in steel constructed
originally in 1888. IL meters long; the Gus
taye Zede in bronze, constructed In 1873,
4S meters long: the Morse, in bronze. con-
structed in 1899, 36 meters long; the FRAN
Gals and the Algerien. both In steel both
SO meters long, constructed in 1899 1890: tha
Furfadet, the Gnome. the Korigan and the
Lutin, constructed under the greatest Sc
crecy at Rochefort, during 1899 and 1890.
Next to nothing is known Of them. To
these nine pure submarines must be added
twenty-three others of the most advanced
types, now under construction, dating from
the month Of March of the present year.
Then, still later, another order for three
others was given, no dimensions being
fixed by the order. Those in charge OF
their construction are left free TO modify
them. according to experience and the best
interests of the navy. This makes a total
1otilla OF thirty-two submarines properly
SO called. the great majority OF them still
In course OF construction. although this
construction does not take long. For an
that the public can know. they may be al
ready as good as completed. II is certain
that they are of an extremely practical
type, and there is every reason TO believe
Of being carried in pairs by armorcd
cruisers.
Can skim or Sink.
The "submergibles" have for prototype
the Narval, "a meters long. constructed at
Cherbourg in 1897. Such boats usually
navigate the surface. like torpedo boatsi
when It is necessary they can sink to navi-
gate below the surface. When travelling
along the surface Of the water their mo-
tive power is steam. When they navigate
beneath the surface # is electricity. on
the type of the Narval diverse modifca-
lions have been studied, with the result OF
adding four new submergibles' to the ho-
tiiia-the Sirene. the Triton, the Sllure and
the Espadon. The Espadon, the last Of the
series. will be put into the water on Sep
TENDER 80.
To sum up, the French submarine hotila
at the present hour counts thirty-seven
boats. According to the naval construc-
ton program voted by the chambers in
1900, on the proposition of NJ. de Lanessan,
there must be constructed between 1900
and 1905 total of forty-four new sub
marines, which, Joined to the fourteen eN-
listing anterierly to 1900, Will bring the
French flotilla to fifty-eight submarines in
1905. 1t is highly probable. however. in
view OF the ',excellent results obtained
with the most recent models-this much is
admitted by the authorities--even this large
number will be notably Increased.
No other marine in the world possesses
such a submarine fiotilla. England will
have at the end of the present year five
submarine boats Of the Holland type. now
being built at Barrow by the Vickers COM
pany. A new order for thirty-three others
has been given. The nations are building
their submarines with feverish haste Ger
many is said to have solved the problem
with type Of her own. Soon we shall
hear the tale of the German submarine
fiotilla- Then will come the Italian and
the Russian.
What use will the navies of the world
make of these new engines? OF their own
motive power they will scarcely be able TO
go out to sea. France, at least win not
be content to confine her manifest superb