The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-25
Remained at the Bottom of the Bay
Suffered No Discomfort.
STORM RACED ON SURFACE
But THE NAVAL OFFICERS AND MEN
BELOW DID NOT KNOW 1T.
Air Pure as in a House on Land
Experience Related by Rear
Admiral Lowe.

NEW YORK. Nov. 24-In the presence
of a big crowd, which, despite the storm,
assembled to witness the emerging of the
submarine boat Fulton, that craft rose
from the bottom of Peconic bay, which
is at the eastern end of Long island, this
morning at 1920 o'clock with all well and
greatly surprised II find there was a storm
raging.
The test Of the Fultons staying powers
was highly satisfactory, not only to the
officers of the company that built her and
the naval officers present, but to those who
went to the bottom in the boat They re-
port there was not the slightest discomfort
to them during their more than fifteen
hours of submersion beneath the surface.
Captain Cable, of the Holland company.
who was in command, said that the boat
could have remained down for three
months if there were food enough on
board. Although there was but six feet
of water over the top of the turret, those
on board felt nothing of the storm
Through the night there was a light rolling
motion to the craft, but this was ascribed
to the regular motion Of the water and not
to the disturbance which was rolling the
waves high on the shore.
Immediately on coming to the surface
the Fulton, under her own power, ran
alongside the dock and tied up. Rear Ad-
miral Lowe and Lieut. Arthur Macarthur
refused TO go into any discussion of the
performance of the boat except to say they
would be satisfied to stay down longer.
They are however, known to be enthusiasts
tic over the work of the Fulton thus far.
Members of the crew say they expert
enced no difficulty in breathing and that
the air was all that could be desired. and
much better and purer than in an ordinary
closed room in which are several persons.
Every piece Of machinery worked TO per-
fecton during the night. The men ate
two meals while under water and enjoyed
them. Most of them obtained from three
to four hours sleep.
Rear Admiral Lowe said later: when
we went down l assisted Captain Cable in
making an inspection of the ship. Then
retired. while the crew played cards and
read Every few hours | was awakened
and made inspections of the conditions.
Early this morning Captain Gable called
my attention TO the pressure guage, which
indicates the depth. 1t showed that we
were lower in the water than at high tide
last night when we submerged. There
was nothing to show us why IL was, but a
little while later l noticed that the water,
as we saw it through the headlights. was
very dirty, and L imagined that a storm
blowing. There was no rock or roll OF
the vessel to indicate what was going on. -
Continuing Rear Admiral Lowe said that
the air in the boat was clean and as
pure as in a house or in the cabin Of a
yacht. MI once did notice" said the
admiral 'ai-y sign OF bad air, gas or other
impurities. Considering that we did not
draw on the tanks at all, | consider this
wonderful. Ii upsets all the theories of
the physicians and scientists who tell Us
that what we did last night was impossi-
BILE. / was very critical all night and moth
ing escaped me-"
The experts present unite i'm calling at
tention TO the sea qualities OF the Fulton
and the Adder. as shown during the gale
which prevailed until night. Neither Of the
submarine boats was affected by the sea OF
the wind. other boats OF twice their ton
mage rolled and tossed so that they had To
get under way and seek a sheltered har-
Dor.
The longest time that any submarine
boat has been under water before in the
United States was three hours. Lieutenant
Harry Calwell kept the Holland submerged
as long as that in the Potomac last year
The Fulton had never been under longer
than about twenty-five minutes. when she
made a two-mile run. submerged, a few
weeks ago.