New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-04
A NEW TORPEDO BOAT.
THE SUBSURFACE TYPE.
UhGt the IRUe7at0r Asserts tie Graft
WfH Be Capable of Doing.

Another inventor has come forward with a
type Of submarine beat which he asserts viii be
so nearly invisible and still so easy naa0uvre
as 20 he able TO destroy the most heavily ar
rnored battieship The new craft which has
been named the ''subsurface torpedo boat" is a
combination Of the modern torpedo boat and the
experimental submarine vessel Its duty in time
OF war viii be TO Turk in the waters Of a harbor,
much after the fashion of some leviathan shark.
On the approach of q hostile feet 1T viii creep
stealthily up. discharge few torpedoes at its
more ponderous wen as more helpless 40
versary and then sink away 10 watch the re-
suits OF its deed of destruction from distance
The ',subsurface torpedo boat is waspish
looking craft II has been built first and last to
hit and not be hit Il makes war after the fash
ion Of the savage who hides himself from view
until within striking distance and then throws
his tomahawk and lodges back into ambush
In the parance Of the landlubber, the sub
surface torpedo boat consists Of two stories, an
upper one like a long narrow and sharp pointed
hull. with a fat deck just awash, and filled for
the most part with ceIluiose. or wood pulp, so
that il viii merely as float and a lower
STORY" built in the shape OF a cigar. and filed
with the vitals Of the ship. In this lower hull.
which hangs so far below the surface that it is
safe from cannon shot are the torpedoes, the
gasoiene tank and the engines. The upper and
lower parts communicate by means Of e sort Of
well which terminates above In coming
tower. ana which supplies every part with fresh
air In the central part OF the upper story.
around the ventilating well. but surrounded
with cellulose are quarters for the crew, gal
icy and stateroouas for oxhcers The eellulose is
<capahle Of excluding water and even should a
shot penetrate it's casing of steel this would not
sink the vessel
# such boat lay in New-YOrk Harbor. and
ironclad OF a hostile nation should dare to
ruH past the guns OF Fort Hancock. at Sandy
Hook, and Forts wadsworth and Hamilton on
either side Of the Narrows. the American boat
would start out for encounter much ike
David going 10 do battle with Goliath In the
night tine it's approach would be entirely in
visible and In the clear light Of day only the top
OF Us coming tower could be seen above the
waters Standing in this cage. the commander
would steer his craft TO within torpedo range.
while the crew in the forward part Of the deeply
,ubyoersed under hull would make ready the
torpedo tube Then. bringing the prov of The
vessel IN direct line with the enemy, the com
,nsnser nv a push Of the button. would discharge
g torpedo IL he had been discovered the shot
and shell might rain about him. but slight are
she chances that they would strike the little
buoyiike cage just peepipg above the waves
Even If some prosectile did strike Il would not
sink the vessel
Though not much out of eight as the Hoi-
and type of the submarine boat, the suosur-
face torpedo boat is regarded by Clarence Il.
Fu,rer its inventor. superior, because fresh
air ss supplied 20 it continually from OUTSIDE
and Goes not need to store up air for oompie's