West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-06-23
SUBMARINE BOAT TEST
How the Fulton's Crew Lived
Under Water Twelve Hours.
NO INCONVENIENCE EXPERIENCED

Members OF the Crew Ate aud sIept
In Perfect Comfort-No m Elects
From Lack OF Air-The MEMS Only
Deprivation Was Their Inability 10
smoke Tobacco while Submerged.
After having been submerged more
than twelve hours or Newport in
which time the officers and crew ate
their meals. cooked on an electric stove
more than twenty feet beneath the wa
ter. the submarine torpedo boat Full
ton came to the surface shortly before
noon. the other day. says the New
York World
The officers and men. 10 the number
or nine. experienced no Inconvenience
while beneath the water i'm the torpedo
boat. They Aerc divided into watches
OF two hours each and spent their time
when not on duty In playing cards and
sleeping. Being unable 20 smoke wor.
ried some OF the officers and men worse
than anything else. The board OF in
spection OF the navy department Which
was In charge OF the tests TO which the
Fulton was subjected would not per-
init any matches or nre to be taken
aboard the boat.
Several boxes of cigars were taken
aboard before she entrance hatch was
finally closed, and the men We're per-
mittcd 10 have 'dry smokes''-that Is,
TO chew cigars.
The naval officers in charge or the
test say that II was ono OF the most
severe and az the same time the most
satisfactory that submarine boat has
ever undergone.
Fresh air was forced into the COM
partmcnt occupied by the crew once
every four hours. In conformity with
the instructions OF the inspection board.
At no time did the crew feel any IN
effects from lack OF air or too much
air.
II was rot until after 8 o'clock ut
night that the preparations for the
"habitatlon test" which provided the
boat should remain submerged CON
tinuously for twelve hours. were be.
gun. AZ 1O:30 o'clock the boat began
TO submerge and just thirteen minutes
later was entirely out OF sight.
Members OF the crew say their stay
under wafer was most pleasant, and
that they slept as comfortably as they
would In their own beds. They could
plainly hear the noise made by pass
ing steamboats, aud all were up carly
the next morning.
The chef prepared Breakfast OF
ham and eggs, with hot coffee. bis
cults and cereal on the electric stove,
and from what he says the confinement
I'm the submerged boat did not affect
the appetite Of anybody.
Preparations for raising the sub
merged boat were begun at II O'clock
in the morning by the crew aboard,
and FIVE minutes later the Fulton was
nwasb. The hatch was opened and
Captain Cable. in charge OF the boat
for the Holland company. and Naval
Constructor Woodward, OF the navy
department, came out They were fol-
lowed a few minutes later by the crew.
Throughout the night and day fol-
lowing close watch was kept by
officers and sailors of the navy to see
that the Fulton did not rise to the
surface within the "habltation" test.
Not even an air bubble was seen i'm the
night by the watchers,
Tho Fulton In November OF 1902 was
submerged more than fifteen hours, but
the test was unofficial. The men who
were I'm the BOAT say they could have
remained there ten days without In
convenience.