The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-20
SUBMARINE
PROTECTOR
Is TESTED
Newport Harbar Scene Of OF.
fIcldI Test Yesterday
Showed Up Well

Under the most trying conditions the
Lake submarine boat Protector showed
UP unusually we'll in the test given of
Newport, yesterday.
A board OF officers consisting of Maj.
Arthur Murray and Capts Parker and
Bailey from the School OF Submarine De-
tense. Fort Totten. New York. came to
Newport for the express purpose to make
an official test OF the Protector and to
report on same.
The board wished TO know the full
capabilities OF the boat, those relating
10 the defense and those having a wider
field OF attack
Under defense. OF assisting in the de-
fense. the features were:
First-Being able to take the place OF
fixed mines by lying adjacent 10 the
forts and being In readiness 10 attack
vessels attempting TO pass.
Second-To supplement the fixed mines
by attacking those that have succeeded
in crossing the field.
Third-To lie outside the mine field at
distance of 10000 yards 6.s miles) and
from there TO maintain communication
with the forts ashore by means OF cables
the position of which should be marked
by buoys OF cross bearings: and thus,
from an off shore base, serve az
picket and be able to attack approaching
craft.
Fourth-To pick up and TO repair, etc,
our own mine connections.
Fifth-to patrol. submerged, the lines
OF our mino cables and 10 detect and pre-
vent countermining by the enemys sub
marines II they should be able TO DO such
work-which. II may be remarked in
passing. none of them can now do.
AS an adjunct 10 the attack. the boat
should be able to:
First-Drag for, pick up and cut multi
pie and branch cables while submerged.
This means the destroying OF an enemy's
carefully planted mine fields.
Second-To find and 10 cut individual
mine cables while working submerged.
This OF course, as does item No I, means
effecting the destroying OF an enemy's
submarine defenses despite the guns
that would effectually annfhilate surface
boats attempting the same thing.
Thind-Two surface boats connected by
a line stretched across the channel, when
narrow, to sweep the field and SO cut all
cables, either on the bottom or extending
to buoyant mines.
Fourth-To run past fortifcations while
submerged and attack vessels lying ap-
parently secure under that cover.
The cable-flnding and cutter opera
tions were carried out with the bay fun
of Ice but despite these handlcaps the
Protector picked up the cable and dem
onstrlted the entire practicabilty of the
widest application OF the boat In the
field OF submarine mining and counter
mining. There were four persons in the
diving compartment during the opera
tions. namely, Mr.. Lake, Capts, Parker
and Bailey and the engineer. After the
cable work was completed the board
dined IN the Protector while the craft
was submerged, and the meal was cooked
during the two hours and half that
the vessel was under water.
During the run the tall. stout 25-foot
mast. which is carried only in time of
leace TO warn vessels OF the approach
OF the Protector. was carried away. Upon
coming 70 the surface the boat broke her
way through an ice foe ranging In thick
ness from five TO 10 inches and her deck
was literally heaped with tons of Ice In
consequence which made an exceedingly
novel picture.