The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-20
proved pattern, one forward and one

proved pattern. one forward ana one
aft
The ship has several screws, one facil-
itating diving and rising, the others for
moving forward or backward,in an even
horizontal way
Motive power is supplied by storage
batteries when below, by a petroleum mo-
tor on the surface The boat is bound to
go to the surface at certain periods to
accumulate enough power for htteen
hours below water. Submarine speed Is
about three and half miles per hour.
In Case of Emergencies.
All possible emergencies have been TAX
en- into consideration. The boat can stand
a pressure of three pounds to the square
inch 1t can be raised and made to dive,
respectively, by the propelling screws and
the use of water tanks that may be hlled
or emptied as occasion demands There
are also reliable means for maintaining
balance and for measuring the water
pressure. while fore and aft and at the
sides are searchlights to guide the man
In the turret Finally, several heavy
circular anchors are placed in the bottom
to assist diving.
From the figures given 1t will be seen
that the boat is fit to remain below water
for a longer period than would be re-
quired to pass under the greatest ice
field, or pack ever met with, and like
wise to circumnavigate the foot OF the
most colossal icebergs. That much ac-
complished, it rises when the next Take"
is reached to fill its storage batteries
anew. Whether the "lake' be ten miles,
or only one mile, or half mile broad,
does not matter The boat need remain
on the surface only long enough to renew
Its air tanks; after that 1t can resume Its
submarine course at once, or continue
above water. OF course the compressed
air tanks must be replenished as well as
the electric accumulators.
Wood is used in the construction be-
cause it Is believed to resist the ice better
than STEEL also because it guarantees
greater warmth. However, a steel boat
of the same pattern is building, to be
used IL the other should fail. The Japs
are practical engineers, and not above
thinking that their best calculations
might possibly miscarry
The sub-ieeboat will be escorted
through the Sea of Japan by cruisers and
destroyers, which stop, however, before
the region of Arctic ice is encountered
The sub-ice trip will begin only in the
neighborhood of Peter-the-Great bay, as
the waters fronting vladivostock are
closed. If these prove to be frozen good
and hard the boat will sail the greater
part of the distance under the ice, but
will endeavor to go to the surface at
least once before the inner harbor is
reached.
Magnetic FeeIers Thrown Out.
Not until the magnetic feelers, detona-
ton apparatus, torpedoes and dynamite
bombs are ready is the boat in full fight
ing trim. From what can be learned the
magnetic "feelers" and decorating appar-
atus consist of number of floats, or
small torpedoes ballasted so as to travel
from seven to ten feet below the surface.
Each float is equipped with magnetic
needle. which when brought in contact
with steel, rises, whereupon instantly an
indicator in the turret of the sub-iceboat
designates what particular float" has
been touched.
The enemy thus being located. the
sub-iceboat discharges torpedo in the
direction Of the connected float with
deadly effect. AS a precautionary meas
ure the floats are equipped with tele-
phone decorating apparatus for use in
avoiding and crcumventing icebergs and
other dangerous distractions. When a
float strikes, the vibration causes an in
dicator in the turret to tell which float
has struck; in this way the sub-iceboat
receives timely warning The advantage
of having the magnetic needle to distin-
guish steel, and the detonator to tell the
presence of any other obstruction fore
stalls possible waste of torpedoes and de-
lection. When both indicators show that
float has struck and CONNECTED it Is
but question of a few minutes before
the enemy takes a trip to Davy Jones'
locker. The Japs are confident that with
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