The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-20
JAPS WILL DIVE
UNDER ICEBERGS
New Boat Designed for Fight
ing the Russians
WILL PROVE VERY DEADLY
Craft Is Built For Use In vladlvostok
Harbor and So Constructed That
II VIII Not Be Kept Out
BY Ice Floes.
Special correspondence of the Cincinnati

| Special correspondence VI 'A0
Enquirer.
Tokio.-The Japs are evidently prepar-
ing to continue the war to the bitter emu
irrespective of time and season, lor they
have lust finished a submarine boat IN
tended to blow up men-of-war In ice
hound harbors. The boat can travel i'm
mense distances under the arctic Ice then
rise TO the surface and act the part Oh
torpedo to again vanish before the enemy
can realize what struck him.
Though the utmost secrecy concerning
the new tangled engine of war Is ohserV-
cd II was learned that the subice boat Is
primarily intended to worry the RUSSIAN
fleet at vladivostock.
That harbor being icebound during Ger
tain parts Of the year, the Russians iooA
upon it as convenient haven OF refuge
In case of a great naval disaster IN the
f.u rrbev NAV want to withdraw there
to winter and repair safe from attach De-
hind ice wallis
Then a lap boat may spoil that plan'
for It is liable to bob up in the enemy
midst Ice or no ice, at any momeht-poi
ing it's way through the ice II necessary
ord sepd the czar's warships flying by
discharge of dynamite
New Type of Submarine Boar.
The vessel is on the order of an electrlc
submarine boat, alright and seaiee' 'na'
can he raised and depressed at Will
Enormous compressed air tanks supply
the crew with ozone, and there al
latest apparati for carrying OH 1oui ar
~, the whole the vessel combines the
qualifications of submarine VI "i'e
yessel with those Of torpedo boat
before entering into the details OF con.
s+ruotion some of the characteristics OIL
The water about Vladivostock snouio pe
considered. During certain seasons Oh tne
wear the sea about the RUSSIAN s'rone
hold consists of ice fields, called packs
and '1akes," the latter open water
through which a ship may pass unop-
structed. until. another icy wall stops ts
progress The pack consists Oh NOES
and pans of ice-the first 1requen.ly
so large as to escape the naked eye me
"pans'' are smaller blocks, connecteu
with the 'hoes' by ice bridges OF yarl-
Gus thickness.
The "hoes" revolve upon their centers'
and a. vessel caught between them mas
little chance to escape. II the ice catches
her amidship the sides are crushed In
while. II she rises on to the foe, she re-
mains imprisoned until a change IN the
weather breaks up the field and Allows
her to Goat, unless. indeed, the boats
bottom is seriously injured.
lcebergs.
For the above reasons a fleet wintering
., 10 safe from at
tack by any vessel of known type, includ-
inp torpedo and submarine boats, the
more so as floating icebergs are providing
further protection. In these waters ice
bergs sometimes raise their vertical walls
from 200 to 300 feet above the sea, and
there are others five to six miles IN
length.
while it is not claimed that the new
boat may be able to dive under the whole
length of these giants, 1t is expected TO
circumnavigate their foot below water.
The new vessel is egg-shaped to better
withstand the pressure OF Ice at water
1t is constructed throughout OF the same
material and will have the same hracing
all around, as the ship that carried Nan
son through so many hardships.
Above all, it will be safe and warm
Speed will be of secondary consideration,
and with one exception, the turret there
will be no projecting point OF angles; the
surface will be entirely smooth. The end
points will be rounded Off so as to pre-
vent the ice from getting grip on the
vessel at any spot whatever. In short
the outward shape Of an egg Is preserved
in detail.
Well Seasoned Wood.
For the frame timber of very old ana
massive oak was secured-wood that has
heen under cover for years. The frame
built in two tiers, is eighteen inches WIDE
and the interstices are filed with mix
ture of pitch and sawdust to secure water
tightness There are three layers OF out
side planking-oak, sheathing and an Ice
skin of greenheart-all carefully calked
and fastened with spikes, the total thick
ness being eighteen inches of solid, I'M
pregnable wood.
The quarters for captain and crew are
| located exactly in the center, and around
II sleeping cabins will be grouped, the
ceilings. walls and floors having several
coatings of nonconducting material. To
still further insure warmth the ship
sides are lined with tarred felt cork pad
ding. paneling another layer of felt, air
tight linoleum and more paneling-ffve
coats altogether
There is one door In the turret which
projects about one foot, serving as a
manhoie through which the crew may en-
| ter and depart. The turret Is the cap
tains bridge and has five glass win
dows of enormous thickness, one over
head, and the rest in the direction of the
| four hemispheres. There are two eight
| een-inch torpedo tubes of the latest inn