The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-15
NAVAL HEROES
Tell Of Their Weird Night Forty Feet
Under Water
IN SUBMARINE EoAT FULTON
Which Laws Twelve Hours on the
Bottom Of the O an
With Nine Men

AG newport, II. l., SdlIduI boFt
men spent twelve hours "Wednesday
night and Thursday morning in the
tiny living room Of the submarine
torpedo boat Fulton, as she rested
forty feet below the surface OF
Narragansett Bay. 1t was test Of
the splendid nerve Of the naval fight
ing man, as well as the supreme test
OF the deep.under- the-sea war engine,
and both emerged triumphant.
All communication with the land
was cut off. The roof Of the coming
tower was bolted in, and silently the
waters OF the bay closed over the grim
looking craft at quarter past eleven
Wednesday night, and she slowly sank
below the surface, having on board
nine officers and men, who had vol
unteered for the test.
From that hour until few minutes
after eleven Thursday morning the
venturesome nine experienced, wide
open eyes, the fanciful dream Of Jules
Verne. Dawn appeared, and showed
an absolutely unrufled suraface where
the Fulton had gone down. For all
the interested Jack Tars at the New
port Torpedo station knew, their
mates had met the fate Of the sub
marine crew that went down to death
recently off the coast Of England.
NIGHT WITH DEEP SEA FISH.
And for that matter, for all that
the tars aboard the Fulton knew, they
had taken their last look at daylight
and had gone down in a living tomb.
All the life that remained to them
was contained in cup-shaped steel
tube. Tons Of water encompassed
them. The breaking Of a valve the,
loosening of a bolt, the slightest dis
arrangement Of the machinery, such
as frequently happens wherever
machinery is used, might mean death
to them in one or its most horrible
forms.
Deep down there in the sea, sur
rounded by entirely new and hidden
perils, it might be supposed that the
Jack Tars sat In silence, each one
busy with his prayers, but they did
not. Some read magazines, others
played chess with improvised pawn's
and others slept, while still others
kept watch and stared at the fish
that gazed at them through the BULBS
eyes as curiously as the fish stared at
them.
1t was just like the forecastle Of q
man-of-war," said one Of the officers.
Science triumphed over death. A
few minutes past II Thursday morn
ing the surface of the bay just off
the torpedo station began showing air
bubbles On scale slightly larger than
those thrown by porpoise. There
was an interval Of five minutes, and
then slowly from the depths rose a
great mass Of gray iron. 1t looked
like whale rising for summing.
"How's THE wEATHERw CABLE ASKS.
Gradually it shook the water from
itself and took definite shape. a
group of a hundred Jack Tars on the
wharf let loose a cheer, and the Ful
ton was floating on the surface OF the
bay.
Captain F. T. Cable was the first to
appear. Good morning." be said
cheerly. "How's the weather."
Cable has made about two thousand
trips below, in European as well
as the American waters. He con-
fessss a preference for deep-sea life,
with an occasional breathing sell,
fshlike, above the surface.
Naval Constructor Woodward fol-
lowed to the deck.
''Splendid,m he cried, with the air
of a scientific man.
One by one they crawled up through
the coming tower, and as fast as they
got out in tre clear, lighted cigars
and pipes. The navy man thus far
has found only one grave objection to
the submarine boat. He cannot
smoke under the water.
The men were as fresh looking as
though they had spent the night in
barracks, or swinging comfortably in
bammocks aboard battlesbip. They
had breakfasted comfortably off cam
ed goods and coffee, cooked on an elec-
trio stove, and fruit. They seemed
loath to leave the Fulton and step
back on dry land.
In every detail the test had been q
supreme succ IS. At no time was any
discomfort felt by any Of the men.
Incomprehens bic as the statement
may appear, for eleven hours and a
half of the twelve that they passed at
the bottom of the bay, the men lived
on the air that the boat contained
when it was taken below the surface.
TEST A SUPREME SUCCESS.
Captain Cable says they could have
lived with the same supply for several
hours more; but they drew. on their
reserve supply in order to test the
pumps and satisfy Constructor Wood
ward as to the perfect working condi-
tion of the apparatus.
In naval circles here the success OF
the Fulton's test is regarded as Of the
utmost Importance. Naval Construc-