Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-31
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Pres. Roosevelt Made Several Sub.
mersions on New Submarine
Graft.
BEHAVED BEAUTIFULLY
The boat Rcsponded to Every Test of
Its Machincry-Pre~iden Remain.
ed on the Bottom 80 Minutes Mt
One Tfme-Storm on the
Surface UnnOticed.
BEHAVED BEAUTIFULLY

oyster Bay. Aug. 25.-Presidcnt
Roosevelt late this afternoon went out
on the submarine torpedo boat Plum
ger. remaining on board the craft
while she made several submersons.
one of which lasted so minutes.
The Plungcr's manoeuvres were at
the entrance to oyster Bay on Long
Island sound. in about 40 feet of water.
When he returned to land President
Roosevelt expressed himself as being
very much impressed with the Plum
gers qualities.
stiff northeast breeze which had been
blowing since last night kicked up n
heavy sea in the sound but the Plunger
b' havcd beautifully. The water where
the trial took place Is about 40 feet deep,
too shallow in the opinion of Lieut.
Charles ii. Nelson. the commander. and
his experts to enable the vessel to do her
best work. Soon after the vessel reached
the necessary depth of water. she was d.
rectcd downward until she rested on tho
bottom Of the sound. Then the mcchan-
ism OF he craft was explained infinitely
to the President by Lieut. Nelson.
| While the President thus was resting on
the bottom of the sound in n submarine
boat. a storm ~ feet above him was rag
| ing unnoticed. The rain descended in tor
rents and the northcaster whipped the
surface of the water into big rollers.
| Explanations of the working of the ves-
sci having been completed Lieutenant
| Nelson hogan to put her through her
races. From the bottom porpoisc diving
Was tric1.--that is tho boat would ascend
TO the surface of the sound for several
seconds, long enough tn enable her com
| mander to sight any warsh!p that might
| be within view and then dive again i'm
mediatrly. After this manocuvr" had bt en-
| repeated 4 few times. the Plunger was
| sent down twenty feet below the surface
| and hc- engine stopped Then the engines
were reversed ard the boat assembled to
| the surface backwards. Lieutenant Mel
son made his boat perform the remarkable
| feat of diving to Il depth of twenty feet
and while goirg at full speed ut that
depth. reversing her course. The complete
turn occupied only one minute. Suisse
| uuently. the engines were stopped and
| the vessel was submerged to Il depth Of
| twenty feet. There she was kert notion
less, a demonstration Of her ability to
remain in that position for hours while
| awaiting an opportunity to launch one
Of her torpetlocs at vessel of blockad-
ing squadron which might he passing or
| requesting a given point.
| After many manouvres had been per-
! formed Lieutenant Nelson ordered all
| lights on board to be extnguished 10
demonstrate how thoroughly the men,
| hers Of his crew knew their business
| They worked perfectly in the darkness.
During the operations OF the Plunger.
the tender Apache remained within a
short distance. prepared to render any
assistance that might he necessary. She
was not needed. however. and the Plum
ger returned to her mornings near the j.
West Roosevelt pier without any UNI
toward incident. The President shook
hands with all the crew as he left the
vosscl to return to Sycamore Hill.