The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-26
Made ISubm|arineVoyag lib ! II ne
Yesterdayin Torpedo
Boat Plunger.
DOWN SO MINUTES
DURING ONE TRIP
little Ship Dived and Manoeuvred
to Great Delight Of Dis
tinguished Passenger.
GREAT SENSATION AMONG
A NAVAL MEN EVERYWHERE.
Danger Declared to Be Practically
Nothing Serene AS Parlor in
Submarine Resting On Bot
tom Of Sound Forty
Feet Below the
Surface.
ByiAssociuted Press. !

" Y
OYSTER BAY, n. Y. August 25-
President Roosevelt late this afternoon
made descent in Long Island Sound on
board the submarine torpedo boat Plung-
cr.4 He was aboard the vessel about
three hours. IS
AZ one time the little boat was sub
merged for fHty minutes, and in that
time was put through all OF the sub
marine features or which she Is capable.
The President expressed delight at he
rovel experience. and said that he was
Immensely impressed with the boat and
with the manner in which ,shc was
handled. # 81
In thus bravlng the dangers OF sub
marine manoeuvcring, the President has
cndeared himself to naval officers and
q men the world over, and made Lieutcn-
ant Charles FL. Nelson. commander OF tho
1lungcr. the proudest and huppiest man
In the United States navy.
In No Danger.
The Presidents Intention not only to
mako r personal Inspection OF the tiny
& vessel, likely TO prove SO deadly In naval
* warfare. but to make descent In IT.
was reached after Il conference with
Lieutenant Nelson II, 4l b
The Plunger's commander explained
Mto President Roosevelt the ti0ns OF
l. gtiic bodt sU1 HSSuTcu allII1 tIlaI II tEl0
y on her and a aSdcsccn. into the depths OF
Long Island Sound would be as devoid
ii OF danger ns would be a trip oI,6n New.
York subway express train.
AS soon as the President had descended
into the boat and the manholes were
closed and conveyed by the naval tender
Apache the Plungcr started for the
sound. No maneuvers were attempted
until the vessel was well beyond the en-
trance to The bay. a stiff northwest
breeze had been blowing. since last night
and kicked UP a heavy sea in the sound.
but the plunger behaved beautifully.
Forty Feet Down.
The water where the trial took place
is about forty feet deep. too shallow in
the opinion Of Lieutenant Nelson and his
experts to enable the vessel to do her
best work. Soon after the vessel reached
the necessary depth OF water she was
{ directed downward until she rested on
* the bottom OF the sound. Then tic
mechanism OF the craft WAS explained
5 mnutciy TO the President by Lieutenant
) Nelson, SO that he nfterward had no
difficulty In understanding tho maneu-.
yers which were performed
While the President thus was resting
4 on the bottom Of the sound In subs
marine boat storm forty feet above
him was raging unnoticed. The rain de-
sccnded In torrents and tho Rothcaster
whipped the surface Of the water into
big rollers, but 1t was ms quiet and peace
ful where the President was as parlor
would be. y u
Put Through PAGES.
Explanation OF tho working OF the
vessel having been completed. Lieutenant
Nelson began to put her through her
PAGES. From the bottom porpoise diving
was tried; that is. tho boat would ascend
to the surface Of the sound for several
seconds, long enough to enable her COM
,nntler 10 sight any warship that might
DO within view, and then dive again
Immediately After this maneuver had
been repeated n few times, the Plunger
was sent down a distance OF twenty rect
below the surface and her engines were
stopped.
Then tho engines We're reversed and the
boat ascendcd to the surface back |ards.
Lieutenant Nelson made his beat per-
form the remarkable feat OF diving 10 q
depth of twenty feet and while going
Mt full speed at that depth. reversing her
course Tho complete turn occupied only
ono minutc Subsequently. the engines
were stopped and Aho vessel was sub
4 merged to Il depth of twenty feet. There
she was kept motioncss, giving ! DEM
onstration of her ability to remain IN
that position for hours While aWhltlnE
mn opportunity to launch one Of her
torpedoes at a vessel Of blockadlng
squadron which might be passlnG or re-
passing atigiven point,
Manoeuvred in Dark,
After many manouevers had heen, per-
formed, Lieutenant Nelson ordered al
lights on board to be eXtlngulshed to
demonstrate how thoroughly the men'-
bers of his crew knew their business
They worked perfectly in the inkN dark
ness. evidently With as much skill and
pase as they performed their duties IN
Tho glare Of the electric lights
During the operations Of the I'lungtr,
tho tender Apache remained within y
short distance, prepared to render nny
assistance that might be necessary, She
was not needed, however, and the Plung-
or returned to her moorings near the
]. West Roosevelt pier Without an unto
ward incident Tho President shook
hands with all the crew as he loft the
vessel TO return to Sycamore HIM.
Mutineers Sentenced,