Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-26
UNDER OYSTER BAY
President Goes Down In the
 Submarine Plunger.
SUBMERGED FOR FIFTY MINUTES.
Mr. Roosevelt Immensely Impressed With the Boat and the Manner In Which Lieutenant Nelson
 Handles Her.

OYSTER BAY, N. Y., Aug. 26.-
 President Roosevelt made descent in
 Long Island sound on board the sub.
 marine torpedo boat Plunger. He was
 aboard the vessel about three hours.
 At one time the little boat was sub
 merged for fifty minutes and in that time was put through all of the subma- rine feats of which she is capable.
 The president expressed his delight at the novel experience and said that he was immensely impressed with the boat and with the manner in which she was handled.
 In thus braving the dangers of sub- marine fnaneuvering the president has endeared himself to naval officers and men the world over and made Lieuten- ant Charles H. Nelson, commander of the Plunger, the proudest and happiest man in the United States navy.
 As soon as the president entered the boat the manholes were closed, and, conveyed by the naval tender Apache. the Rlunger started for the sound. No maneuvers were attempted until the vessel was well beyond the entrance to the bay. A stiff northeast breeze kick ed up heavy sea in the sound, but the Plunger behaved beautifully. The wa ter where the trial took place is about forty feet deep. .s.
 After the vessel reached the neces- sary depth of water she was directed downward until she rested on the bot tom of the sound. Then the mechanism of the craft was explained minutely to the president by Lieutenant Nelson, so that he afterward experienced no diff culty in understanding the maneuvers which were performed.
 While the president thus was resting on the bottom of the sound in subma- rine boat storm forty feet above him was raging unnoticed. The rain de- scended in torrents, and the northeast CT whipped the surface of the water in- to big rollers, but it was as quiet and peaceful where the president sat as in a parlor. ....
 Explanations of the working of the vessel having been completed, Lieuten- ant Nelson began to put her through her paces. From the bottom porpolse diving was tried-that is, the boat would ascend to the surface of the sound for several seconds. long enough to enable her commander to sight any warship that might be in view, and then dive again immediately. After this maneuver had been repeated a few times the Plunger was sent down a distance of twenty feet below the surface and her engines stopped.
 Then the engines were reversed and the boat ascended to the surface back wards. Lieutenant Nelson made his boat perform the remarkable feat of diving to depth of twenty feet and while going at full speed at that depth reversing her course. The com plete turn occupied only one minute Subsequently the engines were stopped and the vessel was submerged to depth of twenty feet There she was kept motionless, a demonstration of her ability to remain in that position for hours while waiting an opportunity to launch one of her torpedoes at vessel of blockading squadron which might be passing or repassing a given point -.- ..-
 During the operation of the Plunger the tender Apache remained within short distance, prepared to render any assistance that might be necessary. She was not needed, however, and the Plunger returned to her moorings near the J. West Roosevelt pier without an untoward incident. The president shook hands with all the crew as he left the vessel to return to Sagamore Hill. ...a