Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-08-31
PRESIDENT TAKES DIVE
Goes Down on a Submarine in the
Sound.
WAS SUBMERGED FOR FIFTY MINUTES.
President Roosevelt Spends Three Hours, All
Told, on Board the PIunger and the Sub
marine Is Put Through All Her Maneuvers
for Ills Benefit-The Boat Behaved Beaut''
fully, Though Heavy Sea Was On.

for Ills Beneft-The Boat Behaved beaEti'
fully, Though Heavy Sea Was On.
Oyster Bay, l.. l. (SpeciaD.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt late in the afternoon
made a descent in Long Island Sound
on board the submarine torpedo boat
Plungcr He was aboard the vessel
about three hours. At one time the
little boat was submerged for so min
utes. and in that time was put through
all of the submarine exercises 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 i'll which she
was handled. In thus braving the dan
gers of submarine mancouverlng the
President has endeared himself to naval
officers and men the world over, and
made Lieut.. Charles II. Nelson COM
mandcr of the Plunger, the proudest
and happiest man in the United States
Navy.
The Presidents intention not only to
make a personal inspection OF the tiny
vessel, likely to prove 50 deadly in naval
warfare, but to make a submarine de-
scent in it was reached after confer
ence with Lieutenant Nelson The
Plunser's commander explained to Pres
idcnt Roosevelt the operations of the
boat and assured him that trip on her
and a descent into the depths OF Long
Island Sound would be as devoid Of dan,
ger as would be a trip on New York
subway express train.
The President long has desired to
watch the operations of submarine
torpedo boat at close range, and before
this would have made trip in one had
he not been deferred from taking the
risk by advice OF his friends and official
associates. Convinced BY the logic OF
lieutenant Nelson, he arranged 10 take
trip on the Plungcr and to see the
little vessel perform all her wonder
iul mancuvcrs while he was on board.
The special trial OF the boat, with the
President on board, took place between
3 and 8 o'clock in Long Island Sound,
Just off the entrance % Oyster Bay.
Shortly after 3 O'Clock the President
went aboard the Plungcr in ono OF the
launches of the naval yacht SyIph, which
he boarded at the J. West Roosevelt
pier.
As soon as the President had de
sccndcd into the boat the manhoIcS were
closed, and, conveyed by the naval ten
der Apache, the Plunger started for the
sound. No mancuvcrs were attempted
until the vessel was well beyond the
Il, 80
breeze kicked up a heavy sea IN the
sound, but the PMneer behaved beautl-
fully. The water where the trial took
place is about 10 feet deep. too shallow,
in the opinion Of Lieutenant Nelson and
his experts to enable the vessel TO do
her be st 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
tho mechanism of the craft was explain
ed infinitely to the President by Llcu-
tenant Nelson, so that he attcrward cN-
pcricnccd no difficulty in understanding
the mancuvers which were performed.
While the President vas thus resting
on the bottom of the sound in sub
marine boat a storm 10 tcct above nm
was raging mnoticcd The rain de
scended in torrents and the northcastcr
whipped the water into big rollers, but
it was as quiet and peaceful where the
President sat as an easy par.or would
be.
Explanations Of the working of the
Plungcr being completed, Lieutenant
Nelson began to put her through her
PAGES. From the bottoHl, porpolSc div
ing was tricd-that is, the boat would
ascend to the surface of the sound Tor
several seconds, long enough to enable
her commander to sight any WarSmp
that might be within view, and then
dive again Immediately. After this ma
ncuver had been repeated a few t,meS'
the Plunger was sunk down distance
OF 20 feet below the surface and her
engines stopped Then the engines were
revrsed and the boat aSccnded to the
surface backward.
I.intenant Nelson made his boat per
form the remarkable feat OF diving to a
depth OF 20 feet and while going at iuII
speed at that depth, reversing her course,
The complete turn occupied only one
minute. Subsequently the engines were
! stoppcd and the vessel was submerged
10 depth OF 20 feet There she was
| kept motionlcss as demonstration Of
| her ability to remain in that position tor
hours while awaiting an opportunity to
launch one OF her torpcdocS at a vessel
of blockading squadron which might
be passing or rcpasslng a gwen point