The Grit-advocate., 1905-09-08
NOVELIST'S INVENTION MAY
REVOLUTIONIZE NAVAL WAR

son an printed in Everybody's Maga-
zine, may revolutioniZe naval warfare.
Mr.. RoLeTtson, the author, has already
sold for $4,000 his invention of sub
marine searchlight to the Holland
Submariue Boat company, and now
has beeG employed by that company to
develop other ideas of submarine war
fare.
The basis OF the story. The Sub
marine destroyer" is hypothetical
war berween Japan and the United
States, thought on by the latter coun-
try deporting all Chinese from Ameri-
ca to their native land. Japan notified
the United States that if the trans
ports carrying the deported orientals
approached within the three mile limit
of the Chinese coast she would construe
it as al act of war. The United States
delayed a response, Japan recalled her
ambass sador while the transports were
still In midocean. The United States
mustered seventeen submarines-the
only kind of warships in use, all the
kp"ClE IiNiIlS oCHl lHVli
and cruisers to the junk yards-to
protect The transports. Lieut.. Ross, L..
S. n, vas in command of the iiotilla.
AS the transports and the tiotilla
neared :ne mouth of the Yangtse river
THE Submarine Destroyer was dis-
covered. The story goes on:
Kos saw round, Slls-
tenine steel hull, capped by slant
sided coming tower. 1t seemed like a
huge globe, its curvature indicating a
diametcr of at least eighty feet, but it
moved on course to intercept the
Vaquero Ross' flagship) at a speed
almost Incredible in ball Snapped
hull. There was nothing to betray its
nationality. The stranger
stopped with unusual suddenness, and
head and shoulders rose out OF the
coming tower-those of youngish
man, with an alert, boyish face, and
fine white teeth, much in evidence
when he smiled.
"'Hcllo there, lieutenant" he called,
when the Vaquero had crept up to
him. Got any gilmore than you
need this trip?"
Plenty of medium grade, if that
will do answered Ross doubtfully.
But who are you, and what have you
there submarine?'
"'Nell, it's periscope, as you see,
and for the rest, it's a centrifugal
pump and a high speed rotary. My
oils too thick and it heats up. That's
about all can tell you now
Hardly enough, considering the
situation. What's your nationality?'
"l'm an American
"'But your boat?' asked Ross, impa.
tiently.
"'Depends upon what it can do to
morrow and which country buys me
out
Are you an armed craft? Then
you are a pirate if you NEEDLE with
the affairs of nations
4 am not armed or armored and
the affairs meddle with will go to tho
bottom. The other side won't care
Don't bubble with me. | am {
government officer with tube trained
upon you now
You couldn't hit me with every
torpedo you've got, lieutenant, sale
the stranger, smiling again. You'd
have to strike horizontal knife edge
with the firing pin of your torpedo
and it's one chance in million. You
cant aim in vertical plane.
Ross puzzled over the statement
and the stranger went on:
I've neither rudder nor screw tC
catch a torpedo. can get thirty-five
quickly. might t. though I'm moi
sure-run away from torpedo
Nonsense said Ross. It's be
yond the power of machinery.
For an answer the stranger ducked
into the coming tower, closed the di
vided hatch; then, throwing spoon
shaped sheet of water high overhead
the curved object darted about 10C
yards to starbOard, stopped almost in
stantly, and darted back to its former
position. Ross eyes opened at the ex
hibition, and when the stranger again
rose out of the hatch. he cried:
What in the name of heaven have
you got? How do you get that speed
in a ball? should say it was forty
knots an hour
No, thirty-fve, or little less.
Its twenty under water. | can catch
and destroy any submersible atloat or
submerged
II you are unarmed, how can you
destroy anything, even though, as you
claim, you are invulnerableNto attack :?
Watch out tomorrow. Keep your
colors hoisted, even when submerged
| want to make no mistakes. | have
a !iuorescent searchlight, but it is
none of the best
You are not benefactor of hui
mauity,' said Ross, with a slight shud.
der.
But, if your oil is any good, and