Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-06-08
NixON'S SEA TERROR.
Shipbuilder Says His Submarine
Has Ears and Eyes.
CAN DETECT A FOE MILES AWAY

New Destroyer VIII Be Nearly Sub
merged When AhOat and Can Be
Carried on a BattIeship's Deck-TO
Have u speed of Twenty-One and n
Half Knots.
A new submarine destroyer from
which the crew can see and hear sights
and sounds at a great distance and
thus strike with greater accuracy has
been invented by Lewis Nixon, the
shipbuilder, says the New York Times.
MIR. Nixon admitted it and said that lie
, has applications for patents pending
all over the world. The new submarine
destroyer, Mr.. Nixon said, will be Of
fered to the United States government
by the inventor before any foreign
power has an option OH it.
The boat has secret device by
which, it is said, 1t Will be practically
impossible for torpedo or a strange
craft to come within Il mile or two of
the submarine without being observed
or heard.
after that said Mr.. Nixon, 1.-The
question of the destruction of the I'M
welcome craft is another matter, re-
curing another device. This is covered
by one of the applications for patents
now pending and the blowing up of
hostile vessel approaching too closely
is very simple matter. My device in
cludes the use of u high explosive that
will work terrific damage when explod-
ed near hull. BY other parts of my
invention, through which vessels under
or above water can be placed by my
craft, it is as though the eyesight were
exaggerated and the hearing rendered
extremely sensitive.
Further than this it would be dis
astrous 10 all interested to speak at
present, save to say that my subma-
rine will he more than half submerged
when atloat. Only a small part of it
will appear above water. but that part
will contain the apparatus for obServ-
ing and hearing and generally locating
strange vessels. The new explosive
and its operation 1 do not care TO dis
cuss just now except to say that it has
been perfected
Mr.. Nixon, speaking of the progress
in the use of torpedo and submarine
craft in naval warfare. drew attention
TO the fact that the German emperor
had recently announced his intention
of descending, as President Roosevelt
had done, in Il submarine boat in order
to test its practicability.
This" said MI Nixon, lis interest
ing in view of the fact that recently
the kaiser regarded the submarine as
more or less of Il joke. When Prince
Henry of Prussia was in New York
he told me that the submarine boat
did not count for much When | told
him that l could send out Il submarine
boat that could destroy all the German
ships he laughed.
"'Ney ertheless, your highness,' l
said, in n few years you will be build
ing submarine boats
Il think a few months will see that
prophecy fulfilled. The submarine boat
must now be considered as n serious
force in naval warfare.
while in Russia 1 had an opportu-
nifty, the first in many years, to really
study naval needs as affected by the
advances since l designed the Oregon.
while in st. Petersburg l designed
armored destrOyers-a $1,000 horse
power ocean going destroyer and Il
submarine torpedo boat destroyer.
These are propelled by the Standard
gasoline marine engine.
My submarine deStroyers will be
small, capable of being carried on the
decks OF battleships and large cruisers
to be put overheard at the beginning of
an action. They will be able to sink Il
battleship. as they will carry torpedoes
besides my devices for locating and de-
stroying torpedoes. These devices are
very simple but novel.
81 have not offered my new inven-
tons to the navy department as yet, as
| should have to prove them by trials.
But, of course anything 1 have is at
the disposal of the navy department.
Nevertheless l built the first of our
submarines, and it was hard to get
report of what they really did on ac-
count of the great prejudice against
this type of boat.
''This prejudice is over, however,
and we must now turn our attention
not only to perfecting the submarine,
but to combating it in its greatest per-
lection. This l am satisfied l can do.
THE new destroyer will be produced
in model in a few weeks time. 1t will
be Il perfect miniature of my vessel for
destroying the submarine, and / may
make n public demonstration of its
utility. 1t will have a speed of 211a
knots
New Army Field Kitchen.