The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-10
MORE SUBMARINE BOATS ID BE BUILT Have Demonstrated Merits in
 Rigorous Tests ENGLAND FAVORS THEM Vessels Were invented In the United
Vessels Were Invented In the United States, But Other Nations Have Taken to Them More Quick
 ly Than America.

Washington, Julyq 9.-The naval appro- priation bill, which became law during the closing hours of the session just end ed, authorizes the secretary of navy to contract for submarine boats In the amout of $1,000,O00 after certain competi- tive tests, which are to be made within the coming year, are satisfactorily com piled with. The contracts for the boats are then to be let. The government is evidently proceeding under the theory that these boats are still experimental, notwithstanding the severe trying-out they have had in our navy combined with the fact that Great Britain and all of the leading maritime nations now recog- nize the value of this American invention and have equipped themselves with fleets of these boats and are constantly adding to them.
 It will probably surprise most readers to learn the extent to which the great naval powers of the world have adopted the submarine torpedo boat in their na- vies. Strange to say the very type of submarine now so popular among foreign navies originated and developed in the United States, but owing to the scant encouragement given to its projectors , here at home 1t was taken abroad, where 1t found quick appreciation.
 Constitute Formidable Branch.
 In 1900 our navy department bought the "Holand" type of submarine, and in that year congress contracted for six of them known as the Adder class. All of these boats exceeded their contract require n1antc and aVar since thav wpra cotnnoiS- stoned have constituted a formidable branch of our naval force Four subma rine boats are now under construction for the navy. being the only ones ordered since 1900. In that year, when the United States practically halted in the building of these boats. Great Britain, the largest builder of battleships became converted to the submarine type and the British ad- fmirality imediately began the acquisition of them The English naval officers be- came convinced that the type of boat ac- quired by the United States navy, the called diving type" was the best. and, in fact, the only successful development of the submarine idea as applied to naval construction.
 The English government has gone for ward with the building of these boats year by year until they have built or are building fifty-two submarines. all, it will be remembered of a similar type to those we have m our navy.
 Orders More Every Year.
 The plan of the British naval authorities has been to order each year a f1otila of these boats of homogeneous design, 1t being conceded that torpedo boats at tain their highest efficiency when oper- ated in groups of the same class Each year the displacement of the boats com prising these hotillas has been gradually {,,o, fI,o 1I t.i., cnmulators and gasoline tanks has been augmented until the recent submarines have tonnage of more than three hun dred and carry sufficient liquid fuel to travel thirteen hundred miles on the sur face without replenshing.
 The appreciation of the submarine by the British admirality is further shown by the plans which have been made to entrust the coast defenses of the British isles almost exclusively 10 this naval weapon. Fixed submarine mines have been abandoned and the mining stations have been turned over to the submarine boat service. which has been organized as d special branch of the navy.
 The admrality Is establishing six sub marine boat bases around the English coasts. There will be three of these sta tions upon the south coasts, located at Portsmouth. Davenport and Dover The remaining three stations will be the cen tral station and at this point there will be a specially designed drydock ada pted 10 the needs of submarines. A fast depot ship with a torpedo boat as a tender will be attached to each base. To each of these stations will be allotted a fiotilla of six submarines besides additional re- serves.
 Japan, Russia. Germany Spain, Portu- gal Brazil and Holland are supplying themselves with the type of submarine adopted on such small scale in the United States navy. France has always set great store by the submarine and has sixty or more of these craft.