The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-05-01
TO TEST SUBMARINES
Trials to Take Place To-day
in Narragansett Bay.
TWO BOATS ENTERED IN RACE
Octopus, of Holland Type, and Lakes
Vessel VIII BE Given Every Chance
10 show Their QuaIitIes-Only One
Vessel to BE Taken Out at a Time.

Newport, r. I, April S0.-The beginning
of the governments submarine boat tests.
which are TO be held in Management
Bay, OF Newport, were set for to-day,
but as the trial board. composed OF Capt.
Adolph Mark, president; Naval Con-
structor D. W. Taylor. Commander
Burns T. Walling. Lieut. Commander
William S. Smith, &eut. John W. Tim
mons, and Ensign +. II. Sadler, appoint
ed by the Navy Department to supervise
the tests. did not arrive last night, the
tests win not begin until tomorrow.
Everything, as far as possible, pending
the arrival of the official board of judges
was ready for the beginning of the trials,
and the word go" is now all that is
needed to begin what will be the most
exhaustive and severe tests that the gov
eminent has ever put any vessel through
TO see II 1t answers all requirements
There will be but two boats in the race.
for SO it can be called. these being the
Lake and the Octopus, both of which
have been in Newport waters for some
time undergoing tuning-up trials, that
they may be ready for the ordeal that
the government officers viii subject
them to.
Octopus Holland Type.
The Octopus, which IS of the Holland
type. the same as the type Of boat which
is now successfully used in the naval
equipment Of submarines. was built at the
Fore River Shipbuilding Company's plant
at Quincy, Mass. by the Electric Boat
Company, last winter and is said to be
the largest submarine that has ever been
constructed in this country. The Lake.
which is the product Of the Lake Torpedo
Boat Company. and although about the
same size as the Octopus, Is of an Alto
gether different type Of boat
The Subsurface Boat Company is also
expected to he a bidder for the Sc, 600, 900
that the government has set aside and
made available for the purchase of sub
marines, and il is expected that this COM
pany win submit a small model of the
type of boat which il intends 70 build TO
the trial board before they have com
pleted their task The company. as far
as known, has not built any actual size
boat Of their model
The Octopus Will be commanded by
Capt +. T. Cable during the trials. while
Capt William Evans will be at the steer
ing wheel of the Lake. Both captains
they were ali ready and thoroughly pre-
pared for the tests. The trial board viii
do everything within its power 10 insure
fairness to the competing boats, and the
rules that have already been laid down
tend toward this end
Prepared for Tests.
Although the tests, or trials, are to be
competitive, it would be impracticable to
carry on simultaneous tests and, there
fore, each boat viii be taken out sepa-
rately. Which boat will be the first TO be
tried out is only a matter OF conjecture at
this time, and Il will not be known until
the navy board arrives in Newport.
The schedule of tests TO determine the
maneuvering powers, the endurance, and
habituality of the boats is a long one and
II has been unOfficially estimated in New
port during the past week that it viii
take at least a week or ten days to com
plete the tests of each boat, this, Of
course, not taking into consideration the
chances of delays on account of adverse
weather conditions.