The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-10
RIX0A'S SEA TERROR.
Shipbuilder Says His Submarine
Has Ears and Eyes.
CAN DETECT A FOE LILIES AWAY


merged When Aloat and Can Be
Carried On a Battleship's DecI-To
Rave u Speed of T,vea1y-oae and a
Eaf Knots.
\ new submarine destroyer from
which the crew can see and hear sights
and sounds at great distance and
illus strike with greater accuracy has
oeen invented by Lewis Nixon. the
shipbu.lder. says the New York Times.
Mr.. Nixon admitted it and said that he
all over the world. The new submarine
destroyer. Mr. Nixon said. will be or
tered to the United States government
by the inventor before any foreign
power has an option on it.
The boat has secret device BY
which. it is said. it will be practically
impossible for torpedo or a Strang
craft to come within mile or two Of
the submarine without being observed
or heard.
question of the destruction of the un-
welcome craft is another matter, re-
Quiring another device This is cove red
b. one Of the applications for patents
now pending and the blowing up of IL
hostile vessel approaching too closely
Is very simple matter. My device ir-
cludes the use of Il high explosive tina t
Will work terrific damage Wien eXplOd-
ed near Il 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 AM the hearing rendered
extremely sensitive.
Further tllan this it would be dis
astrOus to all Interested to speak at
present save to say that my subma-
when aflOat. Only 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 It's operation l 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 it's practicability
This" said Mr.. 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 WIS in New York
he tod me that the submarine boat
did not count for much When l tOlj
him that | could send out submarine
boat that could destroy all the German
ships he laughed.
Nevertheless. your highness,'
said in ii few years you will be build
ing submarine boats
Il think few months will see tina t
prophecy fulfilled. The submarine boa
must now be considered as a serious
fore in naval warfare.
while in Russia l had an OppOrtu-
nifty, the first in many years. to really
study naval needs as affected by the
advances since | designed the Oregon.
while in st. Petersburg ! designed
armOred destrOyerS-a 1000 horse
power ocean going destroyer and a
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 a
battleship as they VIII carry tOrpedOes
besides my devices for locating and de-
stroying tOrpeGoeS. These devices are
very simple but novel.
Il have not offered my new inven-
tons to the navy department as yet. as
l should have to prove them by trials.
But, of course. anything l have is at
the disposal Of the navy department.
Nevertheless l built the first Of our
submarines, and it was hard to get a
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 am satisfied can do.
THE new destroyer will be produced
in model in a few weeks time. 1t will
be perfect miniature of my vessel fer
destroying the submarine. and l may
make public demonstration of its
utility. It will have a speed Of 21!2