New-York tribune., 1908-01-31
BANTAMS OF THE SEA
STBMARTNES MIKE GOOD.
Uncle Sam Seasoning His for Coast
Defence an Long Cruises,

Six submarines now TO be seen at the Brook-
Iyn navy yard. Two OF them NAV be sen' a"dF
the PaciIc in month. and three others are
about the longest open sea voyage ever
atternted by such craft The government has al
together twelve submarines. Seven more are IN
course Of construction
The first of Uncle Sans diving vessels was
the Holland. which was turned to the Navy
Department in 1900 At that time submarine war
vessels were in the experimental stage and were
looked upon by the public much as the war pa4-
is looked upon to-day-as of questionable utii-
ity and meaning almost certain destruction for
the persons who might try 10 manipulate theIn
as steady occupation But IN the last eight years
IT has been proved that the risk from submarines
careful navgators is no greater than that 70
which the in the other branches OF the navy
are subjected officers and men are now detailed
TO submarine duty n just the same manner as TO
any other duty.
Within the last few weeks the little diving poats
have demonstrated beyond a doubt that they are
eminenty practical instruments of coast defence
1t has been the custom in the past for the SUB
marines to make short daily runs, when voyaging
from one part Of the country to another, and to
anchor each night III ports along the route A
recent experiment has shown that the up-to-oate
submarines capable of much more exacting
duty
The boats used in this experiment were the Viper.
commanded by Lieutenant D. C Bingham the
TarantuIa commanded by Lieutenant J. F. Dan
iels, and the Cuttleish commanded by Lieutenant
Lieutenant C. E. Courtney. The boats were turned
over to the government three months ago., and
until their trip to the Brooklyn navy yard. which
they reached Saturday, January Is. they were
nanauvrng In the harbor OF Newport r l.
The trip to the navy yard was begun on FRIDAY,
January IT. and the las miles covered IN sew
enteen and half hours. 1t is estimated that the
boats averaged nine and half knots, II the time
taken in getting out Of Newport Harbor and into
the navy yard berth be deducted. Without such a
he made at he
and two-ninths knots. The former average was
considerably above the warranted speed of the
boats
1t was not found necessary TO stop the boats
once while the trip in progress the officers
finding they could keep on the go long their
supplies OF gasoIene lasted. These boats have the
largest and strongest gasolene engines ever placed
in submarines Electricity, furnished by storage
batteries is used in submarine trips
The government well satisfied with the
experiment that the boats have been ordered
to make longer trip to Norfolk, Va. for which
they will start in q few days with their tender
the Hist. The first part Of the trip will be through
the open hundred and twenty miles TO
the Delaware Breakwater. The Breakwater VIII
give the mariners a little respite, and then viii
come another trip Of two hundred and fifty miles
through the open 1t is believed that the little
boats will be able easily to accomplish the task
set before them. they have already proved their
ability face gales Of fifty or sixty miles an
hour.
While the boats in port the officers and men
live aboard the tender. Each boat has crew OF
twelve men. who work IN shifts OF six. with the
same enthusiasm that sportsnen feel for autonno-
bling ballooning Indeed this spirit is consid-
cred one of the underlying the rapid devel-
oprneut OF the craft practical war machines
The Viper. the Tarantula and the Cuttlefsh are
now in the water and already supplied for their
trip.
The three submarines in drydock az the Brook
1yn navy yard are the Shark, commanded by Lieu
tenant G. W. Castle. the fotilla commander; the
Porpoise, commanded by Lieutenant Prentice Bas-
sett and the Plunger. commanded by Lieutenant
l. Pegran1. These are. next 10 the Holland. the
Oldest and the smallest submarines in the SER
vice having been built In 1903 The Shark and the
Porpoise TO be sent to the Pacific on board q