Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-28
A ToRPEDo'S TUBE
Ensign Writings Thrilling Escape
from Submarine Seventy Feet
Under the Sea.

Ensign Kenneth Whiting Of the United
States navy has just proved the feasibility
Of escaping through the torpedo tube OF
a submarine by a very plucky perform
anoe. It had already been tried success.
fully on dogs in Newport harbor, but
their experience was not conclusive. Whit
ing was in command OF the submarine
Porpoise in Manila bay when he made
his experiment. incidentally, 1t may be
mentioned that while at Annapolis he
was president of the Athletic association
played on the football and hockey teams
and won the swimming championship
three years in succession.
Having sent the Porpoise to the bottom
Of Manila bay. seventy feet below the
surface, he got into one Of the tubes, had
the rear door or breach Of the tube
closed behind him, and firmly grasped
with both hands q steel attachment of
the port cover at the outer end Of the
tube.
Such a torpedo tube is big enough to
hold three or four men and u a dozen
feet in length. When 1t is used for wal
purposes a f~ish-shaped torpedo is showed
into 1t and the door behind II Is hermet-
ically closed. Then, by a special mechan-
ism, the port at the outer end Ii thrown
open like a shutter and the torpedo Is
discharged from the tube by compressed
air.
OF course, when the port at the outer
end is thrown open the sea PUSHES in.
This is a matter OF 40 Importance, so far
as the shooting Of the torpedo Is con-
cerned. When the latter has been dis
charged the port is closed again by the
same mechanism, and the tube is auto
matically emptied OF the water 1t con-
tanned. Then, and not until then, the
door at the rear Of the breech end may
be opened to introduce a fresh torpedo.
What Ensign whiting did was simply
to substitute himself for the torpedo. The
door being closed behind him. he lay
flat on the tube and waited. But first he
secured a firm grip on the port at the
outer end OF the tube. For II was not
intended to USE the compressed air to
shoot him out into the sea, but merely
to eject him by operating the mechanism
already described. As 1t was, the expert
ment was p~erilous enough.
The expectation was that. when the
mechanism was operated, the port would
open and would carry Whiting with it
just as a man standing in the vestibule of
a house and clinging to the knob of the
front door would be dragged into the hall
inside by a force violently pulling the door
inward. The only difference was that in
this case the movement was outward. But,
of necessity, when the port was opened
the pressure of the water at such a depth
was liable to drive the man back into the
tube, pocket him there and drown him.
He could hardly be rescued, because the
rear door could not be opened without
a. ~ - NN- - 49, -.VA
merged boat.
Here was the great risk, so great a risk
in fact, that Ensign Whiting was willing
to AXE the risk for the same Of solving
a problem affecting the safety Of the many
seamen and officers who In the future will
be required in the line OF their duty to sc
down In submarine boats.
The pressure of the water against the
outer port (Which might be called a lid ID
so great especially at such a depth, thai
Whiting could not possibly have made his
way out OF the tube by his own strength
But, clinging to the port, when 1t wa'
opened by the powerful mechanism under
control Of the second officer. he was pulled
out, got clear of the tube and rose swiftly
to the surface. Being once clear of tn,
tube, the rest was an easy matter. as he IA
a very fine swimmer.
In view Of the success Of this remark
able and daring experiment, It is to b.
expected that on future occasions, wher
submarine boats are disabled and unable
to rise to the surface, those on board Of
them will seek to escape through one OF
the torpedo tubes. They would have to &c
out In this way, OF course, one after an
other; and II is obvious that the last mar
must be lost, because, though he Nigh
get into the tube, there would be nobody
TO operate the mechanism for him and lei
him out into the sea.
A simple suit Is being devised to assisI
the sailor in escaping from the torpedo
tube without injury. 1t is torpedo-like II
form and has a conical head and a lf'
belt, 1t is buoyant and will carry the maj
quickly 10 the surface, while a pennan
on the cap will help to attact the attention
Of passing ships Chicago American.