Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-26
Submarine Inventor lnspects
Work on Boats.
ONE NEARLY COMPLETED
First Visit OF Head o. Lake Company
to Newport News Since Days Of
RUSSO. Jspsnere war. When Local
Company seiit Craft for Gar.

Simon Lake. inventor OF the LAKE
type of submarine torpedo boat ana
head of the Lake Submarine Torpedo
Boat Company. accompanied by Mt.
+. W. Baker. an engineer of the COM
rany arrived in the city yesterday TO
inspect the two submarine cruisers
now under construction for their CON-
pany ut the local shipyard. They
visited the yard yesterday and VIII
iook the submarines over again To-Day
before returning to Bridgeport. Conn.,
the American headquarters OF me
Lake company.
The submarines building at Inc
yard are Of the cruiser type, the ifs'
Of their class every constructed IN
thss country. They are considerably
larger than the Simon Lake
X. the original Lake suoma-
rlne cruiser. and viii nave
q much greater cruising radius. the
contracts for the boats were awarded
to the Lake company By the United
States government. and the local CON-
many, which has done all Of the Lake
work in this country, was given the
sub-contract for construction. me
flrst contract was signed nearly Two
wears ago, and that boat will be ready
Tor launching In the very near future.
The contract for the second was not
signed until last February and. al
though work on the vessel already h
far advanced, il will be some months
before she Is completed.
Mr.. Lake said last night that the
work on the boats seemed 10 be Fro
crossing nicely. The first. he SAID
would be completed about on Time.
ana the second ahead of time.
Sensation Recalled.
This Is Mr.. Lakes first visit to
Newport News since the days OF the
Russo japanese war, when the con-
structlon of five Lake submarines FOR
the Russian government tieated
something of sensalion through
out the country, The boats We're
built here under contract with the
Lake company and were delivered by
the owners safely TO Russia.
The first two were put aboard the
barge Kennebec at the yard and tow
ed 10 New York. whether they were
transferred to the deck OF Hamburg
American liner. They were taken 10
Russia by way OF Hamburg. TWO
more were carried on the decks CT
the German steamship Fortuna, and
the Fortuna was captured by the Rus
SLAMS as the ree,it OF misunderstood
ing. AS it soon developed that the
steamers deck-load was consigned 10
the Russian nav. hIwever. no harm
was done. The fifth boat went TO
Hamburg on the deck OF the German
steamship Pallanza.
Since that time the LAX npany
has established a plant IN Russia and
a number OF submarines have been
turned out for the Cars navy. Mt.
Lake says that two boats recently
wefe Completed at this plant for the
Austrian government.
Gettino Fair Deal Now.
A the time the inventor was here
last. he was experiencing great DIM
Guilty In inducing the Authorities. at
washington to give his submarines
rial. When asked last night, How
are you being treated at wash
ing,on these days." Mr.. Lake
xeplied. An right The mat
Ter ia left to the navy department
nov, and we are getting fair deal.
There will be nothing 10 complain OF
as long &c the business Is handled
as IL is now"