The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-19

llito one 3 lace n the waves crashed
into the retaining walls and piled
high on the beaches with all the fury
or a winters storm. Eleven lives were
lost along that forbidding coast that
day in fishing smacks and schooners.
But the blunt-nosed Octopus v
minded it in the least.
Thirty-one men were within the
submarines steel sides when Captain
Miles gave his first orders to cast off.
Ut these nineteen made up the crew,
ten were apprentice learners and two
were passengers.
We'll go out on the surface and
find some COW where there won't be
any thing in u way" explained Cap
tain Miles-"Captain" because he com
mands the ship. I'VE don't want to
come up under anything; it would be
bad for them"
So up the bay plowed the subma-
rine under her 250-horse power gaso-
line engines, with every MAJ at his
post at valve or wheel ready for the
word. Within, the Octopus looks like
a floating engine room, with two sets
of engines, gasoline and electric;
pipes for air, water and gasoline,
tanks, valves, six t%orpedoes, two tor
pedo tubes, gauges, switchboards,
lights n wheels. Submerged she
runs with electric motors worked by
storage batteries; on the surface with
gasoline. Two big indicators like
clocks provided with a hand apiece,
show the depth, and when she is on
the surface they mark co." But most
important of all is the periscope, that
delicate instrument which pops its
pipelike hood eight or ten feet above
the innards of the submarine, giving
a view all around the surface to those
cooped up below. When the boat ia
wholly submerged the periscope is
still working and gives a clear view
of the waters above and everything
that floats upon them. Only when
the boat ducks more than eighteen
feet below does the periscope cease to
be of use. Then the steering is done
by the compass alone.
1t was time to dive.
After hatch secure, sir!" answered
the man at the post.
Forward hatch secure?"
Forward hatch secure!"
"Main ballast tank trimmed?"
Main ballast tank trimmed"
Round and round went the ques-
tions and the answers from the men
at their stations. Everything was clos
ed up. Only the periscope gave a
glimpse of the raging waters above.
All the steel matches were battened
down and water-tight.
Turn on your electricity"
AYE, aye, sir!"
The chug-chug Of the gasoline ceas-
ed and the gutter whirr of the cleo
trio motors took over the work. The
Octopus was still on the surface. She
had to be trimmed-that is, negative
%buoyancy was necessary. Water was
drawn into her tanks until inch by
inch she sank. Finally she had
barely 100 pounds of buoyancy.
Now, we can dive" said Captain
Miles. "Watch!"
A sailor took his place at the hori-
zontal rudder, another was already in
the coming tower, while a third took
his post at the compass.
Fifteen feet!" ordered CAPTAIN
Miles.
The husky boy in the canvas uni
AOAAA Aio "llcCl 6lldI ply. 0uUs
denly the big hand on the depth indi-
Gator took on life-five, ten, fifteen
feet 1t showed. Then sixteen. A
slight twist and the Octopus came
back to fifteen feet and stayed there
But still the faithful periscope was
working. A peep through the eye
piece showed the wave raging above,
though the Octopus lay below abso-
lutely even on her keel, working
ahead at the rate Of nine knots an
hour.
Now, we'll take a sounding" said
the young officer. THAT near we'll
go to the bottom and find how deep
1t is. 1 should say that it's about
forty-ive or fifty feet here"
Thirty feet!" rang out the COM
mand.
Suddenly something splashed into
the pertscope-something green and
oily. 1t didn't disappear, either. 1t
l uyoo Tho uok>s olnnJn6 ovou <ho 1.u.