El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-02

THE NEW TYPE OF UNDER WATER FIGHTING
CRAFT HAS NOW ARRIVED
Called the Submarine Cruiser and Likely to Make the
Battleship Back Number Able to Travel Hun
dreds Of Miles Beneath the Sea, Comfortable
to Live in-Armed W it'll Quck-fire Guns

table equipments, and a considerable
supply of food.
Speaking technically, there is a rad
zeal and very important difference be-
tween the submarine boat" and the
"submersible boat" The former is run
entirely by electricity, and the distance
it can travel is limited by the contents
of its storage batteries. The 'ssubmer-
sible" is run by gasoline while travel
ing on the surface, and uses electricity
only when under water When 1T is
considered that, for power, one pound
of gasoline engine installation is equal
to so pounds of electrical equipment the
advantage enjoyed by the "submersi-
ble' is obvious. Furthermore, the lat
ter by reversing the motors SO that
they become generators, Is able to re-
charge it's batteries with its own gaso-
line engines.
The Earlier Submarines.
The earlier submarines were all "dtvN
ing boats" That is to say, to descend
beneath the surface, they were obliged
to go down head first. A great majority
of the under water boats now in use BY
our own and other governments are Of
this type which works on the princi-
pie Of a delicately poised balance Such
craft lacks stability and is danger
ous 1t is liable to plunge too deep,
so as to be unable to rise owing to
the downward pressure of the water.
or Ii may even stick its nose into.
the mud and stay there. On the other
hand, the .'submerging boat sinks be-
meath the surface on an even keel, ac-
complishing this action by the use of
socalled "hydroplanes" which serve the
purpose of fins. These are four big,
flat rectangular paddles mounted just
outside the rail and even with the
deck level. They work on pivots, geared
together, and all four are operated in
unison by levers from inside the con-
ming tower. According as they are in
clined, the boat sinks or rises.
The body of the boat, when the latter
rests on the bottom, does not touch,
being prevented from doing so by two
big roller like wheels which are set
tandem wise beneath the keel. When
the craft is running on the surface.
these wheels are drawn up into peck.
cts in the keel; but the moment she
prepares for submerged work. they
are lowered, to guard against mishap
In case an unexpected obstruction be
met. The rollers are merely casters,
and are not connected with the pro-
pulsive mechandism1
In semi-submerged condition, with
only the sighting hood" Ca very small
object) out of water, a submersible
cruiser runs at speed of II knots.
Under such circumstances those on
board enjoy plenty of ventilation. and,
in case of the appearance of an enemy.
1T is possible to disappear instantly and
to continue comeplete1y under water as
long as may be necessary for attack
and escape.
Modified Type of Submersible
specially modified type of sub
mersible' has been built recently for
I1fn
bays such, for instance, as the har-
Dor of V1adivostock. which is frozen
during several months of every year.
This style of craft is called the ''un-
der ice submarine The details Of its
construction are as yet secret but
claim is made that ii can operate I'M
der the ice as effectively as an or
to continue completely under water as
its sighting tube up through the ice at
intervals to take a look around
In an icebound harbor a dozen bat
tleship, if frozen in. might find them
selves helpless against an enemy which,
approaching from the open sea, could
keep at a respectful distance, and yet
get near enough to the shore for bonn
harding purposes, perhaps. In such a
case the only retaliation possible would
be by submarines capable Of running
under the ice and provided with ia
untried and rather strange field of
operations.
Although under water boats have not
yet been used in any war, there is no
question that in future struggles be-
tween nations they will play an i'm
portant and very deadly part. 1t might
be said that our own country needs
them more than any other. because
they are capable of affording the best
imaginable protection for the numerous
harbors along our great extent of coast
line. Once provided with an adequa te
number of these submarine terrors, we
shall be safe against attack by any foe
no matter how formidable.
May Start New Era.
1t is, of course, a question purely
speculative how far the perfected I'M
der water cruiser viii modify or re-
place other fighting craft. The likeli-
hood seems to be that it will bring
about new era in naval construction;
and, the old wooden ships of the line
have been driven out by heavily ar
mored ironclads, so the mighty -Goliaths
called "dreadnaughts' may be displaced
by the little Davids,~ which approach
unseen and, without exposing them
selves to injury or retaliation, throw
deadly weapons into the very vitals of
the surface monsters.