Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-13

machines. One followed his original
idea. He had that built at New
Suffolk, Long Island. He was be-
coming enthusiastic over some early
successes when he suffered such
severe attack of rheumatism that
forced him to abandon the work.
Later Mr.. Holland experimental
with the helicopter type of flying
machine. This involved the idea of
perpendicular propellers. He had
some success with the continuance,
but his advancing years prevented
the carrying out of his ideas on this
line
The first Holland submarine boat
was comparatively tiny affair. The
engine was crude, and the diving rud-
der was located in the central axis
In the centre Of the boat, which was
fifteen feet long, was compartment
tor the operator, who was supposed
to wear divers armor.
Mr.. Hollands second experimental
boat was built in New York, at Della
matters ship yard, located at Thir-
tenth street and the North River.
This boat was thirty-one feet long
and was driven by a Brayton petro-
leum engine. While building the
craft Mr. Holland was annoyed by
mary persons who wanted to watch
him and perhaps steal his ideas, SO
he announced that he would admit no
one to his workshop. A newspaper
reporter from one of the leading New
York papers tried to interview him,
and being refused, wrote a lengthy
account of how the Fenians were con-
structing a submarine boat which
would cross to Ireland and destroy
the English navy. The boat was
called in the article the "Fenian
Ram and this name stuck to the
Inflated craft even until she was
abandoned
Were In Competition.
In 1898 the United States Navy De-
partment opened competition for
submarine plans and made the award
to Mr.. Holland. authorizing him to
build boat and supplying the neces-
sary money. A craft eighty-five feet
long, and equipped with an insuffer-
able petroleum-burning engine, was
built but never operated because OF
faulty construction.
Mr.. Holland then advised his COM
pany to build a smaller and more
compact boat And, since the recent
failure had been the fault of inter-
ference on the part of others with his
plans. Mr.. Holland was allowed to
carry out his own ideas. The work
of construction was done in the Cres-
cent ship yards in Elizabeth, of
which Arthur L. Busch was super
intendent. Mr. Busch says that when
the inventor came to the yards and
discussed his plans the officials con-
sidered his idea somewhat obviously,
but yet were willing to give him
thorough try-out.
The Holland, which was now built,
was fifty-three feet and ten inches
| long, ten feet three inches in diam
eter. with a submerged displacement
! of seyenty-five tons. She was pro-
PEELED on the surface by an Otto gaso-
| line engine of 50-horsepower, and
when submerged by a 50-horsepower
electric motor Submerged she could
make about five and one-half knots
an hour. A single pair of horizontal
rudders at the stern served to con-
troll her in vertical plane. Her
armament consisted of one bow tor
pedo tube, one bow pneumatic dyna-
mite gun and three short Whitehead
torpedoes.
After being launched the boat was
taken to Perth Amboy and from there
sailed on her first dive. This was on
March II, 1898. Mr.. Holland described
in his memoirs the initial trip as fol-
lows:
First Trip Under Water.
ut was about o'clock when we
started The sky was overcast and a
few drops of rain battered upon the
water. But just before we got under
way a strong wind scattered the
clouds and the sun came out strong;
also rainbow appeared. This was
pointed out by many as a good omen
for the success of the test about to
be undertaken. Regarding our feel
ings at the time, I will say that
myself felt confident, having designed
the boat. My crew, while they trusted
me to see them through. were more
or less shaky. 1t must also be borne
in mind they had never been under
the water before. They were cour-
ageous men, risking their lives to
help me prove to the world the value
of my invention.
"At a signal from Mr.. Morris, the
company's engineer, we started our
motor, cast off and glided away from
our mooring place. AS soon as we
arrived on the course marked out for
the dive I filled the trimming tanks
and steered the boat down. Her nose
went under all right, but her stern
projected out of the water. Again
we tried to dive, and again we failed.
A second time we whistled for our con-
voy and took on additional ballast.
This time we succeeded"
The Holland was accepted by the
government, and shortly after this the
company built the Fulton, Shark.
Grampus, Adder Moccasin and Pike,
all of which, except the Fulton, are
now owned by the government. The
Holland, 1t is understood, is at An
napolis as part of the equipment of
the naval training school.
The first boat of Mr.. Hollands con-
struction, which was sunk in the Pas
sale river, is soon to be raised by the
Chamber of Commerce at Paterson
and presented to the government as
a memorial to the inventor. 1t will
be taken to the Panama Pacific Ex-
position at San Francisco, accord
ing to present plans, then prob
ably placed in the mus IN At Wash
ington,