The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-06
Submarine Expert Believes
+, Future of Dreadnought
Lawrence J. Spear Foremost Engineer in Construction Of
Under Water Craft Says That Type Will Not
Monopolize Naval Efficiency.


Ldrr,ucr T. Spcar. q Hdto' construction
ond marine engineer. trho IS NJ author Of
ne foiioVinO drficic hCs paid mare dtfeH.
tim 10 the Development Of th' sHbmdrtn"
than am Other binn IN ms rpuutrU he
docS not bciiere thdt The b0tticSh,p is
doomed. bW that p'rfCct nary must BE-
composed Of SCrerdl units, the bdttt, ShiD,
buttl, trbiS,r. scout cruiser, torpedo boat
destroyer. Submarine aud many other
craft.
iir smear is u grcd,,of, Of The Nordi
AcddcmV a. Annapolis ~ 1900 he icdS
o. ddy as experimenting ConsfyBo1or
for the tHitcd Stht'S Nary ~ m, shin
thrd ~ EciriS Moon ~ Eh :ah'h port.
rherC 'ho drSi small KOiidHd SUbun,rnCs
NdS building for the Tnt'cd S'ttrS Nary.
Mr.. spear. scciHg great possibilities ~
the submarine. retired from the durU and
became rice president ana nurdi architect
Of the Electric Bodt ComDUHu. tchich
owHS The Holland Subu0riHc patents
Nr. Spcur has seen the Subp, rriuc UroiC
from sirty feet ia lcnDh 70 3V0 f""t.
Ehich Is The length OF The boat TINT r. IN
BE- Jurt jot. me Tnitcd state, CDrorhmrnt,
and the plans for ich hare Idrbcv come
from his rork
4 WcioritU Of the Submarine. Of the
porid hare been bidH nEdcr these pat
enfs. and in addition 70 tho TNitcd states
JiotiHgS, q large nqmJ-r of boats from
~ the rtdrics OF EGoldnd, japan, RpSs,d.
Canada, Holidnd. Austria and Denmark
ny LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR.
There seems To be no ransom TO doubt
the correctness of the report that the
British. superdrcadnought Audacious was
destroyed by a torpedo fired by a sub.
marine ard not by "A mine. Certainly the
tXh "a, ha 81. ~, ctah a
are quite inconsistent with the idea that
the damage WAS caused by NINE and
the later report of the destruction hy the
British OF large German submarine on
the north coast of Scotland certainly
shows that the waters in question are not
free from hostile submarines
The question As 20 whether a modern
dreadnouyht could be destroyed or COM
pietely disabled by one modern torpedo
has been the subject Of warm discussion
smons naval authorities throughout the
word for several ytars past. one school
OF experts has held that the modern
dreadnouC1ts could not Ice sunk or dis.
ablfd by one or even two tor pcdoes. the'r
views being based on the enormous size
Of the dreadIought, its numerous water
tight compartments and the special pro-
tection Incorporated into its structure,
such as internal armpred bu kheads below
tn water line &c The other school OF
experts especially those who have been
enthusiastic on the subject OF torpedoes
and submarines. have held the view that
one torpedo of the most efficient type now
available for use In submarines would b.
sufficient To- sink superintendent or
at lets: put her out of ac.iou. The case
~ the Audacious indicates that the latter
school WAS more nearly correct than the
former.
The torpedo which is in Itself self
contained, self-propelllng and self-steer-
ing submarine of small size. has bee
enormously improved In recent years.
while at the same time the submarine
boat has been Il Veloped n'o the most
efficient carrier for the torpedo. AZ the
submarine Is immune from gun fire AMI
IL Invisible, IL j. p.s iblc Tor her t.
launch her ;orp does FROM a very short
range. \ very substantial part OF III"
availlb'e weight uf the torpedo may.
therefore, be devoted TO the destructive
effect which means that a very large
charge OF high explosive can be ca rled,
say from 4oQ pounds 10 800 pounds, or
the equivalent weight may he devoted 10
other destructive means, such, for In
stance, az the large gun employed IN the
Davis torpedo. which produces an expo
sion in the Vitals Of the snip. instead or
against the sides or bottom, as IS the case
with TIL ordinary torpedo. 70 IruuuCr
the sam. destructive effect, th" lorg rang"
turpt does which ~" required for us, Of.
destroysrs and lat,le-tips would have I"
be Of greater dimensions. since a greater
proportion " the total weight Is neces-
sarly employed in securing the longer
range.
AAA