New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-13
JOHN P. HOLLAND,
INVENTOR, DEAD
Succumbs as European
War Tests His Sub
marine Boat.
HIS WHOLE LIFE
BENT TO ONE TASK
Young Irish Lads Visions Were
of Machines to Crush Eng
land-Struggles Many.

John Philip Holland, inventor Of the
submarines used by practically every
navy in the world. died at 9:15 o'clock
last night at his home, 38 Newton ST.,
Newark He had been i'll since early
in July. Pneumonia was the direct
cause of his death. He was seventy
two years old.
For the last two days the aged in
ventor had been unconscious, and
early last night DR.. Fred HeXamer, who
had been in constant attendance, gave
up hope. Mr.. Hollands wife, three
sons and a, daughter were at his bed
side. His death came just as he was
about to observe the first thorough
test of his submarines in the European
war.
Mrs. Holland was Miss Margaret
Foley, of Paterson. They were mar
ried in 1887.
John Holland was born in County
Clare, Ireland, at Liscannor, February
"a, 1874, and was educated at the school
of the Christian Brothers, at Limerick.
While he was yet student, he became
imbued with ideas of Irish indepen-
dence, to be won by force.
To that end, he thought, it would be
necessary to devise some means of
breaking the power of Great Britain
on the sea. The story of Robert Full
toms partly successful experiments
with submarine torpedo boats directed
his attention to the construction of
such vessels.
Builds His First Boat.
Before he was out of his teens he be-
came a school teacher, and continued
in that work for fifteen years. All that
time he was engaged in studying ma
rine engineering and other branches Of
science which would enable him to full
fiji his designs. He also saved what
money he could from his meagre salary
for the same purpose. Then he came
TO America, settled at Paterson, n. j.,
taught school there for five years, and
continued his experiments.
In 1875 he laid before the Navy De-
partment of the United States plans
for a submarine boat, but received lit
tie encouragement. Two years later he
built his first vessel of that kind, at
Paterson. 1t was a crude affair, OF
wood, with a clumsy engine, and with
the diving rudder in the central axis.
the wrong place. The boat was 14Es
feet long and feet wide.
Finally Mr.. Holland decided the boat
was too small, even for experimental
ton; so ne took out the engine and
left the hull at the bottom of the Pas
sale. Then he came 20 New York and
built another boat at Delamater's
shipyard, at West 18th st. and the
North River. This was thirty-one
feet long and contained a petroleum
engine. This vessel in turn proved
unsatisfactory.
Gets Navy Contract.
In 1893 the Navy Department, as
the result of competition, awarded
to Mr.. Holland a contract for the con-
struction of submarine boat at gov
eminent expense. The result was a
boat eighty-ive feet long, with a pc
troleum engine, which never could
/ be operated.
Then Mr.. Holland, who had organ
lied a company for building subma-
rine boats, transferred his activities
to the Crescent Shipyards, at Eliza
beth, n. j., Of which Arthur l.. Busch
was superintendent, and undertook the
building of a boat entirely according
TO his own plans, without the inter-
ference of others, to which he charged
the failure of the government boat.
The result was the Holland, a boat
nearly fifty-four feet long, more than
ten feet in diameter, and with a dis
placement of seventy-fve tons. This
boat was launched, taken to Perth
Amboy and there successfully tried by
Mr.. Holland on st. Patrick's Day, 1898.