The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-09-11

W SdtCu any OF tu6 BTlllSn SHIPS
Napoleon, firing of its failure, dis
missed Robert Fulton.
The British were aware of what
was transpiring and managed to open
negotiations with Fulton and invited
him to go to London. They quickly
grasped the fact, az true then as it is
now. that the only defense against the
submarine was to run away. But they
also saw that. If the submarine should
be developed. their great naval
strength would vanish.
| They offered Fulton large sum of
money to pigeonhole his invention and
to return with it quietly to America
This offer was spurned by Robert Full
ton. but the farseeing English states
| men and sea lords of Great Britain
had grasped the significance of the
submarine--that it's success would
| mean the humiliation of British sea
power
The second impetus given to the
perfection of the submarine also came
from England. John P Holland of
to perfect what was known as the
"Fenian ram" Lieutenant Holland
was an enthusiastic member of the
fenlan clan, Those CHIEF object was
to precipitate a war between Great
Britain and America. 1t raised $780,
600, and with this fund the first Hol-
land submarine was constructed.
Holland used practically the same
fundamental principles that were utiI-
lied by David Bushnell. The Germans,
likewise, concede to Mr. Bushnell the
original invention for the undersea
boats.
The French began 20 develop the
submarine about the year 1900, fol-
lowing the Fashoda affair, which near.
ly brought England and France to
war in 1898. In 1892 England awak-
ened to the fact that the submarines
had been pronounced a success, and
began building submarines after the
Holland type
Germany did not begin to build sub. |
marines until 1908. Since then It has
carried on an active ''unterseeboote" |
program. At present the Germans |
have perhaps the largest and most eff.
f1cient submarines in existence.
1t has been reported that their lat |
est models have steaming radius of |
almost 5000 miles. The larger share |
OF their boats have steaming radius
of 1000 miles. 1t is with these that
they propose to enforce the blockade
of Great Britain. despite the fact that
England has the greatest war feet
in existence.
The cost of operation Of a subma-
rine is small, compared with that of a
The smaller sized subma.
rlnes nave a crew Of twelve men,
while the larger size carries not moro
than twenty-five.
Through the invention OF the peri
scope by the French, observations can
be taken OF the surrounding sea while
the boat Is submerged In an ordinar
lily rough sea the periscope protruding
above the surface of the water cannot
De discerned from any distance. In
smooth sea. however the periscope
caves triangular wake.
Submarines. while going under wa.
er. are submerged about thirty or for
y feet. The man at the lower end
II the periscope tube. with his eve
glued to the glass, is the center OF
he submarines nervous system. When
he vessel is not too far under water.
,a observes the nocitiop oe ~
ny through his periscope, which con.
lists OF a series of lenses and prisms. I
'y means OF lever at his right. he :
an turn the periscope at will and take ,
any part OF the horizon. His teIe- ,
meter attachment tells him how far I
way the enemy's ship IL.