The Colorado statesman. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1895-1961, 1915-07-24

" SatCu any Oh Ine bTlllsn SHIPS.
Napoleon, firing of it's 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, as true then as it is
now, that the only defense against the
submarine was to run away. But they
also saw that, II the submarine should
be developed, their great naval
strength would vanish.
They offered Fulton a large sum of
money to pigeonhole his invention and
to return with 1t 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
New Haven, Conn.,, worked for years
to perfect what was known as the
"Fenian ram" Lieutenant Holland
was an enthusiastic member of the
Fenian clan, whose chief object was
to precipitate war between Great
Britain and America. 1t raised $780,
900. and with this fund the first Hol-
land submarine was constructed.
Holland used practically the same
fundamental principles that were util-
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 1t has
carried on an active "unterseeboote"
program. At present the Germans
have perhaps the largest and most ef-
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 a 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 fleet
in existence.
The cost of operation of a subma-
rine Is small, compared with that of a
battleship. The smaller sized subma-
rines have a crew of twelve men,
while the larger size carries not more
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
be discerned from any distance. In
a smooth sea, however, the periscope
leaves a triangular wake.
Submarines, while going under wa
ter, are submerged about thirty or for
| ty feet. The man at the lower end
| of the periscope tube, with his eye
| glued to the glass, is the center of
the submarines nervous system. When
the vessel is not too far under water
he observes the position of the enc
my through his periscope. which con-
sists of series of lenses and prisms.
BY means of lever at his right, he
can turn the periscope at will and take
in any part of the horizon. His tele-
meter attachment tells him how far
away the enemy's ship is.