The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-09-16
RADICAL CHANGES
IN SUBMERSIBLES
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PLAN
MING NEW WRINKLES IN NEXT
LOT OF SUBMARINES
Congress to be Asked to Provide
Funds Electricity VIII he Used
As Propelling Force
By BOND R. GEDDEs
By the United Press Associations.


Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-Radical
changes in the type of new subma-
rines to be built for Uncle Sans navy
are being worked out by the chief
naval constructor. Navy officials ad-
mitted today that some new wrinkles
in submersibles probably would be
adopted when congress authorizes the
proposed new fleet of undersea craft
which will represent the latest
thought in such construction.
Especial attention is being given,
Secretary Daniels states, to the ques-
ton of submarine construction. A
corps of experts, at home and abroad,
are collecting information to be as
simulated in the next new U. S. sub
marine.
Electric propulsion is the latest in
submarines, according to the present
determination of the naval construc-
tors. 1t is probable that electric
motors may be used exclusively in the
future Naval authorities also con-
template divesting the present fleet
of submarines of gas engines and sub
stituting electric power.
One difficulty in the way of U. S.
naval progress in building submarines
is the patent monopoly" which con-
fines this government to one type of
submersible This is the Lake type.
While other types with some most de-
sirable features are being built, Sec
retary Daniels says the government
never has been able to reach salts
factory terms with the patentees OF
other submarines than the Lake var
iety. Negotiations are in progress,
however, by which the government
may be able to adopt some of the
more desirable features of other pat
terms.
The government would not be bar
red from using the other submarine
patents in case the U. S. became in
volved in war, however, according to
Secretary Daniels He admitted that
the government would not hesitate to
appropriate the submarine patents
and use them in building its own SUBJ
marines in time of war. Compensa-
ton would be given the patentees, OF
course, or they could resort to the
courtsHbut after the government had
received the benefit of submersible pa
tents. The government, according to
Secretary Daniels, would not hesitate
to adopt such policy, as matter of
defense in time of national peril,
without regard to the contract and pa
tent rights of patentees.
Secretary Daniels hopes that con-
gress will eventually authorize con
struction by the government itself of
all of its submarines. 1t is now
building some on the Pacific coast, the
only government plant at present
equipped for submarine construction.
These are of the oil burning type.
Speeding up private contractors
on government submarine contracts is |
another innovation promised by the
secretary He will insist that con-
tracts given private concerns stipu-
late quicker delivery. The secretary
believes that in the past contractors
have been slow about completing the
government craft. He cites the in /
stance of the ill-fated F4, which sank
last March outside Honolulu harbor.
This boat was only two years old,
having been commissioned in 1913,
but Ave years elapsed before congress
authorized her construction and the
date, in 1913, when she was delivered
to the navy.
On the other hand, the Fore River
Construction company of Massachu-
setts, has just completed ten electric
submersibIes for one of the allies in
the record time of eight months. They
were ordered in January and are now
lying, finished, in the ship yards at
Quincy. Mass By agreement with
Charles M. Schwab, who took the or
der for one of the allies, the boats
will be held in American waters until
after the war.