The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1915-09-30
FORD |NSPECTS
UNDERSEA CRAFT
Sees Submarine at Close Range
For First Time.
PRESENT BOAT TOO LARGE.

Professor Parker Describes Tiny Vessel
Which May Revolutionize Naval
Warfare-Has SearchIight Beneath
Water and Will Be Able to Detect
Boats Mile Away.
When Henry Ford saw his first sub
marine the automobile builder declared
he had heard a good deal about the
underwater boats, but what he saw
surprised him. he thought the boats
were entirely too large and too COM
plicated. He visited them in the New
York navy yard.
was the K-5, which is commanded by
Lieutenant Grady. Mr.. Ford climbed
down the steel stairway from the main
deck in the after part Of the boat,
where the engine room is located. Next
he climbed through the after battery
quarters, then to the operating COM
partment and finally to the forward
battery compartment and torpedo
room.
From the K-5 the party went aboard
the Fulton, submarine tender, and
from there to the E-2, another subma-
rine, which also was resting quietly in
the navy yard anchorage. On this trip
Mr.. Ford was joined by DR.. Miller
Reese Hutchinson, chief engineer Of the
Edison laboratory, who told the auto
mobile builder Of his recent expert
ments with sea water.
Mr.. Ford also was shown a new
Diesel oil engine and Talbot engine,
in both of which he was interested.
After another visit to the comman-
dant's Office Mr.. Ford talked.
1T was simply wonderful what l
saw" he declared. "Everything is in
such fine order in the navy yard; really
it could not be any better. Did I get
any new ideas from my visit to the
submarines? I did. always learn
something new. Can I make use Of
what did see and learn? Why, yes,
but about that won't talk just now"
~~' Dminutive Undersea Boat.
The diminutive submarine conceived
by Professor Herschel c. Parker Of New
York and recommended by Henry Ford
for adoption by the United States navy
is in reality a submersible that acts in
the water the same as an aeroplane
acts in the air, according to it's inven-
tor, who said that he also had invented
and patented a searchlight to be used
under water which, with the so called
''fishboat," would make the present
type submarine obsolete.
It is the desire of Professor Parker
to give his invention to the United
States. 1t is his wish to make this
contribution to his country's defenses.
He would also have the government
test his undersea searchlight, which he
calls kaleidoscope" because it will
make possible the detection of lurking
submarines and obstacles to navigation
at distance Of perhaps more than a
mile.
To Make Forty Miles an Hour.
Professor Parker has worked out the
idea of the small submersible propelled
by gasoline engine, primarily as a
defensive craft. It will have cruis-
ing radius Of fifty miles and a speed
Of perhaps forty miles an hour. In
defensive operations a small fleet of
these vessels could be carried on the
decks of a mother ship and sent out
to meet the invaders. Because Of their
speed they should the more easily elude
destrOyers and other submarines, run
close mp to vessels Of the invading
fleet and discharge their torpedoes
with great accuracy.
On the other hand, the submarines
of an invading fleet may be detected
by the beams Of the helioscope sweep
ing undersea areas. This detector,
Professor Parker suggests, is more
readily adaptable to torpedo boat de-
stroyers. Equipped with it they could
locate lurking submarines and destroy
them, because the latter cannot safely
be submerged to a depth greater than
300 feet or escape swift pursuers.
His helioscope, according to Profess
sor Parker, will be the eyes of ship
The same as the Fessenden oscillator
is the ear to detect vibrations under
water. Thus equipped with eyes and
ears for submarines he predicts the
ascendancy Of the smaller and swifter
fighting craft.