The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-06
Craft Constructed in This
Country Active in Baltic
Operations.
TEN SENT ACROSS
UNDER OWN POWER

An american designed ana built SUD-
marine torpedoed the German battle
cruiser Moltke in the Baltic few weeks
ago. Other vessels OF this type are
operating now in the North and Baltic
seas. American built submarines have
journeyed from this side of the Atlantic
to the coast of Ireland. then to the
Mediterranean and as far as the bar
danelles. where they have been operat-
ing against the Turks with considerable
success. our boats made this Journey
OF about 1000 miles without a mishap
of any kind and at the rate of about
eight miles an hour.
Ten submarines. each about 16o feet
in length. were built from American
designs and patents for the British
Government. They might have been
built in this country. but William Jen-
nings Bryan objected. so they were built
in Canada and consequently "A consider
able sum of money was kept out OF this
country. The journey from Montreal.
where the boats were built. to the bar
danelles is by far the longest ever mad.
by submarine and put into the shade
the performance of the German built
boat. about which there was so much
! Adriatic.
Gets Contract for Ten Boats.
When the war started Charles NJ.
Schwab obtained contract for ten
submarines to be built in this country
by the Electric Boat Company. That
company owns the Holland patents and
builds the Nlesco engine, which Is an
improved Diesel engine. with which thes"
submarines are propelled on the surface
and the electric motors and other parts
with which they are equipped while the
hulls are built at the Fore River Engine
Company on the Atlantic coast or the
Union Iron Works on the Pacific side
When IL was announced that ten
submarines for the British were To be
built here, Mr.. Bryan. who was then
Secretary Of State, objected on the
ground that it would be a violation of
the declaration of neutrality, so Mr..
Schwab again crossed the ocean on the
Olympic, seing the battleship Audacious
in sinking condition after she had
been torpedoed. In London he told the
British authorities that he would have
to give up the contract for the sub
marines and explained why.
| Mr.. Schwab was told to go ahead with
the building OF the boats and that they
could remain at the yards here until
after the war, when they could be de-
livered. Then he was asked why the
Electric Boat Company could not build
some boats in some part of the British
Empire, Canada, for instance, and he
came back to see what he could do.
The Electric Boat engineers at once
went to Canada. consulted with the
authorities there and found plant at
Montreal which had been erected by the
Vickers. Maxim Company at cost of
$S,OOO.000. II was exactly suited for
their work. The Vickers, Maxim Com
pany was not ready to operate this
plant and ii was an easy matter to lease
IT, This done the engineers returned Ia
this country, gathered together some OF
, the most expert mechanics in the coun-
try offered them inducements to go tC
Montreal, and soon had not only a work
ing plant but the very best men obtain
able to do the work Then the work oi
building submarines started,
: First Ready In Four Months.
In four months after the work started
the first boat was completed and the
others followed very quickly. These
boats make fourteen nautical miles or
the surface and about nine miles wher
, submerged. Each boat Is fitted with
I four torpedo tubes and each can carry
sixteen torpedoes. The boats were moi
htted WIN guns, nut we're SO Dullt ina
! guns could be added when they We're IN
home waters. Each could store away
sufficient fuel oil to enable it to make q
!, voyage of $500 miles without taking
= on fresh supply. Each boat has \
crew of fifteen men,
While the boats we're being built the
plant In Montreal was carefully guarded
Sentinels patrolled the shops day anC
night. No one could get in without a
pass and no one could obtain pass whc
had not business connected with the
a work Even when admitted by passes
, strangers were watched.
When the first lot of boats were ready
for delivery the British Government was
notified and within very short time &
Rear Admiral, several officers and
: sailors and engineers arrived to TAKE
= the boats over the ocean. The Rear Ad
miral was an officer who had made 9
Y thorough study of the submarine ant
, each man with him was an expert anf
an enthusiast The boats were tried ant
v thoroughly tested In the st, Lawrenc,
2 River. making runs at times down Il
the mouth of the river and back Wher
2 they had answered all tests preparation,
e were made to take them across the At
e lantic.
:. six were to go on the first trip an'
$ they took on their supplies of torpedoes
b oil. food clothing and water. Whcl
= thoroughly equipped they displaced
Z twenty tons less than their specification
= called for. showing greater buoyabc!
and efficiency than had been expected
r a fraight steamer had been convcrtc'
y into a machine shop. 1t was lifted Il
= convoy the submarines across the Al
lantic and be on hand In case OF aI
accident. Two British cruisers, tho Cal