The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-10-06
JITNEY SUBMARINES
INVENTOR TALKS OF PLANS TO
BUILD MYRIAD OF CRAFT
CHEAP And EASY WORKED

Can be Operated by Crew of Two Mem
and Destroys Battleships Costing
Many Times its Vaiue-Professor
Parker Writes to Henry Ford
About His Idea.
The diminutive submarine, conceiv-
ed by Professor Herschel C.. Parker
Of New York City, 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 its inventor, who said
that he also had invented and patent
ed searchlight to be used under
water which, with the so-called fish
boat, would make the present type
If submarine obsolete.
The climber of Mount Mckinley,
to whom Mr.. Ford has given credit
Tor the. small submersible idea, de-
;cribed in detail his invention, which
ne calls motor torpedo in his ap-
olication for a patent, which is pend
ing. Since he submitted the original
olans of the updersea boat to MIR.
FORD last July, Prof. Parker explain
ed that he had made many improve
nents on the submersible.
It is the desire of Prof. Parker to
1--WE his invention to the United
| States. 1t, is his wish to make this
| contribution to his country's defenses.
l lie would also have the government
est his undersea searchlight, which
le calls a "belloscope," because it
will make possible the detection Of
urking submarines and obstacles to
navigation 1T distance of perhaps
more than mile.
Professor Parker has worked out
he idea Of the small submersible
propelled by gasoline engine, pri-
narily as defensive craft. It will
have a cruising radius of fifty miles,
Ind speed of perhaps forty miles an,
lour In defensive operations a small
'leet of these vessels could be carried
IN the decks of mother ship and
;ent out to meet the invaders. Be-
,ause of their speed they should the
more easily elude destroyers and 9TH
r submarines, run close up to vessels
If the invading fleet and discharge
heir torpedoes with great accuracy.
| On the other hand, the submarines
f an invading fleet may be detected
~ the beams of the nelioscope sweep
ng undersea areas This detector,
| Prof. Parker suggests, is more readily
lldaptable to torpedo boat destroyers.
| equipped with it they could locate
lurking submarines, and destroy
hem, because the latter can not safe
~ be submerged to greater depth
! han 800 feet, or escape swift pur-
;uers.
| His helioscope, according TO Pro-
essor Parker, will be the eyes Of q
hip the same as the Fessenden os-
1 illator is the ear to detect vibrations
| lnder water. Thus equipped with
| Eyes and ears for submarines he pre-
| licts the ascendency of the smaller
| md swifter fighting craft.
| Prof. Parker explained that he sub
( nitted the idea of the small submers-
| bic to Mr.. Ford because he believed
| he latter as an automobile manufac-
I urer was in better position than
| anybody else to equip such boat
With the propelling power. Asked
I What changes he had made in his
| original plans, Prof. Parker said the
| main improvement was in changing
1 he position of the torpedo tube from
l he forward centre part of the sub
! nersible to a position directly under
4 he keel and beneath the centre Of
1 ,ravity of the boat. This had to be
| one to prevent the boat from chang
I ng it's position when the torpedo
| hould be fred and the distribution
| # it's load affected accordingly. An
1 ,ther improvement is gyroscopic
| tabiliZer.
| In letter to Secretary Daniels
| 'rof. Parker says he will be only too
! lad to cooperate with Mr.. Ford in
every way in developing the diminu-
/ i've subrersible. He asks for the OPP
4 ,ortunity to build the first boat Of
| his kind, and says he also would like
% have the government consider the
lse of underwater searchlights,
which he asserts could be tested at a
4 cost of not more than $500.
| A thousand submersibles of the
mall type, which, he says, can be
1 quilt for the cost Of a single modern
/ lreadnought, Prof. Parker thinks,
| Will make this country invulnerable
0 attack by sea. Each submersible
:arries but one torpedo but the high
;peed these boats will be capable Of
developing will make it possible for
hem to elude flotillas and approach
% close to the line Of battleships as
o discharge their torpedoes with un-
>rring aim
| The small submersible, according
I o Prof. Parker, should be able to
! ubmerge and rise to the surface
Practically with the ease Of a fish
This is made possible by fms which
!. an be warped the same as the planes
If an aircraft.
The use of a gasoline engine is
simpliied by having an exhaust and
| an intake just above the surface Of
the water behind the periscope.
When submerged water is prevented
from coming in through the exhaust
by check valves of the ball type.
The diminutive submersible, or
motor torpedo would require a
crew of two to operate, one a pilot
and the other a gunner. Each craft
would carry an auxiliary periscope
| tor use in case the regular periscope
| should be shot away. A heavy spring
| lelicately adjusted to the top of the
coming tower makes possible a very
luick exit in case OF an accident.
When the top of the tower is opened
The two men operating the boat, &C
| cording to Prof. Parker, will be lit
| orally blown out of the submersible
! by the air pressure.
-s--e-s-