The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-10-28

the trimming tanks and steered the
boat down. Her nose went under all
right, but her stern projected out OF
the water. In word, we still lacked
enough ballast entirely to submerge
her. / Immediately stopped the engine
and whistled for my convoy. She came
up at once and we proceeded to trans
fer more pig iron into the boat.
"Again we tried to dive, and again
we failed. second time we whistled
for our convoy and took an additional
ballast. This time we succeeded.
"As soon as | steered her down she
plunged beneath the surface and the
only part visible to the Onlookers was
our flags fluttering from the masts.
After running for about 100 feet SUBJ
merged, I steered her up again and
she Immediately rose to the surface.
This was great relief to many Of my
friends, most Of whom doubted we
would ever be able to make the boat
come to the surface when once we sue
ceeded in getting her under.
During the dive we never had more
than four feet of water over our deck,
as was not sure of the shallow spots
and did not relish running aground
and damaging the boat.
"We now held a consultation and
decided we had better attempt no more
dives owing to the lateness Of the
hour.
"For some time after this we con-
tinued our dives in the lower bay, but
eventually picked out more suitable
diving course In Peconic Bay, Long
Island. 1t was there that the Holland
went through her best PAGES and the
crew received thorough training In
the handling of the boat.
"After about q year of trial dives,
both in the Peconic Bay and later on
in Chesapeake Bay, she was accepted
by the navy department.
1t was just about the time the "Hol-
land" was launched that war against
Spain was declared. Holland offered
! to take his boat and its crew to San
tiago and destroy the entire Spanish
, fleet.
When this proposition was made to
the United States government, the au-
! thorities refused the offer with the
statement that 1t would be an inhu-
/ name form of warfare. 1t was not un-
til two years after this war was over.
, that the government finally purchased
the Holland"
After suffering the hardships of old
r age and financial reverses, Holland
, died August IL, 1914.
, AS time passed the Holland No. g.
: became obsolete. The United States
: navy department holds no particular
sympathy for inanimate Objects even
> though they may represent the early
achievements OF American genius. So
/ the Holland" was sold for scrap.
The firm making a successful bid
for the Holland" was the Henry A.
: Hitner's Sons company Of Philadelphia
, They removed the engines and dis
posed of other valuable portions Of the
, old vessel and then placed the shell
: In the Philadelphia Commercial mu-
, scum, for exhibition purposes.
, There came time when the direc.
, tors of. the museum cared no longer
to retain the old boat on the museum
} grounds. The Hitner company offered
r the shell of the Holland" for sale as
, scrap iron. Walter A. Hall, a member
of the original crew of the Holland
, now an electrical engineer and anna.
: teur aviator, appealed to the public fol-
r the preservation of the Holland" The
: boat was finally bought by DR.. Peter j
! Gibbons and his son, Austin Flint Glib
a bons, Of New York city, who have lent
e 1t for one year to the Bronx Interna
tional Exposition.