Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-09-28

Il realty leIIlDic heopoi VI ""A'
and not the mere senseless concoction
of dreamer.
The story Of the first dive Of the
Holland No. 8 as told by the inventor
himself. is:
"On March II, 1898, we left the
pier for our initial dive. 1t was about
o'clock when we started. The sky
was overcast and a few drops Of rain
pattered upon the water. But just
before we got under way strong
wind scattered the clouds and the sun
came out strong. Also, a rainbow ap-
peared. This was pointed out by
many as "a good omen for the sue
cess of the test about to be taken. Re-
garding our feelings at the time, l
will say that I myself felt confident,
having designed the booat. My crew,
while they trusted me to see them
through, were more or less shaky. 1t
must be also borne in mind that they
had never been under wat n before
They We're brave, courageous men
risking their lives to help M pIcve to
the world the value of my invention.
No. 9 Starts.
"At the signal from Mr.. Morris, the
company's engineer, we started our
motor, cast off and glided away from
our mooring place.
I'VE were riding so low in the water
that the bases Of the masts were wash
ed by occasional syells mounting over
the superstructure. This was ac-
counted for by the fact that we had
aboard about 400 pounds of pig iron
as extra ballast. AS soon as we ar
rived on the course marked out for
the drive, l filled 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 to en-
tirely submerge her. I Immediately
stopped the engine and whistled for
my convoy. She came up at once and
we proceeded to transfer more pig
ron into the boat.
Again we tried to dive, and again
we failed. A second time we whistled
.or our convoy and took all addition
al 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 futtering from the masts.
After running for about 100 feet sub
merged, / steered her up again and,
,aKassnsssesaseiS 'f'ssse f6ssie' eoee
This was graf 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
succeeded in getting her under.
Only Four Feet Under.
During this dive we never had
more than four feet Of water over our
,leck, as / was not sure Of the shall
ow spots and did not relish running
aground and damaging the boat.
I'VE now hold consultation and
Iecided we had better attempt no
more dives owing to the lateness of
the hour.
For sometime after this we con-
,inued onr dives in the lower bay, but
eventually picked out q more suitable
diving course in Peconic Bay, Long
Island. II was there that the Holland
went through her best PAGES and the
crew received thorough training IN
the handlinf Of the boat.
After about 4 year Of trial dives
both in 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 TaS made TO
the United States government, the
authorities refused the offer with the
statement that it would hc an inhu-
name form Of warfare. 1t was not
until two years after this war was
over that the government finally pur-
chased the Holland.
Holland Sold for Scrap.
After suffering the hardships Of old
age and financial reverses, Holland
died August II, 1914.
As time passed, the Holland No. y
became absolute. The United States
navy department holds no particular
even though they may represent the
sympathy for inanilnate objects,
early achievements Of American
genius. SO the Holland was sold for
scrap.
The firm making Il successful DID
for the Holland was the Henry a. Hit
nerS Sons Company Of Philadelphia.
They removed the engines and dis
posd of other valuable portions OF the
old vessel, and then placed the shell
at its present site, in the Philadelphia
Commercial Museum, for exhibit pur-
poses
There camo a time when the direc-
tors of the Museum cared no longer