Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-09-28
Old Submarine Holland
Saved From Scrap Heap
and Will Be Exhibited

| eDlBsilS II, lcof, Lieut. blShSol SuS'
ceeded in approaching the U. S. s
Housstonic and sunk her by explod.
ing a torpedo under her bottom.
This probably was the first in
stance of a battleship being sunk by G
! submarine, but the wave thrown VI
by the explosion swamped the Hun
ley and again she was sunk with al
her crew.
| Shortly after this another subma
rine was built by the Confederates, its
intentions being to destroy the block
aiding northern ships. This was known
as the New Orleans Submarine. Wher
the vessel was completed the design
er thought it would be fine perfor
nance to have the vessel plunge under
water as she left the ways and make
4 short trip before coming to the sur
face. Accordingly, he instructed two
Of his most intelligent slaves how tC
operate the vessel when submurged
and sent them on their way. Abou,
90 years later when the MissippI
was being dredged at New Orleans
this boat. with the skeletons Of the
two negroes, was found buried in the
mud.
Holland Appears.
1t was about this time that John 2,
Holland came upon the scene. Hol-
land was born in LiscannOr, Ireland
in 1914. He came to the United
States before the Civil War and the
battle between the Monitor and Mer-
rimac set him to thinking on the sub
ject Of submarines. In 1875, after
nearly Is years of study and expert
ment. he submitted his plans to the
United States navy department. The
naval engineers who examined them
pronounced them to be practical in
every way, but, gave it as their opinion
that men could not be found to risk
their lives in the experiment.
Soon after this he built the Holland
No. 1 on the Passiae river near BAT
ssssv-,-tS Srcet--wsdeS snd-22 ssset C NNnches
in depth. Holland made experiments
with this boat, but engine trouble
caused him to abandon it as a petro-
leum propelled craft, and steam was
substituted. The old shell now lies
at the bottom of the Passaic river.
Hollands second boat probably
caused more comment than any craft
ever constructed in the United States,
and almOs led to serious information
al complications between the United
States AMI Great Britain Holland, as
stated in tbs foregoing, was an Irish
man, and the story got about that he
was not conducting his experiments
meerly as Il scientist but that his in
tention was to construct vessels with
which he could destroy the Bc..'Sh
navy
The second boat was being built at
Il ship yard located at West 18th street
and the North river, New York city
known as. Delamater's, and it WAS
there one day that reporter for a
newspaper came seeking an inter-
view with the inventor.
"The Fenlan RAM"
Mr.. Holland said just before his
death that he never saw this man, but
Il story was written and published in
which the reporter christened the
boat the Fenian Ram, and told in de-
tail, Of how the Fenian Societies OF
America were building this boat for
their distressed brothers in Ireland
When completed, the boat was to be
taken Suureptitiously to the Irish coast
and from there was to prey upon and
destroy the English navy. In his rem
iniScenceS Holland states that this
story probably attracted more atten-
tion To his experiments than any Sc
riouSly scientific article ever would
have done, and yet it caused him an
equal amount of annoyance, for the
publicity brought about by this ter
rible. Notwithstanding monster rous-
ed England To action and brought
down upon his head 4 swarm Of III
vcStigatorS from the state department
in Washington.
Holland continued his series of eX-
perimentS. He built eight boats be-
fore the construction of the Holland
No. Q, the first submarine craft to be
bought anti officially commissioned by
Il national government.
She was built ut the Crescent yard
in Elizabethport. n. j., She Is SO feet
10 inches long. diameter 10 feet 3
inches and has submerged dis
placement of 15 tons.
Propelled by Gasoline Engine.
She was propelled on surface by Il
gasoline engine Of 80 horsepower, and
when submerged, by 80 horse power
electric motor. On the surface she
could make six knots under gasoline
engine, and about eight knots under
the motor. Submerged she could make
about five and half knots under the
motor. Her armament consisted Of
one bow torpedo tube, one bow pneu-
matte projection gun, and three short
Whitehead tOrpodOes.