10 SUNDAY MAGAZINE for SEPTEMBER 11. 1904

Copyright. I\u25a0 Weil \ Son, S. .ii.v.a reservoirs to freshen the lirili>l»Torpedo Destroyer air. It also is used to £an»hee aid in ejecting some of the water ballast from positions of the outlying the ballast chamber guarding torpedo-boats quickly when itis desired would present the advan- to bring the vessel sudden- tage of covering by their larger iv to the surface. The ar- lights a much expanse of of water, without revealing to rangement ballast is such the attacking enemy the exact that the boat has surplus buoy- position of the battle ship which they ancy and normally rises to the sur- larger number of small face when the engines stop. Propulsion intend to attack. A Sea, Suuthsca vidette boats having search-lights also seem Copyright, liy »<-M A.- and use of submerging rudders force the boat desirable as outposts to guard the battle ships. A. British Submarine Boat under the surface. The torpedo may be discovered approaching a The armament of the submarine boat mam consists battle ship; but the hitter's crew now is entirely at Santiago against ("ervcra's Beet anchored within chit-fly of Whitehead torpedoes; but it also is proposed gun in to stop it, the may not be the harbor. It would have to take chances of being to place a large-caliber torpedo the bow. This powerless while vessel of making hits able to get out of its way. Especially is this the blown up by the Spanish fixed mines, but this chance will increase much the possibility at and that too with large charges. case when its approach is not discovered until compara- is such as must !«.• taken and it is much less than the the longer ranges, tively near to the ship. Discharging quick-firing guns ordinary surface torpedo-boats must take when ad- The French Government has been foremost in experi- field, has a at the torpedo would be of no avail, because of the vancing to attack. In many resjx'i ts the chances of menting in this and now considerable submergible high velocity of their projectiles and the low angle successfully getting in its blow without injury to number of submarine and boats under of which have to be used. Under itself and crew are much better than for the surface construction. Their largest submarine is one hundred elevation would has displace- the circumstances, their shot would not enter the torpedo-boat. The submarine boat, while itself in- sixty feet and seven inches long, and a water any depth, but would be deflected and ricochet visible, labors under the disadvantage of not being ment of two hundred sixty-six tons. This is con- or bound above water. It therefore is proposed to able to see for a long distance under water. sidered too large. The general trend is toward smaller have an appliance for throwing charges of guncotton, An instrument called the periscope enables a view boats, largely on account of the drafts. for to the say not more than ten pounds, either withan air-gun t.. be obtained above water, while the torpedo is diameter of the W>ats must be added the depth oat to come to the The present fullest development of the submarine torpedo would produce a violent disturbance of the Surface, and after making an observation again pn>- t>oat is due chiefly to the genius and remarkable per- water over a considerable area, and would t>e likely ceed under water. sistence of John P. Holland. He worked at itindefu- to destroy or at least deflect the projectile sufficiently Steering by the compass for any considerable ti^.ibly for more than twenty-five years in the face to miss the hip distance i*- found to be unsatisfactory sometimes, at of the utmost inert skepticism and active, virulent Itis thought that by this a means is provided to give the b...it's position may be affected materially by opposition a fair chance of saving the ship from the torpedo. slight currents. The boat may run with its conning Submarines already have demonstrated their great Prompt action is necessary, which may be looked for tower jus* above water, as this is almost invisible, possibilities under many conditions; while enforcing from a well-trained crew. and the approach of the boat is di: cult to detect. on the part of war vessels list greatest vigilance to The method has not been tried yet; but it appears The conning tower might be made ofsix t. eight inches guard against their assaults, they must be utilized well worthy of a trial when the desperate danger is of steel It is so small that it would be illIcult !\u25a0 for the defense of such from their attacks under considered, and in view of the otherwise utter help- i'seen it would be difficult to hit. and if hit would be water Science has provided electrical devi«es lessness of the defense, once the torpedo is launched. apt to deflect the projectile so that it «vould not be which will aid the surface vessel in detecting the It secures at least one additional chance to escape likely to pr< luce fatal results <>n near approach otherwise unseen approach of the submarine. > the imminent danger. the boat could be made to dive quickly and have an Notwithstanding the frequent reports \u25a0\u25a0 submarine The relative value of the different classes of torpedo- excellent chance of hitting the ship with its torpedo boats having been used in the war in the Far East, boats is as follows: O.ie torpedo cruiser or gunboat In order to overcome to some extent the low sj,«-,d it confidently may be accepted that none such has equals four torpedo destroyers or sixteen first-class of tlie submarine boats submersible boats have been been used thus far. torpedo boats. made, which, running normally on the surface, maybe Another method of meeting the attacks of sub- The gun range of battle, as between large vessels, entirely or parti.illy submerged when near the enemy. marine boats will be to have .1 number of quick- is likely to l" firing guns from three to throwing a t four thousand low velocities yar ds . The torpedo shells torpedo will containing not be likely to from ten to have a chance twenty pounds to be used m of gtmcottoni battle unless As the sub- they come to marines will be loser quarters. practically in- In the melee visible, it will which will en- be necessary to sue ill a fleet shower their action they path liberally may play an with these tor- important part pedo shells, to and deli vc r increase the

A Submarine Turpedo-Boat 1)i it; ,-, \u0084-, their fatal -.»>.. 11\u25a0 .. li. hi.- probability cl blows success- disabling tr fully; Otherwise their chances of making a hit are The greatest objection to these is the turn- that it destroying them. A low velocity \u25a0 demanded to slight. takes to submerge them. The reports of French insure the shell's entering the water directly. experiments give from five to fifteen minutes as the tiiiu required for fully submerging the boats. Mack Submarine boats are a factor which have not as may happen to the boat under the showers ol quick- From the first practical appearance of the \Vhitehea.l yet played a part in war. but they already have been firing gun projectiles at short ranges. torpedo, about iSM, enthusiasts have predicted the brought to a degree <>f perfection which is sure to Another class have a low-lying surface hull, carry- annihilation ami uselessness of the costly battle ship render them dangerous opponents. ing the operating body of the boat several feet be- and large cruisers. This .is based solely on the Theirlow speed when submerged (eight to ten knots) low water. This form is comparatively invisible, and theoretical efficiency of the torpedo. The presump- limits the conditions under which they can be used jH-rmits higher speed than is attained by submarine tions were based on the torpedo, as well as the successfully. This, to some extent, requires their boats. The design is somewhat similar to the heavy vessels from which they were to be used, being playing a waiting game, unless the enemy is at anchor. Patrick and Suns-Edison dirigible torpedoes on a absolutely perfect It may be claimed that their best role would oe the much enlarged scale. The requirements as to personnel were formulated defensive in protecting a harbor. Both submarine and submersible boats use steam by a French student, whose views were presented m Hut there are conditions in which they may be or petroleum while at the surface, and "L'Anne Maritime," in 18S; "Acondition essential used advantageously in the attack. For example, a electric engines run by storage batteries when to the success of these weapons is that they should be submarine boat might have been used advantageously under water, Compressed air is carried in suitable ' \ContiitutJ on paye Jh-