DOCSLIB.ORG

Inventor Hollands Proposed New Semi-Submerged Torpedo Boat

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Inventor Hollands Proposed New Semi-Submerged Torpedo Boat THE CALL Sunday SAN EditionFRANCISCO, SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 1898. THE LATEST NAVALWONDERS FOR DESTROYING BATTLE-SHIPS from the coast, the water must be com- mistake on the part of the officer In INVENTOR HOLLANDS PROPOSED NEW SEMI-SUBMERGED TORPEDO BOAT. paratively smooth and clear, the tor- command may spoil everything and This new mari r be protected by being pedo must be discharged with absolute doom all on board to a terrible death. will sunk four feet under the surface of the water. The small exposed portion will he surrounded with accuracy. slightest [mentor Elolland declares that such a vessel will practically The breakdown in be irresistible and invulnerable because she will combine all the delicate machinery, the slightest i Continued on Page Twor.ty-alx: boat and a torpedo l-<.at destroyer, arid can also be used as a destroyer of torpedo boat destroyers. INVENTOR HOLLAND'S TWO NEW SEA FIGHTING MONSTERS, THE SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT AND THE SEMI-SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT. • HOLLAND has just Iboal will bo pimply rlddied and sawed Such a boat as this combines all the miles under the water, to riso and sink :into pieces bj rapid-fire ammunition. qualities ith another ma- of a torpedo-boat and a tor- at the will of her operators, and to dis- \u25a0 a Further, ;isubmerged armored torpedo- pedo-boat destroyer, and can also so her be charge a torpedo at a target. She pre- submerged torped boal will be able to get near as .id( stroyer of torpedo-boal de- target that by greatly reducing the stroyers. this, sents no target at which an e»emys 6 up Not only but it can puns sho is INVENTOR and many \u25a0 ::.-'. Bsly quick-firing can aim: prac- she will eliminate move fi right up within tically Invulnerable, in an interchange ;^ ranges \u25a0\u25a0 and naval y vantages of the present 1"! torpedo range of line of batt le-shipj, science [uip- required '\u25a0\u25a0:\u25a0 Whitehead torpedo. can only has not yet devised a means of defense the which train their rapid-fire against and make-up is, therefore, Again, >• giving ;i well-dtecip- guns upon the craft, her attacks. So that if any rr.r-nt Little and the pro- Spanish vessels come range what difi" lined crew a chance to do something, jectiles fromsuch guns will strikeharm- within her ! for their quarters will be infinitely more lessly upon the heavily She may, under favorable circum- This i I >s not armored super- stances, revenge the loss of comfortable than those they at pres- structure, if they could hit so the Maine. wholly disappear vi occupy torpedo-boat. They target small The Holland boat was tried at Perth eni in the a as the vessel exposes when in J., month, the water, but is only semi-s will have a feeling of Bafety which action. Amboy, N. last and sub- Just enough for what is consid they do not now enjoy, and they will jected to four severe tests. While run- Bafety in a sea :\ght. know that they will land their tor- ning full speed she was submerged by fierce simply filling tanks, reappearing \u25a0 ci ough to news ' her In both I . Mr. Holland's idea lose blow up the shi?». which come? from New gradually traveling ".y after some distance \u25a0 uch may compared York a craft be with of the successful trials In capa- ction •\u25a0• under water. addition to her to g \u25a0 striking :•\u25a0•: automobile torpedo, one of suf- made by the Holland city work, distance of an ; size carry a crew and yet submarine for submarine the Holland \u25a0 to boat good y's ship. In tii submarine boat possessing only similar has set men considering can make a tight on the surfajc . not automatic Beriously !She can lire an aerial torpedo tms : making i controlling position, but THE the possibility of u;-inp contain- an for the this terrible weapon of ing 100 pounds of guivotton for a dis- attack from beneath the water, v. ng them supplemented by direct offense in the of Also i.s safe, under direct war which now seems tance a mile. she is supplied rh^ becau In- 1 hanical ones the con- inevitable. with three 18-inch Whitehead torpe- semi-submerged t . edo-boat part j trol of the brain of man. Naval experts of course are divided does, a under of a practically . fired from tube water. the vessel is protected by being sunk "Such boat will be ir- on the question, they always are when- Further, there is a submarine gun at resistible and invulnerable; will even ever any new stern, designed to fire projectile four feet under the water. The small ordnance, instrument of destruc- the a resist the attack of heavy tion is five hundred yards through the water. exposed portion is surrounded with ar- and is a type that it will impossible introduced. The more conserva- be tive When on the surface she is propelled mor at least as heavy as that on the : t«i avoid." shake their heads gravely and many by gasoline engines, when below elec- armored cruisers of the present day. Inventor Holland proposes to build dwell on. the limitations which storage batteries do Hor- of these law imposes tric the work. President TV. H. Jacques of the Hol- all-around fighting sub- natural on submarine nav- izontal rudders regulate the depth to land Torpedo-boat Company describes marine machines as follows: A vessel igation; the younger and more enthu- I which the boat is sunk, but to be kept 220 feet long, 24 feet wide and draw* siastic under water she must be the new semi-submerged torpedo-boat U members of the profession make constantly feet of water. Its displace- light of ! moving. The boat is 55 feet long by 11 as follows: ment will be 1000 tons; these difficulties and claim that the engines we a feet in diameter, and it is claimed that "We all know how difficult it Is to will have 10.000 or 12,000 horsepower have here weapon which, in dead- fifty develop lyeffect, will she can run for miles without adequately protect a ship with armor and a speed of twenty-five outrival even the torpedo. coming to the surface for breath. even by a most careful distributii knots. The armored superstructure to And we know from sad experience what So far, the Holland boat promises weights. The semi-submerj t the smokestacks and oompan- terrible destruction can wrought well; but the question presents type onway be by main is. Will the a in which you can ar- is to be between 30 and 40 feet even one torpedo or submarine conditions favorable for the of a mor BUch parts as are necessary. long and 10 feet wide in the middle, mine. use being the As a matter of fact, we are all submarine vessel ever occur in real armor, because you made half round The arm- in the action? have : to a minimum parts Ist of large dark as yet as to what may or may not the guns four rapid- That is the whole point. The world, expo:-- ing fire of 10 or 12 pound be accomplished by a submarine tor- , submarine revolving caliber in or at least that portion of it which is qualii lof a boat turrets. The armor pedo boat. We know little enough looking anxiously this, you ••is heavy will be about forward to the that will do as well know- as the vessd can carry, but the behavior in real warfare of IAmerieo-Spanish conflict means \u25a0 •• 12 vessels as^a of there is in exist- not less than inches. When light maneuver on surface, solving many unsolved problems ence to-day that will meet the superstructure which the and itI in these condi- will be only 15 remains to be seen what those naval construction, watches with in- tions. inches above water in the middle; moving I first real such a craft you action it will in in depths will achieve. All we terest for the trial of the boat. "In can get close be covered by 4 feet of the know, A merely peace up your ship and water, and the guns so far, trial under conditions to fire the torpedo willbe but 5 feet is that the Holland boat has not count. The enemy must at SUBMARINE BOAT HOLLAND AS SHE APPEARS ON THE into her, while an ordinary torpedo- abeve the water line. does be NEW SURFACE OF THE WATER. proved herseif able to travel for several | anchor and at not too great a distance Sketched from a Photograph. THE SUBMARINE TORPEDO-BOAT BEGINNING THE DIVE. A LITTLE DEEPER. ALL UNDER WATER; ONLY THE TIPS OP THE FUGS SHOWING. COMING UP AFTER THE DIVE..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Defeating the U-Boat Inventing Antisubmarine Warfare NEWPORT PAPERS
    NAVAL WAR COLLEGE NEWPORT PAPERS 36 NAVAL WAR COLLEGE WAR NAVAL Defeating the U-boat Inventing Antisubmarine Warfare NEWPORT PAPERS NEWPORT S NA N E V ES AV T AT A A A L L T T W W S S A A D D R R E E C C T T I I O O L N L N L L U U E E E E G G H H E E T T I I VIRIBU VOIRRIABU OR A S CT S CT MARI VI MARI VI 36 Jan S. Breemer Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen U.S. GOVERNMENT Cover OFFICIAL EDITION NOTICE This perspective aerial view of Newport, Rhode Island, drawn and published by Galt & Hoy of New York, circa 1878, is found in the American Memory Online Map Collections: 1500–2003, of the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C. The map may be viewed at http://hdl.loc.gov/ loc.gmd/g3774n.pm008790. Use of ISBN Prefix This is the Official U.S. Government edition of this publication and is herein identified to certify its authenticity. ISBN 978-1-884733-77-2 is for this U.S. Government Printing Office Official Edition only. The Superintendent of Documents of the U.S. Govern- ment Printing Office requests that any reprinted edi- tion clearly be labeled as a copy of the authentic work with a new ISBN. Legal Status and Use of Seals and Logos The logo of the U.S. Naval War College (NWC), Newport, Rhode Island, authenticates Defeating the U- boat: Inventing Antisubmarine Warfare, by Jan S.
    [Show full text]
  • Round I: 1898 - the First Naval Law
    Chapter 1 Round I: 1898 - The First Naval Law General Briefing for round I The state of the nations After a series of diplomatic encounters and small wars orchestrated by Bismarck, Germany beat France in a decisive war in 1871, and exacted reparations; in that year, Germany became asingle, federal nation under a constitution written by Bismarck. There are three separate branches of government. The Presidency is held by the German Emperor (a job reserved for the King of Prussia). The Emperor has personal control of the armed forces. The Chancellor hasresponsibility for foreign policy, and appoints ministers with the Emperor’s consent. The Bundesrat represents the German princes. The Reichstag is elected. The Emperor can appoint or dismiss a chancellor; the Reichstag must approve, but cannot initiate legislation, nor can it appointordismiss ministers; the Emperor (with the approval of the Bundesrat) can dissolve theReichstag. The Reichstag approves the budget. In 1890, Wilhelm II — a great believer in personal rule by the Emperor, described as “not quite sane” by some observers and “like a balloon. If you do not hold fast to the string, you never know where he will be off to” by Bismarck — dismissed Bismarck (who also believed in personal rule, but by himself) as Chancellor and replaced him with a more malleable candidate. By the time of our game, Germany is growing very fast (see the graphs, which encapsulate the only figures I have). There are two popular visions of how Germany can grow further: either it must expand overseas by establishing colonies, which will provide raw material for German industry, or it must use its wealth to improve social conditions at home.
    [Show full text]
  • Patrol Torpedo Boats During World War II
    University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses Fall 12-15-2012 Firing Point: Patrol Torpedo Boats during World War II Joshua J. Schick University of New Orleans, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Part of the Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Schick, Joshua J., "Firing Point: Patrol Torpedo Boats during World War II" (2012). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 1602. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1602 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights- holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Firing Point: Patrol Torpedo Boats during World War II A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History By Joshua James Schick B.A. Louisiana State University, 2010 December, 2012 Acknowledgement I would like to thank my thesis committee comprised of Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Cruel-Seas-Campaign-Pack.Pdf
    CAMPAIGN PACK 1 Introduction Table of Contents This is one of several campaign packs produced for the Warlord Games 75th Anniversary D-Day • Plywood Sleigh....................................3 Campaign. • Monitor Mayhem..................................5 Inside, you’ll find four unique scenarios written • Beach Assault......................................7 specially for the campaign. Each one presents a variety of different challenges for players, • Storm in a Teacup................................9 chronicling the actions of Axis and Allied coastal forces during the invasion of Normandy. Written & Edited By Plywood Sleigh follows a Vosper captain on his mission to recover a team of commandos from a Tom Mecredy Dutch beach while being menaced by an Photography & Graphics armoured S-Boat. Warlord Games Monitor Mayhem centres around the illustrious HMS Roberts - a Roberts-class Monitor Special Thanks engaged on bombardment duty off the Sword Beach. Richard Carlisle, Dan Hewitson, George Beach Assault tackles the kind of landing Lamb, Marcus Vine & John Stallard operations seen across Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword beaches on 6th June. This product is not intended for use as part of any organised play or tournament Storm in a Teacup pits a flotilla of PT Boats scheme. It requires a copy of the Cruel against some marauding S-Boats against a back- Seas rulebook - any rules queries should drop of the worst storm in 40 years! be adjudicated using the book and common sense. 2 Plywood Sleigh 24th December 1943 A flash of red light flickered on the mist-shrouded Loitering just off the Dutch coast, a Royal Navy beach. From the bridge of his Vosper, Captain Stallard motor torpedo boat stands by for action.
    [Show full text]
  • The United States Must Build More Men-Of-War
    26 THE SEATTLE SUNDAY, MAY R, 1900. THE UNITED STATES MUST BUILD MORE MEN-OF-WAR. Proposed Increase Through an Holland Torpedo Boat Purdue Expenditure of 5250.000.000 6y the Government (an Re Is None Too Great to main Under tfie Water Maintain the nation's lor Honrs complete- Place Amons tfie ly InvisioieDuriniS Powers. Attack. ft statement based on the nu- that the Holland ha* beet put. merical strength of ships, the chased by the government and |i T'nlted States navy occupies 11 vessel of I'ncle Sam's navy jn fourth place among the navies of gr>od and regrti'.ar standing, a trwh th« world, and authorities nOWinterest is taken in her hlstnrj- TROMthat If this country Is to maintain its characteristics. standing as a world power Its navy must The Holland is shaped like a sweet po- debate be largely Increased. In the recent tato. is R4 feet 4 inches I n* and 10 fe« j on the naval appropriation bill, Congress- Inches in diameter at the broadest part. man Loudensleger. of New Jersey, point- When erulslnir abott one-eighth of )?,j so ed out that never has thcr*- been great bulk would be above the surface, nnd Hit competition among the nations for for- would draw about eight feet of water, ghn eign commerce a« now, and foreign com- lan be wholly submerged and yet operate mere* rannot be maintained to any con- In a <ie:>th of twelve feet. siderable extent unless a nation is pre- Propulsion Is effected by a screw that pared to protect its interests against en- derives Its power from a gasoline engine argument, croachment.
    [Show full text]
  • A Serious Question, When Considering That a Tiny Torpedo Boat II 07Iid Destroy the Greatest Uarsjiip in a Moment
    Is the Battleship Doomed A Serious Question, When Considering That a Tiny Torpedo Boat II 07iId Destroy the Greatest UarsJiip in a Moment By WILLIAM G. FITZ-GERALD ffiSSSmmt'' firing a shot the eighteen thou¬ decker of a hundred and sand-ton British monster Dreadnought one guns. There are WITHOUThas made all the navies of the world courses seven different practically obsolete and sent them scurrying to for commissioned offi¬ copy her monstrous lines and five tremendous cers, four for warrant towers, each mounting a pair of twelve-inch rifles. officers, nine for artifi¬ Money is being poured out like water; yet there are cers, four for petty not a few authoritative voices raised in protest, and officers, and two for these call attention to the latest pattern of torpedo seamen France, in the discharged from submarine or torpedo boat. Im¬ person of her great tor¬ agine a missile shot from a tube, like a shell from a pedo expert Messimy, twelve-inch gun, only launched iti the sea, instead of suggests that a port directly through the air, at an enemy's ship, and shall be set aside ex¬ aimed with all of the big gun's precision. clusively for the con¬ It is a cigar shaped monster of shining steel, per¬ struction and repair of haps twenty feet long, weighing nearly a ton, alive torpedo boats. with the mechanism of one hundred and thirty As to ourselves, every horses comprised within the space of a woman's midshipman at Annap¬ 37 handbag.surely the uttermost limit of human in¬ olis is taught the details Jt About to Discharge a Torpedo.
    [Show full text]
  • British Destroyers at Jutland
    BRITISH DESTROYERS AT JUTLAND British Destroyers at Jutland: Torpedo Tactics in Theory and Action1 JOHN BROOKS Independent Scholar Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT This article considers the theory behind British torpedo tactics in 1916 and evaluates the success of these in the three major torpedo actions at the Battle of Jutland. By considering the technical processes and difficulties of mounting torpedo attacks in 1916 the article challenges Arthur Marder’s claim that the destroyer actions at Jutland were ‘disastrously ineffective’. During the Battle of Jutland (31 May – 1 June 1916) there were three major torpedo attacks by British destroyers against lines of German capital ships. From 4.15pm, destroyers of the British Battle Cruiser Fleet (BCF) engaged the German Ist Scouting Group (ISG) and some of its accompanying destroyers. Both sides lost two destroyers while the action ended with the torpedoing of the German battlecruiser Seydlitz. After dark, from 11.30pm the British 4th Destroyer Flotilla (4DF) repeatedly attacked the battleships and light cruisers in the German van. The flotilla lost four destroyers with three more badly damaged; but, on the German side, two crippled light cruisers had to be scuttled, while the battleship Nassau and a destroyer were damaged. Later, as dawn broke at 2am, the British 12DF delivered an attack that blew up the German pre-dreadnought Pommern with the loss of all her crew.2 Of the attacks by the BCF’s destroyers (the 13DF and four boats of the 10DF), Sir Julian Corbett declared that: ‘The whole affair must ever stand as an exemplary piece of flotilla work in battle ….
    [Show full text]
  • Introductions to Heritage Assets: Ships and Boats: 1840 to 1950
    Ships and Boats: 1840-1950 Introductions to Heritage Assets Summary Historic England’s Introductions to Heritage Assets (IHAs) are accessible, authoritative, illustrated summaries of what we know about specific types of archaeological site, building, landscape or marine asset. Typically they deal with subjects which lack such a summary. This can either be where the literature is dauntingly voluminous, or alternatively where little has been written. Most often it is the latter, and many IHAs bring understanding of site or building types which are neglected or little understood. Many of these are what might be thought of as ‘new heritage’, that is they date from after the Second World War. This overview looks at ships and boats built after 1840. Principally drawing on archaeological, technological and historical sources, it describes vessels used on English inland and coastal waters and in the open sea. The evidence of wrecks and abandoned vessels is drawn on, as well as extant vessels. Also included is the early development of submarines. This guidance note has been written by Mark Dunkley and edited by Paul Stamper. It is one is of several guidance documents that can be accessed at HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/selection-criteria/listing-selection/ihas-buildings/ First published by English Heritage September 2012. This edition published by Historic England July 2016. All images © Historic England unless otherwise stated. HistoricEngland.org.uk/advice/ Front cover I K Brunel’s SS Great Britain. © David Noton, used with permission of the
    [Show full text]
  • U.S.S. New Ironsides: the Seagoing Ironclad in the Union Navy
    Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons History Theses & Dissertations History Winter 1992 U.S.S. New Ironsides: The eS agoing Ironclad in the Union Navy William Howard Roberts Old Dominion University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/history_etds Part of the Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Roberts, William H.. "U.S.S. New Ironsides: The eS agoing Ironclad in the Union Navy" (1992). Master of Arts (MA), thesis, History, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/mv9c-hp68 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/history_etds/31 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the History at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. U.S.S. NEW IRONSIDES: IHE SEAGOING IRONCLAD IN THE UNION NAVY by William Howard Roberts B.S. March 1973, Massachusetts Institute of Technology A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Old Dominion University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS HISTORY OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY December 20, 1992 Approvi L. Wilson (Director) Willard C. Frank. Jr. Patrick J.N«ollinsr^Roi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT U.S.S. NEW IRONSIDES: THE SEAGOING IRONCLAD IN THE UNION NAV7 William Howard Roberts Old Dominion University, 1992 Director: Dr. Harold L. Wilson Of the ironclads completed by the Union during the Civil War, only the U.S.S. New Ironsides was a seagoing, high-freeboard design.
    [Show full text]
  • Mystery Ships of World War I Hms Hyderabad
    The Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. MYSTERY SHIPS OF WORLD WAR I HMS HYDERABAD M K Horsfall MONOGRAPH 171 Mystery Ships of World War I - HMS HYDERABAD M K Horsfall Monograph No. 171 BRITISH MYSTERY SHIPS OF WWI PREFACE I always felt honoured and fascinated by my maternal Grandfather, George Herbert Fluke’s, somewhat unusual life. Old enough to see Louis Bleriot land his aircraft in Britain on the first flight across the channel, attending the same school as Charlie Chaplin (although Chaplin was older) and as he moved into adulthood, he began his military career, firstly belonging to a London regiment of the British Territorials1 achieving the rank of Lance Corporal, then joining the Royal Navy as a regular in early 1914 and trained as a Cook, achieving the Petty Officer rank of Cook’s Mate. During WWI the Minesweeper HMS RODEAN he was serving on was sunk tied up alongside in Gibraltar Harbour by a Destroyer which had dragged its anchor during a storm. He then served on another Minesweeper HMS WHITBY ABBEY2 which was heavily engaged in the Gallipoli Campaign where his ship was sunk by Turkish shell fire from the shore. He then moved on to the Mystery Ship HMS HYDERABAD, about which a large part of this article is devoted. After WWI he served on HMS MEDWAY a destroyer which had been converted to survey work. The two sinkings he had received led to lung problems and his honourable discharge on medical ground. He was advised by his doctors to seek a drier climate than England and so emigrated to Australia with his family in 1926.
    [Show full text]
  • PT-305 Timeline of Events and Milestones
    PT-305 Timeline of Events and Milestones March 30, 1943 – PT-305’s keel is laid down at the City Park Plant of Higgins Industries in New Orleans. May 27, 1943 – PT-305 is launched. November 10, 1943 – PT-305, along with PT-302 through PT-313, is assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 22 (Ron 22). Ron 22 is commissioned under the command of LCDR Richard J. Dressling and assigned to the Mediterranean. December 8, 1943 – PT-305 is commissioned into the US Navy. June 18, 1944 – Boats from Ron 22 participate in the Invasion of Elba. July 18, 1944 –PT-305 sinks a German Flak lighter of Palamaria Island, Italy. August 15, 1944 – Ron 22 is part of Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. September 15, 1944 – PT-305 sinks a German F-lighter off Point Del Mesco, Italy. April 24, 1945 – PT-305 sinks an Italian MAS boat off Cape Della Arma, Italy. Late April 1945 – Ron 22 is returned to the United States to be overhauled in preparation for deployment to the Pacific. The war, however, ends while the squadron is still in New York Harbor. November 15, 1945 – The squadron is decommissioned, still under the command of LCDR Richard J. Dressling. June 18, 1948 – PT-305 is sold for $10. After stints as a tour boat in New York City and a fishing charter, PT- 305 is eventually modified for work as an oyster boat in Chesapeake Bay. To save on fuel, the three Packard engines—which required 100 octane aviation gasoline to operate—are removed and replaced with two diesel engines.
    [Show full text]
  • Palmetto Navy: Ironclad Construction and the Naval Defense of Charleston During the Civil War
    Palmetto Navy: Ironclad Construction and the Naval Defense of Charleston During the Civil War by Charles Wexler A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Auburn, Alabama May 09, 2015 Keywords: history, civil war, Charleston, navy, industry, ironclads Copyright 2015 by Charles Wexler Approved by Kenneth Noe, Chair, Professor of History Angela Lakwete, Associate Professor of History Mark Sheftall, Associate Professor of History Randall Holmes, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Abstract This dissertation traces the creation and operation of the Charleston Naval Squadron in the Civil War through a look at the different ships and construction strategies implemented within Charleston Harbor. Under the direction of Stephen Mallory, the Confederate Navy pursued armored warships to defend local ports. Charleston shipyards completed four ironclads and started two others. The Confederate Navy did not enjoy a monopoly on maritime procurement, however. Navy shipwrights, army engineers, South Carolina government officials, the Charleston Daily Courier, independent contractors, and private citizens all participated in the shipbuilding process. These different entities promoted differing designs and concepts that included shot-proof steamers, lightly armored torpedo boats, and the submersible Hunley. Confederate naval construction in Charleston ultimately suffered from two critical problems: a congested procurement pipeline and an increasing resource scarcity, particularly of iron plate. The return of Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard in September 1862 contributed towards both problems when he championed an army-designed torpedo boat at the expense of additional ironclads. Regardless of what local shipwrights produced the sailors of the Charleston Squadron provided the best hope for success against the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.
    [Show full text]