THE SUBMARINE BOAT. 729 



of FniiK'O in the year 1900, there were to be built between that year 

 and the eh)se of li>05, forty-four sul)niarine vessels. Since that time 

 additional construction has been authorized which would give a total of 

 sixty-eight sul)niai'ine vessels to be completed before 1906. 



FRANCE KXC<)Ur{A(SES ((IMPETITIOX IX THIS KOKM OF CONSTHUCTIOX. 



It is strikingly significant that in seeking authority for the further 

 construction of these boats the minister of marine invariably tells of 

 the hope that is reposed in some new form of development. In that 

 country, therefore, where the submarine is looked upon with the most 

 fax'or no type has yet been regarded as an approved one, l)ut there is 

 an inclination to encourage all inventors to submit original plans. In 

 furtherance of the policy of seeking to develop the submarine craft, 

 the French Admiralty gives special encouragement and holds out sub- 

 stantial inducements to inventors to work along new lines. By keep- 

 ing the field of competition open the friends of every type of su))ma- 

 rin(» construction are compelled to keep abreast of the times. The 

 Admiralty is thus prevented from being saddled exclusively with the 

 design that is less efficient than that possessed by a rival nation. It 

 may not be amiss to state that France does not possess a single boat 

 of the HoUand design. 



FRANCE WILL POSSESS TEN DIFFERENT DESIGNS BEFORE 1906. 



The French Admiralty already announce thiit of the thirteen sub- 

 marines that are to l)e commenced this year her experts will experi- 

 ment with three l)oats, each of a new and special design. France 

 already possesses seven different types of those ])uilt and building. 

 This is quite substantial evidence that she does not think that the 

 prol)lem is solved. If the Admiralty of that country is to b(^ judged 

 by its acts, then France more than any other naval power })elieves 

 that submarine-boat construction is in an experimental stage, other- 

 wise an approved type would have l)een selected ere this. It is strik- 

 ingh" significant that of the ten different designs in her possession she 

 has not yet built a boat of the Holland design. As both England and 

 Norway have })een supplied with boats of the Holland design, and as 

 both Russia and Japan have been urged to purchase a l)oat of this con- 

 struction, it is fair to presume that France could have secured a Hol- 

 land boat if her experts deemed the type of much value. 



EXCiLAND HAS NINE BOATS — BUI1,T AND IU:ILDIN(;. 



Great Britain has five submarine boats in process of construction. 

 These boats were contracted for in the fall of 1900, although the 

 British Admiralty did not let the fact be known until the spring of 

 1901. The English boats are of the Holland type, and are practically 

 counterparts of those being ])uilt for the United States Navy. It has 



