THE SUBMARINE BOAT. 729 



of France in the year L900, there were to be built between thai year 



and the close of 1905, forty-four submarine vessels. Since that time 

 additional construction has been authorized which would givea total of 

 sixty-eight submarine vessels to be completed before L906. 



FRANCE ENCOURAGES COMPETITION IN THIS FORM OF CONSTRUCTION. 



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 

 favor no type has yet been regarded as an approved one. but 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 subma- 

 rine 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 Holland design. 



FRANCE WILL POSSESS TEN DIFFERENT DESH1NS BEFORE L906. 



The French Admiralty already announce that of the thirteen sub- 

 marines that are to be commenced this year her experts will experi- 

 ment with three boats, each of a new and special design. France 

 already possesses seven different types of those built and building. 

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

 problem is solved. If the Admiralty of that country is to be judged 

 by its acts, then France more than any other naval power believes 

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

 wise an approved type would have been selected ere this. It is strik- 

 ingly 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 been supplied with boats of the Holland design, and as 

 both Russia and Japan have been urged to purchase a boat 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. 



ENGLAND HAS NINE BOATS — BUILT AND BUILDING. 



Great Britain has five submarine boats in process of construction. 

 These boats were contracted for in the fall of L900, 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 built for the United States Navy. It has 



