1905.] on Submarine Navigation. 157 



ledged by French authorities. Two years elapsed after the date 

 when the French resohitely undertook the construction of submarines 

 before the British Admiralty ordered five vessels of the Holland 

 type from Messrs. Tickers, Maxim and Co., who had acquired the 

 concession for the use of the Holland Company's patents. These 

 first vessels in essentials were repetitions of the type which had been 

 tried and officially approved by the authorities of the United States 

 Navy. It was agreed that all improvements made by the Holland 

 Company should be at the service of the British Admiralty through 

 the English concessionaires. In this manner the Royal Xavy at once 

 acquired advantages attaching to the long experience and great skill 

 of Mr. Holland ; and with that advantage there was associated the 

 possibility of utilising their own technical resources and those of Messrs. 

 Vickers, Maxim and Co. For five years a continuous policy has been 

 followed in the development of our submarines, all of which have 

 been constructed at Barrow-in-Furness. There has been a great de- 

 velopment in size, speed and general efficiency, resulting necessarily 

 in correspondingly greater cost per vessel. Information of an official 

 and authoritative character relating to submarines is freely published 

 in France and the United States, but for British submarines, corre- 

 sponding official information is scanty. It has for years been the rule 

 to give in the Xavy Estimates full particulars of dimensions and costs 

 for all other classes of British warships ; but for submarines a poHcy 

 of secrecy is adopted that is most unreasonable and unnecessary. 

 From the best sources of information accessible, it appears that the 

 growth in size, with a correspondingly increased cost has been even 

 more rapid here than in France. Our first five submarines are 63 feet 

 in length, 120 tons in displacement, with gasolene engines of 160 

 horse-power for surface propulsion, giving a speed of 8 to knots. 

 The electric motors for submerged propulsion are estimated to give a 

 speed of about 7 knots. The contract price for each vessel in the 

 United States was about 34,0007., and that is about the price paid for 

 our earliest vessels. The latest type of which particulars are available 

 are said to be about 150 feet in length, 300 tons in displacement, and 

 with gasolene engines of 850 horse-power for surface propulsion, 

 giving a surface speed of 13 knots and a radius of action of 500 miles. 

 The under-water speed is 9 knots, and the radius of action when 

 submerged about 90 miles. Xo official particulars have been pub- 

 lished as to the contract price for these vessels, which is certainly an 

 undesirable course to adopt, seeing that for other, and admittedly 

 sufficient reasons these contracts have not been subject to compe- 

 tition as yet. It may be hoped that the Admiralty will reconsider 

 this matter and treat submarines similarly to other vessels. 



In French official classification a distinction is made between 

 submarines and submersibles, and this terminology has been the 

 cause of some confusion. Both classes are capable of diving when 

 required, and both can make passages at the surface. In this surface 

 condition a considerable portion of the vessel lies above the water- 



