656 



SUBMARINE BOATS. 



/! I 



by the gasoline-engine running the electric motor 

 as a dynamo when the vessel is at the surface. 

 Above the storage-batteries are carried the tor- 

 pedoes, which are 45 centimeters in diameter by 

 11 feet 8 inches in length; and in the same com- 

 partment are a series of air-flasks, in which air 

 at 2,000 pounds to the square inch pressure is 

 stored. In the rear compartment is the 4-cylinder 

 gasoline-engine, which is rated at from 160 to 

 190 actual horse-power, at from 320 to 390 revo- 

 lutions per minute. Its net weight is 1,300 

 pounds. Its length over all is 9 feet 7 inches, 

 and its total height above the crank-shaft center 

 is 5 feet 6 inches. In these engines, which have 

 given great satisfaction in the Holland, the dis- 

 tribution of the cranks and the timing of the 

 valves and igniters are so arranged that the oper- 

 ations in the 4 cylinders alternate; so that while 

 1 is on the expansion stroke the other 3 are on 

 the suction, compression, and exhaust strokes 

 respectively. By this arrangement the en- 

 gine is perfectly balanced and vibration is re- 

 duced to a minimum. In the construction of 

 the vessels care has been taken that all por- 

 tions of the exterior of the hull shall be free 

 from projection of any kind that might be en- 

 tangled by ropes or other obstacles when sub- 

 merged. The lines of the vessels have been de- 

 signed so that there shall be a minimum of resist- 

 ance when they are running at the surface. The 

 radius of action at the surface is about 400 

 knots, and the storage-batteries have sufficient 

 capacity for a speed of 7 knots on a four hours' 

 submerged run. Gearing is provided for driving 

 the propeller direct from the gasoline-engine or 

 connecting the engine to the main motor, accom- 

 modations being effected by means of suitable 

 clutches. The submersion of the vessel is achieved 

 by means of ballast tanks and a pair of horizon- 

 tal driving rudders at the stern. For keeping 

 her submerged at desired depths, use is made of 

 the trimming and ballast tanks above described, 

 and it is claimed that the control in this respect 

 is very satisfactory. The air-supply and ventila- 

 tion are secured by means of compressed air 

 stored in the tanks referred to, while the gaso- 

 line vapors from the engines and, indeed, all 

 noxious gases are carefully excluded by suitable 

 devices, while safety-valves are provided to pre- 

 vent the pressure in the vessel from exceeding 

 that of the atmosphere. Provision is also made 

 for automatic control of the rudders, for the 

 purpose of preventing the vessel from taking ex- 

 cessive angles when diving, or coming to the sur- 

 face, and also for keeping the boat submerged at 

 the desired depth. 



The vessels are controlled from the conning- 

 tower above the working platform, which is pro- 

 tected from the rapid-fire guns of the enemy by 4 

 inches of Krupp steel. 



After the acceptance of the Holland by the 

 United States Government and the order for tin- 

 building of other and larger craft the Electric 

 Boat Company, which builds and operates the 

 Holland boats, built a smaller craft on the same 

 lines as the Adder, Moccasin, etc., to be used 

 for experimenting. She was about 70 feet long 

 and 20 feet at her greatest diameter, and was 

 named Fulton. After several successful trials, 

 upon one of which her crew spent a night in 

 her in the bottom of Peconic Bay. she left Nc\v 

 York on the morning of April 28. 1902. for Nm 

 folk and Washington by the sea route, eonvm-ftl 

 by the yacht Mindora and the tug Storm King. 

 At ten o'clock on the following morning, while 

 rounding the Delaware Breakwater, a violent ex- 

 plosion occurred on board, wrecking the interior 



