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1899.} MARINE REVIEW. 17 HOLLAND BOAT AND HER TESTS. PURCHASE OF THE VESSEL SAID TO BE RECOMMENDED BY INSPECTION BOARD OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT--SUCOESS OF RECENT TRIALS. As fuller details become available regarding the trials of the sub- marine torpedo boat Holland, referred to in the Review last week, it would seem that there is cause for the claim that a very favorable report will be made to the government. The report of the special inspection board has not been made public, but it is understood to contain a recommendation that the navy department seek authority from congress for the purchase of the vessel. Indeed, Mr. Low, who was the personal representative of Secretary Long at the recent trials, is said to have expressed a belief that it would be wise to provide for fifty or more submarine boats to be sta- tioned along the sea coasts, particularly in the vicinity of Boston and New York harbors, the mouth of the Delaware, the Virginia capes and at the Golden Gate. Rear Admiral Rodgers, president of the naval inspection board, upon his return to Washington after the trials, stated that he was much pleased with the improvements made in the Holland since last year. It was at the suggestion of the board of inspection that many of the changes referred to were made. During the recent tests the Holland was under water for intervals of twenty minutes at.a time. To all practical intents and purposes the govern- mental trial of some days since demonstrated the ability of the Holland f Fig. 1.--HOLLAND BOAT GOING BELOW SURFACE. to respond to a summons to sink beneath the surface, approach a hostile ship with accuracy, discharge a torpedo, wheel about in her course and return to a place of safety within twenty minutes from the time of first submerging. Referring to the Holland and the trials recently made the Electrical World and Engineer says: - "For some time past, a series of experiments have been carried on with the Holland by the Electric Boat Co. in the Peconic bay, on the north coast of Long island. So much has been said about this interesting craft that the public has become fairly familiar with such details as it is deemed fit to make known, but it may be here recalled that she is about 53 feet by 11 over all, and that fully equipped she weighs out of water about 75 tons. Of this weight, 2214 tons may be credited to the cells of the Electric Stor- age battery Co., sixty-six special cells having been supplied for the work. The 'battery is placed in a compartment amidships, and thoroughly insu- lated. Over the battery stands the conning tower with steering gear and the compressed air flasks, while below it is the water tank. Astern of the battery come in order the air compressor, the gasoline engine driving the generator and the shaft thence to the screws. Immediately above is Fig. 2.--HOLLAND BOAT PREPARING FOR RUN. the dynamite torpedo tube. Ahead of the battery are the trimming and oH tanks in the bilge, the Whitehead torpedo in tube, the aerial gun an torpedo and the projectile magazine. The battery will furnish ge lane for four hours, giving an ample speed of 8 to 10 miles. On the surface, the gasoline engine runs her at 6 knots an hour, and enough fuel is carried for a 1,500-mile run. The driving mechanism is such that the Bencisiot can be driven by the engine to charge the batteries, or can be thrown o the engine and on the batteries, running then as a motor while the boat is submerged. This 'motor-generator,' built by the Electro-Dynamic Co. of Philadelphia, which, by the way, has just been absorbed by the Electric Boat Co., is capable of developing 50 horse power at 800 revo- lutions, or 150 horse power at 1,200 revolutions. The weight is about 4,000 pounds. The machine is shunt wound, and with the aid of a rheostat its voltage as a generator can be varied from 120 to 160. It has two commu- tators and an armature with double winding. Speed variations are ob- tained first by combining the two armature windings in series and includ- ing in the circuit a considerable resistance; secondly, by the windings in series, and third, by the windings in parallel. There are also a 10 horse power motor for the air compressor, and other small motors for ventilat- ing and pumping, all energized from the battery; and all the electrical ap- paratus for power and light is interconnected through a small and com- pact switchboard. While the Holland may not be very roomy, she is probably not less comfortable than the average cup defender or chal- enger. _ ."The prolonged trials over the measured course at Peconic bay and in the waters of that vicinity have, it is stated, yielded results beyond those anticipated. It has been ascertained that she can remain twenty-four hours submerged without danger of asphyxiating her crew of six and the tor- pedoman, and that her radius of action under water at five miles an hour is easily six hours. The most interesting tests have been made at depths of 20 feet, the deepest obtainable in the bay." WRECKED CRUISER CHARLESTON. As in the merchant marine, so also in the navy--when a ship goes ashore it is announced in nine cases out 'of ten that the reef, shoal or what- ever the obstruction may be is not on the chart. The dispatches from Manila and from Washington all say that the coral reef near Kamiguin island, north coast of Luzon, on which the United States cruiser Charles- ton will very probably spend the rest of her days, is not to be found on any of the charts of the Philippines. The facts will not be known until the accident is investigated by a court of inquiry, which will be done at once. It is only fair to say, however, that the loss 'of the vessel is gener- ally considered quite unavoidable, in view of the exceedingly dangerous character of the coast of Luzon, the lack of necessary aids to navigation and the fact that Philippine waters as a whole are most indifferently charted. The Charleston is one of the older vessels of the new navy. She is in- cluded in the group of vessels following the completion of the cruisers Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and Dolphin, built in 1882 and 1883, which were Lede Mae aL UNITED STATES CRUISER CHARLESTO the pioneers of the present navy. The Charleston was built by the Union Iron Works at San Francisco, her keel being laid in the year 1887. The contract price of her hull and machinery was $1,017,500. She was launched in July, 1888, and placed in commission for the first time in December, 1889. The ordnance bureau of the navy has been busy for some time past making extensive alterations in the battery of the Charleston, and had these been completed the ship would have been brought thoroughly up to date. The naval board of construction still has under consideration the matter of the award of contracts for the cruisers of the Denver class, pub- lication of the bids for which was made in the Review last week. It will be remembered that several of the bidders offered to provide vessels that would exceed the speed stipulated if they were allowed to build in accord- ance with their own designs. It is not probable that any of these prop- ositions will be accepted, although it is likely that the government re- quirements will be changed so as to exact a speed of 17 knots instead of 16% knots as originally contemplated. Contracts will in all probability be given to the Bath Iron Works, Union Iron Works, the William R. Trigg Co., the Fore River Engine 'Co., and Lewis Nixon. The sixth contract will be placed with Townsend & Downey of New York if it is found upon investigation that they can get a plant ready in six months. Other- wise it will go to the Neafie & Levy Co. of Philadelphia. A recent change at the Philadelphia ship yard of the Wm. Cramp & Sons Co. is the retirement of William G. Cramp, a cousin of Charles H. Cramp, and who has for a long time past occupied the position of master of the docking of vessels. Mr. Cramp, whe is seventy-six years of age, announces that he will spend the remainder of his days in leisure. The torpedo boat Bailey will be launched at the yard of the Gas En- gine & Power Co. and Charles L. Seabury & Co., Consolidated, at Morris Heights, New York City, Dec. 5,