THE FIRST SUBMARINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13435, 13 March 1907, Page 9

THE FIRST SUBMARINE

A TRAGIC HISTORY.

The history of the first submarine that was ever used in actual warfare is a history so tragic, so darkened by the wings of Death, that few persons can read it unmoved, even though 40 years have passed since the occurrences took place. This submarine was, says the- Sunday Telegraph, built for the Confederate navy, at Mobile, during the American Civil War, and, like tho Nautilus of Jules Verne's famous story, it was cigarshaped. It wad fitted with a conning-tower, was constructed of sheet-iron, and had an upright rudder. Tho motive force was furnished by a propeller-wheel worked by eight men, and an arrangement for tho taking in or discharge of water provided lor the- Sinking or raising of tho vessel. Its length over all was about 55ft.

Tho inventors were very sanguine as to the capabilities of their cratt, and, in tho expectation that it would bo able to destroy the Goliaths of the Union tieet, they named it the David. bo far trout acuievmg wiiat its uesigiiers had predicted, however, tnu .David proved nsell 10 be nothing more notless than a iteatn-trap of tiie most terrible character, in tlio course ot its trial trip, its manoeuvres, and its solitary experience in actual warlaie, it drowned or suuocatou no lower tuan mo crews, in 1000, wnon tno juavid 'was launcneu, a biocxado 01 t»u« southern pores was uemg cameu out uy vessels ot me jscueral nuvj, aim note it was anticipated that tuo wouuoriul suumanne monster would yuicKiy oe uoie to piovo ita grvac wortii as an atiaCKiug loree. it sauiy lulled to reanso expectations, however, aiiu on its trial trip it satin without warning,, and cno crew 01 10 lueii were sunocuted.

Xerrioio as tms disaster was, it. was out the precursor oi ouiers ot equally tragic nature. jl'uo David was raised, anuij.uut/eriuut.rayne, or the Confederate navy, volunteered to iuk.o command or it, anu to conduct operations against trie ships biocKading vjnariestoii. lie lo'Oitc tbo'unlucky crai&'to uiao port, Out as it was approciung duo harbour a steamer passed iu oioso proximity, auu tno wash from trio larger vessel caused, the unstanie alia unwioioiy suDmanne to roil lUto a tree trunk, The hatcn was open, tne water poured into it like a null-race, and the David sank to the bottom. JL<ieuteiiant Payno was in the conniug-tower at tno time, and managed to crawi out and swim to a boat that had been lowered from the steamer, but the other -members of the crew were-, ail ..drowned. _ ;_*.,... ..•-*-■ - • — , There were bravo men in those days, even as how. \ The David was again brought to the surface, another crew was called for, and, despite his previous experience, Lieutenant ±"ayue once more volunteered to take command. One. evening the submarine leit .tort burhter lor the purpose 01 attacking the Federal fleet, but again it tailed disastrously to acconiplisn its object. Dor some reason_ or another— a defect in trie ballasting—the David suddenly " turned turtle,'/ and once more- same to the bottom. Two men out of tne crew ot IU managed to escape, with the commander this time; but the other eight lost their lives. To very lew men has it ever been vouchsafed to come unscathed i;hrougn two experiences such as these, and it is not to be wondered at that Lieutenant Payne decided to have nothing more to do with the David. Indeed, bolder men than himself would have been satisfied with the first trial. 'The submarine had by this time earned the ominous, but appropriate, sobriquet of "the water coffin," and when it was once more raised there was great difficulty in finding another crew ready to take the terrible risks dependent upon a voyage. Mr. Aunley, however, one of its designers, still retained faith in the unfortunato vessel, and eventually succeeded in raising a crew. He made several trips on the btono River, and all went well until one day the David : set out on one ot these short voyages and never returned.. Diving operations were instituted, and at last the vessel was found with its nose embedded in a mud-bank. Its commander and crew were suffocated. After the tragic conclusion of Mr. Aunley's trips, the David was allowed to lie for some time at the bottom of the river, and there were plenty of critics who averred that it could not even dive under a vessel, still less carry out the rest of its projected programme. Presently, however, there came forward another daring experimenter, who volunteered to demonstrate the boat's adaptability for attack. Onco more the David was raised, and a crew took up their stations in its vitals. The commander steered it up to a schooner, . attempted to dive beneath it, fouled the cable, and once more the crew was suffocated.

The final exploit of the David is told by an American chronicler as follows:— speaks volumes for the daring of the Southern naval men that any could be found to venture upon the forlorn hope after this. Captain J. F. Carlson and Lieutenant Ceorge E. Dixon persuaded the authorities to raise the submarine, and to let them attempt to torpedo the Housatonic, of the Federal fleet. Only five men could be found who were willing to take so desperate a chance. At dusk of a still evening, February 17, 186*, the man-propelled craft made its way out of the harbour. It successfully passed the lines of picket-craft around the inner squadron, and made for the Housatonic, the Goliath of the outer line of the blockade. Tho submarine was sighted at a-quartor to nine by the officer of the deck of tho Housatonic, and hailed. It was running on tho top of the water, and was burning no lights, and when discovered was but 200 yds away. It did not reply to th© hail, but came on. A call to quarters was sounded, but tco late; the David was inside the range of the guns of the Housatonic. The men on board opened fire with pistols and rifles, but on came tho curious little cylinder unaffected. It dived and passed nearly under the vessel's stern, drawing the torpedo after it. Tho torpedo struck the man-of-war almost amidships. Simultaneously came the explosion. The Housatonic reeled, and in a few moments lunged forward and sank, bow first. Most of the officers and crew saved themselves bv climbing into the rigging, from which they were rescued by the boats from the other vessels. And what of the David? The ill-fated submarino had at length shown what it could do, but Samson-like, in accomplishing its purpose, it had wrought its own destrue" tiora. When it took the plunge beneath the Housatonic, it dived for the last time. After the war, when the wrecks off Charleston were being removed, the David was discovered at the bottom, not one hundred feet away from its victim, with every man of its crew at his post.