War under Water.

Southland Times, Issue 14799, 16 November 1900, Page 4

War under Water.

— — . — +. _ THE TASMANIA^ DESTROYER. The inventor of a submarine boat is (says the Daily Express) Mr James Ellis Howard, of Hobart, and he claims to have overcome the final difficulties of navigation and effective delivery.. If this be so— and there are people in high positions who believe it — there is now at the Admiralty's refusal a craft which fulfils all the conditions to which the Lords have committed themselves in their submarine programme. Upon their own showing they account the best of submarines now in use as defensive craft, and desire such an invention as will meet them successfully. Snch a craft, with the main details of which they were acquainted in 1898, lies ready for their trial, with ail its inventor's newest improvements supplementing the original design. Mr Howard claims to be able to attack a warship with deadly certainty and no risk to the attacking boat ; to navigate under water with accuracy ; and lastly, to defend the boat under any conditions, and to attack and destroy similar craft without I much chance of receiving hurt. The French submarines aro better than those of Russia, Italy or the United States, but with even this superiority our near neighbours have not solved the problem of navigation and delivery, as Mr Howard claims to have done. Beyond that the idea of a submarine destroyer has not blossomed anywhere except id the desire of our Admirality and in the genuis of the Hobart engineer. Sir Howard's boat is cigar shaped, pointed at both ends like a torpedo. Its parts have been constructed in different workshops to preserve secrecy. It would be driven by electricity, and it could be moved in any direction, being fitted with screws and rudders at either extremity. Beyond this, there is a screw underneath the vessel amidships, which secures a vertical motion. Compressed air is used for the occupants, and a purifying lime deals with the exhalations of breathing, allowing the men to remain eight hours beneath the surface. Mr Howard has invented an index, which is a substitute for the compass, and overcomes the difficulties of deflection. Before the final rush the boat is brought into the run of the tide, and the slightest increase of pressure upon either bow is registered upon the index. There are vertical torpedo tubes at either end, overlooked, from conning towers. In the centre is a searchlight tower. The boat rises from a depth of 45ft. to within ten of a warship's bottom. The searchlight would be turned upwards against the keel, and the deadly missile, itself an invention, would be released. The chief value in the invention lies in the method of striking, which would be made vertically against the bottom, where no possible protection can come. As the torpedo leaves the tube an inrush of water balances against the lost weight and keeps the boat level. Mr Howard claims that his torpedo will adhere to a ship's bottom and will explode on the expiration of thetime set. From the moment the torpedo leaves the tube the submarine's work is finished and it would retreat in safety, owing to possessing the means of accurate navigation. The weight of the torpedo is one hundredweight. A vertical blow of this kind is calculated to have three times the strength of a side blow, owing to the pressure of the water. Mr Howard calculates that one submarine would sight another under water at a distance of 50 feet. This would make it impossible for the best boat now in use to attack another without risk of self-destruc-tion. . Here the Howard boat claims an easy victory. Its appliances would cause it to submerge to a lower depth quicker than its rival, and it would stick a torpedo on her keel when passing under, and without the other knowing it. _ _______ ATT this sourulsf Terribly deadly^ It Mr Howard can do one-half of this, the death knell of navies, so far as large battleships are concerned, is within reach. Asked how tue would know an enemy's vessel when underneath, Mr Howard said that ships would have to bear some keel mark of identification. The French Government has approached the inventor, and offered to pay his passage to interview the Minister of Marine, and the Germans and Japanese are cultivating an acquaintance. Meanwhile the Admiralty want something to destroy a destroyer, and a possible solution lies within a mile and a half of their new offices. Mr Howard is a nautical engineer and ! shipwright, whose father served in the Royal Navy, and was afterwards employed on coastguard service round the cliffs of Kent. The inventor had the idea of his present boat at the back of his head twenty years: ago, and it was still undeveloped when his colonial colleague, Brennan, was packing his famous torpedo for the Admiralty's accept- j ance. i