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4 HOLLAND'S TORPEDO BOAT. CAPABLE OF RUNNING UNDER WATER FOR HOURS. INVISIBILITY API*? C.REATLT TO HER AGGUES PIVi: POWER CHANGES OF TUAN. Now that the Uolland has been purchased by the Government, and is a vessrl of Uncle Sam's Navy in good and regular standing, a fresh in terest is taken in her history and character istics. This particular craft was built by a private corporation. The designer had previ ously Induced the Navy Department to adopt another of his plans, and the construction of a ..boat of the same- unique character was under taken at Baltimore, the Government having let the contract to a well known firm of shipbuild ers in that city. For various reasons, however, that boat-the Plunger— has never been finished. When Mr. Holland project, d the later boat, •which bears his own name and which was con stiucted at Elizabethport, he thought he saw several ways in which ho could improve on his original design. The Holland, for instance, is much shorter than the Plunger, and hence can change her course more quickly. This pos sibility give? her a great tactical advantage. The Holland is shaped like a sweet potato, is 53 feet -1 Inches long and 10 feet 3 inches In diameter at the broadest part. When cruising about one-eighth of her bulk would be above the surface, and she would draw about eight f( , , O f crater. She can be wholly submerged and yet operate In ;i depth of twelve feet. Propulsion is effected by a screw that derives Ita power from a gasolene engine when the boat is running at the surface. When she is sub merged the screw is driven by an electric motor and storage battery. This battery would be previously charged by the boat's own engines. One charge of the battery ought to enable her to run seventy-five miles under water. When submerged her speed vrould not exceed four or five knots. When cruising she can travel a little faster. She has made a speed of seven or eight knots on the surface. Besides the ordinary rudder, a vertical plane to direct the boat's course to the right or left, the Holland has a second ori'\ extending in a horizontal plane, and intended to alter th. level at which she runs. Tilting this horizontal rudder downward depresses the \>o\\ of the boat, and lifting it slightly tends to bring her to the surface again. On top of the vessel, amidships, is a telescopic tube twenty inches in Interior diameter, and capable of being raised from a height of eight inches to one of thirty. The opening at the upper end. by which entrance to the Interior is effected, is closed by a hinged door that can be made water tight. This tubular device is the "conning tower," through which the pilot makes his observations. When the boat is about to i-uic below the surface the tower is contracted, the trap door is closed, the opening through whish the products of combustion in the engine escape is shut, an i the engine is itself thrown out of set vie.-. After the craft has been en tirely submerged the pilot relies mainly on his compass, but comes to the surface at intervals for fresh observations. He can get his bearings within a few seconds, and then dive before be ing detected. For breathing while the boat is under water, the men are supplied with com pn Bsed air. As originally designed, the Holland had three weapons. One was an expulsion tube of the same type that the ordinary torpedo boat car ries. This delivers the torpedo without any ■pecial violence. Tht Whltehead projectile is NEW-YORK TRIBUNE ILLUSTRATED S! IMXKMKNT. an automobile, or self-propelllrur, affair. It carries a tiny screw and automatic steering ap paratus, and takes care of itself when once launched. The Holland Is planned to carry three Whiteheada twelve feet long and eigh- THE HOLLAND BOAT RUNNING » >N THE SURFACE AT EIGHT KNOTS AN H<»i R teen Inches In diameter. One would be placed . tainin? high explosives. Then there was a In the expulsion tub*> ready for service, and somewhat similar gun, pointing aft and rab the others would be arranged alongside the tube merged, so as to send througii the water, with within the boat. The tube opens out in front. force derived from a considerable eharga of STERN VIEW OF THE HOLLAND SUBMARINE BOAT. THE HOLLAND SUBMARINE BOxVT Recently purchased by the United States i ; .v-rTiment. The boat also had what was called an "aerial gun." This was built into the frame of the craft, and opened forward above the t I tube. It had an upward slant, too. Its ob ject was to hurt into the air a projeetil-- cost- powder, a torpedo devoid of means of self-pro pulsion. This was railed a submarine goa. Experience with the Vesuvius, by revealing t&* difficulties of aiming a fixed gun. has It-J experts to believe that -»• • Holland's aerial ar.<l sab marine guns will be practically useless. it is not improbable that they will be abandoned and the Whiten* i ! torpedo tube made the sole offensive feature of the armament. The chief virtue of a submarine torpedo boat is that she can r»-nder herself mor»* completely invisible than a vessel that always stays on the surface. She couM certainly deliver an attack by nitfht without detection, and it is f.-n j«>ssi bio that she could do so by day. Th» latter is altogether out of the f 4 uestion with any other type of torpedo boat. Of course. SU(h tiny craft cannot navigate in rr.ush water. They are fitted to live and work only in or near har» bors. They are m.-ant f..r coast defence only. They require special skill and county on the part of officers and crew. i: u t they can do what no other torpedo boat can, and ha%«? a dis tinct field of usefulness befon them. An offl cer of the United States Navy who closely observed the tests of the Holland about a year ago evinced great faith in lu.r possibilities la the right hands. /'/ \ISHI U IOR \<>l I Til! Fr'>m The I. Our readers are acquainted with th-- circum stances ■:' the dismissal of Captain Spence from th»- employment >>f James Currie A Co.. after ten years' blameless service. The rernwr shipmaster was piloting the North Ptar through a difficult channel in the Weser when be met a German warship entering the river b.fir. the wind. a northwesterly pale was blowing; in his teeth, at- ]-• a - he had negotiate! the corner with sufficient room to pass in safety Captain Spew • noticed that the German vessel wju flying the imperial standard. His anxit.ua navigation and the fact that the flap ha<! Ufa clinging around the mast had prevented him from observing it before: and. m.».st unfortu nately and to his own deep regret, h* wa> too late in returning the salute. The warship, with the German Emperor on board, was rajidly passing out of sight when the law of <-..;;rtt:«y was sat dL The shipmaster lost his pUre in consequence, and he acquiesced in the justice of the penalty which was the Inevitable result of the correspondence that had passed between his employers, and the German Kmba.-'sy ia I^ondon. But the story has a gratifying s. qu^-l. As Captain Sp. in .■ informed us the other day. he addressed a letter to the Emperor in which he gave a plain account of the facts and » x pressed his sincere concern for the Inadvertence, it is extremely pleasant to learn that the i'mpemr William, who is himself a sailor, has be»-n graciously pleased to accord a sympathetic far to the apology. In a letter which has reached Messrs. < "urri-- from the Herman Minis!- r Pleni potentiary in London, •'"..unt Sletternich is di rected by his Government to transmit ills Ma jesty's l>est thanks, and t.> inform them at the MM time that His Majesty "would feel sorry if Captain Spence would lose his living." ThU act of royal generosity does credit ti« the Km peroi heart no less than to his unfailing P*"! sens-- Captain Spence was guilty <<f .1 grave breach of international custom at sea His ship was saluted by a foreign Powt-r as well as by a foreign sovereign, and he did not re turn th>* salute. Hut grave as the omission was. It was capable of explanation an.l cxi :se, und the delinquent's previous nc>rd was > proof of hi - innocence In intention. We are t;t.i«l that this view of th^» circumstances has prevailed with His Imperial Majesty, who will iteadd ed by his graceful act at least one :n re en thusiast to his many admirers In threat I'ritain. Captain Spem-e's rcinstatetnent is assured, «*• he will owe it directly to the Kmt- r-