A NEW SUBMARINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 36, 11 February 1905, Page 9

A NEW SUBMARINE.

J Shortly tie Admiralty will dissipate. or will realise the hopes or a youthful inventor, who ever since he left school. ■ has been devoting himself to submarine navigation. This voting man is Mr. C. W. Fife, of Brighton, who believes that he has hit upon a scheme that, -will revolutionise submarine warfare. This is pre-eminent-Iy the age of the voting man. and it the Admiralty should approve of Mr. Fife"s

submarine that fa-et will so far to combat the assertion that England, produces no young men of engineering genius. Mr. Fife has thrown bis heart and soul into his task, even at the risk of his life. With the enthusiasm of youth—that key which opens many doors—he essayed dangerous experiments Arith compressed air. and once when on the verge of a discovery the cylinder burst, wrecking the workshop and faying him up for soxne considerable time.

Cadi-smavetl. however, be persevered. and yet a second time nearly lost his life. This was under water when trying diving experiments and satisfying himself as to the effects of compressed air. The result has been that he has invented the submarine upon which all his hopes are placed. Among other novel features, this boat, he says, .an remain suboiergeii for lengthened periods without inconvenience to the crew, and he guarantees a supply of good air to last for about ten days, if necessary, by means of specially desijrTwd containers ami distributing pipes. N'eeessarily many of the features of the hoa-t arc the secrets of Mr. Fife, bnt one of his chief claims ia absolute safety

! for thr- crew. for. in the event of colli- j I sion with any vessel on the iurfa.ee or j with any submerged obstacle or rock, the boat would, lie declares, automatically come to the surface by means of the safety appliance. The boat has been fitted with special engines and propellers, which drive it at i a very hig-h rato of speed, both on the surface and when submerged. There is j a.lso a contrivance which enables the crew ' jto lay or destroy mines and remove obstructions to navigation. j ' Mr. Fiff"s «rreate«t fear seems to be i j not that hi> submarine is likely to suffer | I under rigid scientific exa-mination, but ! rather tnat hi* youthful appearance will ■ tell against him.