Interesting Trial off a French Submarine Boat.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 477, 4 June 1890, Page 4

Interesting Trial off a French Submarine Boat.

The first of a series of experiments with bh® much-talked-of Goubefc torpedo boat took place yesterday (says the ‘ Chronicle ’ correspondent) in Cherbourg harbour. Representatives from (he Ministry of Marine, and from French and foreign newspapers, were present. There were two seamen upon the boat, which slowly bub surely sank at the exact spot previously fixed upon. After some preliminary manoeuvres the boat stopped before five ordinary torpedo boats placed side by side in the Commercial Dock. Ib then passed under them and rose to the surface. This first submersion lasted just three-quarters of an hour. The fecond series of experiments took place in the presence of a large and. entnusiastic crowd. Five buoys were floated in different parts of the Commercial Dock. A Corrigan screw was then flung out from toe end of a raft, when the Goubefc sank, cutting the cable of the (irsb buoy and engagingthe screw. Then changing its direction, the Goubet made for the other buoys, and successfully cub the lines of each. one. After cutting the second cable the two men composing the crew sent out from the boat an empty egg capable of containing a despatch. Someof the cables wei ecut whiletho Goubet boat was making full speed. Before rising to the surface, the crew placed, a floating buoy weighing two English hundredweight under tho raft. The experiment concluded with the raising of the screw, which had been iixed in position by a bar of iron parallel to its axis. Tho second experiment lasted two hours, the crowd at its conclusion giving hearty cheers for the inventor.