THE SUBMARINE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9053, 31 March 1908, Page 3

THE SUBMARINE.

Although it is orfly a very few years since, Britain's first submarine was bui.lt,'the flotilla is gro,wing in numbers daily, and the torpedo gunboat Hazard is constantly making journeys from Portsmouth to Barrow to convoy new vessels from the, Messrs Vickers. The Admiralty has now taken/the construction of .boats into its own hands, and at Chatham dockyard several arfi being built, the men engaged being sworn to secrecy. There are flotillas in commission at each of the naval ports—Portsmouth, Devonport and Sheerness —and by the end of the year there will be no fewer than 60 of these unique craft. Commander Murray Sueter, who now commands the cruiser Barbam in the Mediterranean, is perhaps next to Captain Bacon, of Dreadnought fame, the most experienced "submariner" we have in the navy. He has lately given to the world the result of his fascinating experience with under-water vessels. An ingenious, ship's carpenter named Day constructed the first submarine of! which we have any record in 1773. He converted ah ordinary boat into a diving machine, and this apparatus was successfully submerged in Yarmouth Roads, st a depth of 30 feet. The Admiralty, satisfied with the S'JCCes.9 Q>! th? experiment, then placed the sum of at Day's disposal, and with this he purchased a 50-ton sloop, which he fitted U]i for further trials. , The vessel contained a specially constructed large air i chamber, while round the outside of t the ship were suspended a number of larg stones to make her sink. When it was desired to bring the vessel to the surface the stones were detached from within. A successful trial was made with this peculiar ship in Plymouth Sound Elated with success, the inventor next descended to the great depth of 130 feet. The pressure of the water at this depth proved too much, and the vessel collapsed. The authorities endeavoured to raise the ship, but gave in after the first day, and there she lies to this day in the Sound. On hearing of the accident a London physician hurried off post-haste to Plymouth. The doctor believed that Day could be restored to life if the 1 body was recovered before decomposition set in, his theory being that the animal functions were pnly suspended. However, the body was not brought to the surface, and the doctor was unable to carry out his wishes for experiment.