The largest, fastest submarine in the United States and the most
powerfully armed submarine torpedo boat in the world.
In addition to the usual fixed torpedo tubes arranged in the bow of the
vessel, which requires the vessel herself to be trained, the (seal)
“G-1” carries four torpedo tubes on her deck which may be trained while
the vessel is submerged, in the same manner as a deck gun on a surface
vessel is trained, and thus fired to either broadside, which gives many
technical advantages.]
[Illustration: The above view gives a general idea of the interior
of a submarine torpedo boat and the method of operation when running
entirely submerged with periscope only above the surface.
The commanding officer is at the periscope in the conning tower
directing the course of the submarine through the periscope, which
is a tube arranged with lenses and prisms which gives a view of the
horizon and everything above the surface of the water, the same as if
the observer in the submarine was himself above water. The steersman is
shown just forward of the commanding officer and steers the vessel by
compass under the direction of the commanding officer, the same as when
navigating above the surface. In the larger type boats the steersman
also has a periscope which enables him to see what is going on above
the surface. Below decks two of the crew are shown loading a torpedo
into the torpedo tube; each torpedo is charged with gun-cotton and
will run under its own power over a mile and will explode on striking
the enemy. The crew live in the compartment aft of the torpedo room.
Aft of this is the engine room, in which are located powerful internal
combustion engines for running on the surface and electric motors for
running submerged. The electric motors are driven by storage batteries
located under the living quarters. Wheels are shown housed in the keel,
which may be lowered for navigating on the bottom in shallow water.
A diving compartment in the bow permits divers to leave the vessel
when on the bottom, to search for and cut or repair cables or to plant
mines.]
[Illustration: A SUBMARINE SAILING CLOSE TO THE SURFACE
A submarine running partly submerged with the conning tower hatch
open, showing the remarkable steadiness of this type of boat in
a semi-submerged condition, a thing no other craft could safely
accomplish.]
[Illustration: Another submarine running entirely submerged, periscope
only showing. The flag is attached to top of periscope to show her
position in maneuvers when periscope goes entirely under water.]
[Illustration: A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN WITH THE PERISCOPE UNIVERSAL LENS.]