The Baker Boat

The construction tool nearly two years and as Detroit was an unsuitable place for trials, it was necessary on completion to take the submarine to Chicago.

The boat was cigar-shaped. 40 ft. in length and 14 ft. in beam.

The hull being constructed of the best seasoned oak 6 in. in thickness, covered with special waterproof cloth and capable of withstanding pressure of 751 lbs. per squire inch. The displacement was about 75 tons, divided hull - 20 tons, ballast - 30 tons, storage battery cells - 10 tons, engine boiler and gearing - 8 tons, motor - 3 tons, leaving 4 tons for reserve buoyancy. When at normal draught, was about 2 ft. of the crown of the hull remained out of water.

The principle feature in which this invention differed from previous designs was that the side screws were so geared as to regulate the depth of submersion as well as to propel the boat. The propelling power was provided in duplicate, an electric and steam plant. the former for running under water and the latter for surface propulsion. The steam engine being arranged that it could be used to drive the dynamo for generating electricity to charge the storage batteries.

On top of the vessel a small conning tower was built through which the crew reached the interior. Glass scuttles were provided in the sides if the tower for conning purposes, etc.. Water could be taken into the ballast tanks for decreasing the buoyancy. Air was sucked down by means of electric fans placed at the bottom of tubes which lead to the surface. During trials two men remained in the boat when under water for one hour 45 minutes. This submarine failed, owing to the difficulty of keeping an even depth-line when running submerged. The speed obtained was fairly satisfactory and the hull stood a depth of 16 ft. without leakage.

If Mr. Baker had provided his boat with a propelling system quite distinct from driving arrangements, no doubt the boat would have been fairly successful as all the details were carefully worked out.