MORIARTY SUBMARINE BOAT-STATEMENTS OF CLARENCE W.
DE KNIGHT, ESQ., COUNsel, and mR. THOMAS J. MORIARTY,
INVENTOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE NEWPORT MANUFACTUR-
ING COMPANY.

COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Washington, D. C., Thursday, May 22, 1902. The Committee on Naval Affairs this day met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Henry C. Loudenslager in the chair.

There appeared before the committee Mr. Thomas J. Moriarty, president of the Newport Manufacturing Company, of Newport R. I., Mr. John T. Reagan, secretary and treasurer, and Mr. Clarence W. De Knight, counsel for the company.

STATEMENT OF CLARENCE W. DE KNIGHT, ESQ., COUNSEL FOR THE NEWPORT MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

MORIARTY SUBMARINE BOAT.

Mr. DE KNIGHT. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I beg to invite the attention of the committee to an invention perfested and patented by Mr. Thomas J. Moriarty, a citizen of the United States, and for many years one of the foremost torpedo experts in the employ of the United States Navy. This invention constitutes a submarine boat capable of performing effective offensive and defensive work, and operated and controlled by one man. It is a stage farther in submarine boat development, and gives promise, capable of performance, of serving as a formidable arm of the Government.

A DISTINCT FIELD FOR SUBMARINE BOATS.

Even by the most hostile of the ultraconservatives of the world's navies the admission is made that there is a distinct field for the submarine boat. That Great Britain is convinced of the necessity of adding submarine boats to her navy is shown by the construction of a number of such boats by the British Admiralty. France has a formidable fleet of submarine craft. Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Japan have taken measures to equip themselves with this weapon of the sea.

QUALITIES OF OFFENSE AND DEFENSE.

All nations are participating in the development of submarine construction by encouraging inventors to produce a craft combining the necessary qualities of safety, endurance, speed, and offense. Mr. Moriarty came to the conclusion years ago that the torpedo is pri

marily a submarine boat, and working upon this theory he has brought to a state of efficiency what I shall term a "one-man torpedo boat." This boat combines the qualities of offense and defense. It is capable of defending harbors and of operating from a fleet when an enemy appears. Its weight is less than a ton, and it can therefore be carried on the deck of any vessel of the United States Navy ranging in size from a torpedo boat to a battle ship.

ITS DESIGN AND OPERATION.

The boat which Mr. Moriarty has designed is simple, compact, practically invisible, economical in cost, easy of operation, performs automatically, and is absolutely safe. It is of such small weight that it can be readily lowered from the deck of a man-of-war or a collier, and by means of a conning tower, which just appears above the water, the man operating it can sight and steer toward the enemy. The boat is operated either by engine or man power. When near the hostile craft, if it be necessary, the touching of a lever brings into play some of the motive power stored in the torpedo. As this torpedo is attached to the keel of the boat, the temporary operation of the torpedo's propelling engine will accelerate the boat's speed. When within striking distance and it is desired to effect the explosion, the torpedo is released. In order to secure ample power for propulsion the boat is equipped, in addition to its gasoline engine, with an ingenious bicycle arrangement worked by man power which can propel the boat at a speed of from four to six miles an hour.

COST AND MR. MORIARTY'S PROPOSAL.

The cost of constructing the boat is so inconsiderable that it is well worthy the consideration of the committee whether it would not be advisable to adopt Mr. Moriarty's proposal, which is to authorize the construction of one of his boats for experimental purposes at an initial cost of $15,000. Every succeeding boat will, it is estimated, cost from $5,000 to $7,500.

LEGISLATION REQUESTED.

It is, therefore, respectfully requested that your committee recommend the enactment of substantially the following provision:

"The Secretary of the Navy may, in his discretion, contract with the Newport Manufacturing Company of Newport, R. I., for the construction of a submarine boat to be built under the patents of Thomas J. Moriarty, said boat to be constructed under the direction of the inventor and the supervision of the Navy Department; and for the purpose of constructing said boat and conducting experiments in connection therewith, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated.

This provision leaves it entirely within the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy to authorize the building of one of these boats if the plans of Mr. Moriarty seem to justify such action, in which event the boat will be built under the direction of the inventor and the supervision of the Navy Department.