The Submarine Torpedo Boat
Its Characteristics And Modern Development

CHAPTER VI THE POWER PLANT The first operable means of motive power installed in a submarine was the steam engine, but this was later aban- doned, and it has been considered that no practical solu- tion of the problem of power was reached until the advent of the internal combustion engine. It is true that the present stage of development of the submarine boat started from the adoption of this means for propelling power. Strange as it may seem then, the tendency at the present time is to return to steam power for this pur- pose. There are good and sufficient reasons for this tendency however, which will be discussed at some length later on. The gasoline engine was the first of the internal combus- tion engines to be adopted, and these are installed on the A, B, C, D, and three of the G class boats of our Navy. Owing to the high state of perfection and reliability that this type of engine has reached in the last few years, the engines installed on these boats with the exception of G-1 and G-2 have given very satisfactory service. In refer- ence to the engine trouble of G-1 and G-2, this has been due to faulty installation and design of foundations rather than to any primary difficulty or fault of the engines themselves. In view of the more recent development and improved efficiency, this type of engine could be expected to give even greater satisfaction and service at the present IIO