One of the greatest limitations of early submarines was the lack of a suitable means of propulsion. In 1880, British clergyman George W. Garrett successfully piloted a submarine using steam from a coal-fired boiler with a retractable chimney. Although the fires had to be put out before the vessel sank (otherwise the submarine would run out of air), enough steam remained in the boiler to propel it several miles underwater.
The Nautilus
submarine, built by two British men in 1886, was an all-electric boat. The Nautilus
was powered by two 50 horsepower electric motors powered by a 100-cell battery,
achieving a surface speed of 6 knots (nautical miles per hour, 1 knot being equivalent
to 1.15 land miles per hour or 1.85 kilometers per hour). However, the batteries
required frequent charging and overhauling, and the vehicle could not travel
more than 80 miles without recharging. In France, Gustave Zéde introduced the Gymnauto
in 1888. It was also powered by an electric motor and was very maneuverable,
but had a tendency to spin out of control while submerged.
The late
19th century was a period of intense submarine development, and Zéde
collaborated on several designs that were supported by the French Navy. The
most successful French underwater vehicle of this period was the Narval,
designed by naval engineer Maxime Laubeufe. Launched in 1899, the Narval was a 34-metre
long catamaran boat powered by a steam engine on the surface and an electric motor
underwater. Ballast tanks were placed between the catamarans, a concept still used
today.
The Narval
made numerous successful dives. Further advances in French submarines were notable
with the four Sirènes-class steam-powered submarines completed between 1900 and
1901, and the Aigrette, the Navy's first diesel-powered submarine, completed in
1905.
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