After reading this book, the reviewer is surprised that the US Navy ever introduced submarines to the fleet before WWI due to the politics, intrigue and competing ideas of the various submarine competitors, along with the inconsistent behavior of the US Navy and the US Con- gress. This fascinating book goes into the saga of submarine develop- ment in the United States and the years of frustration encountered by John Holland in attempts to have his concepts accepted. Although the book starts off slowly with a short history of submarines from the earliest time to the Civil War, the pace picks up with the arrival of John Holland in the United States and the building of the Finian Ram in chapter six.
The book is not a technical treatise on submarine design but gives the reader enough insight into the technical aspects of the various ear- ly designs and innovations all the way from coal powered steam (yes! steam), to gasoline, to diesel.
The author stays on course with documented facts that are well foot- noted, providing an excellent bibliography at the end. But the reader can read between the lines regarding the various personalities and companies involved and can deduce money and favors moving around in the back- ground.
The book’s title suggests that this work is a biography of John Hol- land. However, the book is much wider in scope covering the early de- velopment of the submarine with enough background information to introduce all the key individuals, their backgrounds and efforts. It was especially interesting to this reviewer to finally learn the unique roles carried out by specific personnel in submarine history that led to the naming of post-WWII submarine tenders such as USS Emery S. Land and L.Y. Spear. Much coverage is given to Simon Lake, for example, who played a significant (and, in retrospect, not necessarily positive) role up through WWI.The books traces John Holland’s early years, his immigration to the United States in 1873, and his early design concepts, along with the history of the Finiam Ram (which is still in existence in Paterson, New Jersey). John Holland’s association with the US Navy goes back as far as 1883. The author notes naval history would have been different at various times if it were not for the US budgets and politics
— as frequent and impactful issues then as today. The interactions with Congress and appropriations played large roles in the early history. At times Congress was the main supporter of submarine progress while the US Navy was largely skeptical, hidebound by its own bureaucracy and traditions. The book follows the tract of the US Navy letting the first submarine design contract (Plunger) from the Holland Boat Company in 1895 followed by the challenges of persuading the US Navy to ac- cept a more practical design (Holland). At the same time, Simon Lake was working to have his own different design concept funded and tested along with John Holland’s. The book introduces Isaac Rice, the founder of the Electric Boat Company, and the acquisition of John Holland’s sub- marine company. That was combined with success of the unique (now common, lead acid) batteries that Rice owned, as the rest of the country was quickly ‘going electric.’
The book lags in reading when the Lessler affair is documented in some detail but is must-reading to understand the different times and conduct of government affairs and the impact on acquisition of subma- rines until WWI. Both the Holland designs and Lake designs were mar- keted with some success overseas, including the first boats purchased by the United Kingdom, Japan and Russia. The book concludes with the details of John Holland’s exit from Electric Boat, (a sad story), Simon Lake’s last efforts to secure a contract from the US Navy and the transfer of management from Isaac Rice to L.Y. Spear.
The reviewer thoroughly enjoyed the book which gave him a lot of historical insight into the early years of US submarine development. If you a looking for readable submarine history, this is the book for you.
The reviewer: RADM John P. (Phil) Davis (Ret), a 35-year veteran submarine officer, CO of USS Jacksonville and USS Glenard P Lib- scomb, last active duty six years as PEO SUBMARINES and Deputy Commander for Submarines, NAVSEA and life member of the Naval Submarine League.
