Holland III
Encyclopedia
The Holland III was an early prototype submarine
made by John Holland
. The 16-foot 1-ton model was a scaled-down version of the Fenian Ram
intended for experiments to help him improve navigation.
In a dispute over money, the prototype was stolen from its slip in the Morris Canal
Basin, on the Hudson River
in Jersey City, New Jersey
, by members of the Fenian Brotherhood
in November, 1883. The theft also included the Fenian Ram
, a successful submarine they had commissioned. The Fenian Brotherhood stole away with the two submarines up the East River
in New York
. The Fenian Ram was tied to their boat, and the Holland III was tied to the Ram. Near Whitestone Point in Queens, New York, the Holland III started to take on water through her turret, causing her to slow down, stretching and subsequently breaking the rope between it and the Fenian Ram. The prototype soon sank in 110 feet of water, and has not been recovered, despite efforts, most recently by the National Underwater and Marine Agency
.
The Fenians had been planning to use it to fight Britain
for the independence of Ireland
.
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
made by John Holland
John Philip Holland
John Philip Holland was an Irish engineer who developed the first submarine to be formally commissioned by the U.S...
. The 16-foot 1-ton model was a scaled-down version of the Fenian Ram
Fenian Ram
Fenian Ram is a submarine designed by John Philip Holland for use by the Fenian Brotherhood, American counterpart to the Irish Republican Brotherhood, against the British...
intended for experiments to help him improve navigation.
In a dispute over money, the prototype was stolen from its slip in the Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
Basin, on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, by members of the Fenian Brotherhood
Fenian Brotherhood
The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish republican organization founded in the United States in 1858 by John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny. It was a precursor to Clan na Gael, a sister organization to the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Members were commonly known as "Fenians"...
in November, 1883. The theft also included the Fenian Ram
Fenian Ram
Fenian Ram is a submarine designed by John Philip Holland for use by the Fenian Brotherhood, American counterpart to the Irish Republican Brotherhood, against the British...
, a successful submarine they had commissioned. The Fenian Brotherhood stole away with the two submarines up the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The Fenian Ram was tied to their boat, and the Holland III was tied to the Ram. Near Whitestone Point in Queens, New York, the Holland III started to take on water through her turret, causing her to slow down, stretching and subsequently breaking the rope between it and the Fenian Ram. The prototype soon sank in 110 feet of water, and has not been recovered, despite efforts, most recently by the National Underwater and Marine Agency
National Underwater and Marine Agency
The National Underwater and Marine Agency , originally an organization within the fiction of author Clive Cussler, is a private non-profit organization in the United States...
.
The Fenians had been planning to use it to fight Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for the independence of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.