John Philip Holland
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For other people named John Holland, see John Holland (disambiguation).
John Philip Holland (Irish: Seán Ó Maolchalann) (24 February 1841–12 August 1914) was an engineer who developed the first submarine accepted by the U.S. Navy (though not the first American submarine, see American Civil War submarines, and the earlier Nautilus and Turtle) and the first ever Royal Navy submarine, the Holland 1.
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[edit] Fenian involvement and emigration to the United States
He was one of four brothers who were born in Liscannor, County Clare, Ireland to an Irish speaking mother, Máire Ní Scannláin, and John Holland, and learnt English properly only when he attended the local English-speaking National School system and, from 1858, in the Christian Brothers in Ennistymon.[1] He and his brother, Mícheál, were both active in the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), the precursor to the Irish Republican Army. Mícheál introduced the inventor to the revolutionary group. Holland and the Fenians conceived a plan to develop a small submarine that could be sealifted on a large merchant ship to an area near an unsuspecting British warship. The submarine would then be released from the bottom of the merchant vessel and attack the warship.
John Philip Holland was an Irish inventor who came to the United States in 1873. In 1875 his first submarine designs were submitted for consideration by the U.S. Navy, but turned down as unworkable. The Fenians, however, continued to fund Holland's research and development expenses at a level that allowed him to resign from his teaching post. In 1881 the Fenian Ram was launched, but soon after, Holland and the Fenians parted company angrily, for reasons which have not been disclosed.
Holland continued to improve his designs and worked on several experimental boats, including a farcical experience with the U.S. Navy, prior to his successful efforts with a privately built type, launched in 1898. This was the first submarine having power to run submerged for any considerable distance, and the first to combine electric motors (for dived use) and gasoline engines (for surfaced). She was purchased by the Navy after rigorous tests (commissioned 12 October 1900 as USS Holland), and six more of her type were ordered (as the Adder class). This basic design was also adopted by the Royal Navy (with Holland's input, as the Holland class submarine, including Holland 1) and Imperial Japanese Navy for their first submarines.
Holland also designed the Holland II and Holland III prototypes.
[edit] British involvement
In the early years of the 20th century Great Britain became interested in the submarines designed by Holland, and commissioned several including the Holland 1 for the Royal Navy.
[edit] Death
After spending 57 of his 74 years working with submersibles, John Philip Holland died in August 1914 in Newark, New Jersey.
[edit] See also
[edit] Patents
- U.S. Patent 239046 Screw Propeller
- U.S. Patent 337000 Hydrocarbon Engine
- U.S. Patent 472670 Submergible Boat
- U.S. Patent 491051 Submarine Gun
- U.S. Patent 492960 Steering Apparatus
- U.S. Patent 522177 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 537113 Submerigible Boat
- U.S. Patent 681221 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 681222 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 683400 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 684429 Visual Indicator
- U.S. Patent 693272 Auto Dive Mechanism
- U.S. Patent 694153 Auto Ballast
- U.S. Patent 694154 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 694643 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 696971 Firing Valve
- U.S. Patent 696972 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 702728 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 702729 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 706561 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 708552 Submarine Gun
- U.S. Patent 708553 Submarine Boat
- U.S. Patent 815350 Submarine Boat
[edit] External links
- Gary W. McCue, "John Philip Holland (1841-1914) And His Submarines". Geocities.com.
- Edward C. Whitman, "John Philip Holland: Father of the Modern Submarine". (ed. Article on John Holland from Undersea Warfare.)
- Holland's Submarines Photos of John Holland's Submarine #1 and the Fenian Ram at the Paterson Museum
- The Paterson Museum Home of John Holland's first and second submarines in Paterson, NJ
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ http://allaboutirish.com/library/people/holland.shtm; http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/ryn/projects/inventors/holland/holland.html; http://www.irishclans.com/articles/famirish/hollandjp.html; http://www.geocities.com/gwmccue/People/Holland_John.html Holland's background and childhood in Clare and Limerick
[edit] References
- John Philip Holland, Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998
