Holland

Design, Construction, and Naming Notes

Holland was built at Lewis Nixon's Crescent Shipyard in Elizabethport, NJ. between 1896 and 1897. Launched on May 17, 1897, three years of effort remained by her designer John Holland and his Holland Torpedo Boat Company before she would be accepted into the Navy. Commissioned on October 12, 1900 she was the United States Navy's first official submarine. She served as a pathfinder for the next ten years, training a whole new type of sailor and developing tactics and strategy. She was laid up and decommissioned on November 21, 1910 and thus was not affected by the Navy's change in naming convention for submarines that went into effect on November 17, 1911 and the change in designation systems that was put into place on July 17, 1920. Thus, Holland was known throughout her service life as USS Holland (Submarine No. 1). She never carried the designation SS-1 at any point in her career, although some historians will retroactively apply it for continuity purposes. PigBoats.COM will adhere to the official Navy policy that was in effect during the boat's service career.

Holland (Submarine No. 1)

Library of Congress photo.

Interior of the Holland looking aft while under construction at Lewis Nixon's Crescent Shipyard in Elizabethport, New Jersey. This view if from roughly the center of the boat looking aft into the engineering spaces. The reduction gear can be seen, but the engine has not yet been installed. At the top is a large opening where hull plating is still to be installed. The hull frames are covered with a large canvas tarp.

U.S. Navy photo.

Holland on the building ways at Crescent Shipyard just before her launch on May 17, 1897. On the right a ring style shroud can be seen around her propeller. It was removed before she started sea trials. This also shows the original configuration of her propeller and rudder. The rudders quickly proved to be too small and were later enlarged, then later moved aft of the propeller. Above and just forward of the upper rudder is a small circular opening for her aft firing Zalinsky pneumatic "dynamite" gun (more about that later). Workmen are clearing the ways for launch and a large object is being lowered down the access hatch at top.

U.S. Navy photo.

The christening of the submarine boat Holland by Mrs. Lewis Nixon May 17, 1897 at her husband's Crescent Shipyard in Elizabethport, NJ. John Holland can be seen to the right of Mrs. Nixon in his bowler hat and wing collar. To the right in the group of workmen the man in the suit and hat with the wing collar looks to be Mr. Matthews, a Holland Torpedo Boat Company investor.

U.S. Navy photo.