This photo taken inside the Simon Lake submarine Protector in January 1904. In February 1904 the Protector was sold to the Russian Navy at the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War. The calendar above his head firmly dates this photo to January or early February 1904 before the Protector was sold to Imperial Russia as the "Osetr". Lake spent the next seven years in Europe designing submarines for the Austro-Hungarian Navy, the Kaiserliche Marine, and Imperial Russian Navy.
Lake Protector Interior Looking Aft
It is suspected from examining this photo that the man laying on the settee sleeping is most probably Simon Lake. He appears to be older and has a mustache. This is little evidence to go on but since Lake spent most of his time perfecting and trying out his designs it is a reasonable assumption this is Simon Lake. The view is looking aft and through the "pantry" where food could be prepared into the engine room, where two men are looking at the camera.
Lake Protector Interior Looking Forward
This view is looking forward towards the bow of the Protector. It can be seen that the torpedo tube inner doors are actually in the compartment with the settees. Spare torpedoes are being kept under the settees, although that would limit the number of torpedoes that could be carried.
