The N-class submarines were authorized in Fiscal Year 1915 appropriations. The congressional budget committee, in order to be able to afford a fleet submarine (later to be the T-class) in that year's appropriations, reduced the amount of money available for coastal submarines by over $100,000 per unit. This dictated that the FY-15 coastal submarines be smaller, and thus the N-class was born. These boats were over 100 tons smaller than the preceding L-class and would be the smallest submarines built for the USN from this point until 1952. As usual, the Navy split the order of seven boats between Electric Boat and Lake. EB would get N-1 through N-3 and these would be built in Seattle by Todd Dry Dock & Construction Company. Lake would build N-4 through N-7 at his yard in Bridgeport, CT. They conducted brief anti U-boat patrols off the New England coast in WWI, and then served in a training role out of New London until they were decommissioned. Overall, these boats ended up being too small to be really useful, with the EB versions averaging only 8.5 years of service. The Lake versions seemed to have been particularly disliked for poor detail design, habitability, and overall unreliability. They were discarded after only 3.5 years of service in the early 1920's.
N-1 (Submarine No. 53, later SS-53)
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
USS N-1 traveling down the Thames River circa spring of 1918. She is yet to get her steel chariot bridge fairwater installed. The man forward of the periscope sheers, standing on the bridge access hatch, is the helmsman. Her starboard engine is still a little cold, as it is smoking excessively.
Behind, on the shore, can be seen the Fort Griswold Monument and Fort Griswold itself, to the left of the large smoke stack. Fort Griswold is a revolutionary war fort that was the scene of a bloody massacre by the British on American forces. Survivors were taken from the fort and placed on prison ships moored in the Thames River.
The building with the large smokestack is yet to be identified. It is north, or upriver from the present location of the Electric Boat Company where submarines are still built.
N-2 operating in the Atlantic in the early 1920's. She has one engine lit off and is barely making steerageway. Her torpedo loading crane is in place on the forward deck.
N-4 is seen here at the mouth of the Thames River, Connecticut in 1919. Her crew are pulling out and preparing mooring lines as she heads upriver to Submarine Base New London.
N-5 underway in the Thames River, Connecticut enroute to Submarine Base New London, approximately 1919. The original photo was not in good shape and has several creases and wrinkles.
An original Navy photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.
The yet to be commissioned N-6 is seen here running the measured mile at Provincetown, MA. at the tip of Cape Cod. The N-6 turned in a recorded speed of 10.5 knots on her 12th run. The date was April 16, 1918. At this point she was still owned by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company and was being operated by civilian yard personnel. Portions of her crew were onboard for training, and it is likely that her soon to be commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Herbert R. Hein was aboard. These "builder's trials" were intended to show the Navy that the company had built the product to specifications, and were required before the Navy would accept the boat and commission her into active service.
N-7 is shown here under construction at the Lake company yard in Bridgeport, CT., April 1, 1918. She is moored next to an unidentified O-class submarine, with another O-boat across the pier. Lake had both classes under construction at the same time. N-7 is setting high in the water in her incomplete state. The Lake design used an oblong oval shaped deck hatch that covered the torpedo loading hatch. The deck hatch can be seen her raised forward of the conning tower fairwater. Note that the Lake N-boats were built with the chariot bridge installed. The EB design boats had them backfitted after commissioning.
N-1, N-2, and N-3 moored to the USS Savannah (AS- 8) at Submarine Base New London, (Groton) on February 7, 1918. In the water between the Savannah and the subs and between the submarines can be seen chunks of floating ice on the waters of the Thames River. An unnamed Black Stewardsmate or Mess Attendant looks at the camera and becomes part of history.
