Show HOLLANDS PROPOSITION I Will Take a Contract Destroy Cer J veras Fleet New York May iThe Press says J 1 J Holland builder of the Holland submarine sub-marine boat has cone to Washington with Colonel C E Crecy for the purpose of making an offer to the government which if accepted perhaps will solve the problem of how to destroy Cerveras fleet Mr Holland will submit his proposition propo-sition to tho secretary of the navy at once He Is willing to undertake to sail his submarine boat into the channel of the narrow entrance to Santiago harbor destroy de-stroy the mines planted there and if necessary proceed Into the harbor and deal a few blows at Cerveras vessels Mr Holland declares that his plan to do this Is entirely feasible The boat Is in shape nnl ready for the work and he will agree if the secretary of the navy thinks favorably favor-ably of his proposal to obtain a crew of volunteers for the work I Mr Holland proposes to take his boat to Knntlnfrn fltHnn hr nnt nnrl < rattlnrv nmn n u 1 > everything in readiness under the pro I tection of Commodore Schleys squadron Then when the opportunity offers probably prob-ably just at dawn the Holland will start I on Its mission Before it comes within sight of the fortifications which frown on both sides of the entrance it will sink beneath the surface of the water and steal quietly arth inv channel i When this Is i reached it will reconnoiter to get the layout of the mine fields and then withdrawing to a safe distance discharge one or more of its submarine I torpedoes among the mines This is the regular process known as countermining I which is similarly conducted but bya vessel above the water which lays alongside along-side the harbor mines another series which when exploded open up the whole channel Mr Holland believes that by this method the channel into Santiago could be opened without great difficulty He is prepared if necessary after this I task is accomplished to proceed In his craft underneath the water into the har bor and attempt to blow up one or more of Cerveras batterships If the navy I department has not another plan for dis posing of Cerveras fleet Mr Hollands scheme may be considered |