On 17 March 1898, John Philip Holland revolutionised naval warfare by successfully conducting a test run of his submarine, the Holland VI, off the coast of Staten Island.
The vessel, a marvel of engineering, submerged for an unprecedented one hour and forty minutes, proving the viability of undersea navigation and combat.
Unlike its predecessors, which relied on rudimentary designs, Holland’s craft featured a gasoline engine for surface travel and an electric motor for submerged operations, making it the first truly modern submarine.
This historic feat cemented his legacy as the father of the American submarine programme, paving the way for the development of submersibles that would later define naval strategy in the 20th century.
