The Greek interest in buying submarines was also a factor that prompted Sultan Abdul Hamid II to purchase these boats to establish a more powerful navy to protect Aegean assets.[2] Barrow Shipyard built two steam-engine powered boats, designed by Swedish industrialist and arms dealer Thorsten Nordenfelt.On another test run in early 1888, the submarine was able to navigate through the strong currents around the Seraglio Point, making up to 10 knots of speed, and successfully sank an old target ship with a single torpedo.Air tanks that were pressurized while sailing on the surface were used to propel the boats a short distance under water, allowing them to remain submerged for only a few minutes.The boats turned out to not be battle-worthy, as their speed and (submerged) range were limited at best, and they were poorly balanced which was made even worse when firing off a torpedo.
Ottoman submarine
Abdül Hamid
at the Taşkızak Naval Shipyard in Istanbul, 1886.
One of the torpedoes used by Ottoman submarines
Abdül Hamid
and
Abdül Mecid
.
