The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1868-01-09
VOLUME XVI.
From the Scientific Americau.l
The American Torpedo Boat of
175G.

ihe hlStoElcal records OF our Rev0lu
Nonafy war contain notices OF the attempt
male in lfi6 10 DESTROY the Britisb fleet
then anchored in the harbor Of New York,
by means Of submarine apparatus.-
Tho IUlIo~ing details OF the construction
oI the torpedo vessel, its operations and
FINAL loss, are from the pen Of the inveu
tor himself, D. Bushnell, Of Connecticut,
and were communicated BY him many
years ago, TO the American Philosophical
Society, from whose records we transcrbe
them. This we believe was the first subj
marine boat ever constructed. Every
part scer,s 10 have been well considered,
and the whole exhibits a degrees Of ingen.
uity quite remarkable for those early days
Of invention.
The external shape Of the submarine
vessel bore some resemblance to two up
per tortoise shells Of equal size, joined to-
gethei; the place of entrance into the
vessel being represented by the opening
made by the swell Of the shells, at the
head Of the animal. The inside was ca.
pable OF containing the operator, and air
sufficient to support him thirty minutes
without receiving fresh air. At the bot.
tom, opposite to the entrance, was fixed
quantity of lead for ballast. At one
edge, which WAS directly before the ope.
rstor, who sat upright, was an oar for
rowing forward or backward. At the
other edge was a rudder for steering. An
aperture, at the bottom, with its valve
was designed to admi, water, for the Dur,
pose OF descending; aud two brass fore
ing pumps served TO eject the water with,
IN, when necessary for ascending. At the
top there was likewise an oar, for ascend.
ing or descending, or continuing at any
particular depth, a water gage, or baro.
meter, determined the depth OF descent, a
compass directed the course, and venti.
lator within supplied the vessel with fresh
air, whea on the surface.
The entrance into the vessel was clip
tical, and so small as barely to admit Q
person. This entrance was surrounded
with broad elliptical iron band, the low
er edge Of which was let into the wood of
which the body Of the vessel was made,
in such manner AS to give its utmost
support to the body of the vessel against
the pressure Of the water. Above. the
upper edge ofthis iron band there was a
brass crown, or cover. resembling a hat
with it's crown and brim, which shut wa
tertight upon the iron band; the crown
was hung to the iron bard wi:h hinges,
40 as 70 turn over sidewise, when opened.
To make it perfectly secure when shut, it
might be screwe! down upon the band
by the operator, or by person without.
There were in the brass crown three
round doors, one directly in front. and one
on each side, large enough to pu, the
head through. When open, they admit.
ted fresh air; their shutters were ground
perfectly tigh. into their places with sme
~, hung with hinges, and secured in their
places when shut. There were likewise
several small glass Windows in the crown,
for looking through, and for admitting
light in the day time, with covers to Sc
cure them. There were two air pipes in
the crown. A ventilator within drew
fresh air through one OF the air pipes, and
discharged it Into the lover part Of the
Vessel; the fresh air. introduced by the
yfn,ilasor expelled the impure light air
,Rrough the other air pipe. Both air
pipes were so constructed. that they shut
,bsr, lselves whenever the water rose near
their tops, so that no water could entsr
through them, and opened themselves
immsdiately Aher they rose above the
water.
ts fbe vessel was chiefly 6slIssisd viii,
lead fixed TO its bottom; when this was
no. sufficient, a quantity was placed with
10, more or less, according to the weight
OF the operator; its ballas! made il so
stiff, tina, there was no danger Of ovsIset
ting. The vessel, with all It's sppsadagss,
and the operator, was OF sufficiea. weight
10 settle it very low in'the water. About
two hundred pounds Of the lead, at the
bottom for ballast, would be le. down
forty or fifty feet below the vessel this
enabled the operator to rise instantly 10
the surface Of .he water, 10 case Of scci.
dent. -
When the operator would descend. he
placed bis foot upon the top Of . brass
valve, depressing it, by which be opend a
large aperture In the bottom Of the vessel,
through which the water entered at his