The New York herald., 1870-05-30
"PET" HALSTED'S "WHALE."
Torpedo Boats in General and
"Pet's" in Particular.
Interesting Historical Resume Of Submarine
Vessels Eventful History Of Remarkable
Craft-Almost Naval Engagement in Jer,
soy Watsrs-What the Government
Proposes to do with the Whale"


HERALD OF the removal from Newark N. j., to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard Of tine somewhat celebrated
torpedo boat, 'Petn Halsted's "Whalen the history
OF which ts equally remarkable as 1t is deeply in
teresting. Before recounting its eventrul career
Drtef historical resume OF the subject Of torpedoes
and torpedo boats viii doubtless be considered at
once valuable and instructive as well to the general
reader as to the student OF mechanics and engineer
ing. The idea OF submarine navigation and attack.
sng q ship by applying TO its submerged parts a
magazine OF powder, which, when exploded by
devices contrived for the purpose should disable
destroy her, was
FIRST CONCEIVED BY CAPTAIN DAVID BUSHNELL,
OF Westbrook, Conn. Captain Bushnell was born In
1742 and graduated from Yale college some twenty
eight years subsequently. During and alter his
attendance at college he devoted most of his time
and means to the subject OF submarine warfare. lie
was noted for his studious habits, great inventive
genius and cccentrcites as well as Tor the unforH
nate results that ever attended his efforts. After
exhausting his own handsome patrimony IN expert
1nents which proved to himself and other leading
minds OF his day that his theory correct he ap-
Piled to the government for aid, but was refused.
Turning his eyes towards France he proceeded
thither and communicated to Thomas Jefferson then
Minister Penipotentary OF the United States at
Paris, his Invention, with view doubtless, to in
tluclng the American statesman to bring him and it
70 the notice OF the French government. In this
~.
Keturn.ng to the United States he turned
MS attention to other pursuits, amassed a
al the ripe age Of ninety years passed into the spirit
land. During the War OF Independence he was cap
tain Of company Of sappers and miners IN the
twenty years after the whole subject Law dormant
During the em6er years OF the last century, while
soj0urning In France, the Bushnean system was
brought forward again by no less distinguished a
genius than
FULTON, THE PIONEER AMERICAN STEAM KING
n a w ch hvvoa iuta, ffaIs
1mDart TO carcasses OF gunpOwder a progressive
motion under water to gwen point ana then ex
terest the French government but his plans were
felected as being entirely impracticable. Subse
9uenuy' with NAPOLEON at the head of the nation,
vessel in the harbor Of Brest one OF his
furnishing the first successful experiment OF the
Kind Oh record. Still he could not induce the
French government to continue its patronage. and
under the name Of Francis he turned up at later
period before the British Ministry and made some
highly successful experiments, which secured him
the c0untenance OF Pitt, the English Premier. He
received eli, 900 for some Of his improvements but
was by no means entirely successful. Returning to
ment though he was bitterly opposed by many lead
iLg naval officers, especially Commodore Rogers.
Wearied with unsuccessful efforts, ana important
projects connected with steam navigation coming up
Just then Fulton turned from the subject OF torpe.
does forever. THAT he continued to have, however,
thorough faith in his theories is emphaically de.
monstrated by the following extract from letter
written by him over half Century ago to MIR. VIII
liam Brents, Jr, OF virginia:-"n successful their
benefit to America will be immense; for still assert
ana every reelection confirms my opinion that these
submarine mines must go to the annihlation of mil
ltary nayies and consequently produce the liberties
OF the seas relieve us OF the trouble and expense OF
all our foreign negotiations and turn the whole
genius ana resources or our people on tie useful
artS everything, therefore, should be done to prove
their valuc.n
COLONEL SAM COLT AS A SUBMARINE WARRIOR
After sleeping fora lengthy period the Busnnean
idea was next taken up by Colonel Samuel Colt the
famous revolver man, ere yet he had reached mans
submarine battery, rather than his revolver. Under
date OF June 19 1S41 he wrote to President Tyler,
asking governmental aid in urthering his improve
menJs by means OF experiments Sangune OF sue
cess. he urged that the whole cost OF protecting
harbor like New York would be less than the cost OF
once prepared one single man is sufficient to manage
the destroying agent against any meet that Europe
March IT, 1s4a IL appears he Was success in pro o.
curing the aid OF government. The Colonel gave
numerous experiments, most, II not ALL OF which
sentimentality on the part or John quincy Adams
and others, or desire TO keep matters as secret as
possible can only be conjectured, but certain 1t is
that no Official reports were made From private
papers and memoranda among the effects OF Colonel
Colt, subsequent to his DEATH 1t seems certain he
claimed to possess further secret, which died With
him, however.
since then numbcrless efforts have been made by
could be eifectively used in the attaching OF torpe
does to the bottoms OF vessels but with what
Will appear afterwards. That the torpedo has long
been an acknowledged success as most destructive
element OF marine warfare needs not here be told.
The experiences Of the Crmean and our own frairI.
ctda wars terribly attest tha SO now we 10 the
latest species OF submarine war vessels repf sented
by
"PET's INTELLIGENT wHALEr
It was constructed during the war at Mystic,
Conn.,, by under whose directions does not trans.
pire. The owners were however, represented by
through Long Island Sound and lad her up near
Port Norris Westchester county. The government
having become possessed OF her, whether by pur-
chase or otherwise does not appear the curious craft
was removed to the Morgan Iron Works, by order OF
Major General Dix, for REPAIRS alterations and i'm
provemenis. While here the vessel was visited by
Mr. Oliver Marmaduke Halsted, better known as
General "Pet" Halsted. This gentleman, being OF
on inventive turn himself took great pains TO study
her apparatus thoroughly, and succeeded In inter-
esting President Lincoln in 1t. In the fall
of 1864, and early In the spring OF the
was to clear the James river OF the mulrltudnous
and thus far impregnable array OF Instructions
placed by the rebels there As de,rter resort the
hoped that with it the cry Of "Faugh Ballagh %
would not be shouted III vain: Attached TO the
secret service, the vessel was duly examined favor
ably reported upon and ou1ered TO report for active
service to General Grant, Commander-in Chief Of the
Union armies The General ordered ner to be held
in readiness so that she might move to the front
''lnstantly'' when required. There wasin command
Of her at this time the redonbtable "Pet" With
him were General Edwin Ssrrell Colonel Tai p.
Kay, Greek Fro Aired Birney, aPos'' Ss brother H
ABE anu elQeSC son ''Olle u uaIlng yOuDqster, yet
in his teens. General Grant ordered The "whaie' to
report to Admiral Porter then commanding the
North Atlantic Blockadng Squadron, In obedience
to which she proceeded to City Point.
OTHELLO's OCCUPATION GONE.
Nothing has SO frequently been verified as the as
seItion Of Scotia's bard, Bobbie Burns that
The best laid schemes o. mice and men
Gang aft agley;
and so 1t was with the daring spirits who hoped to
win fortune, fame and renOwn with the submarine
nondescrp by fracturng the backbone of the rebel
lion Their "best Land schemes" were knocked into
a cooked hat by the surrender OF Lee. 1t Is safe to
say that what was subject and cause OF great re.
joicing to the nation was disappointment
and disaster TO "Pet' Haisted's vaulnug aul.
blti0n, though after oil his sterling pa
lriotism had already demonstrated his anxiety
and desire for this national contamination devoutly
70 be wished-'Let us have peace.n The whale 81
occupation like Othellos had gone, apparently. BY
some means best known 20 himself General Halsted
prevailed on the government to let them hold pos.
session 0l the strange craft and she was removed
10 New York harbOr again. While here 1t was
thought she might be made useful In some peaceful
pursuit-pearl fishing for instance. number Of
gentlemen took hold Of the matter with Halsted,
with this object In view but 1t would that too
cooks 6DOileu the Al n.