The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-28
BUSHNELL'S TURTLE.

New York Post: The general interest
,,onsed by Mr.. John P. Hollands ex-
n,rIments with his submarine boat has
rsIled 10 the minds OF Yale men o fact
tSa, Is no, generally known, but which
d ~ ot-lciul record-that the ftrst SER
ioug attempt in this line was the work
n Yale undergraduate. It was while
treshnan at Yale, in the year 177i,
tlat payid Bushnell; an ingenious con-
nectieut boy. as pointed out In an arti-
c,e tn this paper Of June 10. conceived
the idea OF submarine vessel as a de-
s,r,ble means OF defensive warfare. He
kept a, the problem throughout the
fonr years Of his college course. and By
Inc time OF his graduation, in 1775, had
made several successful trial trips with
his American Turtle, as his peculiar
c,ntrIvanee was called. The plans OF
mis- vessel we're carefully examined a
few years ago by Commander F. W.
BARBER. uulted stetes navy. whose con-
clusion was that at seems to have been
the most perfect thing OF It's kind that
bas ever been constructed, either before
or sIrce the time OF BUSHNELL Bush
netI Invented not only the first submu-
vine boat Of which there Is any lntelli.
cent record. but the first tOrpedo as
We'll. He discovered the principle OF
modern mlnIng-that Is, the utilization
NJ line pressure OF the water to develop
the desirable intensity OF action In az
exclusion near the vessel, to be destroy
Cd Furthermore, he was-the first man
m give the torpedo It's modern name. All
these triumphs he accomplished while
an undergraduate student at Yale.
He gathered an assemblage OF what
he called 1.-THE first personages In Con-
nectlcut." TO prove to them that this
strange thing could be done. He flrst
exploded two ounces OF powder four
feet under water, and later blew up a
bocshead filled with stones, wooden
bottle. and a two-inch oAls plank, great
Iy 90 the astonIshmentH6 81 his learned
associates. After this preliminary dis
pluy OF what he could do, young Bush
ueli's theories were held In greater re-
spect throughout the rest OF his college
course. He had one great idea, howeV-
er. and this was the possibility OF con-
structlnu a boat that could sail under
the enemv's ship. attach to It a maya
zine with a SufIlcient charge OF powder
10 destroy the vessel and all It's men
the operator, meanwhile, getting safely
AWAY. He kept hard at work through
ont his four undergraduate years, and
by the time he was graduated had con-
structed such machine and expert
meated with the most encouraging
success.
He finished his vessel at an opportune
time, He had its complicated meehan-
ism complete and in fine running order
when the Declaration OF Independence
was signed, and the war between Eng
land and America was under full way.
He naturallE had some difficulty 10
gaining a respectful hearing from the
leading men on the colonial side. AL
though afterwards he was praised by
Washington as "a man OF great me-
chanIcal powers, fertile in inventions,
and a master OF execution" his first
real announcement came from anoth-
er Connecticut man, Israel Putnam.
Bushnell explained his contrivance to
Putnam, who, after carefully examine
ing the vessel. was much struck with
Its ingenuity and Its possibilities OF
success. He gave the young Inventor
full permission to go ahead, and declar-
ed his Intention OF being present at the
first trial
The occasion for this preliminary ex-
pertinent was soon at hand. The move
ments OF General Washington about
Long Island had been accompanied by
the arrival OF a large British feet from
Eallfax under Admiral Lord Howe.
brother OF the commander OF the Brit
fish army. Putnam had been left with
1000 men IN New York, and sent for
Bushnell, inviting him to test his sub
marine boat against one otthe enemy s
ships Bushnell was himself physically
incapacItated from managing his ma
chine. for It required considerable
strength. He had, however, taught his
brother It's fine points, and the latter 10
many trials had demonstrated his skill.
At the critical time, however. the latter
fell Ill of fever and substitute had to
be found Ezra Lee, of Lyme, Conn,
was finally decided upon as the fttest
man for the place. Lee had already
volunteered to go in a fre-Ship. and his
bravery was unquestioned.l Bushnell
MANAGEMENT OF the boat-altogetheT
too short a time, as subsequent events
showed. The British feet lay little
above Staten Island, the flagship,
against which It was determined to OPP
crate. being the Eagle.
II was queer craft. the like of which
no man had ever seen, in which Ezra
Lee embarked one dark night Ia Aug
ust, l776, with the firm intention OF de-
stroying the pick OF the British fleet. Its
shape suggested turtle. or rather two
upper turtle shells, securely fastened
together. A brass crown, resembling q
nat, represented the head Of the turtle;
It was provided with glass windows,
which supplied light while the boat was
on the surface. and with soSafal round
doors, which were opened before sub
mersion for the admission OF air. The
turtle rested In the water with It's tai
downwards, being held in position by q
permanent lead ballast in the hold Of
five hundred pounds. This was supple,
mented by two hundred pounds of the
same metal, which could be released al
the will OF the navigator, enabling him
10 rise suddenly to the surface. The
turtle was mdae OF oak, put together In
the strongest manner; It was seven
and one-half feet long and six feet
high. 1t admitted only one person, who
had room enough either to stand up Of
Sit down. There were two alr.tubes
one for letting the fresh air IN and an
other for letting the foul dir out. These
were iugeniously arranged so that theJ
operated whenever the boat wa!
brought to the surface and closed i'm
mediRtely after It was submerged
There were no means of generating oil
applying air while the contrlvance was
under water Sufficient atmosphere tc
last the operatos thirty minutes was