Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-08-24

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
light Of the phosphorus the ascent of
the water in the gauge was rendered
visible and the depth of the vessel re-
corded by graduated scale.
''An oar formed on the principle of
the screw was fixed in the fore port OF
the vessel, and, being turned in one di-
rection, rowed the vessel forward, and,
being turned in the other, rowed it
backward. It was constructed to be
turned by the hand or foot.
"A rudder to the hinder part of the
vessel, which commanded it with the
greatest ease, was made very flexible
and might be used for rowing forward
"a compass marked with phosphorus
directed the course above and under
water.
'The internal shape of the vessel in
every possible section of it verged to-
ward an ellipsis, as near as the de-
sign would allow, but every horizontal
section, although elliptical, was yet as
near to circle as could be obtained.
Every opening was we'll Sc
cured. The pumps had two sets of
valves. The aperture at the bottom for
admitting water was covered with a
plate perforated full of holes to receive
the water and to prevent anything
from closing the passage or stopping
the valves from shutting. The brass
valve might likewise be forced into its
place with a screw. The air pipes had
a kind Of hollow sphere fixed round
the top of each to secure them from
injury. These hollow spheres were
perforated full of holes for the passage
of air through the pipes. Without the
air pipes were shutters to secure them
should any accident happen to the
pipes or the valves on their tops"
The first submarine boat was
equipped with torpedo, or internal"
of which Bushnell also seems to have
been the inventor, for in his letter he
tells of the difficulty he had in con-
vincing people that powder could be
exploded in the water.
Describing the torpedo and the ar
rangement made for conveying it and
placing it in position to fire, Bushnell
says:
I'm the fore part of the brinl of the
crown of the vessel was a socket
through which an iron tube passed.
The tube stood upright and could slide
up or down six inches. At the top of
the tube was a wooden screw fixed by
| means Of rod which passed through
| the tube and screwed the wood screw
| fast upon the top of the tube. BY
pushing the wood screw up against
he bottom of a ship and turning it at
| the same time it would enter the
planks. When the wood screw was
firmly fixed it could be cast off by I'M
screwing the rod which fastened it
| upon the top of the tube.
Behind the vessel was place above
the rudder for carrying large powder
magazine. This was made of two pieces
of oak timber, large enough when hol-
lowed out to contain $50 pounds of
powder, with the apparatus used in
firing 1t. A rope extended from the
| magazine to the wood screw above
mentioned. When the wood tube was
fixed and to be cast off from its tube
the magazine was to be cast off like
wise, leaving it hanging to the wood
screw. It was lighter than the water
that it might rise up against the OBJ
ject to which the screw and itself
were fastened.
| within the magazine was a clock
constructed to run any proposed
length of time under IL hours. When
it had run out its time it unpionioned
a strong lock resembling a gun lock,
which gave force to the powder. The
apparatus was so pinioned that 1t
could not possibly move till by cast
| ing off the magazine from the vessel it
! was in motion
| "'The operator could swim so low in
the water as to approach very near a
ship in the night, without fear of being
discovered, and might, if he chose, ap-
proach the stem or stern with very lit
tie danger. He could sink very quick
! ly, keep at any necessary depth and
row great distance in any direction
he desired without coming to the sur
face. When he rose to the surface he
could soon obtain fresh supply of air
and if it was necessary he might then
descend again and pursue his course
In 1777, Bushnell made his most sue
cessful experiment. 1t was conducted
against the English frigate Cerbesus,
as she lay at anchor off New London.
BY means of line which he controlled
at safe distance from a whale boat,
he sent his magazine or topedo drift
ing down against the frigate's side.
/ It never reached it's intended prey,
however, but drifted foul of a small
schooner, the crew of which took it
from the water and proceeded to .ex-
/ anime 1t at their leisure, on deck. As
they worked with it they managed to
release the lock, and frightful ex-
plosion followed, which killed three
men on the spot and blew forth
overheard. A subsequent attempt was
made by Bushnell on the ships of u
British fleet in the Delaware river. In
this trial he did not use his submarine