The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-08-17
FIRST SUBMARINE WORK
OF SAYBRO0K MAN
Daniel Bushnell, Yale III S.,
Was Inventor of the
Turtle.
ATTACKED THE BRITISH
Vessel Lost and Recovered and
Lack of Funds Prevents
Success.

Daniel Bushnell Of saybrook, Conn.
Bushnell was graduated from Yale in
l1775 and in that same year completed
the submarine vessel on which he had
been at work since 1771. He does not
seem to have named the boat himself,
but It has come to be known as the
Turtle because of its shape.
The entrance to the vessel, says a
writer in the Navy, correspondent to
the opening made by the swells of
turtle shell at it's head. The boat was
about seven and a half feet long and
six feet deep; large enough to contain
the operator and sufficient air to last
him half an hour.
1t was ballasted chiefly with perma-
nent lead ballast. In addition to this a
mass of lead, 200 pounds in weight,
could be let down forty or fifty feet
below the vessel, enabling the operator
to anchor or to rise quickly to the sur
face In case Of accident.
A water gauge illuminated by means
Of cork with phosphorus on it, which
Aoated on the water within the guage,
registered the depth of the Turtle. By
means Of "a compass, also illuminated
with phosphorus, the operator was able
to direct the course Of his vessel.
An oar formed on the principle of
an old-fashioned screw was fixed in
the forward part of the Turtle. The
operator by turning 1t in one direction
could propel the vessel forward, or in
tho other could propel it backward
Another oar, placed near the top of
the Turtle, worked on the same prin-
ciple. BY means of the latter the oper-
ator, after having established the equil-
ibrium Of the vessel, could move it
either upward or downward. A rud-
der In the afterport Of ths Turtle could
be used for sculling.
The entrance to the boat was ellipti-
cal and so small as to barely admit
one person. 1t was surrounded by a
broad elliptical iron band, the lower
edge Of which was let into the wood.
Above the upper edge of this brass iron
band was crown, resembling a hat
It Shut water tight upon the iron band,
to which it was hung with hinges,
turning over sideways when opened.
In the crown were three round doors
one directly in front and one on each
side, and large enough to put the hand
through. These when opened admitted
fresh air Their shutters were ground
perfectly tight and were hung with
, hinges There were several glass win
dows in the crown for the admission
Of light and two air pipes.
A ventilator drew fresh air through
one Of the pipes and discharged it at
the bottom of the vessel The impure
air escaped through the other pipe
These, Of course, were used only when
Z the turtle was floating on the surface
OF the water. The valves opened au-
a tomatically when they came out of the
4 water and closed as soon as they en-.
. tered it.
When the operator wished to descend
: he placed his foot on the lever of the
valve, by which means he opened G
10 large aperture in the bottom Of the
e vessel, thereby allowing the water t.
r. enter the,tank When a sufficient guam,
- tity had been obtained to cause thu
o vessel to descend very gradually HI
. closed the valve The aperture under
l' this valve was covered by a perforated
u plate,
IS The water could be discharged from
le the tank by the brass force pump
l. When the vessel leaked the bilge coult
II be pumped out by a similar pump
Everything in the Turtle was brough
. so near the operator that he could fine
lie in the dark what he wished and with
10 out turning either to the right or t,
r the left. A firm piece Of wood wa
d framed parallel to the short diamete
N of the vessel to prevent the side
'e from yielding. This also served as
Is seat for the operator
W In the fore part Of the brim of TIL
oI brass crown was a socket with an irol
er tube passing through it. AT the top o
20 the tube was a wood screw, fixed b
as means of a rod which passed throug
q the tube When the wood screw hay
is been made fast to some object it coul
1e be cast off by unscrewing the rod. Be
ry hind the vessel and above the rudde
~ was attached magazine compose
c. of two blocks Of oak wood hollowe
II out so as to hold $50 pounds Of powder
N This was fired by percussion device
re timed by means Of clockwork. A rop
IN extended from the magazine to tn
"a wood screw.
to To destroy ship the operator wa
IS to submerge the Turtle, navigate it ur
er til 1t was underneath the ship that wa
ed +, be destroyed, screw the wood sere-
en- into her bottom, cast off the magazir
is and move away. The magazine bein
Ibuoyant would Immediately rise agains
he the bottom Of the ship. The clockwor
N, which fred it was started by the cas-
ut ing off of the magazine, and gave I'll
ne operator time to retire to safe dis
Us lance.
IT. Bushnell made many trials of IL
on Turtle before sending it against Bri
ISIS ish vessel. He found it very diffieu
ey to obtain a skilful operator. In respe,
Sc to this part of his work he wrote {
les follows;
be "In the first essay with the subm;
nd rine vessel I took care to prove i
an strength to sustain the great pressu,
ad Of the incumbent water when sun
in deep, before I trusted any person
he descend much below the surface; and
TX never suffered any person to E
he under water without having stror
ngl piece of rigging made fast to it. uni
all found him we'll acquainted with Il
to operations necessary for his safety.
oL "a et.- .t,oA 7 Nm 40 hin, 5aeoc-,1