The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1907-07-10

BEFORE tno ago OF bxeaW, tne SrehV
Inventor Asked the President and
National Legislature to Organize
Defense with Great FlotiIla OF Tor.
pedo Boats-Asserted That Such
Engines Would Mean Liberty OF
the seas"-Oemonytar Of Their
Power.
New York-Prophccy rests In every
line of book ycIiowed by n century
In which are set forth the vicws OF
Robert Fulton ON the submarine war
fare OF the future! Attention has been
called to the old volume Just Mt the
time. when tests Of under.sea craft
arc In progress. under the direction
of the United States navy. Hardly
an element exists OF the art of attack
and defense now used In that warfare
beneath the waters but was recog-
nircd by the genius to whom the
achievements of steam navigation are
due
Coincident with the celebration of
the centenary OF the day ON which
Robert Fulton's first steamship tray
crscd the waters OF New York harbor
his almost clairvoyant insight is veri
fed. Tho volume In which he out
lines his plans Is entitled Torpedo
War and Submarine Explosions. by
Robert Fulton. Fellow of the American
Philosophical Society and OF tie Unit.
ed States Military and Philosophical
Society"
1t was printed In 1910 In this city
by William Elliott. OF No. ia Water
street On the title page, serving AS
text are the words The Liberty of
the Seas VIII lie the Happiness OF the
Earth
Not only did the inventor foresee
practically all that would come to pass
In warfare. but by hundred years he
anticipated tho arguments which are
now being made by the advocates of
peace against the use Of the subma-
vine vessels
Were he here to-day face to face
with the members of The Hague peace
conference he would he In position
Ia meet every argument which they
might make against employing craft
which. by sending out torpedocs, deal
out death unsecn.
To President Madison.
His pamphlet is In the form OF an
unofficial report directed to James
Madison. president OF the United
States and to the members of both
houses OF congress-" In Its opening
pages MIR, Fulton invites them to fol-
tow the origin and progress OF torpedo
warfare In order that they might form
n correct Judgment " the propriety OF
adopting Il as means OF our national
defense"
He speaks frankly OF the difficulties
and cmharrassmcnts which he had
undergone and gives the impression
that he realizes that the campaign for
the adoption of such method OF war.
fare viii he beset with obstacles of
every kind
Although he does not mention II in
this work. he never was able to put
into practice the far.reaehing schemes
Tor the building OF submarine boats
which he had In mind His proto.
tyne OF the craft which are now be-
ing tested was called the Nautilus, II
WAS refused in turn by the govern.
mcnts OF the United States. OF Great
uritaiu and of France.
u believe that It Is generally known
that cndcavurcd for many years to
get torpcdocs introduced into practice
In France and England" he writes.
which. though unsuccessful. gave me
the opportunity of making numerous
very interesting experiments on a
targc seaic, by which | discovered er.
rors in the combinations OF the ma.
rmnery and methods OF fixing the tor
pcdocs to ship. which errors In the
machinery have been corrected. and
believe | have found means OF attach
ting the torpcdocs 10 vessel which
will seldom fail OF success 1t is the
result OF my experience which | now
submit To your consideration. and.
topinG you will feel interest in my in
scntton. I beg Tor your deliberate pc
rusal and reflection"
pcsultory efforts to use torpcioes in
laval warfare had been made as early
As the sixteenth century, but no milf
iary or naval authorities even a hun
drcd years asu believed Il would be
possible TO Introduce SO irregular
plan OF sea tishtins
His First Experiment.
Robert Fulton was working In Eng
lond under the PATRONAGE OF two no.
hicncr when. after much negotiaiion,
he induced some OF the authorities TO