The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-08-04

New York.-Prophecy rests in every
line of book yellowed by a century
in which are set forth the views of
Robert Fulton on the submarine war
fare of the future. Attention has been
called to the old volume just at the
time, when tests of under-sea craft
are 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-
nized 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
ersed the waters of New York harbor
his almost clairvoyant insight is veri-
fed. The 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 the Unit
ed States Military and Philosophical
Society"
It was printed in 1910 In this city
by William Elliott, OF No. ia Water
street. On the title page, serving as
a. text are the words The Liberty of
the Seas VIII BE the Happiness of the
Earth" Long before steam and cleo
tricity were used as motive power
for craft these words were written.
Not only did the inventor foresee
practically all that would come TO pass
in warfare, but by hundred years he
anticipated the arguments which are
now being made by the advocates of
peace against the use of the subma-
rine vessels.
Were he here to-day face to face
with the members Of The Hague peace
conference he would be in a position
to meet every argument which they
might make against employing craft
which, by sending out torpedoes, deal
out death unseen.
To President Madison.
His pamphlet is in the form of an
unofficial report directed 10 James
Madison, president of the United
States, and "to the members of both
houses of congress" In its opening
pages Mr.. Fulton invites them to fol-
low the origin and progress of torpedo
warfare in order that they might form
a correct judgment of the propriety of
adopting it as a means of our national
defense"
He speaks frankly of the difficulties
and embarrassments which he had
undergone and gives the impression
that he realizes that the campaign for
the adoption of such method of war
fare will be beset with obstacles of
every kind
Although he does not mention It in
this work, he never was able to put
into practice the far-reaching schemes
for the building of submarine boats
which he had in mind. His proto-
type of the craft which are now be-
ing tested was called the Nautilus 1t
vas refused in turn by the govern
ments of the United States, of Great
Britain and of France.
Il believe that 1t is generally known
that l endeavored for many years to
get torpedoes introduced into practice
in France and England he writes,
(which, though unsuccessful gave me
the opportunity of making numerous
very interesting experiments on a
large scale, by which | discovered err
rors in the combinations of the ma
chinery and methods of fixing the tor
pedoes to a ship, which errors in the
machinery have been corrected, and /
believe have found means of attach
ing the torpedoes TO a vessel which
will seldom fail Of success. 1t is the
result of my experience which ! now
submit to your consideration, and,
hoping you will feel interest in my in
vention, | beg for your deliberate PEE
rusal and reflection"
Desultory efforts to use torpedoes in
naval warfare had been made as early
as the sixteenth century, but no mill
tary or naval authorities even hun
dred years ago believed it would be
possible to introduce so irregular a
plan of sea fighting
His First Experiment.
Robert Fulton was working in Eng
land under the patronage of two no
blemen when, after much negotiation,
he induced some of the authorities to
witness his torpedo experiments. The
first of these was made on October 10,
1905, upon the brig porothea, and it is
described in full in this remarkable
pamphlet.
Its first illustration represents the
,hg being cut literally in two by the
tremendous explosion which proceed
ed from the torpedo which had been
devised for the QXUeriment
ITO convince Mr.. Pitt that vesse'
could be destroyed by the explosion
81 a torpedo under hOr hottqm." writes