The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-11-01

lue vessel 10 0eacenu very NtAuuMtty
he closed tho valve The aperture nm
der this valve was covered By q per
foRated plate.
The water could be discharged from
the tank BY the brass force pump.
When the vessel leaked the hllge
could be pumped out BY q similar
pump. Everything In the Turtle was
brought 20 near the operator that be
could and In the dark what be wished
and without turning either to the right
or 10 the left. A firm piece OF wood
was framed parallel to the short diam
eteT OF the vessel to prevent the sides
from yielding This also served aa a
seat for the operator.
In the fore part Of the brim Of the
brass crown was a socket with an iron
tube passing through It. At the top Of
the tube was a wood screw fixed
BY means Of a rod which passed
through the tubs. when the wood
screw had been made fast to some OBJ
ject Il could be cast on by unserewtng
the rod. Behind the vessel and above
the ruddar was attached a magazine
composed OF two blocks OF oak wood,
followed out so as to hold 100 pounds
Of powder This was Aired by percus-
sion device, timed by means OF clock
work. A rope extended from the mag
azine to the wood screw.
To destroy ship the operator was
to submerge the Turtle. navigate Il I'M
I'll It was underneath the ship that was
to be destroyed, screw the wood screw
into her bottom, east or the magazine
and move away. The magazine, being
buoyant. would Immediately rise
against the bottom OF tho ship. The
clockwork which hred Il was started
by the casting of OF the magazine and
gave the operator time TO retire to a
safe distance.
Bushnell made many trials OF the
Turtle before sending Il against Brit.
ish vessel. He found II very dlfficult
10 obtain a RkillfuI operator In ~
spect to this part Of his work be wrote
as follows:
I'm the nrst essay with the subma-
rine vessel ! took care 10 prove lts
strength 70 sustain the great pressure
Of the incumbent water when sunk
deep before I trusted any person 20
descend mnch below the surface. ana
never suffered any person 10 so undsr
water without having a strong piacs oe
rigging made fast 10 Il until found
him well acquainted with the opera
lions necessary for bis safety.
After that | made him descend and
continue az particular depths without
rising or sinking. row by tho compass,
approach a vessel. 20 under her and
Ak the wood screw into her bottom un-
III thought him sufficiently expert to
put my design into operation.
Il found. agreeable TO my expecta-
tons, that Il required many trials TO
make a person OF common ingenuity
gkillful operator The first I employed
was very Ingenious, but was taken sick
IN the campaign Of 1T78 az New York
before be had m opportunity TO make
use Of his skill and never recovered his
health sufficiently afterward."
In the slmmer OF l776, when Admit
raj Howe lay with formidable British
feet IN New York bay, a little below
the Narrows, Bushnell attempted 70
destroy one Of his ships, the Eagle, OF
sixtyfour guns. The operator whom
the inventor selected 20 make the ex-
pertinent was Sergeant Ezra Lee.
He had had little experience with the
Turtle aud was therefore inexpert.
Lee, however, successfully naviented
the Turtle under the Eagle. He at
tempted 20 tx the wooden screw Into
her bottom, but struck. as he supposed
bar Of iron which passed from the
rudder hinge aud was spiked under
the ships quarter
Bushnell said that had Lee moved
a few inches, which be might have
done without rowing. have no doubt
but he would have found wood where
he might have fixed the screw. or II
the ship were sheatbed with copper he
might easily have pierced II: but. not
being well skilled In the management
OF the vessel. Ii attempting 10 move 20
another place he lost the ship. After
seeking for some time be Fowed some
distance and rose 70 the surface Of the
water. but found daylight had I'D
Yanced 20 far that he burst not renew
the attempt
On his return from the Eagle. Lee
passed near Governors island. which
was then occupied by the British. Be
ing In haste and thinking be was dis
covered by the enemy. be cast Oh the
magazine. supp0slng that II retarded
bis movement After an hour. the time
the mechanism was set 10 run, the
magazine exploded with great violence.
to the CONSERVATION Of the enemy.
Two subsequent attempts were made
with the Turtle against the British
shipping. In one Of these the operator
succeeded In getting his vessel under
meath q British ship. bat the tide ran
80 strong the Turtle was swept away.
Finally tho British sunk an American
boat which had the Turtle on board
The Inventor afterward recovered bis
vessel. bat did nothing further with H.
His health was poor. and be was IN