The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-07-11

New York-Prophecy rests 10 every
line Of a book yeiloved 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 20 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 nov used Ia that warfare
beneath the waters but was reoog.
niEed by the genius 70 whom the
achievements OF steam navigation are
due.
Coincldent with the celebration OF
the centenary Of the day on which
Robert Fulton's hrst steamship ray
ersed the waters OF New York harbor
his almost c~lairvoyant insight Is veri-
fed. The volume in which he out
lines his plans Is entitled Torpedo
Wa and Submarine Explosions. by
Robert Fulton. Fellow OF the American
Philosophical Society and Of the init
ed States Military and Philosophical
Society
~ Was NaAANFA III AoaN Al AAAE NAAN
by William Elliott. Of No. ia Water
street on the title page. serving as
a tex 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 20 pass
in warfare. but by q hundred years he
anticipated the arguments whieh are
now being made by tho advocates OF
peace against the use Of the suhmA.
rine vessels.
Were be here to-day face 20 face
with the members Of Tho Hague peace
conferences he woald be IN a position
50 meet every argument which they
might make against employins craft
which. BY sending out t~orpedoes. deal
out death unseen.
To President Madison.
His pamphlet Is On the form Of an
unofficial report directed 10 James
Madison. president o. the United
states. and TO the members ot both
houses % congress In les opening
pages sir. Fulton invites them 20 foi.
low tile origin and progress Of torpedo
warfare 90 order that they might form
a correct Judgment Of tho propriety Of
adopting q az a means Of our national
defense.
lie speaks frankly Of the dimcuiues
and embarrassmonts which he had
Undergone and gives the impression
that be realizes that the campaign foF
the adoption Of such q method % War
fare win be beset with obstacles OF
every kind.
Although be does not mention Il In
this work. he was able 10 put
Into practice the ~hrreaching schemes
Tor the building 81 submarine boats
which he had IN mind His proto.
type OF The craft which are now BE-
ing tested was called tho Nautilus. q
was refused In turn By the govern.
mnnts 20 the unitcd States. OF Great
Britain and OF France.
= believe hat 81 ia generally known
that I e~ndeayored Tor many years ID
.Eet torpedOos introduced into practice
Ia France and England, he writes
which. though unsuccessful. gave ms
NNN MNNHNNHNNNAhL W MHANNNE MWANNNNM Al
very interesting experiments on .
large scale. BY which I discovered on
rors Ia the combinations OF the ma
chinery and methods OF fixing the toe
pedoea 20 a ship. which errors In %,
machinery have been corrected. and
believe I have found means OF attach
ing the torpcdoos TO q vessel whicl
viii seldom fall OF success. II ia ID,
result of my experience which ! nov
submit 10 your consideration, and
hoping you will feel Interest en- my IN
venuon. I beg Tor your deliberate 10
rusal and reelection
Desultory efforts TO use torpedoos Il
naval warfare had been made as EARL
as the sixteenth century, bur no mill
tary or naval authorities even a hun
bred years ago believed Il would b
possible 90 Introduce 50 irregular
plan OF sea hghting.
His First Experiment
Robert Fulton was working IN Eng
land under the patronage OF i've no
hlcmon when after much EcgouatsJn
he induced some OF the authorities q
witness his torpedo experiments. tn
nrst OF these wao made on October rs
1905. upon the brig Dorothea. and e 9
described 10 fun 10 this remarkably
pamphlet
It's FIRST illustration represents "a.
brig bcing cut literally 81 two By N.
tremendous explosion which proceed
ed from the torpedo which had bee
devised for The experiment
TO convince Mr pitt that a vessS
could be destroyed By the explosio.
Of a torpedo under her bottom write