The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-10-02


ter, had lived short time in Lam
caster before going to Europe. Full
ton went to England and West re-
ceived him and prevailed Oh him to re-
main and for years he was west's
pupil He met some of the cleverest en-
cheering minds in England among
others Francis Egerton, the father of
England's canal system, who had built
the Liverpool and Manchester canal
TO him Robert submitted a plan for
waterways.
For ten years he resided in England
and then entered into partnership with
Joel Barlow, an American poet. whom
he met in London, but who had lived
in Paris as an agent of the ohio
Company
Fulton's mechanical bent would not
however, be denied. He made numer-
GUS tests with torpedoes in the Seine.
and in the spring of 1901 exhibited a
submarine boat at Brest. In July of
that year he had so far perfected his
boat, the Nautilus, that he sailed out
into the hafbor, sank and manoeuyred
the boat, remaining submerged with
three companions for six hours. Con-
currently, he was working ON the idea
CT boat propelled by steam, and con-
structed a model on the bank of the
Seine near Paris.
In October, 1906, at the invitation of
| the English government he blew up a
condemned boat in Wilmar Roads near
Deal, England. The English officials
were impressed with the tremendous
power of this explosion and they sought
to secure the exclusive use of tho
secrets. To this Z Fulton would not
! agree. He said to a committee of the
House of Lords, before whom he ap-
reared on Invitation: AT all events,
whatever may be your award never
| will consent to let! these inventions lie
dormant should my?country at any time
need them. Were you to grant me an
annuity of 100000 a year, I would
| sacrifice all to the safety and independ-
ence of my country" Finally Fulton
abruptly broke OF al aexotiations and
prepared to rstnrn tssEeAnnerica. sss.trHs't Il
Thomas Adds Emfi1et tells us in
his memoirs that Fulton volunteered
TO go to Ireland with an expedition and
to operate his submarine destroyers on
the English ships. Emmet, MacNevin
and others Of the Irish political
refugees then in France, had taken
great interest in Fultoh's marine tor
pedoes. BY every means in their pow
er they were helpful to him. Money
could not at times secure the services
he most NEEDED. Even professional
divers did not seek the distinction Of
going down in his submarine Cool and
nervy men were at premium for this
work, and the 1rishmen were always
willing and anxious for the service. In
return Fulton partook Of the spirit of
the United Irishmen. He was open
In denunciation of the murder Of Orr,
the Sheares brothers, Tone, Fitzgerald,
Emmet and others. The interests of
the exiles were in so many respects
interviewer with those of Fulton's that
friendships were then formed which
lasted through their lives and affected
many of the great political questions
of the times, materially assisted in the
development Of steam navigation and
have kept the memory of Fulton green
in the hearts Of the Irish race.
His submarine boat was wonder
full engine Of destruction. All in sll,
she was the most formidable fighting
machine ever made up to that time, or,
so far as we know, conceived by man,
and would undoubtedly have answered
her purpose. No British ship anoat
no squadron could have stood against
her. Endless exaggerations of her pow
ers Of offence and defence were spread
about in England, where Tory reports
| naO gwen WnAt real information they
could. The terror Of Fulton's torpedoes
was magnifled in the English House
of Lords.
Andrew Jackson, in his report ,.t
operations about New Orleans, tells us
that much Of the success Of his cam
paign was due to the use Of FultoE's
steamboat, the vesuvius. This report
from Jackson, a man who wasted fe,,
words and praised few men is prop.
ably the greatest compliment paid &C
Fulton's ingenuity and worth.
He died of pneumonia on Feb. "a
1915, in the 50th year Of his age. just
two days after peace was declared pe.
tween Great Britain and the Unite
States. While the body was beins
torne from the family home, No.
State street, to Trinity church, where
1t was placed in the Livingston family