Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-02-10
FIRST SUBMARINE.
The American Turtle Was Tried
Out at New York In 1776.
GAVE THE BRITISH A SCARE.

GAVE THE BRITISH A SCARE. !
Tier Attempt to Blew Up the gnassah
Frisate Asia Didn't Succeed. but the
Enemy's Ships Fled In Terror-s4sr
Second Eseapads Sealed Her Fate.
The American Turtle deserved q bet
ter fate. 1t was the first submarine
war vessel Of the United States. 1t
was tried out in l776 tn New York
harbor. Its inventor and builder was
David Bushnell of Connecticut, of
whom little is known. The man who
went under water with it and In New
York bay tried to blow up the British
nigate Asia. under General Washing
toms orders. was Colonel Ezra Lee.
The Turtle was built at Saybrook,
Conn After its vicissitudes Of being
captured. sunk and resting for years at
the bottom OF the East river it was
raised and taken back to Its birthplace.
There, after more years, 1t was taken
fathers clocks. which are still ticking
in the Railways Of New York and New
England homes. Its oaken. pitch
smeared tmbers were put to struc-
tural uses and all trace Of them lost.
Bushnell did not get even a tardy re-
| ward for his inventiveness. The coun
Gil Of safety of Connecticut in 1777 di.
rected that he be paid f2O0 for hts
! services in Annoying SHIPS" but there
is no record that he ever got the
money
| Hore is the story of the American
Turtles first exploit as it is told. in
the quaint phraseology of the yellow
| ing manuscript where it was set down
long ago:
when the British feet lay in the
North river, opposite the city Of New
York, and while General Washington
had possession of the city he was
very anxious to be rid of such neigh
bors. David Bushnell of Saybrook in
vented a submarine curiosity called
the American Turtle. which received
General Washington's approval for
that purpose. 4 brother Of the In
yentor was to operate the machine, but
on trial he declined to hazard his serv
Ice. Colonel Lee. distinguished for his
his services. and after practicing with
the machine to discover its powers
night was fixed upon for the attempt.
General Washington and his associ
ates in the secret took their stations
upon the roof of house on Broad
way. anxiously awaiting the result
Morning came, but no intelligence of
the bold navigator. While the anxious
spectators were about to give him up
as lost several barges were seen to
start suddenly from Governors island.
then In possession of the British. and
move toward some object near. the
Asia. ship Of the line. and as suddenly
they were seen to put about and steer
for the island with springing oars. In
two or three minutes an explosion
took place from the surface Of the wa
Ter. resembling a waterspout. which
aroused the whole city. The enemy's
ships took the alarm. cut their cables
and proceeded to the Hook with all
possible dispatch. sweeping their bot
toms with chains and with difficulty
l preventing their affrighted crews from
leaping overheard
I Colonel Lee. coming to the surface
during this scene Of CONSERVATION,
was obliged again to descend to avoid
: the enelnE's shot from the island.
4 After forcing his mac hine against a
strong current under water he landed
safe at the Battery amid a great
crowd. General Washington express
ing himself as much pleased that the
q object was effected without the loss of
life.
Colonel Lee had been under the
Asia more than two hours endeavor-
ing to penetrate her bottom. which, be.
: Ing sheathed with copper. resisted I'LL
g attempts to attach the magazine tn
e the ship
= Apparently the American Turtle
made one more attempt to annoy the
enemys shipping before she ended hel
d career Another old diary preserved by
t a Connecticut family mentions this In
~ cident 1t seems that the Turtle
manned by some nameless hero, per
haps again by Colonel Lee, though the
rhrunicler does not state. made an at
tempt to blow up British ship In thu
q East river. By this time the British
appear to have discovered what naturt
.. Of craft it was that had essayed to de
stroy the Asia and no were on thu
lookout for anything suspicious thai
disturbed the surface Of the water. A
any rate. the American submarine wal
discovered before she had made any
- progress on her second mission Of de
struction.
g. The British boats gave chase. Con
sidering that the maximum speed o.
the Turtle was three miles an hour
the pursuit could not have been a yer!
- long one. At any rate, an American
" vessel. probably some small schooner
t. was waiting for the submarine, ant
J. the Turtle fled thither for protection
Hastily the odd looking craft wa
hOiste6 aboard. sail was set. and thi