Robert Fulton and the SubmarineParsons, William Barclay
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Robert Fulton and the Submarine
Parsons, William Barclay
Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815; Submarines (Ships)
The preciding properties are all which are necessary, to a plunging
Vessel, such a vessel cannot be taken in consequence of the ease with
which she can hide under water during the day, she can make her
approaches [in the night] in the night and must be considered as a
masked [battery] Magazine which can lie secure in the neighbourhood of
an Enemy watch an opportunity to deposit her cargo of Bombs and retire
unperceived.
Should the committee find the properties here specified within the laws
of physics, and by the ordinary course of improvement reducable to
simple practice, the investigation will there finish; but should it so
happen that I cannot make the committee feel these truths without
Occular demonstration, I reserve to myself the power of building a
submarine Vessel, for which the Government shall allow a sum not
exceeding ten thousand pounds; to be paid progressively as I may think
proper to call for it to proceed with the work,
Of the Submarine Bombs,
That a copper case containing from one hundred to three hundred pounds
of powder, coming into contact with the bottom of a Ship of any size and
explosion there taking place will completely destroy her; that the
machinery attached to such Bomb is so contrived [to] as to cause
explosion when the bomb strikes the Vessel, or when the Vessel strikes
the bomb; or at any time desired from 4 minuets to 13 hours or, 8 days;
If the Committee are not to be convinced of this without experiment and
will appropriate any kind of Vessel I will blow her up with a submarine
bomb to give demonstration;
When the properties of the Submarine Vessel and Bombs are demonstrated
and admitted by the committe, a new succession of Ideas will of course
result, it will be seen that England may draw advantages from these
inventions, or they may be turned to the total destruction of the
British marine; in either Case it is of importance to the British
Government to have the entire command of Such engines to do with them as
they may think proper;
But as these inventions are the produce of my labours for some years, I
now consider them as rich gems drawn from the mines of science and which
I and my friends have a right to convert to our own advantage and which
I now offer for sale to the British Government; For putting the
Government in full possession of all the combinations and movements of
the submarine Vessel; so that any Engineer of good talents can construct
one, and navigate her; also for explaining the combinations of the
submarine bomb, and the modes of attack which time and experience will
multiply and perfection; I [demand] require the sum of one hundred
thousand pounds Sterling—;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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