Robert Fulton and the SubmarineParsons, William Barclay
History
Robert Fulton and the Submarine
Parsons, William Barclay
Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815; Submarines (Ships)
Here commenced that strong affection, that devoted attachment, that
real friendship which subsisted in a most extraordinary degree between
Mr. Barlow and Mr. Fulton during their lives. Soon after Mr. Fulton’s
arrival in Paris, Mr. Barlow removed to his own hotel and invited Mr.
Fulton to reside with him. Mr. Fulton lived seven years in Mr.
Barlow’s family, during which time he learnt the French and something
of the Italian and German languages. He also studied the high
mathematics, chymistry and perspective, and acquired that science
which, when united with his uncommon natural genius, gave him so great
a superiority over many of those who, with some talents but without
any sort of science, have pretended to be his rivals.
The house in which the Barlows lived in Paris and where Fulton lived
with them for much of the time, was No. 59, Rue Vaugirard. The above
quotation gives a suggestion of what the Barlows must have been to
Fulton during his struggles in a foreign land, with visions of success
almost attained alternating with bitter disappointments. It was but
natural that the affection of Joel Barlow should be reciprocated and,
consequently, when facing in 1806 the then not inconsiderable danger of
a transatlantic voyage, it was to Barlow that he entrusted the task of
publishing the results of the discoveries and of his labors, should he
be lost at sea.
Fulton, as we know, reached America safely and, therefore, Barlow was
not called on to publish the “drawings and descriptions” that Fulton had
left behind in England. Due to the fact that Fulton lived for some years
and became very prominent in the successful development of steam
navigation, the drawings and accompanying manuscripts of a device that
had not attained practical recognition seemed to have for the moment
comparatively small value or importance and were put aside, perhaps
after the death of Consul Lyman. They made no appearance until 1870,
when they were sold at auction by a Mr. Andrews of Swarland Hall,
Felton, Northumberland, and apparently without attracting any comment.
Then for a period of 50 years, they rested quietly and unknown to the
general public in the family of the purchaser. In 1920, they once more
changed owners and passed into the possession of the writer. Now after a
lapse of 116 years, the request of Fulton to his dearest friend, Barlow,
a request that he realized when he made it might be his last, will be
complied with, and the interesting story of his work through several
years be made of record.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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