He finished his vessel at an opportune time. He had its complicated mechanism complete and in fine running order when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the war between England and America was under full way. He naturally had some difficulty in gaining a respectful hearing from the leading men on the colonial side. Although afterwards he was praised by Washington as “a man of great mechanical powers, fertile in inventions, and a master of execution,” his first real encouragement came from another Connecticut man, Israel Putnam. Bushnell explained his contrivance to Putnam, who after carefully examining the vessel, was much struck with its ingenuity and its possibilities of success. He gave the young inventor full permission to go ahead, and declared his intention of being present at the first trial. The occasion for this preliminary experiment was soon at hand. The movements of General Washington about Long Island had been accompanied by the arrival of a large British fleet from Halifax under Admiral Lord Howe, brother of the commander of the British army. Putnam had been left with 4000 men in New York, and sent for Bushnell, inviting him to test his submarine boat against one of the enemy’s ships. Bushnell was himself physically incapacitated from managing his machine, for it required considerable strength. He had, however, taught his brother its fine points, and the latter in many trials had demonstrated his skill. At the critical time, however, the latter fell ill of a fever and a substitute had to be found. Ezra Lee of Lyme, Conn., was finally decided upon as the fittest man for the place. Lee had already volunteered to go in a fire-ship, and his bravery was unquestioned. Bushnell spent several days teaching Lee the management of the boat--altogether too short a time, as subsequent events showed. The British fleet lay a little above Staten Island, the flagship, against which it was determined to operate being the _Eagle_.