---------+-------------+---------------------------+------------+--------------------------------- Date. |Operator, &c.| Event. | Place. | Remarks. ---------+-------------+---------------------------+------------+--------------------------------- 1585. | Italian | Attack on a bridge formed | Antwerp. |Bridge completely destroyed. | Engineer, | over the Scheldt. | | Vessels, each carrying a heavily | Zambelli. | | | charged magazine, fired by | | | | clockwork, were carried by the | | | | stream against the bridge. | | | | 1775. | Captain D. | Numerous small experiments| America. |By which he proved that a charge | Bushnell. | with gunpowder charges. | | of gunpowder could be fired | | | | under water. | | | | 1776. | " | Attack on the English | New York. |Boat managed by Sergeant E. Lee. | | frigate H.M.S. _Eagle_ by| | Attack failed, owing to his | | his submarine torpedo | | inexperience in manipulating | | boat. | | this novel kind of craft. | | | | 1777. | " | Attack on the English | New London.|Drifting torpedoes employed. | | man-of-war H.M.S. | | Crew of a prize schooner astern | | _Cerberus_ by his | | of the _Cerberus_ hauled one of | | drifting torpedoes. | | the torpedoes on board, which | | | | exploded, killing 3 men and | | | | destroying a boat. | | | | 1777. | " | Attack on English ships by| " |This failed, owing to the ships | | numerous floating | | having previously hauled into | | torpedoes. Known by the | | dock to avoid the ice, but it | | name of "Battle of Kegs."| | created a great amount of | | | | confusion and alarm among the | | | | crews of the vessels. | | | | 1797. | R. Fulton. | Experiments with torpedoes| France.