3i» SUB-M^ARINE VESSEL. 



Experiments made with a Jub-marine vejfcl. 



After various attempts to find an operator to my wifh, I 

 fent one who appeared more expert than the reft, from. 

 New-York, to a 50 gun fhip lying not far from Governor's 

 Ifland. He went under the iKip, and attempted to fix the 

 wooden fcrew into her hottom, but ftruck, as he fuppofes, 

 a bar of iron, which pafles from the rudder hinge, and is 

 fpiked under the fhip's quarter. Had he moved a few 

 inches, which he might have done, without rowing, I 

 have no doubt but he would have found wood where he 

 might have fixed the fcrew ; or if the fliip were Iheathed 

 with copper, he might cafily have pierced it : but not be- 

 ing well flvilled in the management of the veliel, in at- 

 tempting to move to another place, he loft the fhip ; af- 

 ter feeking her in A^ain, for fome time, he rowed fome dif. 

 tance, and rofe to the furface of the water, but found day 

 light had advanced fo far, that he durft not renew the at- 

 tempt. He fays that he could eafily have faftened the ma- 

 gazine under the ftem of the ftiip, above water, as he rowed 

 up to theftern, and touched it before he defcended. Had 

 he faftened it there, the explofion of one hundred and fifty 

 pounds of powder, (the quantity contained in the maga- 

 zine), muft have been fatal to the fliip. In his return from 

 the fhip to New-York, he pafTed near Governor's Ifland, 

 and thought he was difcovered by the enemy, on the ifland ; 

 being in hafte to avoid the danger he feared, he caft off the 

 magazine, as he imagined it retarded him in the fwell, 

 which was very confiderable. y\fter the magazine had been 

 caft oft" one hour, the time the internal apparatus was fetto 

 run, it blew up with great violence. 



Afterwards, there were two attempts made in Hudfon's 

 river, above the city, but they effefted nothing. One of 

 them was by the aforementioned perfon. In going to- 

 wards 



