10 



DIVING. 



Pmng. 



Kiptti- 

 menu 



llll JlOW 



pt id 

 be a ti.ip. 



tier. This apparatus was so pinioned, tli.-it it could not 

 possibK move till liy casting off* the magazine from the 

 \i---cl it was set in motion. 



The skilful operator could swim so low on the sur- 

 face of the water, as to approach very near a ship in the 

 night without fear of being discovered, nnd might, if 

 he chose, approach the stem or .-tern above water with 

 very little danger. He could -ink very quirkly, keep 

 at any depth he plea-cd, and row a great distance in 

 any direction he desired, without coming to the sur- 

 .uid when he rose to the surface, he could soon 

 obtain a fresh supply of air, when, if necessary, he 

 might descend again, and pur-ue his course. The 

 vescl, magazine, &c. were projected in the year 

 1771, but not completed until the year 177"'. 



The ingenious writer then details the following ex- 

 periment* which he made, to prove the nature and use 

 of a submarine vessel for destroying shipping. 



The first experiment I made was with about two 

 ounces of gunpowder, which I exploded 4 feet under 

 water, to prove to some of the first personages in Con- 

 necticut that powder would take fire under water. 



I he second experiment was made with two pounds 

 of powder, inclosed in a woollen bottle, and fixed under 

 a hogshead, with a two inch oak plank between the 

 hogshead and the powder. The hogshead was loaded 

 with stones as deep as it could swim. A wooden pipe 

 descending through the lower head of the hogshead, 

 and through the plank into the powder contained in 

 the bottle, was primed with powder. A match then 

 put to the priming exploded the powder, which produ- 

 ced a very great effect, rending the plank into pieces, 

 demolishing the hogshead, and casting the stones, and 

 the ruins of the hogshead, with a body of water, many 

 feet into the air, to the astonishment of the spectators. 

 This experiment was likewise made for the satisfaction 

 of the gentlemen above mentioned. 



The inventor afterwards made many experiments of 

 .1 similar nature, some of them with large quantities 

 nf powder. They produced very violent explosions, 

 much more than sufficient for any purpose he had in 

 v iew. 



In the first essays, with the submarine vessel, Mr 

 Rushnel took care to prove its strength to sustain the 

 treat pressure of the incumbent water, when sunk 

 deep, before he trusted any person to descend much be- 

 low the surface, and he never suffered any person to 

 go under water, without having a strong piece of rig- 

 ging made fast to it, until he found him well acquaint- 

 ed with the operation necessary for his safety. After 

 that he made him descend and continue at particular 

 depths, without rising or sinking, row by the compass, 

 approach a vessel, go under her, and fix the wood 

 -crew, mentioned above, and dotted at /;, in Fig. <), into 

 her bottom, &c. until he thought him sufficiently ex- 

 pert to put his design into execution. 



1 le found, agreeable to his expectations, that it re- 

 quired many trials to make a person of common in- 

 genuity a skilful operator. The first he employed was 

 MTV ingenious, and made himself ma-ter of the bu- 

 RUMM ; but was taken sick, in the campaign of 1776, at 

 New York, before he hod an opportunity to make use 

 of hit skill, and never recovered his health sufficiently 

 afterwards. 



After various attempts to find an operator to his wish, 

 the inventor wit one who appeared more expert than 

 the rc-.t. from New York, to a fifty gun ship, lying 

 not far from Governor's Island lie went under 

 hip, and attempted to fix the wooden screw into 

 her bottom, but (truck, a; he supposes, a bar of iron 



which passes from the rudder hinges, and is spiked 

 under the -hip'- quar'.rr. Had he moved a few i 

 which he might have done without rowing, I ha\e no 

 doubt but he would have found wood \vhcrc he might 

 have fixed the screw, or if the ship were sheathed with 

 copper, he might easily have pierced it ; but not being 

 well skilled in the management of the vessel, in at- 

 tempting to move to anol luv place, he lost the ship. 

 Alter seeking her in vain t.>, < me time, he rowed -nine 

 di-tance, and rose to the Miri';:c i.f the ater, but found 

 day light had advanced so far that he thirst not renew 

 the attempt. He says that he iould ea.-ilv have fa-ten. 

 cd the magazine under the stern of the -hip above water, 

 as he rowed up to the stern and touched it before In- 

 descended. Had he fastened it there, the explosion of 

 one hundred and fitly pounds of powder, (the quantity 

 contained in the magazine.) must have l>een fatal to 

 tht ship. In his return from the ship to New York, 

 he passed near Governor's Island, and thought hi 

 discovered by the enemy on the island, lieing in ha-tc 

 to avoid the danger which he dreaded, he cast oil' the 

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

 which was very considerable. Alter the magazine had 

 been cast off one hour, the time the internal apparatus 

 was set to run, it blew up with great violence. 



Afterwards, there were two attempts made in Hud- 

 son's River, above the city, but they effected nothing. 

 One of them was by the abovementioned person. In 

 going towards the ship, he lost sight of her, and went 

 a great distance beyond her, and when he at length 

 found her, the tide ran so strong, that as he descended 

 under water for the ship's bottom, it swept him away. 

 Soon after this the enemy went up the river, and pur- 

 sued the boat which had the sub-marine vessel on board, 

 and sunk it with their shot. Though Mr Mushnell af- 

 terwards recovered the vessel, he says he found it inv- 

 possible at that time to prosecute the design ;uiy far- 

 ther. Having been in a bad state of health from the 

 beginning of his undertaking, and being then very un- 

 well, the situation of public affairs became such that 

 he despaired of obtaining the public attention, and the 

 .mce necessary to support himself, and the persons 

 he must have employed, had he proceeded. Besides, 

 he found it absolutely necessary that the operators 

 should acquire more skill in the management of the 

 vessel, before he could expect success, which would 

 have taken up some time, and made no small additional 

 expence ; he therefore gave over the pursuit for that 

 time, and waited for a more favourable opportunity, 

 which never arrived. 



The art of diving has been carried to a great degree 

 of perfection by Mr I3raithwaite, who has for many years 

 past mack it a profession to search for valuable wrecks, 

 and in this has been exceedingly successful. His great 

 undertaking was the wreck of the Abergavenny East 

 India ship, which was lost off Weymouth. From this, 

 at a depth of ten fathoms, he recovered all the most 

 valuable property, cutting through the deck, where he 

 wished to enter, by saws and in-truments worked by 

 the people above, and directed by himself. We ha\c 

 been informed that he .sometimes descended in a diving 

 bell, made by himself, and at.othirs in the apparatus 

 we have before described as the invention of Mr Ton- 

 kin. Mr Uraithwaitc'f. practical acquaintance with all 

 kinds of hydraulic machinery, which he is constantly 

 making for the great London breweries, gives him great 

 advantages in these pussuits, by enabling him to con- 

 trive quickly an ! construct any apparatus which the 

 work requ 'he references at the ead of Di\ ixo 



J5ELL, (J. F.) 



Diving. 



Mr Braith- 



vuitc. 



