On the Combustion of Hydrogen in Water. 351 



create, as it were, an artificial atmosphere of the mixed 

 gases at the same time that they are in combustion. 



Sd, On supplying to the combustible body, for instance, 

 that part of a ship's bottom, designed to be attacked, a 

 quantity of oxygen gas, which, aided by the intense heat 

 produced by the ignition of the mixed gases, may combine 

 first with the heated copper, converting it into an oxide ; 

 and 2d, with the carbonized timber of the ship, converting 

 it into carbonic acid gas. 



This object, as I have already stated, I am now devoting 

 my leisure moments to accomplish. And this 1 expect to 

 do, by combining a great number of capillary streams of the 

 mixt gases into a circular flame, in the centre of which, 

 through other capillary tubes, is transmitted, by means of a 

 tube having no communication with the gases in combus- 

 tion, a quantity of oxygen gas, adequate to the conversion 

 of metals into oxides, and of charcoal into carbonic acid 



How far, in the event of the realization of these views, it 

 might be proper to consider it as an instrument of naval 

 warfare to be employed for the perforation of ship's bot- 

 toms, so as to sink them in spite of the efforts of their 

 crews, rather than to use it in conjunction with the torpedo, 

 I shall not now pretend to determine. Certain it is, how- 

 ever, in my opinion, that if the coppef of a ship's bottom 

 were burnt away, even for a small space, it could not be a 

 difficult matter to contrive to enable a person who should 

 have conducted himself in a diving-boat, underneath an 

 enemy's vessel, to drive, by a moderate yet sudden blow, a 

 nail or spike, to which should be attached a torpedo, into 

 the timber of her bottom, and thus effect the intended de- 

 struction. Thus, I apprehend, would be overcome the dif- 

 ficulty heretofore experienced in attaching a torpedo, by 

 boring or by upward pressure, since pressure can produce 

 no effect — whereas, a sudden blow would, in all probabili- 

 ty, effect the desired attachment ; and though the boat 

 would descend by the reaction, this would still be a circum- 

 stance of no consequence. 



Your most obedient serv't, 



THOS. SKIDMORE. 



Mw-York, July 20th, 1822. 



