The Book of wonders; gives plain and simple answers to the thousands of everyday questions that are asked and which all should be able to, but cannot answer
Rudolph John Bodmer
Paperback
(RareBooksClub.com, May 16, 2012)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 Excerpt: ...his own country, stating that if his country should become engaged in war, no pledge could be given that would prevent him from offering his services in any way which would be for its benefit. The English Government paid him $75,000 for this concession. Fulton then returned to New York and built the "Clermont" and other steamboats, but did not entirely give up his ideas of submarine navigation, and at the time of his death was at work on plans for a much larger boat. Fulton had a true conception of the result of submarine warfare, and in a letter he says: "Gunpowder has within the last three hundred years totally changed the art of war, and all my reflections have led me to believe that this application of it will, in a few years, put a stop to maritime wars, give that liberty on the seas which has been long and anxiously desired by every good man, and secure to Americans that liberty of commerce, tranquillity, and independence which will enable citizens to apply their mental and corporeal facilities to useful and humane pursuits, to the improvement of our country and the happines of the whole people." After Fulton's death spasmodic attempts were made by various inventors looking to the solving of the difficult problem, but no very serious efforts were put forth until the period of the Civil War, and then a number of submarine boats were built by the Confederates. These boats were commonly called "Davids," and it was one of them that sank the United States steamship "Housatonic" in Charleston Harbor on the night of the 17th of February, 1864. This submarine vessel drowned four different crews, a total of thirty men, during her brief career. At the time she sank 1 he "Housatonic" her attack was ai ticipated, ...