Nautilus (Fulton)

[shipstamps]

In 1801 the American inventor Robert Fulton made some trials at Brest with a submarine he had invented called NAUTILUS. She was a small vessel 21ft long and 7ft in diameter, copper hulled and stiffened by iron frames. She carried a crew of three. Diving rudders were fitted to the stern, but she was propelled under water by a hand propeller.
With his submarine Fulton succeeded in blowing up an anchored hulk and afterwards tried to arrange for the French to use his weapon. France declined to employ his weapon against the English for "humane reasons" so Fulton took his plans to England. Admiral Earl St Vincent, then First Lord of the Admiralty, recognised the possibilities of Fulton's invention and opposed it strongly on the grounds of it being "a mode of warfare which those who commanded the seas did not want, and which, if successful, would deprive them of it".
On a sea-trial the NAUTILUS submerged to a depth of seven metres, staying down for over an hour. Fulton finding his ideas unacceptable returned to America and made history with the development of his CLERMONT.
(Inf EW Argyle Sea Breezes Nov 1962.)
Monaco SG745 Gambia SG 815ms

[aukepalmhof]

Guinee 2006 25000 FG 2006A NC