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arsub#jj;fultrich      ,,torpedo ,,war1 
,,and ,,submarine ,,explosions4   by    
,,robert ,,fulton  ,fellow of the       
,american ,philosophical ,society1 and  
of the ,united ,states ,military and    
,philosophical ,society4      ,the      
,liberty of the ,sea will be the        
,happiness of the ,earth4               
,new-,york3 ,printed by ,william        
,elliot1 #aad ,water-,street4 #ahaj     
,new ,york ,reprinted ,william ,abbatt  
#aiad  ,being ,extra ,no4 #ce of ,the   
,magazine of ,history with ,notes and   

,queries     ,,contents                 
,page   ,,torpedo ,,war1 c4             
#e     ,,plate ,i                       
#g     ,,plate ,,ii                     
#aj     ,,plate ,,iii                   
#ac     ,,plate ,,iv1 ,fig4 #a          
#ae               ,fig4 #b              
#ag     ,,plate ,v1  ,fig4 #a  #b       
#ag               ,fig4 #c              
#bj    ,,thoughts -- ,on the probable   
effect of this invention                
#bj     ,estimate of the ,force to      
,attack so ,formidable a ,blockade      
,fleet  #cb     ,manner of ,arranging   
the ,boats ,until ,wanted               
#cc     ,first ,mode of ,attack         
#ce     ,second ,mode of ,attack        
#cf    ,,on -- the imaginary inhumanity 
of ,torpedo war                     #dj 
,a ,,view -- of the political economy of
 this invention              #dc        
,,editor',s ,,preface   ,in view of the 
prominent part played in the present    
,world ,war by torpedoes and submarines1
 the subject of our ,extra ,no4 #ce is  

peculiarly timely4  ,the original of    
#ahaj is very scarce1 only one copy     
having been sold at auction in many     
years3 nor are copies to be found in any
 but a few of our libraries4 ,fulton's  
claims for his invention have been fully
 substantiated and some of his          
predictions1 made more than a century   
ago1 are remarkably interesting1 in view
 of the events of the past five months4 
,his estimate of our population in #aibj
 has already been exceeded in fact1 and 
only his plan of affixing torpedoes to  
their prey by means of harpoons         
seems--for it was made in the days of   
wooden ships--fantastic1 in these days  
of iron clads4 ,he could not foresee    
that almost exactly a century would     
elapse before his invention would be    
extensively used--though he cautiously  
says it is impossible to foresee to what
 degree torpedoes may be improved and   
rendered useful4  ,in the ,joline       
collection of autograph letters1 sold   
this month1 was an extremely interesting

 letter of ,fulton's1 addressed to ,gen4
 ,william ,duane4 ,a part reads3        
,new ,york1 ,march #a1 #ahac    ,i am   
happy to find you continue the firm     
friend to torpedoes2 an   infant art    
which requires only support and practice
 to produce a   change in ,maritime     
affairs of immence 7sic7 importance to  
this   country4 ,expecting the enemy    
here1 ,i have not been idle1 ,i have    
prepared #i torpedoes with locks that   
strike fire by concussion1 and   four   
with clockwork locks4  ,the letter is of
 great interest throughout1 and tells of
 his plans for blowing up the enemy or  
driving them from ,new ,york waters1 his
 regret that he had not enough torpedoes
 for the ,chesapeake2 and contains a    
list of the cost of various sorts1 c4   
,we regret that we could not secure     
permission to copy the whole of it4     
,,torpedo ,,war1 c4     ,to ,,james     
,,madison1 ,esq4 ,president of the      
,united ,states1 and to the     ,members
 of both ,houses of ,congress4          

,gentlemen1  ,in ,january last1 at      
,kalorama1 the residence of my friend   
,joel ,barlow1 ,i had the pleasure of   
exhibiting to ,mr4 ,jefferson1 ,mr4     
,madison1 and a party of gentlemen from 
the senate and house of representatives1
 some experiments and details on        
,torpedo defence and attack2 the        
favourable impression which the         
experiments appeared to make on the     
minds of the gentlemen then present2 and
 my conviction that this invention1     
improved and practised to the perfection
 which it is capable of receiving1 will 
be of the first importance to our       
country1 has induced me to present you  
in the form of a pamphlet a description 
of my system1 with five engravings1 and 
such demonstrations as will give each of
 you an opportunity to contemplate its  
efficacy and utility at your leisure2   
and enable you to form a correct        
judgment on the propriety of adopting it
 as a part of our means of national     
defence4 ,it being my intention to      

publish hereafter a detailed account of 
the origin and progress of this         
invention1 and the embarrassments under 
which ,i have laboured to bring it to   
its present state of certain utility2 ,i
 will now state only such experiments   
and facts as are most important to be   
known1 and which1 proving the           
practicability of destroying ships of   
war by this means1 will lead the mind to
 all the advantages which we may derive 
from it4 ,i believe it is generally     
known that ,i endeavoured for many years
 to get torpedoes introduced into       
practice in ,france1 and in ,england2   
which1 though unsuccessful1 gave me the 
opportunity of making numerous very     
interesting experiments on a large      
scale2 by which ,i discovered errors in 
the combinations of the machinery and   
method of fixing the torpedoes to a     
ship2 which errors in the machinery have
 been corrected3 and ,i believe ,i have 
found means of attaching the torpedoes  
to a vessel which will seldom fail of   

success4 ,it is the result of my        
experience which ,i now submit to your  
consideration2 and hoping that you will 
feel an interest in the success of my   
invention1 ,i beg for your deliberate   
perusal and reflection on the following 
few pages4 ,gentlemen who have traced   
the progress of the useful arts1 know   
the years of toil and experiment1 and   
difficulties which frequently pass1     
before the utility and certain operation
 of new discoveries have been           
established2 hence it could not be      
expected1 that torpedoes should be      
rendered useful without encountering    
many difficulties2 and ,i am aware1 that
 in the course of farther essays other  
difficulties will appear2 but from my   
past experience ,i feel confident1 that 
any obstacle which may arise can be     
surmounted by attention and             
perseverance3 of this gentlemen will be 
better able to judge1 after examining   
the following facts and details3   ,note
 on vessels of war of the ,united       

,states  ,from which a comparative      
estimate may be made of their expence1  
and the expence of armed ,torpedo boats2
 also the degree of protection which a  
given sum would effect1 expended in     
either way4  ,the ,ship ,constitution   
,guns                                   
#ed   ,first cost1 dollars              
#cjb1gah   ,annual expence when in      
commission1 dollars  #ajj1jjj   ,draft  
of water1 feet                          
#bc  ,the ,wasp    ,guns                
#ah   ,first cost1 dollars              
#fj1jjj   ,annual expence in commission1
 dollars        #ch1jjj   ,draft of     
water1 feet                             
#ae  ,a ,gun ,boat    ,first cost1      
fitted for sea1 dollars          #ab1jjj
   ,annual expence in commission1       
dollars        #aa1jjj   ,men           
#cf   ,number of gun boats of the       
,united ,states        #afg    ,this    
,work having been published in haste1   
the errors of the press1   and those of 
diction1 shall be corrected in the      

second edition4    7,for tables1 see    
pages #ed-ee7   ,illustration3 ,,plate  
,i4  ,,plate ,i  ,is a view of the brig 
,dorothea1 as she was blown up on the   
#aeth of ,oct4 #ahje4  ,to convince ,mr4
 ,pitt and lord ,melville that a vessel 
could be destroyed by the explosion of a
 ,torpedo under her bottom1 a strong    
built ,danish brig1 the ,dorothea1      
burthen #bjj tons1 was anchored in      
,walmer road1 near ,deal1 and within a  
mile of ,walmer ,castle1 the then       
residence of ,mr4 ,pitt4 ,two boats1    
each with eight men1 commanded by       
lieutenant ,robinson1 were put under my 
direction4 ,i prepared two empty        
,torpedoes in such a manner1 that each  
was only from two to three pounds       
specifically heavier than salt water2   
and ,i so suspended them1 that they hung
 fifteen feet under water4 ,they were   
then tied one to each end of a small    
rope eighty feet long3 thus arranged1   
and the brig drawing twelve feet of     
water1 the #adth day of ,october was    

spent in practice4 ,each boat having a  
,torpedo in the stern1 they started from
 the shore about a mile above the brig1 
and rowed down towards her2 the uniting 
line of the ,torpedoes being stretched  
to its full extent1 the two boats were  
distant from each other seventy feet2   
thus they approached in such a manner1  
that one boat kept the larboard the     
other the starboard side of the brig in 
view4 ,so soon as the connecting line of
 the ,torpedoes passed the buoy of the  
brig1 they were thrown into the water1  
and carried on by the tide1 until the   
connecting line touched the brig's      
cable2 the tide then drove them under   
her bottom4 ,the experiment being       
repeated several times1 taught the men  
how to act1 and proved to my            
satisfaction that1 when properly placed 
on the tide1 the ,torpedoes would       
invariably go under the bottom of the   
vessel4 ,i then filled one of the       
,torpedoes with one hundred and eighty  
pounds of powder1 and set its clockwork 

to eighteen minutes4 ,every thing being 
ready1 the experiment was announced for 
the next day1 the #aeth1 at five o'clock
 in the afternoon4 ,urgent business had 
called ,mr4 ,pitt and lord ,melville to 
,london4 ,admiral ,holloway1 ,sir       
,sidney ,smith1 ,captain ,owen1 ,captain
 ,kingston1 ,colonel ,congreve1 and the 
major part of the officers of the fleet 
under command of ,lord ,keath were      
present2 at forty minutes past four the 
boats rowed towards the brig1 and the   
,torpedoes were thrown into the water2  
the tide carried them1 as before        
described1 under the bottom of the brig1
 where1 at the expiration of eighteen   
minutes1 the explosion appeared to raise
 her bodily about six feet2 she         
separated in the middle1 and the two    
ends went down2 in twenty seconds1      
nothing was to be seen of her except    
floating fragments2 the pumps and       
foremast were blown out of her2 the     
fore-topsail-yard was thrown up to the  
cross-trees2 the fore-chain plates with 

their bolts1 were torn from her sides2  
the mizen-chain-plates and shrouds1     
being stronger than those of the        
foremast1 or the shock being more       
forward than aft1 the mizenmast was     
broke off in two places2 these          
discoveries were made by means of the   
pieces which were found afloat4  ,the   
experiment was of the most satisfactory 
kind1 for it proved a fact much debated 
and denied1 that the explosion of a     
sufficient quantity of powder under the 
bottom of a vessel would destroy her4,a 
,there is now no doubt left on any      
intelligent mind as to this most        
important of all facts connected with   
the invention of ,torpedoes2 and the    
establishment of this fact alone1 merits
 the expenditure of millions of dollars 
and years of experiment1 were it yet    
necessary1 to arrive at a system of     
practice which shall insure success to  
attacks1 with such formidable engines4  
,for ,america1 ,i consider it a         
fortunate circumstance that this        

experiment was made in ,england1 and    
witnessed by more than a hundred        
respectable and brave officers of the   
,royal navy2 for1 should ,congress adopt
 ,torpedoes as a part of our means of   
defence1 lords ,melville1 ,castlereagh1 
and ,mulgrave1 have a good knowledge of 
their combination and effect4 ,lord     
,grenville1 ,earls ,gray and ,st4       
,vincent,b1 have on their minds a strong
 impression of their probable           
consequences4 ,sir ,home ,popham1 ,sir  
,sidney ,smith1 and ,colonel ,congreve1 
the latter now celebrated for his       
ingenious invention of ,pyrotecnic      
arrows or rockets1 were my friends and  
companions in the experiments2 they are 
excellent and brave men1 and from my    
knowledge of those noblemen and         
gentlemen1 and their sentiments on this 
subject1 ,i can predict that they would 
feel much disposed to respect the       
rights1 nor enter the waters of a nation
 who should use such engines with energy
 and effect4  ,footnote ,a3 ,twenty     

minutes before the ,dorothea was blown  
up1 ,capt4 ,kingston asserted1 that if a
 ,torpedo were placed under his cabin   
while he was at dinner1 he should feel  
no concern for the consequence4 ,occular
 demonstration is the best proof for all
 men4  ,footnote ,b3 ,the morning of my 
first interview with ,earl ,st4 ,vincent
 he was very communicative4 ,i explained
 to him a ,torpedo and the ,dorothea    
experiment4 ,he reflected for some time1
 and then said1 ,pitt was the greatest  
fool that ever existed1 to encourage a  
mode of war which they who commanded the
 seas did not want1 and which1 if       
successful1 would deprive them of it4   
,this fortunate experiment left not the 
least doubt on my mind that the one     
which ,i made in the harbour of         
,new-,york in ,august #ahjg1 would be   
equally successful4 ,the brig was       
anchored1 the ,torpedoes prepared and   
put into the water in the manner before 
described2 the tide drove them under the
 brig near her keel1 but in consequence 

of the locks turning downwards1 the     
powder fell out of the pans and they    
both missed fire4 ,this discovery of an 
error in the manner of fixing the locks 
to a ,torpedo1 has been corrected4 ,on  
the second attempt1 the ,torpedo missed 
the brig2 the explosion took place about
 one hundred yards from her1 and threw  
up a column of water ten feet diameter  
sixty or seventy feet high4 ,on the     
third attempt she was blown up3 the     
effect and result much the same as that 
of the ,dorothea before described4      
,about two thousand persons were        
witnesses to this experiment4 ,thus1 in 
the course of my essays1 two brigs1 each
 of two hundred tons1 have been blown   
up4 ,the practicability of destroying   
vessels by this means1 has been fully   
proved4 ,it is also proved1 that the    
mechanism will ignite powder at any     
required depth under water within a     
given time4 ,it now remains to point out
 means by which ,torpedoes may be used  
to advantage with the least possible    

risque to the assailants4   ,,plate ,,ii
  ,represents the anchored ,torpedo1 so 
arranged as to blow up a vessel which   
should run against it2 ,b is a copper   
case two feet long1 twelve inches       
diameter1 capable of containing one     
hundred pounds of powder4 ,a is a brass 
box1 in which there is a lock similar to
 a common gun-lock1 with a barrel two   
inches long1 to contain a musket charge 
of powder3 the box1 with the lock cocked
 and barrel charged1 is screwed to the  
copper case ,b4 ,h is a lever which has 
a communication to the lock inside of   
the box1 and in its present state holds 
the lock cocked and ready to fire4 ,c is
 a deal box filled with cork1 and tied  
to the case ,b4 ,the object of the cork 
is to render the ,torpedo about fifteen 
or twenty pounds specifically lighter   
than water1 and give it a tendency to   
rise to the surface4 ,it is held down to
 any given depth under water by a weight
 of fifty or sixty pounds as at ,f3     
there is also a small anchor ,g1 to     

prevent a strong tide moving it from its
 position4 ,with ,torpedoes prepared1   
and knowing the depth of water in all   
our bays and harbours1 it is only       
necessary to fix the weight ,f at such a
 distance from the ,torpedo1 as when    
thrown into the water1 ,f will hold it  
ten1 twelve1 or fifteen feet below the  
surface at low water1 it will then be   
more or less below the surface at high  
water1 or at different times of the     
tide2 but it should never be so deep as 
the usual draught of a frigate or ship  
of the line4 ,when anchored1 it will1   
during the flood tide1 stand in its     
present position2 at slack water it will
 stand perpendicular to the weight ,f1  
as at ,d2 during the ebb it will be at  
,e4 ,at ten feet under water the waves1 
in boisterous weather1 would have little
 or no tendency to disturb the ,torpedo2
 for that if the hollow of a wave should
 sink ten feet below what would be the  
calm surface1 the wave would run twenty 
feet high1 which ,i believe is never the

 case in any of our bays or harbours4   
,all the experience which ,i have on    
this kind of ,torpedo is1 that in the   
month of ,october #ahje1 ,i had one of  
them anchored nine feet under water1 in 
the ,british ,channel near ,dover2 the  
weather was severe1 the waves ran high1 
it kept its position for twenty-four    
hours1 and1 when taken up1 the powder   
was dry and the lock in good order4 ,the
 ,torpedo thus anchored1 it is obvious1 
that if a ship in sailing should strike 
the lever ,h1 the explosion would be    
instantaneous1 and she be immediately   
destroyed2 hence1 to defend our bays or 
harbours1 let a hundred1 or more if     
necessary1 of these engines be anchored 
in the channel1 as for example1 the     
,narrows1 to defend ,new-,york4         
,illustration3 ,,plate ,,ii4  ,the      
figure to the right of the plate is an  
end view of the ,torpedo ,h4 ,h shews   
its lever forked1 to give the better    
chance of being struck4  ,having        
described this instrument in a way which

 ,i hope will be understood1 ,i may be  
permitted to put the following question 
to my readers1 which is1 knowing that   
the explosion of one hundred pounds of  
powder1 or more if required1 under the  
bottom of a ship of the line1 would     
destroy her1 and seeing1 that if a ship 
in sailing should strike the lever of an
 anchored torpedo1 she would be blown   
up1 would he have the courage1 or1 shall
 ,i say1 temerity1 to sail into a       
channel where one or more hundred of    
such engines were anchored8 ,i rely on  
each gentleman's sense of prudence and  
self-preservation1 to answer this       
question to my satisfaction4 ,should the
 apprehension of danger become as strong
 on the minds of those who investigate  
this subject as it is on mine1 we may   
reasonably conclude that the same regard
 to self-preservation1 will make an     
enemy cautious in approaching waters    
where such engines are placed2 for1     
however brave sailors may be1 there is  
no danger so distressing to the mind of 

a seaman1 or so calculated to destroy   
his confidence1 as that which is        
invisible and instantaneous destruction4
  ,the consideration which will now     
present itself1 is1 that the enemy might
 send out boats to sweep for and destroy
 the ,torpedoes4 ,it is therefore proper
 to examine the nature of such an       
operation1 and its chance of success4   
,suppose two hundred ,torpedoes to be   
placed in three miles of channel1 the   
enemy's boats1 in attempting to sweep   
for them1 would be exposed to the fire  
of our land batteries1 or necessitated  
to fight our boats1 for whenever they   
leave their ships and take to boats1 we 
can be as well armed and active at boat 
fighting as they2 and thus opposed by   
batteries and boats1 they would have    
three or more square miles of channel to
 sweep1 which1 even if successful1 would
 be a work of time1 and were they to get
 up some of the ,torpedoes1 they could  
not ascertain if all were destroyed1 for
 they could not know whether five or    

five hundred had been put down2 nor     
could they prevent our boats throwing in
 additional numbers each day and night4 
,it therefore amounts to an             
impossibility for an enemy to clear a   
channel of ,torpedoes1 provided it were 
reasonably guarded by land batteries and
 row boats4 ,added to the opposition    
which might be made to the enemy1 there 
is a great difficulty in clearing a     
channel of ,torpedoes with any kind of  
sweep or drag1 so as to establish full  
confidence in sailing through it4 ,it is
 only they who put them down and know   
the number1 that could tell when all    
were taken up4 ,to facilitate the taking
 of them up1 ,i have1 since ,plate ,,ii 
was engraved1 thought of a very useful  
and simple piece of mechanism which1    
being screwed to the box ,c1 will hold  
the ,torpedo under water at any given   
depth1 and for any number of days4 ,they
 may be set to stay under water a day1  
week1 month1 or year1 and on the day    
which shall be previously determined1   

they will rise to the surface2 at the   
same instant each will lock its lever ,h
 so that it cannot strike fire1 and the 
,torpedo may be handled with perfect    
safety4 ,not having time to engrave this
 improvement1 it shall be exhibited to  
,congress in a working model1 by which  
it will also be better understood4  ,i  
will now suppose the enemy to be        
approaching a port2 a signal announces  
them2 our boats run out and throw into  
the channel two hundred ,torpedoes1 set 
each to #ae days4 ,should the enemy sail
 among them1 the consequence will teach 
future caution2 should they cruise or   
anchor at a distance1 what could they   
do8 ,they not knowing the number of     
,torpedoes which were put down1 nor the 
day on which they were to rise to the   
surface1 could not have their boats out 
exposed to our fire1 and waiting from   
day to day for a time uncertain4        
,whereas1 our officers1 knowing the     
number which were put down1 and the day 
they were to rise to the surface1 would 

have their boats ready to take them in1 
and at the same time replace them with  
others set for ten1 fifteen1 twenty1 or 
more days4 ,viewing this subject in all 
its bearings1 the impression on my mind 
is1 that it would be impossible for an  
enemy to enter a port where anchored    
,torpedoes were thus used1 without their
 incurring danger of such a kind1 that  
courage could not guard them from its   
consequences4 ,prudence and justice     
would warrant their abandoning such an  
enterprise2 and the probability is1 that
 knowing us to be thus prepared1 they   
never would attempt it1 or should they1 
and only one vessel were to be          
destroyed1 we might calculate on its    
good effect to protect us from future   
hostile enterprises4   ,illustration3   
,,plate ,,iii4  ,,plate ,,iii           
,represents a clockwork ,torpedo1 as    
prepared for the attack of a vessel     
while at anchor or under sail1 by       
harpooning her in the larboard and      
starboard bow4  ,b is a copper case to  

contain one hundred or more pounds of   
powder2 ,c a cork cushion to give the   
whole ,torpedo such a buoyancy1 that it 
will be only from two to three pounds   
heavier than salt water4 ,to ascertain  
such weight1 when it is charged with    
powder and the lock screwed on1 it is   
put into a large tub of sea water4 ,c is
 to have fifteen or twenty inch-holes   
bored in its sides and top1 to let the  
water rush in and the air out1          
otherwise1 the air would prevent its    
immediately sinking4 ,a is a cylindric  
brass box1 about seven inches diameter  
and two inches deep1 in which there is a
 gun-lock with a barrel two inches long1
 to receive a charge of powder and a    
wad1 which charge is fired into the     
powder of the case ,b4 ,in the brass box
 ,a there is also a piece of clockwork  
moved by a spring1 which being wound up 
and set1 will let the lock strike fire  
in any number of minutes which may be   
determined within one hour4 ,k is a     
small line fixed to a pin1 which pin    

holds the clockwork inactive2 the       
instant the pin is withdrawn the        
clockwork begins to move1 and the       
explosion will take place in one1 two1  
three1 or any number of minutes for     
which it has been set2 the whole is so  
made as to be perfectly tight and keep  
out the water1 although under a pressure
 of twenty-five or thirty perpendicular 
feet4 ,d is a pine box two feet long1   
six or eight inches square1 filled with 
cork2 it is ten or fifteen pounds       
lighter than water1 and floats on the   
surface2 the line from it to the        
,torpedo is the suspending line1 which  
must be of a length in proportion to the
 estimated draft of water of the vessel 
to be attacked2 vessels of a certain    
number of guns usually draw within a few
 feet of the same draft of water2 the   
suspending line should be from four to  
eight feet longer than the greatest     
draft of the vessel1 that it may bend   
round the curve of her side1 and lay the
 ,torpedo near her keel4 ,from the      

,torpedo and the float ,d1 two lines1   
each twenty feet long1 are united at ,e1
 from thence one line goes to the       
harpoon1 the total length of the line   
from the ,torpedo to the harpoon being  
about fifty feet1 according to the      
length of the vessel to be attacked1    
will1 when the ship is harpooned in the 
bow1 bring the ,torpedo under her bottom
 near midship4 ,see the harpoon4 ,it is 
a round piece of iron1 half an inch     
diameter and two feet long1 the butt one
 inch diameter1 the exact calibre of the
 harpoon-gun2 in the head of the harpoon
 there is an eye1 the point six inches  
long is barbed1 the line of the ,torpedo
 is spliced into the eye of the harpoon1
 a small iron or tough copper link runs 
on the shaft of the harpoon1 to the link
 the ,torpedo-line is also tied1 and at 
such a distance1 that when the harpoon  
is in the gun it will form a loop as at 
,h1 but when fired1 the link will slide 
along to the butt of the harpoon1 and1  
holding the rope and harpoon parallel to

 each other1 the rope will act like a   
tail or rod to a rocket1 and guide it   
straight2 without this precaution1 the  
butt of the harpoon would turn foremost1
 and make a very uncertain shot4 ,f is  
the harpoon-gun1 made strong1 and to    
work on a swivel in a stanchion fixed in
 the stern-sheets of a boat4 ,my        
experience with this kind of harpoon and
 gun1 is1 that ,i have harpooned a      
target of six feet square fifteen or    
twenty times1 at the distance of from   
thirty to fifty feet1 never missing1 and
 always driving the barbed point through
 three inch boards up to the eye1 which 
practice was so satisfactory1 that ,i   
did not consider it necessary to repeat 
it4 ,the object of harpooning a vessel  
on the larboard and starboard bow1 is1  
to fix one end of the ,torpedo-line1    
then1 if the ship be under sail1 her    
action through the water will draw the  
,torpedo under her2 if she be at anchor1
 the tide will drive it under her1      
where1 at the expiration of the time for

 which the clockwork was set1 the       
explosion will destroy her4  ,this being
 the kind of ,torpedo and clockwork by  
which the ,dorothea in ,walmer roads1   
and the brig in ,new-,york harbour were 
blown up1 and the harpoon having        
succeeded to fix the line to the target1
 these two experiments shall be         
combined1 and the mode of practice1 with
 the prospect of success and risque to  
the assailants1 examined4               
,illustration3 ,,plate ,,iv4  ,fig4 #a4 
,fig4 #b4  ,,plate ,,iv1 ,fig4 #a       
,represents the stern of a row-boat2 a  
platform about four feet long1 three    
feet wide1 is made on her stern on a    
level with the gunwale1 and projecting  
over the stern fifteen or eighteen      
inches1 so that the ,torpedo1 in falling
 into the water1 may clear the rudder4  
,on the platform1 the ,torpedo and its  
suspending line of cork are to be laid1 
and the harpoon-line carefully coiled as
 at ,f1 so that when the harpoon is     
fired1 the line may develope with ease3 

very pliable well greased1 or white line
 would be best for this purpose4 ,the   
harpoon and gun are so well engraved as 
require no explanation4 ,b is the copper
 case to hold one hundred or one hundred
 and fifty pounds of powder4 ,c1 the box
 of cork to diminish its tendency to    
sink and bring it to a specific gravity 
of only two or three pounds more than   
sea-water4 ,its suspending box of cork  
explained in ,plate ,,iii is not seen in
 this figure1 lest the drawing should be
 confused2 it can be imagined in its    
proper place4 ,a1 is the brass box with 
the clockwork lock2 ,d1 the pin which   
prevents the clockwork moving2 the line 
from the pin is tied to a bolt1 or      
otherwise fixed to the boat as at ,e4   
,thus fastened1 when the ,torpedo is    
pulled into the water1 the pin ,d will  
remain in the boat1 and the clockwork   
will begin to act4 ,the man who shall be
 stationed at the gun1 and who may be   
called the harpooner1 is to steer the   
boat and fire when sufficiently near4   

,if he fixes his harpoon in the bow of  
the enemy1 it will then only be         
necessary to row away2 the harpoon and  
line being fixed to the ship1 will pull 
the ,torpedo out of the boat1 and at the
 same instant set the clockwork in      
motion4 ,this reduces the attack of each
 boat to one simple operation1 that only
 of firing with reasonable attention4   
,should the harpooner miss the ship1 he 
can save his ,torpedo and return to the 
attack4 ,while ,i was with the ,british 
blockading fleet off the coast of       
,boulogne in #ahjd and #ahje1 ,i        
acquired some experience on the kind of 
row-boat best calculated for active     
movements1 and which ,i now believe well
 adapted to a harpooning and ,torpedo   
attack2 hence ,i propose clinker-built  
boats1 each twenty-seven feet long1 six 
feet extreme breadth of beam1 single    
banked1 and six long oars2 one          
blunderbuss1 on a swivel1 on the        
larboard and one on the starboard bow2  
one ditto on the larboard and one on the

 starboard quarter1 total four1 for     
which cartridges should be prepared1    
each containing twelve half-ounce balls4
 ,to work the blunderbusses1 in case of 
need1 two mariners should be placed in  
the bow1 two in the stern2 each of those
 men to be provided with a horse-pistol 
and cutlass1 and each oarsman a cutlass1
 in case of coming to close quarters    
with a boat of the enemy4  ,total of    
boat's crew            #a ,harpooner4   
#a ,bowman4           #d ,marines4      
#f ,oarsmen4   ,total  #ab ,men4  ,such 
boats would be active well armed1 and1  
if good men1 may be said to be strong   
handed1 and well prepared to make good a
 retreat1 or act on the defensive1 in   
case of encountering the enemy's boats4 
,fig4 #b  ,a1 is a bird's eye view of a 
vessel at anchor2 ,b1 her cable2 ,,ee1  
two ,torpedoes2 ,,cd1 is their coupling 
line1 about #abj feet long2 it is here  
represented touching the cable          
collapsing1 and the ,torpedoes driving  
by the tide under the vessel4 ,this is  

the manner in which the ,dorothea in    
,walmer roads1 and the brig in          
,new-,york harbour1 were blown up4      
,illustration3 ,,plate ,v4  ,fig4 #a4   
,fig4 #b4  ,fig4 #c4  ,,plate ,v4 ,fig4 
#a  ,a1 shews a ,torpedo1 with the      
harpoon-line fixed to the centre of its 
end2 when the line is thus fixed1 the   
tide cannot drive the ,torpedo under a  
vessel1 for the pressure of the current 
being equal on both sides1 it will hang 
perpendicular to its suspending box of  
cork ,c1 ,fig4 #b1 and remain as at ,b1 
where1 exploding1 it would blow the     
water perpendicular to ,c1 and up the   
side of the ship2 the lateral movement  
of the water from ,b to ,e would give   
her a sudden cant to one side1 but do   
her no injury4 ,this has been proved by 
the following practice4  ,on the first  
of ,october1 #ahje1 captain ,siccombe1  
in a galley with eight men and his      
coxswain1 placed two ,torpedoes in the  
manner described1 ,plate ,,iv1 ,fig4 #b1
 between the buoy and cable of a ,french

 gun-brig1 in ,boulogne roads4 ,the tide
 drove them until they both lay         
perpendicular to her sides4 ,when the   
,french saw captain ,siccombe advancing 
without answering the countersign1 they 
exclaimed that the infernal machines    
were coming1 and fired a volley of      
musketry at his boat1 but without       
touching a man4,c ,the moment the       
,french fired1 fearing the effect of the
 explosions1 they all ran aft and were  
in the greatest confusion4 ,the tide    
drove captain ,siccombe's boat so far   
down1 that he was obliged to cross under
 the brig's stern1 where1 seeing her men
 collected1 and expecting another       
volley1 he discharged at them two       
blunderbusses1 each containing fifteen  
half-ounce balls,d1 and was rowing away1
 when both ,torpedoes exploded1 but1 to 
his astonishment1 the brig was not      
destroyed4 ,on the same night1          
lieutenant ,payne1 of captain ,owen's   
ship l',immortality1 placed two         
,torpedoes across the bow of another    

,french gun-brig2 he received their     
fire1 had one man wounded1 rowed to some
 distance1 and waited till he saw the   
explosion of the ,torpedoes1 which did  
not appear to do any injury to the      
vessel4 ,when captain ,siccombe called  
on me in the morning and reported these 
circumstances1 ,i was much at a loss to 
account for the brig not being blown up4
 ,defective in the experience which this
 failure gave me1 ,i had not reflected1 
that if the copper case1 with the       
clockwork and powder1 weighed           
specifically fifteen or twenty pounds   
more than water1 it would hang like a   
heavy pendulum to its suspending        
cork-box ,c1 and if the coupling line   
were fixed in the centre of the end1 as 
at ,a1 ,fig4 #a1 the action of the tide 
being equal on both sides1 would have no
 tendency to sheer or drive it from its 
perpendicular position4 ,after about    
half an hour's consideration1 ,i was    
forcibly impressed with this error in   
arrangement1 as the real cause of       

captain ,siccombe's and lieutenant      
,payne's failure4  ,footnote ,c3 ,they  
had got some idea of these machines1    
from an attempt which had been made with
 them against the ,boulogne flotilla1 in
 ,oct4 #ahjd1 called the ,catamaran     
expedition4  ,footnote ,d3 ,the report  
on this attack in the ,french papers1   
acknowledged that the brig had five men 
killed and eight wounded3 this from two 
blunderbusses shews that the persons in 
the vessel attacked have to fear the    
small arms of the ,torpedo boats4  ,i   
immediately had a large tub made1 then  
filling a copper case with powder1 ,i   
screwed on to it the clockwork lock1 and
 tied to it the pine box ,c1 then       
suspending the whole ,torpedo by a line 
in the tub of seawater2 the end of the  
suspending line was tied to one end of a
 scale-beam4 ,i then filled the pine box
 ,c with cork1 until the whole volume of
 the ,torpedo and box of cork would1    
when just covered with water1 hold three
 pounds in equilibrio in the scale on   

the other end of the beam4 ,the ,torpedo
 being then three pounds heavier than   
water1 had a sufficient tendency to     
sink2 and being so balanced1 would1     
while under water1 be easy moved by a   
slight pressure to either side4 ,then1  
instead of tying the coupling line to   
the end of the ,torpedo1 as at ,a1 ,i   
tied it to a bridle1 as at ,b1 which    
presenting the side on an angle to the  
tide1 the pressure of the current in the
 direction of the arrow1 would cause the
 ,torpedo to sheer from ,b to ,g4 ,this 
arrangement perfectly succeeded to sheer
 the ,torpedo from its perpendicular ,c1
 and the side of the vessel to ,e1 near 
the keel1 a position1 near which it     
should be to do execution4 ,in this     
situation1 the explosion being under the
 vessel1 would have a great body of     
water to remove laterally1 before it    
could get out by a line curving round   
her side4 ,the water1 when acted on in  
so instantaneous a manner as by the     
explosion of one hundred or one hundred 

and fifty pounds of powder1 does1 for   
the instant1 operate like a solid body2 
hence the explosion raises the vessel up
 with a great force1 acting on a small  
portion of her bottom1 which portion    
giving way1 is the same in effect1 as   
though a high sea had lifted her fifteen
 or twenty feet1 and let her down on the
 point of a rock of three or four feet  
diameter4 ,this1 ,i believe1 accounts   
for the certain destruction which will  
follow all explosions that take place   
near the keel4 ,in all cases when the   
explosion is under water1 the action    
will be perpendicular to the surface1 as
 from ,b to ,c1 for in the              
perpendicular1 there are less particles 
to remove1 and less resistance than in  
any diagonal1 as for example1 from ,b to
 ,d4    ,the ,french papers1 giving an  
account of the attack of captain        
,siccombe and lieutenant ,payne1        
acknowledged that the ,torpedoes blew   
up along side of the gun-brigs1 but gave
 them only a violent shock   and cant to

 one side2 they spoke of the engines as 
things of little   consequence and not  
to be feared4 ,it is now1 however1      
evident1 that   they owed the safety of 
the two brigs to the trifling           
circumstance of   the ,torpedoes not    
being properly balanced in water1 and   
the coupling   lines not being tied to a
 bridle1 so as to make the ,torpedoes   
sheer   under the bottoms of the brigs4 
,fig4 #c  ,is a bird's eye view of a    
ship of the line1 either at anchor or   
under sail1 and the ,torpedo boats      
rowing on to the attack4 ,i am sensible 
that there are strong prejudices against
 the possibility of row-boats attacking 
a ship or ships of the line1 with any   
reasonable hope of success2 ,i will1    
therefore1 commence my reasoning and    
demonstrations by the following         
questions4 ,what is the basis of the    
aggression and injustice of one nation  
towards another8 ,is it not a           
calculation on their power to enforce   
their will8 ,what is the basis of all   

courage and obstinate perseverance in   
battle8 ,is it not a calculation on some
 real or presumed advantage8 ,a frigate 
of #cj guns is not expected to engage a 
ship of eighty guns1 for every rational 
calculation is against her1 and to      
strike her colours would be no          
dishonour4 ,if ,i now prove that all the
 calculations are in favour of the      
,torpedo boats1 it shall hereafter be no
 dishonour for a ship of the line to    
strike her colours1 and tamely submit to
 superior science and tactics4  ,i will 
run my calculations against a third     
rate1 an #hj gun ship1 she being the    
medium between first rates of #aaj guns 
and fifth rates of #dd guns4 ,i will    
suppose her to enter one of our ports or
 harbours in a hostile manner2 her draft
 of water1 when loaded1 is twenty-two   
feet2 her full complement of men six    
hundred4 ,were we to oppose to the enemy
 an #hj gun ship1 she would cost four   
hundred thousand dollars2 we would also 
have to give her a full complement of   

six hundred men4 ,if she engaged the    
enemy1 the chances are equal that she   
would be beaten2 if an obstinate        
engagement1 she might have from one to  
two hundred men killed and wounded1 and 
be so shattered as to require repairs to
 the amount of forty or fifty thousand  
dollars2 she might be taken and lost to 
the nation1 and add to the strength of  
the enemy4 ,it is now to be seen if six 
hundred men and a capital of four       
hundred thousand dollars1 the value of  
an eighty gun ship1 cannot be used to   
better advantage in a ,torpedo attack or
 defence4    #fjj men at #ab to a boat1 
would man #ej boats1     #ej boats at   
one hundred dollars each                
#e1jjj     #ej ,torpedoes complete1 one 
hundred and fifty dollars       each1   
powder included                         
#g1ejj     #ej harpoon-guns1 thirty     
dollars each                   #a1ejj   
#bjj blunderbusses1 twenty dollars each 
#d1jjj    #ajj pair of pistols1 fifteen 
dollars a pair             #a1ejj       

#fjj cutlasses1 three dollars each      
#a1hjj    ,contingencies                
#c1jjj                                  
------                                  
,total                 #bd1cjj  ,the pay
 and provisions for six hundred men1    
whether in an #hj gun ship or in        
,torpedo boats1 may be estimated1 for   
the present1 to amount to the same sum  
annually4  ,here is an establishment of 
fifty boats with their ,torpedoes1 and  
armed complete1 for #bd1cjj dollars2 the
 economy #cge1gjj dollars4,e ,it is     
evident the ship could not put out fifty
 boats to contend with our fifty2 she   
could not1 in fact1 put out twenty2     
therefore1 as to boat fighting1 the     
enemy could have no chance of success1  
and would have to depend for protection 
on her guns and small arms4 ,unless in a
 case of great emergency1 the attack    
should be in the night1 for if an enemy 
came into one of our harbours to do     
execution1 the chances would be much    
against her getting out and to any great

 distance before night4 ,in a night     
usually dark1 rowboats1 if painted      
white1 and the men dressed in white1    
cannot be seen at the distance of three 
hundred yards2 and there are nights so  
dark1 that they cannot be seen if close 
under the bow4 ,i might here draw into  
my calculations on chances that an      
enemy1 who understood the tremendous    
consequences of a successful attack with
 ,torpedoes1 would not like to run the  
risk of the night being dark4 ,but in   
any night1 the fifty boats closing on   
the vessel in all direction1 would      
spread or divide her fire1 and prevent  
it becoming concentered on any one or   
more boats4 ,boats which row five miles 
an hour1 and which all good boats can do
 for a short time1 run at the rate of   
one hundred and forty yards a minute4   
,at the distance of three hundred yards 
from the ship1 they take the risque of  
cannon shot1 which must1 from necessity1
 be random and without aim1 on so small 
a body as a boat1 running with a        

velocity of one hundred and forty yards 
a minute4 ,at two hundred yards from the
 ship1 the boats must take the chance of
 random discharges of grape and         
cannister shot2 and at one hundred yards
 from the ship1 they must run the risque
 of random musket2 each boat will1      
therefore1 be two minutes within the    
line of the enemy's fire before she     
harpoons1 and two minutes after she has 
harpooned before she gets out of the    
line of fire1 total1 four minutes in    
danger,f3 the danger1 however1 is not of
 a very serious kind1 for1 as before    
observed1 no aim can be taken in the    
night at such quick moving bodies as    
row-boats2 yet some men might be killed1
 and some boats crippled,g2 in such an  
event1 the great number of boats which  
we should have in motion1 could always  
help the unfortunate4 ,but what would be
 the situation of the enemy1 who had    
their six hundred men in one vessel8    
,the ,torpedo boats closing upon her1   
twenty-five on the larboard and         

twenty-five on the starboard bow1 some  
of them would certainly succeed to      
harpoon her between the stem and main   
chains1 and if so1 the explosion of only
 one ,torpedo under her would sink her1 
killing the greatest part of the people 
who were between decks1 and leave those 
who might escape to the mercy of our    
boats to save them4  ,footnote ,e3 ,as  
each boat with a ,torpedo1 and armed    
complete1 costs four hundred and        
eighty-six dollars1 this economy would  
pay for seven hundred and eighty-nine   
boats2 hence1 eight hundred and         
thirty-nine ,torpedo boats1 with        
,torpedoes and arms1 could be fitted out
 for the sum which one #hj gun ship     
would cost4  ,footnote ,f3 ,a deduction 
may be made from this time2 after       
harpooning1 if the ship were anchored in
 a current which ran one mile and a half
 an hour1 that would be two feet three  
lines a second2 hence1 if the distance  
from the harpoon to the ,torpedo were   
sixty feet1 thirty seconds would be     

sufficient for the tide to push it under
 the keel2 its clockwork might be set to
 explode in one minute from the time the
 ,torpedo fell out of the boat4 ,if a   
vessel were under sail1 running more    
than two miles an hour1 one minute would
 be sufficient time for the clockwork to
 act before explosion4 ,after explosion 
there would1 of course1 be no           
resistance1 and the probability is1 that
 all hands would be too much occupied in
 attempting to save themselves1 to keep 
them under any discipline4 ,thus each   
,torpedo boat would not be more than    
three minutes within the line of the    
enemy's fire4  ,footnote ,g3 ,it is very
 easy to make the boats so that they    
cannot be sunk4  ,i now beg of my reader
 to meditate on this kind of attack1 and
 make up his mind on which are in the   
greatest danger1 the six hundred men in 
the ship or the six hundred men in the  
boats8 ,are not the chances fifty to one
 against the ship1 that she would be    
blown up before she could kill two      

hundred men in the boats8 ,should this  
appear evident1 or be proved by future  
practice1 no commander would be rash    
enough to expose his ship to such an    
attack4  ,to give a fair comparative    
view of the two modes of fighting1 ,i   
have1 in these calculations1 made the   
number of men on each side equal2 by the
 same rule1 if twenty ships of #hj guns 
were to come into one of our ports1 we  
should be necessitated to have one      
thousand boats and twelve thousand men2 
but such a preparation would not be     
necessary4 ,it can never be necessary   
for us to have more boats than are      
sufficient to meet the boats which the  
enemy could put out to oppose us2 an #hj
 gun ship1 which is to work her guns1   
cannot be encumbered with many boats2   
they usually have3    #a launch1 which  
is a bad rowing boat1   #a long-boat1   
which may row well1   #a the captain's  
barge1 a good row-boat1   #a yawl or    
galley1 a good row-boat4  ,they may1 in 
some cases1 have two more boats1 total  

number1 six2 therefore1 twelve boats on 
our part would be sufficient to attack  
an #hj gun ship,h2 particularly as all  
our boats would be built expressly for  
running1 and our business is to run to  
harpoon and not to fight2 for this      
purpose our six oarsmen1 in each boat1  
never quit their oars1 while our four   
marines keep up a running fire4 ,the six
 or eight boats1 if the enemy could put 
out so many1 could not prevent our      
twelve boats closing on the ship4 ,if   
our boats came into contact with the    
boats of the enemy1 the contest would be
 reduced to boat fighting2 the ship     
could not use her cannon or small arms  
against us without firing on her own    
boats4 ,if we succeeded to drive the    
boats under the guns of the ship1 we    
should follow so close1 that her guns   
and small arms could not be used1 for in
 the night and amidst a number of boats 
in confusion1 they could not            
discriminate between friends and        
enemies4 ,on this theory1 if twenty     

ships of #hj guns1 or a force to that   
amount1 were to enter one of our ports1 
two hundred and forty boats1 with two   
thousand1 eight hundred and eighty men  
would be sufficient1 and perhaps more   
than sufficient1 for the attack2 and the
 following view of chances exhibits a   
strong probability1 that such a force of
 ,torpedo boats and men would destroy   
the twenty ships of the line within one 
hour4  ,footnote ,h3 ,while organizing a
 system of ,torpedo attack against the  
,boulogne flotilla1 during the          
administration of ,mr4 ,pitt1 it was    
determined that men should be taken from
 ,lord ,keath's blockading fleet to man 
the boats2 but a difficulty occurred how
 to carry a sufficient number of good   
active boats4 ,finding that the ships of
 war could not take on board more than  
their usual number1 without being       
encumbered1 four ordnance vessels were  
to be prepared1 with large hatchways1 to
 receive a number of boats in the hole1 
and to carry ,torpedoes4 ,lord ,melville

 was impeached1 ,mr4 ,pitt died1 and my 
system was opposed by ,lords ,grenville 
and ,howic1 and the new administration4 
,i mention this1 my experience1 to shew 
that ships of war cannot carry a        
sufficient number of boats to contend   
with the boats which we could bring into
 action2 they may1 indeed1 bring with   
them ordnance ships to carry boats2 but1
 if they unman the ships to man the     
boats1 the ship will be less formidable 
in her fire2 and ,i believe it is       
self-evident1 that they who have to     
cross three thousand miles of sea1      
cannot be so well furnished with boats  
as we who command the land4  ,let the   
attack be in the night4 ,the enemy must 
be at anchor2 twenty vessels could not  
keep under way in narrow waters which   
could not be well known to their pilots4
 ,if they put out their boats1 they     
could not bring into action more than   
six good boats from each ship1 total1   
one hundred and twenty boats4 ,each ship
 would be a point from which their boats

 could depart1 or to which they could   
retreat1 total1 twenty positions2 in    
these twenty positions1 twelve thousand 
men would be exposed to ,torpedo        
explosion1 which is the same1 in effect1
 as a mine under a fortification4 ,we1  
with two hundred and forty boats1       
exposing only two thousand1 eight       
hundred and eighty men1 would have the  
whole of our shores to depart from or   
retreat to2 being the assailants1 and   
having it in our power to approach in   
every direction1 the enemy could not    
know a feint from a real attack1 nor    
could they tell which ship we would     
attack first2 they1 consequently1 could 
not concentrate their boats2 each vessel
 would be necessitated to keep her own  
boats on the look-out1 and to aid in    
protecting her2 while we should have the
 power to divide our force1 or concentre
 one hundred boats on one vessel1 as    
circumstances might require2 hence1     
every thing is in favour of the success 
of the ,torpedo attack1 while the       

greatest danger is to be apprehended for
 the ships4  ,having given my experience
 and theory on anchored and harpoon     
,torpedoes3 a system1 which ,i hope     
will1 by every friend to ,america and   
humanity1 be considered of some interest
 to the ,united ,states4 ,i am aware of 
the doubts which may arise1 as to the   
success of harpooning1 in the minds of  
men in general1 and particularly of     
those who have no experience1 who are so
 impressed with the imaginary tremendous
 fire of an #hj gun ship1 or a ship of  
war1 that the question has often been   
put to me1 where will you find men who  
have courage to approach in boats within
 twenty feet of an #hj gun ship1 to     
harpoon her8 ,i answer1 that the men in 
the boats1 who are not more than three  
minutes within the line of the enemy's  
fire1 are not so much in danger1 nor    
does it require so much courage1 as to  
lie yard-arm and yard-arm1 as is usual  
in naval engagements1 and receive       
broadsides1 together with grape-shot and

 volleys of small arms1 for forty or    
sixty minutes4 ,it is not so great a    
risque1 nor does it require so much     
courage1 as to approach a vessel in     
boats1 climb her sides1 and take her by 
boarding1 yet this has frequently been  
done4 ,this risque is not so great1 nor 
does it require so much courage1 as to  
enter a breach which is defended by     
interior works and close ranges of      
cannon1 flanked by howitzers or         
carronades loaded with cannister or     
grape-shot1 and the parapet crowded with
 infantry2 yet such breaches have been  
forced1 and cities taken by assault1    
with numerous examples of this kind4 ,i 
hope there can be no doubt of sufficient
 courage to make a ,torpedo attack4 ,in 
the instances of captain ,siccombe and  
lieutenant ,payne1 before mentioned1    
they considered the risque of so little 
importance1 that they went to the attack
 without any apparent concern2 and the  
sailors1 who were offered a few guineas 
for each gun of a vessel which they     

should destroy1 used all their influence
 with the officers to be permitted to be
 of the party4 ,but ,i will not propose 
a project so novel1 and look to others  
to execute it4 ,if ,torpedoes be adopted
 as a part of our means of defence1 with
 a reasonable number of men organized   
and practised to the use of them1 if it 
be thought proper to put such men under 
my command1 and an enemy should then    
enter our ports1 ,i will be responsible 
to my fellow-citizens for the courage   
which should secure success4 ,while ,i  
propose this1 ,i wish it to be          
understood1 that ,i do not desire any   
command or public employment4 ,my       
private pursuits are the guarantee of an
 independence and freedom of action1    
which is always grateful to my feelings2
 they are useful and honourable         
amusements1 and the most rational source
 of my happiness4  ,estimate for an     
anchored ,torpedo    ,thirty-two pounds 
of copper1 at seventy-five cents a      
pound                                   

#bd4jj    ,a lock in a brass box1       
water-tight                             
#bj4jj    ,one hundred pounds of powder1
 twenty cents a pound         #bj4jj    
,machinery to let it rise to the surface
 in a given time1     rope1 cork-box1   
anchor1 and weights                     
#bj4jj                                  
------                                  
,total                       #hd4jj  ,in
 page #bb1 ,i have given an estimate for
 a clockwork and harpooning ,torpedo4   
,the ,torpedo will cost      #aej4jj    
,each boat1 armed complete   #ccf4jj    
,estimate for an ,establishment in our  
most important and vulnerable ,ports4   
,anchored   ,clockwork                  
,boats  ,torpedoes  ,torpedoes          
----------------------------   ,boston1 
#aej      #cjj        #cjj   ,new-,york1
          #aej      #cjj        #cjj    
,in the ,delaware1    #ej      #bjj     
#ajj   ,chesapeake1        #ajj         
#bjj        #bjj   ,charleston1         
#ajj      #bjj        #bjj              

,new-,orleans1       #ajj      #bjj     
#bjj                                    
----------------------------            
,total1      #fej     #adjj       #acjj 
#fej boats1 at three hundred and        
thirty-six dollars each                 
#bah1djj dolls4    #adjj anchoring      
,torpedoes1 eighty-four     dollars each
                         #aag1fjj       
#acjj clockwork ,torpedoes1 one hundred 
and fifty dollars each                  
#aie1jjj                                
--------------                          
,total   #eca1jjj dolls4  ,having       
mentioned the ports in which it is most 
probable the enemy would attempt to make
 an impression1 calculations can be made
 for a like mode of defending other     
situations--a minutiae1 which ,i am not 
prepared to enter into1 nor is it       
necessary in the present state of this  
disquisition4 ,i have shewn a strong    
power1 in boats and ,torpedoes1 to      
defend six of our principal ports4      
,gentlemen will please to look to the   

numbers allotted to each port1 and      
reflect1 whether an enemy would not be  
inclined to respect a force so active   
and tremendous in its consequences2 a   
force1 which under the cover of the     
night1 could follow them into every     
position within our waters1 and pursue  
them for some leagues from our shores   
into the open sea2 yet those            
establishments would not require an     
expenditure of four hundred thousand    
dollars2 for the cutlasses and fire-arms
 to arm the boats1 and the powder for   
the ,torpedoes1 are already in our      
arsenals and magazines4 ,and what is    
four hundred thousand dollars in a      
national point of view8 ,a sum1 which   
would little more than build and fit out
 for sea two ships of #cj guns4 ,after  
reflecting on these experiments and     
demonstrations1 ,i hope no one will1 for
 a moment1 hesitate in deciding1 that   
the two thousand1 seven hundred         
,torpedoes and six hundred and fifty    
boats1 before estimated1 will be a      

better protection for six of our        
sea-ports1 than two ships of thirty or  
any other number of guns4 ,to man the   
boats in the different ports1 nothing   
more will be necessary than a marine    
militia2 they can be as numerous as any 
possible necessity could require2 and   
should be exercised to row and use the  
,torpedoes until the practice became    
familiar2 after which practice1 once a  
month would be sufficient4 ,corps thus  
formed1 would be no expence to the      
national government2 ,torpedoes would   
require no repairs1 and the boats1      
carefully laid up in houses built for   
the purpose1 would last many years4  ,to
 compare ,torpedoes with the usual      
marine establishments1 and the superior 
protection which they give1 for any     
specific sum expended1 ,i have stated   
this prospect of economy2 but ,i do not 
consider economy1 in the commencement of
 such a system1 as an object of primary 
importance4 ,let our fellow-citizens be 
convinced4 ,convince the people of      

,europe of the power and simple practice
 of these engines1 and it will open to  
us a sublime view of immense economy in 
blood and treasure4 ,as we are not in   
actual hostility1 and have no           
opportunity to try experiments on an    
enemy1 my opinion is1 that we should    
immediately prepare for such an event2  
and to satisfy the public1 we should1   
without loss of time1 make the following
 experiment3  ,purchase a strong ship2  
make six ,torpedoes2 build two good     
row-boats1 and prepare them as for      
action1 with twelve men each4 ,let the  
ship be anchored1 and the men practised 
in harpooning1 throwing the ,torpedoes1 
and observing the action of the tide in 
driving them under her bottom4 ,after   
practising on her while at anchor1 the  
ship to be got under way in moderate and
 stiff breezes1 and while under way1 the
 men to row at and harpoon her1 letting 
the ,torpedoes fall into the water1 and 
observing the action of the current in  
driving them under her bottom4 ,when the

 men have been so exercised as to be    
certain of harpooning the ship1 the     
,torpedoes to be charged1 a committee   
appointed1 or the whole of congress     
witness the effect1 the ship to be put  
under way1 the helm lashed1 her men take
 to the boat1 the ,torpedo boats        
advance1 harpoon her1 and blow her up4  
,the success of such an experiment will 
shew the value of the system2 to which  
courage must be added in case of an     
actual engagement4  ,probable expence of
 such an experiment    ,a strong though 
old ship2                          #ajjj
 dolls4   ,six ,torpedoes1 one hundred  
and fifty dollars each   #ijj   ,two    
boats1 one hundred dollars each         
#bjj   ,two harpoon-guns                
#fj                                     
----                                    
,total1          #bafj dolls4           
,twenty-four men can be chosen from the 
sailors in government employ4           
,,thoughts  ,on the probable effect of  
this invention   ,at the time a new     

discovery is made in physics or         
mathematical science1 the whole of its  
consequences cannot be foreseen4 ,in the
 year #accj1 ,bartholomew ,schwartz is  
said to have invented gun-powder2       
twenty-five years after1 a very         
imperfect kind of cannon was constructed
 of welded bars of iron1 others of      
sheet-iron1 rolled in the form of a     
cylinder and hooped with iron rings2 in 
some cases1 they were made of leather1  
strengthened with plates of iron or     
copper2 balls of stone were used2 and it
 was not until the beginning of the     
fifteenth century1 that is1 one hundred 
and seventy years after the invention of
 powder1 that iron balls were introduced
 into practice4 ,muskets were not used  
until the year #aeba1 or one hundred and
 ninety-one years after the invention of
 gun-powder4 ,the ,spaniards were the   
first who armed their foot-soldiers in  
this manner--they had matchlocks2 but   
firelocks1 that is1 locks with flints1  
were not used until the beginning of the

 eighteenth century1 one hundred and    
eighty years after the invention of     
muskets1 and three hundred and eighty   
years after the invention of powder4    
,when firelocks were first invented1    
,marshal ,sax had so little confidence  
in a flint1 that he ordered a match to  
be added to the lock with a flint1 lest 
the flint should miss fire,i3 such is   
the force of habit and want of faith in 
new inventions4  ,footnote ,i3 ,i have  
seen one of these firelocks in the      
collection of ancient arms1 ,rue de     
,bacq4 ,paris4  ,although cannon1       
fire-arms1 and the whole detail of      
ammunition1 now appear extremely simple1
 yet we here see the very slow advances 
to their present state of perfection2   
and they are still improving3 hence ,i  
conclude1 that it is now impossible to  
foresee to what degree ,torpedoes may be
 improved and rendered useful4 ,when    
,schwartz invented powder1 it may be    
presumed that his mind did not embrace  
all its consequences1 or perceive that  

his discovery would supercede the use of
 catapultas1 armour1 bows and arrows1   
and totally change the whole art of war4
 ,he certainly could have no conception 
of such a combination of art as we now  
see in ships of the line2 those movable 
fortifications1 armed with thirty-two   
pounders1 and furnished with wings1 to  
spread oppression over every part of the
 ocean1 and carry destruction to every  
harbour of the earth4 ,in consequence of
 the invention of gun-powder1 ships of  
war have been contrived1 and increased  
to their present enormous size and      
number,j2 then may not science1 in her  
progress1 point out a means by which the
 application of the violent explosive   
force of gun-powder shall destroy ships 
of war1 and give to the seas the liberty
 which shall secure perpetual peace     
between nations that are separated by   
the ocean8 ,my conviction is1 that the  
means are here developed1 and require   
only to be organized and practised1 to  
produce that liberty so dear to every   

rational and reflecting man2 and there  
is a grandeur in persevering to success 
in so immense an enterprise--so well    
calculated to excite the most vigorous  
exertions of the highest order of       
intellect1 that ,i hope to interest the 
patriotic feelings of every friend to   
,america1 to justice1 and to humanity1  
in so good a cause4  ,footnote ,j3      
,compared with existing military        
marines1 ,i consider all galleys and    
vessels of war1 which were in use       
previous to the invention of powder1 as 
very insignificant4 ,it is probable that
 four #gd gun ships in open sea would   
destroy all that ever existed at any one
 time4  ,i have shewn that a ship of #hj
 guns and six hundred men1 could have   
little chance of resisting fifty        
,torpedo boats of twelve men each1 equal
 six hundred men4 ,if it can be admitted
 possible that an #hj gun ship will be  
necessitated to retreat before fifty    
boats1 she must run so far that the     
boats cannot follow her1 that is1 more  

than eight or ten leagues2 therefore1   
boats could follow a ship over the      
narrow parts of the ,baltic or ,british 
channel2 but ,i will confine my remarks 
to the ,british channel1 between        
,boulogne and ,romney1 from ,calais to  
,dover1 and from ,ostend to the mouth of
 the ,thames4 ,if ,i can shew that in   
those waters the ,british fleets would  
be compelled to retreat before ,torpedo 
boats or perish1 it follows1 that they  
must yield to a like system of attack in
 every other sea2 and the like          
combination of power which can force    
them to yield1 will act on all ships of 
war to their total annihilation4  ,let  
the coast of ,boulogne be the scene for 
action2 suppose the ,british to have one
 hundred ships of #hj guns1 or a force  
to that amount1 equal eight thousand    
guns and sixty thousand men2 this is a  
greater power than ever has been engaged
 in one action4 ,i have mentioned large 
ships1 because the strength of a fleet  
depends more on the size of the ships   

and weight of metal1 than on their      
number2 in such case1 the line will not 
be so much extended as if the vessels   
were smaller and more numerous2 the     
signals can be seen and answered from   
the extremities of the line with more   
certainty1 and the order of battle can  
be better kept4 ,the length of a ship1  
from the point of the bowsprit to the   
stern1 may be estimated at forty        
fathoms1 and the distance between two   
ships one hundred fathoms1 consequently1
 the one hundred ships would form one   
line of fourteen thousand fathoms1 or   
twenty-eight thousand yards1 equal to   
near sixteen miles4 ,such a line could  
not see and answer signals from the van 
and rear to the centre4 ,it could1      
however1 be formed into four divisions  
of twenty-five ships each1 and they     
again could be subdivided2 but the      
tactics which must be adhered to when   
two fleets of near equal force engage1  
will be of little utility when the      
attack is made by a sufficient number of

 ,torpedo boats4   ,,estimate ,,of ,,the
 ,,force ,,to ,,attack ,,so ,,formidable
 ,a ,,blockading ,,fleet  ,men1 sixty   
thousand1 a number equal to the         
,british2 they cannot all be sailors1   
nor is it necessary they should1 but    
men1 who with six weeks exercise can    
learn to row well1 for to row with      
tolerable dexterity1 is all the nautical
 knowledge required4 ,to divide the     
sixty thousand men1 twelve in a boat1   
will require five thousand boats1 each  
of which will be so light1 that its     
twelve men can draw it on the beach     
above high water mark1 or on the sands  
or plane1 in a few minutes1 or launch it
 into the water with equal facility4    
,,manner ,,of ,,arranging ,,the ,,boats 
,,until ,,wanted  ,a boat being six feet
 wide and twenty-seven feet long1 if a  
space of twelve feet wide and           
thirty-nine feet long be allowed for    
each boat1 four hundred and forty of    
them would range side by side in the    
distance of one mile1 then leaving      

twelve feet from the stems of the first 
row to the sterns of the second1 and a  
like space between each line1 the five  
thousand boats could be laid up on a    
beach or plane one mile long1 one       
hundred and fifty yards wide1 and give  
sufficient room for the men to get at   
the boats without confusion2 this plan  
would not require the expence of forming
 a bason or harbour4 ,thus arranged1    
each boat with its ,torpedo1            
harpoon-guns1 arms1 and oars1 in their  
places1 and the twelve men in their     
stations1 six on each side of the boat1 
the whole could be run into the water   
and manned in an hour1 which facility of
 embarking is of the first importance   
for rapid movements1 and to take        
advantage of the weather4,k  ,footnote  
,k3 ,when the ,british fleet is becalmed
 before ,boulogne1 the ,french flotilla 
is becalmed also1 and cannot make any   
advantageous movements4 ,the calms which
 lay the ,british fleet under great     
disadvantage1 will give every possible  

advantage to the ,torpedo boats1 and    
will be the most favourable time for the
 attack4   ,,estimate ,,for ,,the       
,,preparations    #ejjj boats1 one      
hundred dollars each                    
#ejj1jjj dolls4   #ejjj ,torpedoes1 one 
hundred and fifty dollars each  #gej1jjj
   #ejjj harpoon-guns1 thirty dollars   
each              #aej1jjj              
---------                               
,total            #a1djj1jjj dolls4     
,this is equal to #cae1jjjl4 sterling or
 about the value of three ships of #hj  
guns2 it is equal to #g1efj1jjj livres1 
a sum of little importance to ,france1  
it being not equal to the expences of   
her government for one day2 the men she 
has1 and three times the number if      
required2 the powder for the ,torpedoes 
and arms for the men1 are in her        
magazines4  ,suppose the boats and      
,torpedoes prepared1 the harpooners     
exercised1 and the men practised to the 
oars4 ,the intrepidity of the ,french1  
in an assault1 has been so often proved1

 that there can be no question as to    
their courage to rush on to the attack  
in any case where there is a reasonable 
hope of success4 ,it is obvious1 that   
the ,british ships could not put out a  
sufficient number of boats to oppose    
five thousand ,torpedo boats2           
consequently1 they have not other means 
of resistance than to manoeuvre and     
defend themselves from their ports and  
decks1 in the best manner they can      
devise4  ,it is now necessary1 in       
calculating the chances of success1 to  
examine various modes of attack and     
defence2 ,i therefore beg of the reader1
 never to lose sight of the facility    
with which the whole of the ,french     
boats can be run into the water1 manned1
 and ready for action1 or again drawn up
 on the shore1 and with how much ease   
every advantage may be taken of calms   
and favourable circumstances2 he must   
also separate from his mind the idea of 
boats attempting to fight ships2 such an
 attempt would be absurd2 it is         

,torpedoes1 those instruments of        
instantaneous destruction1 which are to 
decide the contest2 the boats are but   
the means of harpooning and attaching   
the ,torpedoes to the ships3 this is the
 whole object of the attack4  ,in       
defence1 it is to be considered by what 
means a ship or ships could prevent the 
boats approaching so near as to harpoon 
them in the larboard and starboard bow1 
and make good their retreat8 ,i will    
name the calm months of ,june1 ,july1   
and ,august1 as most favourable for the 
enterprise4 ,let it be recollected1 that
 in all attacks of this kind1 the boats 
row at the rate of five miles an hour1  
or one hundred and forty-six yards a    
minute2 at the distance of four hundred 
and thirty-eight yards or three minutes 
from the ship1 they will risk random    
round shot,l2 at two hundred and        
nineteen yards or one and a half minutes
 from the ship1 they risk one discharge 
of grape2 at one hundred yards or forty 
seconds from the ship1 they risk one    

volley of small arms1 before they       
harpoon4 ,after harpooning1 it is       
probable the ship's crew would be more  
occupied about their own safety1 than in
 standing deliberately to fire at the   
boats4 ,and thus1 each boat will not be 
more than four minutes within the line  
of the ship's random shot3 such rapidity
 and decision in attack1 gives          
incalculable advantages to the boats4   
,footnote ,l3 ,all shot from cannon1    
carronades1 or howitzers1 against boats1
 must be random3 a boat is too small and
 moves too quick to admit of taking aim2
 and in the night1 musket shot will be  
random also4   ,,first ,,mode ,,of      
,,attack  ,in a calm and usually dark   
night1 the ships at anchor1 either in   
one line or parallel lines1 or          
promiscuously4 ,the ,torpedo boats to be
 formed into divisions1 each division to
 consist of fifty boats1 and to attack  
one ship4 ,suppose the ships first      
attacked to be those nearest the land2  
in a calm they could not get under way1 

nor could they change their positions2 a
 ship1 by having a spring on her cable1 
might possibly bring her broadside to   
bear on the boats2 but as the fire of   
the broadside could do little injury    
until the boats were within four hundred
 and thirty-eight yards1 or three       
minutes1 of her bow1 and1 as three      
minutes after coming within the line of 
fire is to decide the contest1 ,i       
conceive that her broadside could not   
protect her2 if the boats1 at six       
hundred yards distance1 run for her bow1
 it would be impossible for her to      
change her position so quick by a spring
 on her cable1 as the boats could change
 their direction to keep under her bow4 
,if the ships were in one line1 and the 
headmost first attacked1 she could      
receive no assistance from the vessel   
astern1 for she would lie between the   
stern ship and the boats1 and receive   
the fire which might be directed for    
them4 ,if the ships lay in several      
parallel lines1 or promiscuously1 and   

the next line were on her larboard1 the 
larboard ship would be distant at least 
one hundred fathoms1 and while the boats
 were bearing down1 might fire          
broadsides on them when they were at the
 distance of two hundred yards2 but the 
moment they closed in with the ship she 
must cease her fire1 otherwise she would
 do more injury to the ship than to the 
boats2 the larboard ship would1         
therefore1 only have an opportunity to  
fire two minutes at the boats1 in which 
time1 she might possibly discharge two  
broadsides2 but as the boats could keep 
in a line with the bow of the vessel    
attacked1 and there is more danger from 
the larboard or starboard ship than the 
one attacked1 a better mode would be to 
attack the headmost ship of each line at
 the same time2 in such case1 each ship 
would be necessitated to reserve her    
whole fire for her own defence2 she     
could not assist the next ship1 and thus
 each vessel would be as much exposed   
and left to her own resources1 as though

 there were not another ship within     
three leagues of her4 ,the succeeding   
ships of the line1 or lines1 could be   
attacked in like manner3 hence1 this    
mode of attacking any number of vessels 
with an equal number of divisions of    
boats1 amounts to nothing more than a   
repetition of an attack with fifty boats
 on one ship1 and it does not appear to 
me possible1 that her fire could repel  
fifty boats1 or prevent them lodging    
ten1 fifteen1 or twenty harpoons1 if    
necessary1 in her larboard and starboard
 bow4 ,i leave to nautical men and      
experienced commanders1 to shew to the  
public how a ship or ships of war1      
anchored in a calm as before stated1    
could resist such an attack1 and their  
total destruction in a few hours4  ,but 
commanders1 seeing the danger of being  
becalmed while at anchor1 may keep the  
fleet under way4   ,,second ,,mode ,,of 
,,attack  ,in the night1 the ships under
 way1 calm1 or light breezes of not more
 than four knots an hour4 ,ships of the 

line1 that are under way1 seldom        
approach nearer each other than a       
cable's length2 this precaution1 is to  
prevent their running foul and causing  
confusion2 when expecting an enemy of   
equal force1 the custom is to form one  
line2 admitting1 that to oppose the     
,torpedo boats1 they preserved this     
usual order of battle1 close hauled and 
under easy sail1 to let the boats come  
up1 here1 as in the case of being at    
anchor1 each ship must apply her whole  
fire against the division of boats which
 attack her2 she cannot aid the ship    
next to her4 ,as the boats1 advancing   
under cover of the night1 each division 
will1 in three minutes from the time    
they arrive within danger of cannon     
shot1 be in with the bow of the destined
 ship1 and fire their harpoons into her4
 ,therefore it appears1 that her chance 
while under way is very little better   
than when at anchor4 ,if1 as the boats  
advance1 a ship turns her bow to meet   
them1 she facilitates their harpooning  

her4 ,will any other order of battle    
than one right line1 give more security8
 ,would two1 three1 or four parallel    
lines1 give better protection8 ,in such 
case1 the line nearest the boats would  
be attacked first1 and the other lines  
taken in succession4 ,were the ships to 
form a crescent1 the headmost vessels   
would be first attacked1 in this form1  
they might surround a number of boats   
and get them between two fires2 but     
whatever situation the boats may be in1 
after they arrive within the range of   
grape-shot they can1 in a few minutes1  
be under the bow of the ship1 where they
 will be safe from all fire except small
 arms2 but to arrive under her bow1     
amounts to a moral certainty of         
effecting her destruction4 ,therefore1  
with the immense advantage which        
,torpedoes give to an attack with boats1
 it is of little consequence whether it 
be made in the night or day1 in a calm  
or a breeze of from four to six knots4  
,if the ships engage with the boats1    

their case will be desperate4 ,in all my
 reflections on this kind of war1 ,i see
 no chance for their escape other than  
by retreat2 and the moment ,english     
ships of war retreat before ,torpedo    
boats1 that moment the power of the     
,british marine is for ever lost1 and   
with it the political influence of the  
nation4  ,in this view of chances1 ,i   
have calculated the number of men in the
 boats equal to the number in the ships1
 and estimated five thousand boats to be
 brought into action2 but in all cases  
when there are sufficient ,torpedo boats
 to drive in the boats of the ships1    
there will be sufficient to attack the  
fleet2 the one hundred ships could not  
put six hundred good boats in motion1   
therefore1 one thousand ,torpedo boats  
would suffice for the attack2 they could
 be formed into fifty divisions of      
twenty boats each2 they would have every
 advantage1 in a calm1 of directing     
fifty or one hundred boats against one  
vessel1 while the ships would not have  

the power to concentrate their fire on  
the boats2 the ships could not be       
defended1 unless there were transports  
or ordinance vessels expressly for      
carrying good row-boats1 the number of  
which should be sufficient to repel the 
,torpedo boats2 but if ships can only be
 protected by boats1 it follows1 that   
they will cease to be of use1 and the   
contest for the command of the channel  
must be decided by boat fighting4 ,in   
such case1 the nation which could put in
 action the greatest number of boats1   
and was least dependent on commerce1    
would have a decided advantage4 ,england
 is more dependent on commerce than     
,france2 her merchant vessels could be  
attacked1 destroyed1 and her trade      
ruined2 yet the commerce of ,france     
could not be more1 nor so much1 injured 
as it is at present4 ,in such an event1 
,england1 who has usurped the dominion  
of the ocean and laid all nations under 
contribution1 would be the most humble  
supplicant for the liberty of the seas4 

,and then the ,emperor of ,france would 
have a noble opportunity to display a   
magnanimity of soul1 a goodness of      
heart1 which would add lustre to his    
great actions1 and secure to him the    
admiration of the civilized world1 by   
granting to so ingenious1 industrious1  
enterprising1 and estimable a people1 a 
perfect liberty of commerce4,m          
,footnote ,m3 ,a government1 and        
particularly a monarchy or aristocracy1 
may be in the habitual practice of vice1
 while the people are in the habitual   
practice of virtue4 ,in an aristocracy1 
where the army1 navy1 places1 and       
pensions1 are in the power of the few1  
the voice of the people has little or no
 influence4 ,the genius1 industry1 and  
enterprise of the ,english1 have        
converted a barren island into the most 
fruitful and beautiful spot on earth2   
their improvements in the useful arts1  
have made them the greatest and most    
useful manufacturing people that ever   
existed4 ,in proportion as the people1  

by their industry1 increased the riches 
of the nation1 the government found a   
facility in raising revenue1 and have   
loaded the virtuous people with taxes to
 the amount of twenty-five or more      
millions a year1 to pay for ruinous     
wars1 the conquest of ,america1 the     
establishment of the ,bourbons1 and the 
balance of ,europe4  ,i have now run    
this subject to a conclusion1 in which  
,i do not hesitate to say1 that two     
thousand ,torpedo boats and twenty-four 
thousand men1 would take the command of 
the ,british channel from ,boulogne to  
,romney1 from ,calais1 ,gravelines1     
,dunkirk and ,ostend1 to the mouth of   
the ,thames1 and that the command of the
 commerce of those narrow seas1 would   
command the ,british nation2 but there  
the power of ,torpedo boats must        
cease--a nation cannot send such boats  
to sea to depredate on commerce1 nor to 
foreign countries on expeditions of     
conquest1 and therefore the seas must be
 free4     ,,on  the imaginary          

inhumanity of ,torpedo war   ,in        
numerous discussions which ,i have had  
on this subject and its consequences1 it
 has been stated1 that instead of giving
 liberty to the seas1 its tendency would
 be to encourage piracy and             
buccaneering1 by enabling a few men in a
 boat to intimidate and plunder merchant
 vessels1 thereby producing greater evil
 than the existing military marines4    
,this idea1 is similar to one which     
might have arisen on the invention of   
muskets1 which1 giving to an individual 
the power of certain death at the       
distance of fifty or a hundred yards1   
robbers might infest the highways1 and  
from an ambush1 shoot the traveller and 
take his property2 yet there is not so  
much robbery now as before the invention
 of gun-powder2 society is more         
civilized2 it is not so much divided    
into feuds1 or clans1 to secrete and    
protect villainy2 and all civilized     
society will1 in their own defence1     
combine against the robber1 who has     

little chance to escape4 ,in like       
manner1 as an individual1 instigated by 
revenge1 might with an air-gun shoot his
 neighbour1 or by means of gun-powder   
blow up his barn or buildings2 but      
society combine against such atrocious  
acts1 and he who would commit them1     
could have little other prospect before 
him than the gibbet4 ,in the case of    
pirates or buccaneers1 they could not   
make a ,torpedo without some intelligent
 workmen1 who would be a means of       
discovery4 ,were they to take a prize1  
they must have some port to carry it to1
 or it could be of no use to them2 were 
they to plunder a ship1 they could not  
carry much in a ,torpedo boat1 and the  
boat must have a port to go to1 where   
neighbours or spectators1 observing her 
suspicious character1 would lead to     
investigation2 added to which1 pirates  
are seldom constant in their attachment 
to each other1 and each would suspect   
the other turning informer4 ,it would be
 difficult for a ,torpedo boat to depart

 from any port of ,america1 and return  
without being detected4 ,it is certainly
 much more easy and secure for an       
individual to go on the highway and rob1
 yet how seldom is that done4 ,when     
nations combine against pirates1 there  
is no reason to fear that individuals   
can make a bad use of this invention4   
,but men1 without reflecting1 or from   
attachment to established and familiar  
tyranny1 exclaim1 that it is barbarous  
to blow up a ship with all her crew4    
,this ,i admit1 and lament that it      
should be necessary2 but all wars are   
barbarous1 and particularly wars of     
offence4 ,it is barbarous for a ship of 
war to fire into a peaceable merchant   
vessel1 kill part of her people1 take   
her and the property1 and reduce the    
proprietor with his family from         
affluence to penury4 ,it was barbarous  
to bombard ,copenhagen1 set fire to the 
city1 and destroy innocent women and    
children4 ,it would be barbarous for    
ships of war to enter the harbour of    

,new-,york1 fire on the city1 destroy   
property1 and murder many of the        
peaceable inhabitants2 yet we have great
 reason to expect such a scene of       
barbarism and distress1 unless means are
 taken to prevent it2 therefore1 if     
,torpedoes should prevent such acts of  
violence1 the invention must be humane4 
,when a fortress is besieged1 and a mine
 driven under the citadel1 the powder   
laid1 and the train ready to light1 it  
is the custom for the besiegers to send 
to the commander of the besieged1 to    
inform him of the preparations1 and     
leave it to his judgment to surrender or
 risque the explosion2 if he will not   
surrender after such warning1 and he1   
with his men1 should be blown up1 he is 
to be charged with the inhumanity1 and  
not the besiegers4 ,should government   
adopt ,torpedoes as a part of our means 
of defence1 the ,europeans will be      
informed of it1 after which1 should they
 send hostile ships into our ports among
 anchored ,torpedoes or ,torpedo boats1 

and such ships should be blown up1 the  
inhumanity must be charged to them1 and 
not to the ,american government or to   
this invention4  ,having1 in the        
preceding chapter1 given details for a  
system of ,french ,torpedo boats1 which 
could command the narrow parts of the   
,british channel1 ,i may be accused of  
enmity to ,england and partiality to    
,france2 yet ,i have neither hatred nor 
particular attachment to any foreign    
country4 ,i admire the ingenuity1       
industry1 and good faith of the ,english
 people2 ,i respect the arts1 sciences1 
and amiable manners of the people of    
,france4 ,there is much in each of those
 countries which we may copy to great   
advantage4 ,but my feelings are wholly  
attached to my country1 and while ,i    
labour for her interest in this         
enterprise1 ,i am happy that the liberty
 of the seas1 which ,i believe can be   
effected1 will not only benefit         
,america2 it will be an immense         
advantage to ,england1 to ,france1 and  

to every other nation4 ,convinced of    
this1 ,i have viewed military marines as
 remains of ancient warlike habits1 and 
an existing political disease1 for which
 there has hitherto been no specific    
remedy4 ,satisfied in my own mind1 that 
the ,torpedoes now discovered1 will be  
an effectual cure for so great an evil4 
,to introduce them into practice1 and   
prove their utility1 ,i am of opinion1  
that blowing up ,english ships of war1  
or ,french1 or ,american1 were there no 
other1 and the men on shore1 would be   
humane experiments of the first         
importance to the ,united ,states and to
 mankind4     ,a ,,view  of the         
political economy of this invention     
,at the death of ,queen ,elizabeth1 in  
#afjb1 the royal navy consisted of the  
following vessels4           #d ships of
  #dj guns4          #d       of  #cb   
#aj       of  #cj          #b       of  
#bj          #c       of  #af           
#b       of  #ab          #e       of   
#aj          #c       of   #h           

#a       of   #f          #d       of   
#d          #d       of   #b         -- 
---   ,total #db          #ahj guns1    
with #c hoys4  ,when equipped for sea1  
it carried #hcgf men4  ,at the death of 
,king ,james ,i4 in #affe1 the royal    
navy amounted to sixty-two sail2 the    
money expended per annum was fifty      
thousand pounds sterling1 equal to      
#bbb1bbb dollars1 #bj cents4  ,at the   
death of ,king ,william1 in #agja-b1 the
 navy consisted of    ,ships of the     
line1 including fourth rates2  #abc     
,frigates                               
#df   ,fire ,ships                      
#hg                                     
---                                     
,total #bef  ,the whole navy mounting   
about #icjj guns1 and to completely man 
the ships1 it would take #eb1jjj men2   
the sum allowed per annum for the navy1 
was #a1jdf1cig pounds sterling1 equal to
 #d1fej1fec dollars1 #cj cents4 ,thus in
 one century1 it increased in vessels   
and men six fold1 and in expence twenty 

fold4    ,in #ahja1 the royal navy      
consisted of         #aib ships of the  
line           #bh ships of #ej guns    
#bbg frigates                   #aha    
sloops             ,principal force for 
combat1 #gfj          #if gun vessels   
#aa gun barges                  #ae     
bombs                       #aj fire    
ships                  #aa store ships  
#h yachts           #i tenders          
#b advice boats           #e armed      
transports          #ac ,dutch hoys     
#f river barges           #a            
convalescent ship         #acj hired    
ships and cutters4         ---   ,total 
#ide  ,annual expence1 #ac1fed1jac      
pounds sterling1 equal #fj1fhd1ejb      
dollars1 #dj cents2 at present1 ,i have 
not time to ascertain the exact number  
of men1 which however amount to more    
than one hundred thousand4  ,from #agja 
to #ahja1 the number of vessels have    
been increased four fold1 and the       
expence twelve fold2 the expence is now 
two hundred and seventy times greater   

than at the death of ,king ,james ,i1   
one hundred and eighty-five years ago4  
,,state ,,of ,,the ,,maritime ,,power   
,,of ,,nations ,,about ,,the ,,year     
#agij  ,taken from ,arnauld             
----------------------------------------
---------------------------             
,ships of                               
,total  ,total ,total   ,nations    the 
,line    ,frigates      ,sloops         
,vessels,cannon ,seamen                 
----------------------------------------
---------------------------             
ships   guns       guns                 
from   to    from  to                   
,spain     #gb   #aab - #eh #da         
#aji            #bbb #aj1jjj #ej1jjj    
,portugal  #aj    #hj - #eh #ad  #dd -  
#cj #bi             #ec  #a1ejj  #a1jjj 
,naples    #aj    #gd - #ej #aj         
#ab             #cb  #a1jjj  #e1jjj     
,venice    #bj    #hh - #af #aj         
#eh             #hh  #a1jjj #ad1jjj     
,ottoman                                
,empire  #cj    #gd - #ej #ej  #ej -    

#ajajj galliots   #ahj  #c1jjj #ej1jjj  
,holland   #dd    #gd - #ef #dc  #dj -  
#bdajj            #ahg  #b1cjj #ae1jjj  
,denmark   #ch    #ij - #ej #bj  #db -  
#bj #fj chebecks   #aah  #c1jjj #ab1jjj 
,sweden    #bg    #gd - #ej #ab  #ch -  
#bj #dj gallies     #gi  #c1jjj #ac1jjj 
,russia    #fg   #aaj - #ff #cf  #dd -  
#bhgjj various    #hjc  #i1jjj #ba1jjj  
,france    #ha   #aah - #fd #fi  #dj -  
#cjada various    #bia #ad1jjj #gh1jjj  
,england  #aie   #ajj - #ejbaj          
#bef            #ffa #ab1jjjajj1jjj     
----------------------------------------
---------------------------             
#bgad  #ei1hjj #cei1jjj  ,taking the    
whole of these fleets1 and estimating   
their expence by that of the ,british   
marine1 it must amount to about         
twenty-six millions of pounds sterling  
per annum1 equal to #aae1eee1eee        
dollars1 #ej cents4 ,can we reflect on  
this table and not feel1 in the most    
sensible manner1 the folly of the eleven
 ,european nations1 who support such    

establishments for their mutual         
oppression8 ,is there an ,american who1 
after viewing these horrid consequences 
of divided ,europe and her barbarous    
policy1 that can for a moment harbour a 
wish1 that these happy ,states should be
 divided1 and each petty government1 in 
proportion to its resources1 augment its
 fleets and armies either for defence or
 to gratify a mad ambition1 by          
depredating on its neighbours8 ,if there
 be such men1 they are in a state of    
political insanity1 and the worst       
enemies to the ,american people4 ,the   
humane and excellent ,dean ,tucker1 in  
his work on political economy1 published
 during the ,american revolution1 has   
observed1 ,that the wars of ,europe1 for
 the last two hundred years1 have1 by   
the confession of all parties1 really   
ended in the advantage of none1 but to  
the manifest detriment of all4 ,suffice 
it to remark1 that had each of the      
contending powers employed their        
subjects in cultivating and improving   

such lands as were clear of all disputed
 titles1 instead of aiming at more      
extended possessions1 they had consulted
 both their own and their people's      
greatness much more efficaciously1 than 
all the victories of a ,cesar or an     
,alexander4 ,this important truth should
 be deeply impressed on the mind of     
every ,american4  ,but ,i will return to
 the fleets of ,europe1 and endeavour to
 point out the principal causes of the  
great increase of those engines of      
oppression1 and from whence the wealth  
has arisen to support such expences4 ,i 
will also shew the increasing resources 
which will1 if science does not check   
it1 enable ,england hereafter to support
 a marine of fifteen hundred armed      
ships1 with as much ease as she now does
 seven hundred and sixty4  ,in #afjb1   
the ,british nation could not possibly  
have paid for the expence of such a navy
 as it possessed in #agja1 and in #agja1
 the resources of the nation were not   
equal to the expence of the navy of     

#ahja4 ,the reason is1 that since #afjb1
 the sciences have developed immense    
resources4 ,chemistry and mechanics have
 multiplied the produce of productive   
labour1 and increased the riches of     
every nation in ,europe2 the commerce of
 ,china and the ,east-,indies has been  
opened2 ,russia and ,sweden have become 
civilized and commercial2 ,south        
,america1 the ,west ,india islands1 and 
,north ,america1 have1 from a few       
hundred persons1 grown to a population  
of at least twenty-five millions2 who   
have created a vast and productive      
commerce1 of which there was no         
conception two centuries ago4           
,agriculture has every where been       
improved2 the earth produces more for a 
given labour2 manufactures are carried  
on1 in various degrees of perfection1 in
 every country and district of country1 
which1 creating surplus wealth to pay   
for luxuries1 returns millions of riches
 on so enterprising and commercial a    
people as the ,english1 which1 added to 

their own improvements in mechanism1    
manufactures1 and agriculture1 enables  
the government1 at this day1 to expend  
thirteen millions of pounds sterling1   
annually1 on their marine4 ,yet the     
people in general live better1 have more
 enjoyments1 and because they have more 
enjoyments1 they are in reality not more
 oppressed than the people of #afbe1 who
 paid only fifty thousand pounds to the 
marine4 ,such is the natural consequence
 of a general cultivation of the useful 
arts2 but a just government and a wise  
people1 should take care that the wealth
 which the useful arts give to them1    
should not be uselessly expended4  ,as  
imports and exports are the consequence 
of increased population and industry1   
the following will shew how the expences
 of the ,british marine have not only   
kept pace1 but gained on her sources of 
wealth4  ,table of ,british ,imports1   
,exports1 and ,expence of the ,marine1  
in pounds sterling4            ,in #agja
   ,imports         #e1hfi1fjil4        

,exports         #g1fba1jecl4           
--------------   ,total                 
#ac1dij1ffbl4  ,expence of the ,marine  
#a1jdf1cigl4 or one thirteenth of the   
whole imports and exports4              
,in #agih   ,imports                    
#df1ifc1jjjl4   ,export of ,british     
manufactures    #cc1fjb1jjjl4   ,export 
of foreign goods           #ad1chg1jjjl4
                                        
--------------                          
,total #id1ieb1jjjl4   ,expence of the  
,navy  #ac1fed1jacl4 or about one       
seventh of the total imports and        
exports4  ,in #ahjj1 the population of  
the ,united ,states was estimated at    
#e1bad1hja2 with this population1 we    
import from ,england to the amount of   
seven millions sterling per annum1 for  
which we pay1 in direct and circuitous  
trade1 equal seven millions1 making our 
imports from ,england1 and exports to   
pay for them fourteen millions1 or equal
 to one seventh of the imports and      
exports of ,england4 ,therefore1 as it  

is the profits of trade which support   
the ,british marine1 we pay one seventh 
of its whole expence1 or about two      
millions sterling1 and1 in fact1 support
 one seventh of seven hundred and sixty 
armed ships1 equal #ajh4 ,thus we       
cherish an evil of which we complain1   
and unless we can destroy it1 we must   
continue to nourish it4  ,in #agjj1 the 
population of ,england and ,wales       
amounted to #e1dge1edd2 in #ahjj1 to    
#i1cdc1egh2 it did not double in the    
last century notwithstanding the great  
increase of trade4 ,as her population is
 now equal to one person for every six  
acres1 there is a powerful check on its 
increase1 and the rational calculation  
is1 that it will not double1 or rise to 
eighteen millions in the next two       
centuries4 ,but the ,united ,states is  
doubling its population in about        
twenty-five years1 or1 for probable     
correctness1 say in thirty years2       
consequently1 in    #ahcj we shall have2
  #aj1dbi1fjb   #ahfj                   

#bj1hei1bjd   #ahij                     
#dj1gah1djh   #aibj                     
#ha1dcf1haf  ,even then1 the acres of   
the ,united ,states will be more than   
ten to an individual4 ,as our habits and
 customs are ,english1 it is a          
reasonable calculation1 that    ,in #cj 
years1 we shall take from them to the   
amount of #ad1jjj1jjj      #fj          
#bh1jjj1jjj      #ij                    
#ef1jjj1jjj  ,this is more than they now
 send to all the world1 which wealth    
resulting from ,american labour1 being  
turned into ,england1 will increase her 
resources equal to the maintenance of   
her present marine3 for1 as ,i before   
stated1 if of seven millions which we   
now import1 we furnish funds for the    
seventh part of her naval expences1 or  
say two millions4 ,seven is into        
fifty-six1 the imports of ninety years  
hence1 eight times2 the ,united ,states 
will1 therefore1 furnish sixteen        
millions sterling per annum1 to support 
the ,british marine1 and enable ,england

 to double her present naval            
establishment4 ,thus we are continually 
aiding and supporting1 the only tyranny 
which can oppress us1 or disturb our    
tranquility4  ,i am aware that1 opposed 
to this statement1 it will be said that 
we shall become manufacturers1 and      
hereafter import1 in proportion to our  
population1 less from ,england2 but1 in 
a vast country like the ,united ,states1
 where lands are cheap1 and men can easy
 be provided for in agricultural        
pursuits2 it will be difficult for the  
manufactures to keep pace with the      
population4 ,we are now much greater    
manufacturers than we were twenty-five  
years ago2 yet our imports increase2 the
 manufactures of ,england have augmented
 ten fold in the last century4 ,although
 her population has not doubled1 yet her
 exports and imports have kept near even
 pace with each other4 ,the consequence 
of manufactures1 is to create abundance 
and give the means of purchasing        
luxuries2 therefore1 more persons enjoy 

the luxuries of fine articles4 ,england 
has her manufactures established and her
 people taught2 she has the start of all
 the world1 which she will keep for very
 many years2 nor can such superiority be
 an injury to ,america1 or to ,france1  
or any other nation1 provided the       
profits are not expended on a military  
marine to oppress them4,n ,then what is 
to be done to arrest this enormous evil1
 this organizing system of oppression8  
,one of three things must be done3 we   
must have a marine of a force to be     
respected1 or we must suffer our        
commerce to be as limited as the        
,british government may think proper1   
and be laid under contribution2 or1     
military marines must be destroyed1 and 
liberty given to the seas4  ,footnote   
,n3 ,many appear to be of opinion1 that 
if ,bonaparte could get the command of  
the seas1 or had it in his power1 he    
would reduce ,london to ashes1 and      
destroy the arts and manufactures of    
,england4 ,carthage is always cited as  

an example of a conqueror's vengeance4  
,this1 however1 has never been my       
opinion1 because it is not justified by 
any act of his life4 ,in all the        
countries he has conquered1 he has ever 
respected the sciences and useful arts2 
he has not burned ,vienna1 ,berlin1 or  
,madrid4 ,had he no other motive1 his   
own fame1 in a great measure1 depends on
 the protection which he may give to the
 sciences4 ,but1 independent of this1 ,i
 believe he well understands the benefit
 which ,europe receives from ,english   
arts and industry2 and his war is not   
against them1 but against the manner in 
which their profits are applied2 that   
is1 against the marine1 and interference
 of the ,british government in all the  
concerns of the continent4  ,what kind  
of a marine would obtain for us that    
consideration and respect which would   
give to our merchant ships unmolested   
admittance into the ports of ,europe8   
,fifty ships of #hj guns each1 and      
thirty thousand men1 certainly could not

 guarantee to us such respect4 ,russia  
has a greater naval force1 and dare not 
show a ship out of the ,baltic4 ,yet    
fifty such ships would cost the ,united 
,states twenty-five millions of dollars1
 and seven millions of dollars a year2  
which1 added to repairs1 dock-yards1    
arsenals1 navy-boards1 and agents1 may  
be estimated at ten millions a year4    
,but even could such a marine secure to 
us a reasonable liberty of commerce1    
,america could not now bear such an     
expenditure2 and where is the additional
 commerce to pay for ten millions a     
year1 expended to protect it8 ,should   
our resources1 in twenty years1 enable  
us to support such a marine1 ,i have    
shewn1 that the ,british can augment    
their fleets also1 and spare a force to 
meet us at sea4 ,but were ,america to   
try her finances to the utmost1 and     
establish a marine equal to fifty ships 
of #hj guns1 it would be to us the      
greatest of misfortunes2 for so many    
persons would become interested in      

obtaining a support from it1 that1 like 
,england1 we should continue adding1    
until our successors would find it a    
power superior to their liberty--one    
which would load them with taxes1 press 
their children into senseless wars1 nor 
leave them permission to complain4      
,should we ever be necessitated to have 
a marine of a force to be respected1    
such are the accumulated evils under    
which our posterity must suffer4 ,but if
 science and energy should sweep        
military marines from the ocean1        
,america will be the garden of the      
world--an example for ,europe to        
imitate4 ,when we contemplate the       
immense sums which are expended in      
,european marine establishments1 and    
calculate the infinite good which might 
have been done with the capital1 we have
 to lament that man1 instead of         
gratifying his ambition in wars and     
devastation1 has not sought a more noble
 and lasting fame in promoting the arts1
 the sciences1 and civilization4  ,the  

annual expence of the navy of ,great    
,britain amounts to upwards of thirteen 
millions a year2 as long as war         
continues1 the expence will not be      
diminished2 but taking the chance of war
 and peace for the succeeding           
twenty-five years1 and estimate that the
 marine will cost ten millions a year1  
the expenditure in twenty-five years    
will be two hundred and fifty millions  
of pounds sterling4 ,if driven to have a
 marine1 such might be the expenditure  
of our successors2 if we can avoid it1  
the capital might be expended in useful 
work4 ,i will now give a short sketch of
 the improvements which might be made in
 ,america for such a sum3  ,first1      
twelve canals1 running from the eastern 
and northern parts of the ,united       
,states to the south1 each fifteen      
hundred miles long1 and fifty miles     
distant from each other1 equal to       
eighteen thousand miles2 thirty canals1 
running from the sea coast to the       
interior1 each six hundred miles long   

and fifty miles apart1 or eighteen      
thousand miles--total1 thirty-six       
thousand miles1 at three thousand pounds
 sterling a mile1 amounting to one      
hundred and eight millions4 ,canals to  
this extent1 would intersect a country  
fifteen hundred miles long six hundred  
miles wide1 equal nine hundred thousand 
square miles1 or seven hundred and      
fifty-six millions of acres1 not an acre
 of which would be more than twenty-five
 miles from canal carriage2 and which   
acres1 allowing six to an individual    
which is equal to the density of        
,english population1 or say seven1      
allowing for rivers1 roads1 and canals1 
would be ample space in a country which1
 by its improvements1 must be fertile   
for one hundred and eight millions of   
inhabitants4    #b;d1 ,two thousand     
bridges1 at thirty thousand       pounds
 sterling each1 equal2                  
#fj1jjj1jjj        ,two thousand and    
fifty public establishments       for   
education1 at forty thousand            

pounds sterling each                    
#hb1jjj1jjj        ,the canals2         
#ajh1jjj1jjj                            
-----------                             
,total        #bej1jjj1jjj  ,the two    
hundred and fifty millions1 raised by   
loan and funded at five per cent4 would1
 if expended on a marine1 lay a tax on  
the people of #ab1ejj1jjjl4 sterling a  
year1 equal to #ee1eee1eee dollars a    
year1 with a horde of excise-men and    
tax-gatherers1 to torment honest        
industry4 ,but if expended on canals1   
the profits to transport would pay the  
interest1 and give inconceivable        
advantages to the people4 ,such         
communications would facilitate every   
species of industry4 ,canals bending    
round the hills1 would irrigate the     
grounds beneath1 and convert them into  
luxuriant pasturage4 ,they would bind a 
hundred millions of people in one       
inseparable compact--alike in habits1 in
 language1 and in interest2 one         
homogeneous brotherhood1 the most       

invulnerable1 powerful1 and respectable 
on earth4 ,say1 legislators1 you who    
direct the destinies of this great      
nation1 shall ,americans1 like servile  
creatures of established habits1 imitate
 ,european vices1 or copy them because  
they are familiar8 ,shall they nourish a
 useless marine1 lay the basis for its  
increase1 and send it down the current  
of time to futurity with all its        
complicated evils8 ,shall such a system 
consume our resources1 deprive the earth
 of improvements1 draw into its vortex  
ambitious men1 divert the best talents  
of our country from useful works1 and   
interest them in its support--creating  
non-productive labourers1 who must be   
the consumers of the produce of the     
productive class1 and diminish their    
enjoyments8 ,or will you search into the
 most hidden recesses of science1 to    
find a means for preventing such        
incalculable evils8 ,and direct the     
genius and resources of our country to  
useful improvements1 to the sciences1   

the arts1 education1 the amendment of   
the public mind and morals4 ,in such    
pursuits1 lie real honour and the       
nation's glory2 such are the labours of 
enlightened republicans--those who      
labour for the public good4 ,every order
 of things1 which has a tendency to     
remove oppression and meliorate the     
condition of man1 by directing his      
ambition to useful industry is1 in      
effect1 republican4 ,every system1 which
 nourishes war and its consequent       
thousands of idlers and oppressors1 is  
aristocratic in its effects1 whatever   
may be its name4 ,these sentiments      
exhibit my political creed1 the object  
of all my exertions2 and these          
principles1 practised by ,americans1    
will create for them a real grandeur of 
character1 which will secure to them the
 respect and admiration of the civilized
 world4   ,,finis   ,number and ,nature 
of ,ordnance for each of the ,ships in  
the ,british ,navy                      
----------------------------------------

---------------------------             
,number   ,number of  guns of each      
nature      ,carronades   ,rates   of   
----------------------------------------
-----          guns   #db  #cb  #bd  #ah
  #ab   #i   #f   #cb  #bd  #ah  #ab    
----------------------------------------
------------------   #ast --  #ajj   #bh
   -  #bh   -  #cj   -  #ah    #b   #f  
-   -                                   
#b;d  --   #ih    -  #bh   -  #cj  #dj  
-   -    #b   -   #f   -                
#hj    -  #bf   -  #bf   -  #bd   #a    
-           #gd    -  #bh   -  #bh   -  
#ah   -   #b   -   #f   -   #c;d        
#gj    -  #bh   -  #bh   -  #ad   -     
-           #fd    -   -  #bf  #bf   -  
#ab   -    -   #b   #f   -              
#dth     #fj    -   -  #bd   -  #bf   - 
#aj    -   -   -   -           #ej    - 
-  #bb   -  #bb   -   #f    -   #f   -  
#f                                      
#dd    -   -   -  #bj  #bb   -   #f    -
   -   #h   -   #eth     #cf    -   -   
-  #bf   #b   #h   -    #h   -   -   -  

#cb    -   -   -   -  #bf   -   #f    - 
#f   -   -                              
#bh    -   -   #h   -   -  #bd   #d    -
   #f   -   -   #fth     #bd    -   -   
-   -   -  #bb   #b    -   #b   #f   -  
#bj    -   -   -   -   -  #bj   -    -  
-   -   #h                              
,sloops   #ah    -   -   -   -   -   -  
#ah    -   -   -   #h                   
----------------------------------------
------------------  ,for ,notes on      
,vessels of ,war of the ,united ,states 
see pages #f and #g4  ,dimensions of    
,ships1 ,number of ,men1 and ,draught of
 ,water                                 
----------------------------------------
-----------------------------   ,number 
,length on   ,extreme      ,compliment  
of      ,depth of water   of ,gunsthe   
,gun-deck ,breadth ,sailors     ,marines
    required for each                   
----------------------------------------
----------------------------            
,ft4  ,in4   ,ft4 ,in4   ,num4          
,officers        ,feet     #aaj    #aij 

#j     #ec  #j    #hge   #a ,cap4 #c    
,subs4       #bd     #ajj    #ahf   #j  
#eb  #j    #hge         ,do4            
#bd      #ih    #ahj   #j     #ej  #j   
#gej         ,do4            #bc        
#ij    #agg   #f     #di  #j    #gej    
,do4            #bc      #hj    #ahb    
#j     #di  #f    #fej         ,do4     
#ah      #gd    #ahb   #j     #dh  #g   
#fej         ,do4            #ah        
#gd    #afi   #j     #df #aa    #fej    
,do4            #ah      #fd    #afj    
#j     #dd  #f    #fej   #a ,cap4 #b    
,subs4       #ah      #ej    #adf   #j  
#dj  #f    #dbj   #b ,lieutenants4      
#af      #dd    #adj   #i     #ch  #h   
#cjj    #a ,subaltern4        #af       
#ch    #add   #j     #ci  #j    #cjj    
,do4            #af      #cf    #adb    
#j     #ch  #j    #cjj         ,do4     
#af      #cb    #abf   #j     #ce  #d   
#cjj         ,do4            #ae        
#bh    #abj   #j     #cc  #f    #bjj    
,do4            #ae      #bd    #aad    
#g     #cb  #c    #bjj         ,do4     

#ae      #bj    #ajh   #j     #cj  #j   
#bjj         ,do4            #ae        
#ah    #aaj   #j     #bi  #f    #abe    
,sergeant4         #ac      #af    #ajf 
#j     #bh  #j    #abe         ,do4     
#ac                                     
----------------------------------------
---------------------------  ,n4 ,b4    
,the usual ,complement of ,marines is   
one for every gun in the ship  ,for     
,notes on ,vessels of ,war of the       
,united ,states see pages #f and #g4    
99      99      99      99      99      
99     ,transcriber's note3   ,the      
,plates were moved to the start of the  
section describing them4  ,hyphenation  
was standardized4  ,the ,table of       
,contents was added by the transcriber4