His next experiment was with the Columbiade, carrying a hundred pound ball, fired at the target as in the last instance. All that we know is, that the ball tore the target to pieces, and that the cannon was uninjured. We have not information that will enable us to give any further details of this experiment, but we know that Mr. Fulton was entirely satisfied with the result. He proposed to use cannon in this way, by suspending them, two for instance, from the bows of the vessel. A single shot, as he demonstrates, from a piece of large calibre, which should break through into the side of a ship, at any considerable depth beneath the water-line, must be fatal to her.
And though the range of shot fired through the water, may be but a few feet, yet, conflicting vessels, whenever they engage yard-arm and yard-arm, with accounts of which our naval heroes have of late made us so familiar, must be so near as to give effect to sub-marine discharge. Mr. Fulton did not propose that these guns should bo always in the water; but that they should be suspended so as to be raised when the vessel was not in action. These plans for the sub-marine use of cannon, were submitted to one of our most distinguished naval commanders, who gave them his decided approbation. He expressed a strong opinion that such an attack would be fatal to any vessel exposed to it, and that it would be extremely difficult for any enemy to evade an attempt, made with sufficient resolution, to destroy her by these means.
In 1818, Mr. Fulton took out a patent for several improvements in the art of maritime warfare, and means of injuring and destroying ships and vessels of war, by igniting gunpowder under water, or by igniting gunpowder on a line horizontal to the surface of the water; or so igniting gunpowder, that the explosion which causes injury to the vessel attatched, shall be under water. This description, in the words of his patent, includes another idea he had, which was to plant batteries of submarine guns near the channels through which hostile vessels must pass to attack our seaports. He communicated to Mr. Jefferson an account of his experiments on sub-marine firing, with drawings of his various plans. Mr.
Jefferson expressed himself much pleased with this novel mode of maritime warfare, and assured Mr. Fulton that he would recommend it to the attention of government. This curious project gave rise to the steam man-of-war. It having been suggested by the distinguished naval officer before alluded to "that in approaching an enemy so near as was necessary to give effect to sub-marine cannon, the vessel, if she were rigged in the ordinary way, would be liable to be entangled with her adversary. To meet this ohjection, Mr. Fulton proposed to move the vessel by steam. His reflections on this project, and what he saw of the performance of so large a vessel as the Fulton, her speed, and the facility with which she was managed, led him to conceive that a vessel of war might be constructed in which, to all the advantages possessed by those now in use, might be added the very important ones which she would derive from being propelled by steam, as well as by wind.
At the commencement of the year 1814, a number of the citizens of New York, alarmed at the exposed situation of their harbor, had assembled with a view to consider whether some measures might not be taken to aid the government in its protection. This assembly had, in fact, been invited by some knowledge of Mr Fulton's plans for sub-marine attack, and of his contemplating other means of defence. They deput t] a number of gentlemen to act for them, and they were c i I d the Coast and Harbor Defence Committee. Mr. Fulton exhibited to this committee the model and plans for a vessel of war to be propelled by steam, capable of carrying a strong battery, with furnaces for red-hot shot, and which, he represented, would move at the rate of four miles an hour.
The confidence of the committee in this design, was confirmed by the opinions of many of our most distinguished naval commanders, which he had obtained in writing and exhibited to the committee. In this document, which is signed by Com. Decatur, Capt. Jones. Capt. Evans, Capt, Biddle, Com. Perry, Capt, Warrington, and Capt, Lewis, these gallant and experienced seamen, enumerate the following advantages that such a vessel would possess: In a calm or light breeze she could make choice of position or distance. If she could move at the rate of four miles an hour, she could in our harbors, bays and rivers, be rendered more formidable than any kind of engine hitherto invented, and in such cases she would be equal to the destruction of one or more seventy-fours, or of compelling them to depart from our waters.