History (was: Cheap Thrills Dept., Civil War submarine section)

[Michael B Holt <michaelbholt@juno.com>]

On Tue, 13 Jul 1999 20:43:14 -0400 "Allan Gaines" writes:
>    Was this an 'electric motor'?  What would the power source have
>been?  Did they have batteries powerful enough back then?

Yep, the "Electro Magentic Engine" was an electric motor.   I presume 
they'd have made their own batteries out of glass jars, lead and acid.
I've seen instructions for doing that at home, and dated as late as
1950.

I'd think this would have been a major project.   It would have required
about 25 HP to move the thing (I think).   That's kinda large for a DC
motor today, as I recall.

I take it no one is interested in building a replica?

In 1886, Lt Isaac Peral of the Spanish Navy finally built a sub with
an electric motor.   Perhaps we should find some good data about
that.   Anyone want me to contact the Spanish Embassy?

And on the same line, is anyone interested in setting up a collection of
old submarine patents?   I'll cheerfully do it at my place,  because I've
already started.   I just don't want to start buying patents to no end.



Mike Holt
--  

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