Re: Cheap Thrills Dept., Civil War submarine section

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

On Wed, 14 Jul 1999 01:59:07 -0700 (PDT) Mike Young writes:
>Mike here in Malaysia,
>Funny thing I came across. I downloaded a "Tom Swift" story from
>Project Gutenberg, and the story was about an underwater vehicle he
>designed (well, actually his father did), It was propelled by iron
>plates at the bow and stern where the bow was positively charged , the
>stern being negatively charged. This sounds like Hunley's idea, with
>the motive power provided by electro-magnetic principles, i.e. water
>conducts electricity and opposites attract, thereby pushing and 
>pulling the submarine thru the water at great speeds.

What story was that?   When was it written?

So many good ideas, so little money for large batteries or atomic plants
. . .

The Hunley thing was a motor.   In those days, an "engine" was anything
that did work.    The book I have says that the electric motor was 
invented in 1829, so the little group that was building submarines in 
Alabama was on the leading edge of technology.


Mike on Oregon Hill
-- 

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