Submarine history

What is a submarine?

The submarine is, by definition, a boat which travels under the surface of the water. Submarines in history had little use except in warfare and underwater research because surface ships are far more economical than a craft like a submarine that must be entirely watertight and carry an artificial source of air for its crew.

Nuclear submarine

In warfare, however, the submarine (such as a nuclear submarine) is a very potent weapon, as a submarine can attack its targets without being seen. In the US Navy, there is a saying that there are only two kinds of warships: submarines and targets. During both world wars, German submarines were very effective in the North Atlantic, as were US Navy submarines in the blockade of Japan in World War II.

History of the submarine

Although practical submarines did not appear until World War I, the basic concept of submarine in the history of the submarine dates back to Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), or before. In submarine history, the actual invention of the submarine took place in 1624. Cornelius van Drebbel (1572-1633), a Dutch inventor and engineer employed by the British Navy, constructed a leather covered submersible rowboat from which oars protruded through watertight seals. Based on a design reportedly drawn in 1573 by Queen Elizabeth 's naval gunnery chief, William Borne, Cornelius van Drebbel' s ship traveled 15 feet (4.5 meters) beneath the surface and could slay down for several hours. Numerous other submarines were built in England and America in the eighteenth century.

<< Previous    [1]  2    Next >>