Innovation+of+the+Submarine

= The Innovation of the Submarine = = =

While working in the Royal Navy, Cornelis Drebbel recognized the contributions in military and exploration in William Bourne’s submarine design from 1578. In 1620 he built the first working submarine out of leather-covered wood. From 1620-1624 he produced and tested 3 different submarines, each bigger than the last. His last submarine was big enough for 6 oars and 16 passengers. He likely produced oxygen by using what he learned while being a chemist, his old teacher Michael Sendivogius taught him if he heated nitre it made oxygen. He presented his work to King James I in person and several thousand countrymen. His submarine could stay underwater for 3 hours without coming up, and could go from Westminster to Greenwich and back. He even took the king underwater for a test drive which brought a lot of enthusiasm toward the submarine. Unfortunately it did not bring enough attention to be noticed by English admirals to be used for warfare. So Drebbel’s submarine was never used in combat, but his idea did not take long to be noticed.

Bishop John Wilkins was the first to see Drebbel’s invention as a strategic advantage in warfare. As he write’s in “Mathematicall Magick”

“Tis private: a man may thus go to any coast in the world invisibly, without discovery or prevented in his journey.Tis safe, from the uncertainty of Tides, and the violence of Tempests [...]. From Pirates and Robbers which do so infest other voyages; from ice and great frost, which do so much endanger the passages towards the Poles.It may be of great advantages against a Navy of enemies, who by this may be undermined in the water and blown up. It may be of special use for the relief of any place besieged by water, to convey unto them invisible supplies; and so likewise for the surprisal of any place that is accessible by water. It may be of unspeakable benefit for submarine experiments.” (History of Submarines)

The Americans used the first military used submarines in the Revolutionary War, the submarine was called “The Turtle.” Even though the mission it was sent on to sink a British command ship was a failure, it is important to modern warfare that the Americans noticed how much potential the submarine had for combat.

Cornelis Drebbel set up the stage for many American triumphs using the submarines. They are vital for modern warfare, for many uses. Which include, “Military usage includes attacking enemy surface ships or submarines, aircraft carrier protection, blockade running, ballistic missile submarines as part of a nuclear strike force, reconnaissance, conventional land attack (for example using a cruise missile), and covert insertion of special forces. (Cornelis Drebbel)” One of the most important contributions of the submarine is a special task force revolving around submarines. They are named the Navy SEALs, they are used for special missions normal soldiers couldn’t do, and they revolve around using submarines, that have branched directly off of Cornelis Drebbel’s design. They have also reduced many U.S. navy deaths, by replacing Torpedo Boats, now instead of having to be close range and susceptible to gunfire, they can now be unseen and underwater, reducing the number of deaths. It is known that many command ships, are now command submarines, because they are safer to be in and use. You can get closer to the action, without being in as much danger as they would being on a bo

Cornelis Drebbel was essential to modern warfare as we know it. Even though he did not know at the time he first created it and he wasn’t getting noticed, in modern times you could argue that much of the U.S. success in warfare has come with submarines. Without it we would not have the Navy Seals which have killed Osama Bin Ladin landing a blow on terrorism. We would have more casualties of war because of torpedo boats. He succeeded where others failed at creating a boat that could be underwater. So these are the reasons that Cornelis Drebbel was a very important innovator for modern warfare.

The Submarine Getting Noticed in the U.S.
The submarine started getting noticed as a threat to U.S. security in the early 1900's, that is why we got our own submarines. The first submarine ever built was called the USS Holland. They were used in world war I but they that effective in that war. But these submarines were called the silent threat in World War II because of how effective they were in naval warfare. That is how the submarine got noticed in the U.S at the very beginning.

=Sources=

Wikipedia. __Cornelis Drebbel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 03 10 2013. 15 11 2013 . Web Wikipedia. __History of Submarines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 27 10 2013. 14 11 2013 . Web Wikipedia. __Submarine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 01 09 2013. 11 11 2013 . Web U.S. Submarine Force. "The Early Years." //Undersea Warfare// 19 Apr. 2012: n. pag. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Periodical U.S. Submarine Force. "Silent Victory World War II." //Undersea Warfare// 19 Apr. 2012: n. pag. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Periodical //Cornelis Drebbel Showing Off His Submarine//. 17th century. Photograph. submarine-museum.co.uk, London. By Wikipedia. Picture Gizmag.com. //The First Submarine//. 2009. Photograph. Gizmag.com, Gizmag. Picture