Robert Fulton and the Submarine

The narrative follows an unlikely chapter of a familiar name: while Robert Fulton is celebrated for bringing steam power to the river, this book reveals his parallel obsession with boats that could disappear beneath the waves. Early 19th‑century archives in Paris and London yielded a handwritten manuscript, complete with water‑coloured plans, that shows Fulton presenting a fully functional, sea‑going submarine to both French and British authorities. The author weaves these primary sources into a clear account of how political caution kept Fulton’s underwater ambitions secret for decades.

Readers travel from Fulton’s artistic studies in England to his first dive in Rouen, where the prototype dubbed the Nautilus was launched. The work outlines his collaborations, the technical challenges of surfacing and submerging, and the early concepts of dual propulsion that anticipated later wartime uses. By placing Fulton’s ideas alongside other early attempts, the book offers a concise yet richly illustrated glimpse into the birth of modern submarine engineering.