The first known treatise on submarines was written in 1578. Published by William Bourne in his Inventions or Devices, the document describes a ship with two hulls, the outer made of wood and the inner made of leather. While no record exists concerning...

Although submarines had been used for warfare in one form or another since the American Revolution, it was not until World War I that they were ocean-capable vessels. Even then their limited battery life and diesel engines tied them to the surface....

A nonce nickname used by Eddie to Rodolpho in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. Rodolpho is an Italian illegal immigrant to the USA. Eddie’s comment is: ‘Watch your step, submarine. By rights they oughta throw you back in the...

In 1623 Dutch inventor Cornelius Drebbel (1572-1633) invented the first submersible that could remain underwater for an extended period of time, be propelled through the water, and be steered. Although this invention was not capitalized upon for more...

A submarine is a watercraft that can operate underwater. The term submarine most commonly refers to large unaided vessels, however historically or more casually, submarine can also refer to medium sized or smaller vessels, (midget submarines,...

GUIDED-MISSILE SUBMARINES (SSGN) BRIEFING: The conversion of four Ohio-class SSBNs to nuclearpowered guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) for strike warfare and special operations was authorized in December 2002. Each SSGN will be able to hold up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles. Most of the...

THE SUBMARINE: A History by Thomas Parrish, New York, N.Y.: Viking Publishing, May 2004. 576 pp. $29.95 ISBN: 0-670-03313-8 At the outset of the Civil War, the Rev. Franklin Smith, "a Tennessee inventor as well as a preacher," proposed a new "cigar-shaped craft...

Defense: U.S. estimates of Chinese military capabilities and intentions may be understated, a new Pentagon report shows. Beijing clearly has more on its mind than the 2008 Olympics.According to the 2007 edition of the Pentagon's annual report on Chinese military power, China is developing capabilities...

The commanding officer of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Hampton was relieved of his duty Thursday because of a loss of confidence in his leadership, the Navy said.Cmdr. Michael B. Portland was relieved of duty after a U.S. Navy investigation found the ship failed to do...

This essay gives a history of the submarine. It also tells how the modern day submarine works, and of its many uses.