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 Title: “A Submarine” 水底行船 Year: 1884 Volume: 1 Page Number: 5 Caption Translation: The surface of the earth is covered with water. One can travel on it continuously from east to west, but to the north and south there are obstructions, because the lack of sunlight causes the water to freeze into layers of ice. Westerners know how to overcome obstacles to human efforts. The American Li Zheli [Richell? Richards?] who has an advanced understanding of science, has recently devised a ship capable of traveling underwater, knowing that underneath the icebergs there remains liquid water. The ship is two hundred feet long, and is constructed using copper, in the shape of an egg. It has an engine inside, and are electric lights; on all sides are portals inlaid with glass through which to look outside. On the outside two wheels are attached, one on the underside of the ship, the other at the stern. Compressed air enters into the center, making it possible to submerge and rise as one pleases; the reason this can happen is because a screw spins at the core of the ship. For propulsion, it does not use coal but uses petroleum, and the burning of the petroleum causes the machine’s wheels to rotate. Now the mysteries of heaven and earth can all can be clearly revealed. |
People will no longer be startled by the wind or waves, and they can avoid underwater rocks and reefs. People will cruise the seas as if walking on flat land. They will surpass the fairy immortals of old. Translator: Wang Guojun, revised by Peter C. Perdue Caption Text: 地球外圍皆是水, 東西則通, 南北則窒, 以日光不到, 水結層冰故也。西人每於人力告窮之處, 思有以通之。美國李哲禮者, 精格致之學, 新創一船, 能行水底。蓋知冰山之下, 仍有水也。船長二百尺, 以銅為質, 形如卵；中藏機器, 設電燈； 上下前後左右俱有孔, 鑲嵌玻璃以通外視；外附兩輪, 一在船底, 一在船尾。鼓氣入其中, 便可浮沉隨意； 而其浮沉之所以隨意者, 以螺絲旋為樞紐也。至於駛行之法, 則不用煤而用油, 燃火於油, 機輪環動。從此天地之秘, 俱可昭宣, 而風浪有所不驚, 山礁知所預避, 行海者如履平地。雖古所稱為地行仙, 當亦無多讓也。 Comments: The source of information given here is unclear. The first underwater boat was invented in 1776 by David Bushnell. There is no record of an engineer with the name "Richards" or "Richell", and no specific record of such a submarine, but 1883 was the International Year of Exploration, so the information may have come from descriptions of activities in this year. View on Yale Visual Resources |
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| illustrations from the 1898 edition of the Dianshizhai huabao, generously provided by the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University Massachusetts Institute of Technology © 2015 Visualizing Cultures  |
| “A Submarine” 水底行船 1884 (page 5) [dz_v01_007] |