The History Of the Submarine And The Launching Of The German U-Boat Fleet

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In 1620, Cornelius Drebbel, a Dutch inventor working for the English Royal Navy, tested the first submarine on the Thames River in England.

In 1850, Wilhelm Bauer was asked to design a submarine for the German government, incorporating all aspects of the more modern vessels. The Brandtaucher weighed 70,000 pounds, was 28 feet long, and was powered by two sailors turning a tread wheel.

(thanks Lauren)