The Papin

Primarily known for his invention of the steam digester, the designer of the namesake PAPIN also was fascinated by submarines. This wood and hammered metal submersible relied on 8 oarsmen for propulsion and a bellows bladder that pumped air from above by means of a tether. A complicated ballast system was also employed to allow the vessel to sink to the bottom. She proved rather useless and was destroyed in port by an angry mob of boatmen and divers who feared they would be replaced by this modern technology.