Intelligent Whale

The Intelligent Whale was the first or second built for the navy of the Northern states during the Civil War submarine depending on the design and source. Other sources mention the Alligator was the first submarine of the Unionists. The Intelligent Whale went in 1862 from the pile, was only completed in 1866 and was abandoned in 1872 after an unsuccessful acceptance by the Navy. It was first exhibited at the Navy Yard in Washington, and today in the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey in Sea Girt, New York to the public.

The Intelligent Whale was intended as a response to the submarines of the Confederacy and had a crew of 6-13 men. Their armament consisted of mines. It was powered by a hand crank operated screw. With this drive, the ship could reach 4 knots. The boat was 9.4 m long, 2.6 m wide and 2.6 m high. The displacement is unknown.

Was constructed the boat of Scovel S. Merriam and OS Halstead. Augustus Price and Cornelius Bushnell, who also financed the construction have built the boat.

During the tests the first promising design sank repeated. These accidents caused a total of 35 men are said to have been killed.

The whale-like shape of the cigar-shaped hull of the Intelligent Whale is considered to be a source of ideas for the designs of John Philip Holland.