John Louis Lay
Encyclopedia
John Louis Lay was an American
inventor of the spar torpedo
. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y.
During the War of the Rebellion
he was appointed a second assistant engineer in the navy in July 1862. In 1864 he invented the torpedo with which Lieutenant Cushing
sank the Confederate armor-clad ram Albemarle
. After the Confederates abandoned Richmond
, he assisted in clearing the James River
of obstructions which were impeding the advance of Admiral Porter's
fleet.
Following the end of the conflict, he resigned his position and traveled to Peru
in South America, where he was employed in mining the harbor at Callao
as a defense against an expected attack by the Spanish fleet. After he returned to the United States in 1867 he perfected the Lay dirigible submarine torpedo, which he sold to the Federal government. The torpedo was used by Peru during the War of the Pacific
, but it wasn't successful.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor of the spar torpedo
Spar torpedo
A spar torpedo is a weapon consisting of a bomb placed at the end of a long pole, or spar, and attached to a boat. The weapon is used by running the end of the spar into the enemy ship. Spar torpedoes were often equipped with a barbed spear at the end, so it would stick to wooden hulls...
. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
During the War of the Rebellion
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he was appointed a second assistant engineer in the navy in July 1862. In 1864 he invented the torpedo with which Lieutenant Cushing
William B. Cushing
William Barker Cushing was an officer in the United States Navy, best known for sinking the Confederate ironclad CSS Albemarle during a daring nighttime raid on October 27, 1864, a feat for which he received the Thanks of Congress.-Early life and career:Cushing was born in Delafield, Wisconsin,...
sank the Confederate armor-clad ram Albemarle
CSS Albemarle
CSS Albemarle was an ironclad ram of the Confederate Navy , named for a town and a sound in North Carolina and a county in Virginia...
. After the Confederates abandoned Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, he assisted in clearing the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
of obstructions which were impeding the advance of Admiral Porter's
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
fleet.
Following the end of the conflict, he resigned his position and traveled to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
in South America, where he was employed in mining the harbor at Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
as a defense against an expected attack by the Spanish fleet. After he returned to the United States in 1867 he perfected the Lay dirigible submarine torpedo, which he sold to the Federal government. The torpedo was used by Peru during the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
, but it wasn't successful.