United States Statutes at Large/Volume 5/27th Congress/2nd Session/Resolution 12
No. 12. Joint Resolution authorizing experiments to be made for the purpose of testing Samuel Colt’s submarine battery, and for other purposes.
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,Secretary of the Navy to render facilities to Mr. Colt to test his submarine battery, and report to Congress. That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, instructed to render Mr. Samuel Colt facilities to test his submarine battery to an extent which will settle the questions whether these or any other plan can, with ease and safety, successfully be employed as a power sufficient to destroy the largest class of ships of war, when in motion passing in or out of harbor, without the necessity of approach within reach of shot from guns of the largest caliber; and whether continued operations of the destruction of one or more vessels can be effected with renewing the means under exposure of an advancing squadron; and whether the same can be used for the defence of a harbor without endangering the passage in or out of other than hostile vessels. And that he report at the next session of Congress, the expense and result of these experiments:Proviso. Provided, That the amount so expended does not exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, to be taken from the fund appropriated by the act of eleventh of September, eighteen hundred and forty-one, for experiments connected with the naval service of the United States.
Trial of inventions to prevent the explosion of steam boilers authorized.
1843, ch. 94, § 5.
Appropriation.Sec. 2. And be it further resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized to make such experimental trial of the several inventions of Thomas M. Easton, Ethan Campbell, Aaron Quinby, or either of them, or of other persons, to prevent the explosion of steam boilers, as may be necessary to test their value and utility as applicable for the purposes aforesaid, to the steamships of the United States; and the sum of six thousand dollars is hereby appropriated therefor out of the fund heretofore named.
Approved, August 31, 1842.