Biographical entry Lay, John Louis (1832 - 1899)

Born
1832
Buffalo, New York, United States of America
Died
1899
Occupation
Engineer and Inventor

Summary

John Louis Lay was an American engineer who designed naval weapons during the American Civil War.

In 1864 he invented the spar torpedo which was proved effective almost immediately upon the sinking by Lieutenant Cushing of the Confederate armor-clad ram Albemarle in October of the same year. In 1867 he presented his improved design and it was purchased by the American government.

The torpedo was also used by the Peruvian government.

Details

Chronology

July 1862 -
Career event - Appointed a second assistant engineer in the navy
1864
Career event - Invented the spar torpedo that sank the Albermarle
1867
Career event - Spar torpedo design purchased by the American federal government

Related entries

Related Glossary Terms

Published resources

Book Sections

  • Mitman, Carl W., 'Lay, John Louis (1832-1899)', in Malone, Dumas (ed.), Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 11, Humphrey Milford and Oxford University Press, London, 1933, pp. 64-65. Details

Journal Articles

  • 'Locomotive torpedoes', The Engineer, vol. 65, 24 February 1888, p. 147. Details
  • Ericsson, Captain J, 'Movable torpedoes', Engineering, vol. 15, 7 February 1873, pp. 107-108. Details

Letters Patents

  • Lay, J. L., Improvement in electro-magnetic steering apparatus for submarine torpedo-boats, United States Patent Office., 1877. Details
  • Lay, J. L., Improvement in electro-magnetic steering apparatus for submarine boats, United States Patent Office., 1877. Details

Newspaper Articles

  • 'Torpedo experiments in the Bosphorus', The Times, 27 October 1882, p. 5. Details
  • 'John Lay dies destitute', New York times, 21 April 1899, p. 5. Details

Sources used to compile this entry: 'John Lay dies destitute', New York times, 21 April 1899, p. 5; Mitman, Carl W., 'Lay, John Louis (1832-1899)', in Malone, Dumas (ed.), Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 11, Humphrey Milford and Oxford University Press, London, 1933, pp. 64-65.

Prepared by: Rebecca Rigby