Your reading to much into my statement...as it stands now, the ONLY known physical evidence of the subs demise is the hole in the conning tower. They know that the sub took on sediment from the forward position of the sub, at a rapid rate. They know the hole was caused from the outside. They know the porthole flange that held the seal was made from a cast iron that Civil War era rifled/musket balls could shatter. The porthole was the only thing in the water emitting light and clearly visable by the deck watches onboard the USS Housatonic from only yards away -who reported that they fired at the object.

The combat damage may not have caused the immediate sinking of the sub, but may have caused them to perform an act that did.

The sub was found on the bottom facing into the natural current of the harbor. Several yards in front of the Hunley archaeologist found a graphnel anchor from the period, set in the floor of the harbor, pointing toward the bow of the Hunley as if it were holding the sub in place. This also may have contributed to the sub sinking, and very rapidly as it was demonstrated. The Hunley could have filled with water so fast that the crew had no time to move, or they could not because they were incapable of reacting.

None of this is proven. No evidence has been found the sub sank due to its design or a collision with another vessel. Even if the torpedo prematurely detonated at a depth of 5 to 10 feet, and 100 feet away (as witnessed), 50lbs of black powder should not have damaged the Hunley which was near the surface and safe from extreme water pressure. If 10 pounds of TNT (Blackpowder is %40 the power of an equal amount of TNT)detonated at a depth of 15 feet does not exceed 87 psi at 30 feet on the surface, the Hunley should have been safe at 100 feet from 50lbs blackpowder.

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David Upton