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Isaac Beeckman, wrote in 1620 ”A day or two later I received a letter from my father, in which he wrote to me that DREBBEL had developed a boat in England, with which he could sail above and below water as he wished.

The first real submarine capable of operating underwater was tested by Cornelis Drebbel, a Dutch inventor and engineer. Drebbel's submarine was built in the early 17th century, around 1620-1624, under the patronage of King James I of England.

Drebbel's submarine was a wooden vessel covered in greased leather to make it watertight. It was propelled by oars that extended through waterproof seals, allowing it to move underwater. The vessel reportedly made several successful test dives in the River Thames, with Drebbel piloting the submarine on at least one occasion. These tests demonstrated the feasibility of underwater navigation, making Drebbel's submarine the first documented operational submarine in history.