TIMBY, Theodore Ruggles, inventor, born in Dover, New York, 5 April, 1822. He received a common-school education, and spent his youth on a farm. At an early age he developed inventive faculty, and in 1836 made a practicable working model of a floating dry-dock, which was condemned by nautical experts as impracticable in tidal waters. The first sight of the circular form of Castle Williams on Governor's island, in the harbor of New York, suggested to him the idea of the revolving plan for defensive works, and in April, 1841, he went to Washington and exhibited a model and plans of a revolving battery, to be constructed of iron, to the chief of engineers and chief of ordnance of the United States army. This model and plans were also submitted to John C. Calhoun and other officials in Washington. In January, 1843, he made a model of a marine turret, and at that time filed a caveat in the United States patent-office for a metallic revolving fort, to be used on land or water, and to be revolved by propelling engines located within the same, acting upon suitable mechanism. From January, 1841, till 1861 Mr. Timby urged the importance of his plans upon the proper authorities at Washington and elsewhere, but without satisfactory results, although in 1848 a favorable report was made to the secretary of war and indorsed by the chief of the ordnance bureau. Meanwhile, in 1856, he exhibited his plans to Napoleon III., and received some encouragement, but without practical result. In September, 1862, after developing many modifications of his original idea, he took out letters-patent covering the broad claim for "a revolving tower for defensive and offensive warfare, whether placed on land or water," and in the same year he entered into a written agreement with the contractors and builders of the original "Monitor" for the use of his patents, covering the revolving turret, by which they agreed to pay him a royalty of $5,000 on each turret that they constructed. These facts show beyond a doubt that Mr. Timby is the original patentee of the revolving turrets, and that he was recognized as such by John Ericsson, the designer of the "Monitor" and similar iron-clad vessels. Among the elaborations and developments of the original idea of the revolving tower which he has perfected from time to time are the cordon of revolving towers across a channel (1861); a mole and tower system of defence (1880); the planetary system of revolving towers (1880); the subterranean system of defence (1881); and the revolving tower and shield system (1884), all of which he has patented in this and other countries. Mr. Timby invented and patented in 1844 the American turbine water-wheel, which was a success, and in 1861 he devised the method, now in universal use, of firing heavy guns by electricity, as well as other inventions of practical utility. The degree of A. M. was conferred on him by Madison university in 1866, and that of S. D. by the University of Wooster, Ohio, in 1882. Mr. Timby founded in February, 1888, "Congress," a monthly journal, in Washington, D. C., and has prepared for the press a collection of didactic and philosophical prose and verse entitled "Beyond."