Let us suppose a flatbottomed boat, whose bow forms an inclined plane with the bottom, at rest in still water.
"On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures"
Charles Babbage
And still further to divert the enemy's attention from the proper seat of danger, he also prepared thirty-two flatbottomed boats, upon which there were only fireworks burning, and whose sole object was to deceive the enemy.
"The Revolt of The Netherlands, Complete"
Frederich Schiller