Morgan Robertson (Oswego, 1861 - Atlantic City, 1915). He was an American officer of the merchant navy, as well as a writer and possible inventor of the periscope. He is popularly known as the man who in 1898 wrote the novel Futility or The Sinking of the Titan. In the same way, he wrote in 1914 the novel entitled Beyond the Spectrum, forecast of a future war between the United States and Japan, including a sneak attack the Japanese. The story coincides with the confrontation of the USA and Japan in World War II and the attack on Pearl Harbor by that Asian country, events that occurred years after the publication of the book. On March 24, 1915, Robertson was found dead in his room at the Alamac Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was 53 years old. It is believed that he died of an overdose of protiodide (mercury iodide).