Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-03-28
SUBMARINE NAVIGATION.

The diving bell was but the first
oftshoot of an idea which sought to quit the
spheres of theory to enter into the domain OF
fact No method of navigating beneath the
water had yet been attempted which could
ha ,s.slly ~r,f,i;vya EJtrrI Iju5eB OF uJIIIVy.-
There yet was wanting some inyeption, not
only to maintain the air in sub hArine ves-
sci in a respirable condition, but also some
method Of placing the diving apparatus in
mmediate contact with the submerged OBJ
ject that was intended to be visited-to com.
oihe a system of mechanic locomotion be-
meath the water, eutfi iently powerful to re
sist the action Of tho currents.
It is true, the diving bell was partially ef-
fective; it allowed man to live and breathe
beneath the surface, and allowed him to re-
new the exhausted air by means of the air
pump, but it was liable to serious accidents,
as if the tube that conveyed the air from the
surface should break or become out of order,
the life of the diver would be placed in peril
Some invention was required which would
Danish the fear of these dangerous chances,
and this object has been satisfactorily achie-
we'd by a modest savant, Doctor Payerne,
who, by means simple enough, yet infallable
in their trim, has solved this complicated
problem
The diving bell invented by Doc
tor Payerne is constructed of strong iron
plates, put together like those Of a steam
boat boiler, and able to sustain the heaviest
pressure Openings on its superior surface
receive lenticular glasses, solidly sealed, for
The purpose of atfording light The form of
the machine is nearly oval and the narrow
est end is cylyndrical and terminates in d
cone, and the upper part has a spherical
form. 1t is furnished in the upper portion
gith an opening which is capable of being
aermetically sealed, by means of a slide fas
senilg MI N yascreyg. Thick 8AEy rest tjP5alee
when the machine is submerged, so as to al
low the experimentor to walk out at the bot
tom Of the water, and several compartments
are so disposed in the interior as to admit
just such supply of air as the opera
Jor desires 1t ia unnecessary to proceed
further with this description Suffice it to
say, the boat is so nicely ballssted as to ad-
nit of It's aubmersion, while the ballast is
arranged that the slightest addition to, or
5ubstraction Of the weight at particular
compartment, allows the boat to ascend and
descend at the pleasure of the navigator
rbis method Of addition OF subtraction is Of
fected by very simple means.
The following is the plan by which the ma
chine is prepared to descend 70 the bottom
Of the water and enter upon its sub marine
labor. The air in the first place is compress
I'd into cells with which the interior Is fur
nished by means of pumps, and this air un
iergoes q pressure according to the depth it
- the intention of the operator to descend to.
The operator then enters the department
reserved for himself and lets sufficient wa
ter into the lateral departments and those
Of the fore and after portion Of the machine
to give it specific gravity, little greater
then the volume Of water it dieplaces which
allows it to sink gently to the bottom, and
At any chosen depth its further urogress
downward can be arrested by pumping our
certain quantity of the water ballast; by
means OF these pumps it can be maintained
rs if at anchor in the midst af the water, OF
sunk to the bottom. or rendered sufficiently
buoyant to rise to the surface at the plese-
ure of the submarine nsvigators on board.
rocomplete this brief description we may
add that the submarine boat is provided with
IN apparatus for keeping the air in respi
rable condition. The means Of purifcation
employed by Mr. Payerne are chemical, and
consist in absorbing the carbonic acid ga
produced by respiration, and which vitiate
The atmosphere of the boat and in restoring
the oxigin that has been consumed; and ex
| perience has shown that by the means he
uses, five men can remained closed up for
FIVE hours and half without danger, in q
space Of only about seven cubic metres
The uses TO which it may be applied are IS
follows: 1--WE should have stated that it is
furnished with locomotive apparatus In
the time of war it may be used in the de-
struction of the enemies vessels, by terrible
and certain means. In time of peace, in fish.
ing and in gathering oysters; in the fishing
up and transplantiDg Of spuDges in the fish
ing Of coral; in pearl fishing; in gathering
submarine planrs, now found to be 30 useful
in agriculture and medicine; in the con
struction of moles and jets at the bottom Of
the water; and in gathering the wealth lost
at the bottom of the sea by maritime acoi-
dents. 1t is to be hoped that this invention
may meet with the notice it merits from the
French government and people; that it will
aot be carelessly overlooked 90 that the in.
ventor will only reap tardy reward for his
genius at some distant day: perhaps receive
only posthumous honors, but that it will be
Immediately taken hold Of and applied to the
various purposes for which it seems to be Sc
singularly adapted.