The true Democrat., 1856-12-09
Submarine Operations,

An invention has just been brought to light, which is, in all probability, destined to be of in caiculable value in submarine operations and to supercede the diving bells and other ma chnery now in use. It is the work of Ma Jor Sears formerly of the United States navy. now of New Yolk city, and is called the Nau- illus On Thursday last large crowd, among whom were many of the prominent scientific and public men of the east, assembled bv in vtation of the inventor at Glen Cove. Lono Island, to witness a trial of the new invention. It worked admirably, we are told, fulfilling all that was claimed for it by Major Sears. The New York Herald thus describes the Nautilus and its operation:
 The Nautilus in external form is almost round, or, as Senator Hale aptly termed it. "a water balloon" It is about ten feet in diame- ter, by seven feet deep, and weighs ten tons A pecullarlty, as compared with the old fash toned diving bell Is that it enters from the top; species ot iron trap door screws down when all are in, and when the machine is at the bot tom, another and larger door opens in the base so as to proceed with the works reuuired. - ONH'S'SSN or on land and is communicated to the Nauti, us by an immensely powerful hose of thick India rubber, strong enough to withstand a pressure of 200 pounds to the square inch this is affixed to the machine, and communicated by valves inside to the working and water chamb berS Alter entering and closing the top of the machine, water valves were opened which cause the Nautilus to sink; air is taken | mt ha bor equal to that of the water without; the door of the bottom is then raised in order to move up- on the ground The operators step upon the bottom and carry the machine with them, or in current way cables passing from wndlasses in side, effect the desired movement. To lift stone, hook placed on the bottom is affixed to the stone, condensed air is then thrown into the water chambers and the water is expelled until the weight of the stone is overcome. Ii IS then moved in any direction, and, by the re. admission of water, Is again deposited In one of the experiments we saw performed. a stone weighing five tons was lifted, moved horizon tally between twenty and thirty feet. and then deposited. The time occupied in going under water, bringing the stone to tbe surface. (twen- ty-two feet) then moving going down and de- | posting, and returning again to the surface I 1l- titus will lay $500 cubic feet of stone per diem at cost of $35, being less, according to the opinion of engineers, than the cost of the same work upon terra firma. The average cost of submarine constructions is 1611 cents the cubic foot while with the Nautilus, as demonstrated yesterday. it is but one cent All other works are in like proportion; the blasting of rocks may be done by 1t as cheaply as in a quarry. It's adaptablllty to the examination of shp,s hot. toms, to determine the necessity of docking. according to the opinion of Captain Comstock of the Baltic, will effect the saving of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Its utility m pearl, coral and sponge fishing was remarka- ply demonstrated. gentleman largely enga- ged Tn pearl operations in the Pacific obsery ed that there was no limit to its value for that pupose. Pearl shell may be gathered by it at the rate of from two to three tons per day to each machine; this has been proved by actual experiment. in Panama and California. Shells according to prices current, are worth from S156 to $6OO ton.
 With regard to lifting submerged vessels the capacity of the pump demonstrates that the largest class of ships may be raised within three hours after attachment is made.
 In order to test the "feeling' in the Nautilus l6O persons went down yesterday, of whom 40 were ladies. We oursclf entered the tran set for us, with feelings of msgiving, and soon found ourself ore of twelve ndividuals- two being ladies' Thciron door was screwed down, and immediately on descending a noise like the near letting off of steam dinned our ears; but this very unpleasant sensation was re- lleved by going through the operation of swal lowing. We got down before we knew it. and the engineer lifted the door of the bottom and disclosed to us about six inches of muddy wa ter. When we had gratifed our curiosity dur ing some five minutes, and obtained number oi shells as relics, the door was replaced, and we shot up to the surface the observation be- ing made by one of the ladies that she could stay down all day. Everybody was more than satisfied though few understood the rationale of the inventions or the peculiarties of it's construction as compared with the diving bell,