The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-21

CLsAsisa the BorroMs OF rHE MONITOR,
A letter in Northern paper from a cores
pendent Of Charleston deecribss the c,aan;us
of bottoms of ths iroa e!sds in the haraor
watch have becoSs very much foalsd, I,
SAYS:
The principal diSer-spprcpria;e,s namei
uats-e-is So pssd - this work tbs. hs hes
become ssniost amphi5ious, remaining For i,a
~ ak heuTs 81 time unisr water A maa @,
asrca,esn strength and proportions. waen clad
sn lis saams-Ine arrror he becomes monstroua
- eizs and appearance. a more SINGULAR
s3.h; tasn 10 see him roll OF tumble in the
voter aad disappear from sight; or popping
NJ. blowing, 50 the air eecapes from bic he i.
Irst, Ike whsle, can ssarcs,v be imagined
Naie-s has HE own IDEAS OF johs, and when
Re ssa curious audieIce will wave his .cra-
per seoot as - he hobs around" in the water
Fiih ths air OF veritsble river sod. Oas CT
rs test Jokss-the better for being a We ritsbta
fsei-oceurTei isss summer While he wss
saPloysd scssping sns hull of one of III
Monitors, negro from one of ths UP river
ra2tstions came alongside with boat load Of
ws;ermslons Walls busy sailing HE raslons
tae diver csms no, and rested himself OF tbs
sis Of the boat
Inc negro stared at the extraordinary ap-
roAfance thus suddenly coming out OF the
diver seized one of the best melons In the
bat, and disappeared under the water, the
sErEIug OF the air froIa the helmet MIXING
VIII The mufHed laughter, the FRIGHT of tho
negro reached climi1. Hastily seiz;np his
OARS, without waiting to be paid for his r,e-
.oEs, lie pat oil at his host speed, and has
not been seen in the vicinity of Station
Greek since ne cannot be tempted beyond
the bounds OF the plantation, and believes
r1s. the Yankees have brought river devils
- aid them In making war
The diver when clothed In his srmor, is
weighted with Isl pounds. Beside his armor
he Las TWO leaden pads fitted 10 his breast
and back. The soles of his shoes are ofleaS,
IN inch aud q half thick. All this weight is
nee4ed 10 overcome the buoyancy given by
che mass Of sir forced into the armor ana
dress, the latter Of india rubber, worn By the
diver. When below the surface he can In
stantly bring himself up by closing momer-
earily the aperture in the helmet for the es-
cape Of the air. His buoyapcyi s immedia.e>
y increased, and he pops up like cork and
foats st viii upon the surface. The work Of
scrapiEg tie bottoms Of the monitors is very
arGU0us,
The diver siss upon spa. dashed a.hwar,
ale bottom o. the vessel so arranged ss to be
moved So ths work progre.ses, aud with g
ss-aPsr 61ad 70 "a Ion. handle wcIks en- both
,sidss u him self as far As &c Can reach. The
mas OF oysters that teecms attached 10 the
iron bulls OF enc 81 tbs Monitors, even Guriry
tie sunmer here, is imrn sase BE- scsaei
u.sasu-emeusi: was estimated that $50 bust
q oys eEs, sde'!s, aud s-awesa were taksti
from tic bottom Of the IoHsauk alone. TIE
oap;-iEs 81 'as Monitors have some .iIaes in.
c-iSt III the novelty Of mass Of oyste.s
II 5ed en- the hulls Of THAR own vssseis.
Beside cleaning tbs Moai'ors. the dvers
perform other III poTta1t Ssrvicsa They have
r4gs2oked the Interior OF the K-osuk. attached
tloys - lost anchors, aid mads undsr.w water
sx'lins:ions OF the rebel obs,ruc:ors Waters
veesnly sxsniacG the sunseu Wsehawken,
sal Let an rnusual danger for evan his peril
OF: calling. Tie sea- was 20 violent III !: he
uas l~lee thrown from !he de- OF ihs u nDi
~ Finally, getting hold # th. iron Ia ,der,
r climbed 20 the top Of she iu:ie,. when
h-ssy seA czas bin iaside the turr.t between
Ia guns Fearing .hs. his sir mesa wcuid be
r:;ua eAtang.ed, 30 made his way cut with all
possible speed, and vas foreed TO give mp his
investigations Until Gamer wesihe. offered
l5fs fsTors.le opportunity.