Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-04-05
THE SUBMARINE LIFE OF A PRO
FESSIONAI. DIVER.
From the Cairo (Ili) Democrat


About twenty years ago Hiram Hill, then
well-known in Cairo, accepted employment
on Messrs. Eads & Nelson's wrecking or
submarine bell boats. In time he was in
stalled as diver, and as such we propose to
speak of him.
He remained in the employment OF
Messrs. Eads & Nelson period Of eighteen
years. lie is now on Messrs. Dugan & Cos,
Underwater, where we saw him yesterday,
and learned something of the life of Il
diver.
The use Of a bell, in diving, is now dis
carded. The diver wears water tight ar
NOR over his entire person, except the head,
which is covered by an inverted metallic
pot, IN which the head can turn and move
at ease. Thick, transparent glass is fixed
in front to serve as windows; and to pre-
vent accident this glass is protected by steel
guards or tenders. Equipped in this ar
NOR, the diver puts on pair of lead soled
shoes, weighing each twenty pounds, lashes
to his back and breast a piece of lead
weighing forty pounds, attaches the tube,
through which he receives air, TO the back
of his head-pot, and then is ready for his
submarine explorations. He generally de-
oCChAo W DOlbOih VI bllC IlNcL ny
use of ladder, bat can, without mourning
any risk, jump from the boat and sink to
the bottom. The moment he disappears un-
der water the air pump commences its
work of supplying him with constant
stream of fresh air. Ii, at any time, the
air creates too great pressure upon him,
the pressure is relieved by self-acting
valve, fixed at the side of the head. 1.-THE
pump does not furnish sufficient air, the
diver indicates the fact by signs, and the
supply is increased.
Mr.. Hill informs US that he has remain
ed under water five hours at a time. The
great weight of lead fastened upon his feet
and body is necessary to counterfeit the
buoyancy of the air furnished him by the
pump. While on the boat, the armor and
weights form load for a strong man,
Under water they impose no realizable
weight, and in no way impede motion.
Mr.. Hill informs us that he has, while un-
der water, often clambered up stanchions,
jumped down hatchways, distance oftwelve
and fifteen, feet with much greater ease and
less risk than he might have performed the
same feats out of water. Taking with him
his tools, he has frequently worked, for
hours at a time, patching up the bottoms
of snagged steamers, saving boards, boring
holes, driving nails, etc, with perfect ease
and accuracy. When the water is clear he
can recognize shapes at distance of two
or three feet, and at distance of six inches
he can determine the different kinds of
timber. When the rivers are high and the
water is muddy, everything is impenetra-
bly, black, rendering it immaterial whether
his eyes are open or shut. But, with him,
the character of the water is immaterial.
He has been at the business so long that
by the mere sense of touch he can instantly
determine what portion of the wreck he is
exploring; can cork up cracks, or patch
up holes can determine the character of
the sunken cargo; pass from hatch TO hatch
through the hold, and do everything else
under water that an expert blind man
might do on the land. He says that he
breathes full and satisfactorily; that there
is no sitting sensation, no odds how long
he remains under. Indeed, so accustomed
is he to life and labor under water, that he
feels somewhat lost when his stay on land
is protracted. He is of opinion that
about three years of his life have been
spent under water-yet he has no scales
on bis body, No sign of fins or gills-not
even web feet He liz, to all intents and
purposes, a human being, not even par
taking of the nature of mer-man-Or any
other fish