Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-22
,,Isx.nrs lnoS.rIrrED Diver.
r,,sf piusrs of sne Ssw rorpcdo-
Boat nauriius.

These were some OF the nerye-tIckling
comments hurled yesterday after
Be,ald reporter who chsnccd to be a.
Fort Hamilton. in the Narrows, and
v.s about TO undertake a weird trip l.
the bottom Of the bay on board Of
Lieutenant Zalinski's iron-tipped sub
marine torpedo-boat, the Nauiiius. The
people on the dock could afford to bo
f.cetioui--they were not going down
into the depths. The reporter was, aud
his answering laugh therefore sounded
vtrbsps little forced and rasPy, but 1t
YES we'll intended.
The Nautilus has been " tied up
for n long time at the Government pier
At Fort Hamilton. Experiments have
been carried on meanwhile With great
activity by Lieutenant ZslInski and By
Mr.. Joseph Holland, an engineer work
inf under the direction Of his brother,
Mr.. John Holland, Of this city, who
hiss perfected the engines on board.
Yesterdays trial trip was intended to
test the Value Of the experiments 80
long going on, and which 1t was Judged
had sufficiently progressed to warrant
4" dive"
- q is SUBMARINE MONSTER.
TIE reporter asked permission 10 take
this FIRST dive. The Lieutenant said
"You can 20 II you think you want
to chance it,
The crew " Of the boat was promptly
on hand. u consisted Of one msn--s
youthful. neryy fellow. selected for MS
utter disregard for the dangers Of the
deep, and who has gained the apDella-
ton Of "The Dynsmiter." Ito de-
scended into the boat, which lay in the
water rolling easily on the long sgells
sent out by the oft-pss,ins steamer.
The little craft lool cd ike huge cigar
- ..,,. ,a--~sa- ro'..-.' %. ...a
ends. The reporter next iol'ored e.
.l.. .a.o Dc tarf-t-11i- SGD 81. 81 sy,-
Joined by Lieutenant Lllinsk and the
Holland brothers.
In a few minutes the engine was
started. Tho throb and thumP Of is
working and the short pulls from ths
air valves we're psiniully loud in the
" cabin" This cir compressor has
lately been perfected, and, though the
boat is not constructed with any other
idea than to demonstrate the theory 80
long sgo advanced that submarine sail
ing is practicable, a speed Of nine miles
an hour has been obtained. Ii worked
perfectly. The air IS compressed by
means Of it until the tubes on the port
side have pressure Of eighty-fye
pounds per inch and on the opposite
something less.
"Close the turret," said the Lied
tenant.
TIE LAST LOOK on SHORE.
A last look outside revealed a few
soldiers and civilians on the wharf and
a nan lolling On his oars in rowboat
watching tho monster. Ia obedience
TO the order the cap TO the turret was
swung around by an inside lever, and
stout clamps inside soon fastened it
firmly down so rs to exclude the water.
Only the light which driftet in through
a bull's.eye and a row Of small dead
lights illumibed the cabin, and candles
were indispensable.
" Open your valve "
The crew turned stop-cock. Water
from the bay rushed into the water
chambers, enyelCping the cabin, aud
into the diving-bell, and the boat began
to descend, with a slight fitting for
ward, where the eight hundred pounds
in the diying-bell helped to bear it
down. Or the inside could be heard
the FLASHING and tapping Of the water
as the waves washed up within tho
walls to the turret. Then the water
covered the shell entirely and the stern
settled more evenly with the bow. The
turret was soon half under. Down
went the boat faster and faster. and in
moment more wave washed COM
plstely over its top.
That vas a queer sensation.
1t caused the breath to come quick
snd short for minute and everybody
tried to be jolly.
1--WE cot a bucket Of water here"
volunteered the Lieutenant, 'but We
haven't any provisions"
4 nice prospect. 1t is very easy TO
sink a boat, but to raise her is the
question. And something to eat would
be handy, in case the diver could not
rise. 10 last until search parties could
haul it to the surface, for her machinery
might not work right. And while
these thoughts bodied up sereuely"
in one's mind, tho motion Of the waves
was no longer felt, for the boat was en-
tiiely submerged. The engine was not
working, and tie boat was at rest on
the bottom Of the bay. Thus was re-
allied, though only in degree, Jules
Yernes imaginative Twenty Thou
sand Leagues Under the Sea-"
1t needed only sliding panel in the
side to be opened and disclose the Won
ders Of the submarine depths. Fish
were perhaps nosiDg about the smooth
sides of the conical craft in wonder or
scurIyihg away from it IN terror.
DOWN IN THE DEPTHS.
The panel scheme would be a good
one, but in lieu of it the - headlights s"
were handy. No fish, however, were
70 be seen through them, but dead
leaves and seageed hoated about be-
meath the surface, moved by the out
going tide. Looking up through the
bull's-eye in the crown Of the roof, the
water was lighter. The SUMS rays
drifted down through it, making it
translucent, and objects, like shadows,
passing on the surface cast below them
deeper shadow still, which looked
queer in the weird, greeuish waters.
The water was twelve feet deep there
abou;s. The Nautilus, submerged, or
dinarlly draws six feet. An easy cal
culation showed the depth Of the boat.
A yacht might sail over 1t.
And now an odd feeling became no.
ticesble. The compressed air liberated
into the cabin " rendered the atmos-
pheIe denser than under normal condi-
tons, and there was a ringing in the
ears of those on board. Perspiration