Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-13
LIGHT UNDER WATER.

LXOA4 ONOG1b w Al G1Gs ELECTRIC ILLUMINATION OF THE
 DEPTHS OF THE SEA.
 An Experiment. Which Was but the Be
 ginnlng-A Search for Fish-The Elec-
 trio Light Reveals Creatures Never Be-
 fore Seen by 1Ian.
 When it was discovered that an artificial light that very closely resembles the natural light of day could be procured from electric tty, and that it could be so easily provided as to take, in great measure, the place of gas for lighting purposes, everybody was naturally astonished and thought that the electricians were the greatest men on earth. The now system was hardly old enough to be an assured success before . lot of wise men began Considering the advisability of devot- ing this light to a greater purpose than that of merely lighting up the humdrum affair of every day life.
 As an experiment. . small incandescent light was thrust beneath the water in a foun- tain. The effect was superb while it lasted, but the water managed to work its way into the globe. and the light was extinguished. This gave the electricians something to think about, and they began immediately to rack their brains for @ means of keeping the water away from the source of light. A coating of rubber was finally placed over the joint where the glass globe joins the brass holder, and over this was drawn a rubber bag that fitted tightly over the top of the globe and around the pipe through which the wire Is passed. This promised to be successful, but a brief experiment showed that the glass was not strong enough to stand the pressure of water. and, after being exposed to it for a short time, would collapse. A globe was then made of plate glass that proved able to stand the strain.
 SEARCH FOR FISH.
 For some time this was only used in light ing up fountains by way of an ornament Then it occurred to Professor Baird, of the United States fish commission, that if light could be used under water it would prove of great advantage to him in his search for fish that never allowed themselves to he caught by any of the old fashioned methods. He believed that there existed at Q great depth in the ocean various kinds of fish that had never been seen. Every boy who has ever lived near the water knows that a favorite method of catching cells is to lure them within spearing distance by bright light placed in the bow of a boat. Light not only attracts eels, but nearly everything else that lives in the water, and the professor was sure that if light could be made to live at a great depth in the water the reward would be great.
 The steamer Albatross of tho commission was provided with an engine and dynamo. A liberal supply of heavy glass globes that would hold light equal to the lighting power of 100 candles was placed on board, and, equipped with other necessary articles, such as a lot of insulated wire, Q large quan- tity of light, strong rope, and . number of heavy weights to serve as slnkers, the steamer started ont. The first attempt was unsuccess- ful, for at depth of 1000 fathoms the pres sure was so great upon the globe that 1t broke. Another trial was speedily made with heavier globes, and they were found able to stand the pressure of any depth to which they could be sunk. But the most wonderful part of this trial trip, which tool place something like three years ago, was re lated 10 Secretary Frank S. Hastings, of the Edison Electric Light company, by Professor Baird.
 At point near the Bahamas, according to the professor, the light was dropped over board and sunk by means of heavy weights to nearly 1000 fathoms below the surface On the deck of the vessel stood the crew with nets ready to drop them under the fish that were lured from their homes in the great depth. The light was allowed to remain ir the water for some time, and then it wal slowly raised. It looked like the reflection ot . star in the water at first, and its rays were seen, and in them were visible the forms oi darting fish The light soon lit up tho water for twenty feet around, and a weird assnrt nnent of fish that had never before buen heard of was seen. When near the surface the eu trails of some of these fish burst from thei, mouths. 1.-The professor ascribed this" said Mr. Hastings, ito the inward pressure. Na ture had made them 50 that they could livs In the great depths in which they were found and when this pressure of the deep water wa, removed there was a counteracting forct 1 that killed them" RARE AND CURIOUS sPEcIMENR The dead fish wsre just as useful for thu l purpose for which the professor wanted then as live ones, and he gathered in a grea, many rare and curious specimens without much trouble. The light was also used t< l good purpose for discovering the variou 1 depths in which different kinds of fish lived The cost of fitting up . steamer with tn l necessary apparatus to produce electric igh is about s1,500, but this first cost would b counterbalanced by tho cheapness of tn ] light it would produce. The cost of light l roughly estimated, would not be within one
 
 | of lighting.
 The United States torpedo station at New port is experimenting with electricity ii order to expose by its rays any obstruction that might lie in the path of vessel. Tn experiments have reached that point wher' | it is certain that the water can be readil, illuminated for . space sufficiently great t show @ passage for vessel The difficulty in regard to the propelling of this light at
 distance sufficiently far ahead to enable
 vessel to swerve from its course or come to
 full stop before striking revealed obstruc tion- The dea of these experiments is t show, in times of war, expl osives that Ii l beneath the water.
 1 In the West Indies and the Bahamas, ,wher valuable shells and sponses lie deep in tn water, the searchers after these articles hay box with glass bottom. The top is open
 In the box is placed . lamp, and then th l glass bottom is pressed down in the wate