Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-04
A DIVERS DESCRIPTION
OF THE COSTUME WORN WHILE
UNDER THE WATER.
Going Down to the Bottom a the Sea.
The Diving Dress Invented ~ . Native
of SwitzerlAnd-Signalin While Under

The Diving Dress Invented ~ q Native
of Switzerland-Signalin While Under
watss.
81 first began diving in 1863" said Capt.
Anthony Williams, the famous English diver.
81 was wrecker then, and was raising
sunken ship OF the coast of Cornwall l had
working for me q diver who seemed a very
lazy, careless sort Of fellow. | was paying
him by the day, and once, after being under
water for long time, he came up and re-
ported very little progress in his work was
angry and expressed myself strongly. He
retorted with: TRY it yourself If YOU can
do any better
"sAg right said I, Set me have your div
ing dress and l viii try it myself He
thought I was only joking. but wasr't. He
DOTTED the dress, put it on and down went
I discharged him when l came up ana have
been doing my own diving ever sincs.
ibid you ever see a diving dressa MOI
Then 1 VIII put mine on and give you an idea
of one" and the captain retired t. his state
room, whence he presently emerged IN full
diving costume, except the heavy cast iron
helmet, which several Of the company raised
from the deck and placed upon him, thus
making his outfit complete. The dress is
really two dresses, one within the other, each
Of India rubber. The stockings, pants and
shirt are all made together as one garment,
which the diver enters at the neck, feet first
TIE hands are left bare, tho wrist bands Of
the rubber shirt sleeves tightly COMPRISING
the wrists. There is a copper breast plate,
bearing upon its outer convex surface small
screws which are adjusted thr ough holes in
the neck OF the shirt, whica by means Of
nuts fastened upon the screws, is held SO
firmly In place as to render tn. entire dress,
from the neck downward, absolutely air and
water tight Fitting with Equal closeness
to this breast plate is the hei.uet mentioned
above. 1t completely encloses the head and
is supplied with three glasses-one in front
and Que at each side-to enable the diver TO
look In any direction A pair of very thick
leather shoes, made to lace up the front, and
supplied with heavy leaden soies, completes
the outfit.
You see" said the captain. when his
helmet had been removed, after everybody
had had ample time to criticise bis appear
ance IN 1t, lit takes about fifteen minutes to
put these toys on, and whAn the diver is
rugged IN them all but the helmet there are
placed across his shoulders ropes sustaining
two leaden weights, ono hanging at his back,
che other at his breast. He then goes down a
ladder into the water up to his armpits. and
then the helmet is placed on him, the glass in
front is screwed in place, and when every
thing is made ready he is made aware of the
fact by blow on the top Of the helmet. He
then goes down by means OF a rope previously
lowered, hand under hand, 90 the bottom Of
the ct inc inv
it is necessary to make the weights extraor-
dinarily heavy in order to hold the diver
down, notwithstanding the fact that the
dress alone weighs nearly 900 pounds, and
Yet | do not feel the weight of it down
among the fishes any more than do that Of
TN ordinary suit of clothes opt of the water
1t was invented in Switzerland by native
Of that country named Bauer, who spent q
small competency il having IL patented and
in trying 20 bring it into Use, but he died a
disappointed, heart broken pauper, leaving
Others to reap the benefit of his invention
"Can you breathe as freely il your diving
dress as you can OUT OF itF'
"Yes, indeed. When ten or twelve faith
oms under water my breathing is as wholly
devoid Of effort as it is when am walking
about on dry land. You know that by
means of an air pump. worked by two men.
the diver is supplied with air Through q
hose this air passes into the back of his nel.
met, and near its place Of entrance Is q
spring valve for its escape. This valve can
be controlled by the diver, but he usually
sets it before going into the water, and sell
dom disturbs 1t afterward. The pressure Of
the air being greater than that of the water,
q surplus Of the former readily escapes
When this valve is not sufficient, the diver
can open III his breastplate a similar spring
valve, in5sn6ed only for such an emergency.
He can also regulate the amount Of air
pumped to him by signals upon the air hose
10 the men engaged in pumping. One pull
upon the hose means more air; two pulls,
less air, and two pulls and a shake II want
to come up" These signals on the air hose
are generally used by all divers, but each
one of Us has his own private code Of signals
On the life line, which is always fastened to
the divers waist, and by means OF which he
Is drawn up out Of water. These signals
each diver writes down very carefully and
gives to the man IL charge of the life lima
By means of these we can send up for tools,
material etc. When lengthy conlnunina>
ton is to DE made we send up for slate and
write all we want to say. 1t is just as easy
10 read and write under water as out OF it
One can see very plainly. all objects be-
ing greatly nagnified n-Geo:frry WilUston
Christine In Chicago Journal
An Unwelcome Guest