The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-17
IT THE RIVERS BOTTOM
DIVING WITH DYNAMITE TO BLOW
UP SUNKEN VESSELS.

VI 0OAN A1l<N N1kO0E14O.
-6s submarine Operations in the sa
vannah Harbor-Ons Hundred and
Ffty Pounds Of Dynamite Exploded
Under a Sunken Barge in the
wrecks Channel Yesterday-Diver
charles W. Johnston's Experiences =
Be Tsns Of the Loss of the "De
Braak" ana the Golden Gate"-Ex-
psditions in Search of Treasure
Buried in the Dominions of Old Nep-
tuue-Pearl Fisheries and Sponge
Diving.
The submarine operations which have
SAen going on in the har5or above and
h.low the city for several weeks have about
removed the old wrecks which have been
for the last quarter of a century, and some
Of them for more than a century, dangerous
Instructions to navigation.
The blowing up of the steamers Habersham
and Miledgeville below the city removed
two historic wrecks. The removal of what
is supposed to have been a British vessel,
opposite the Vale Royal mills, sunk during
the attack Of the American aud French
forces upOu gHC Al W DICN6ub ChDI-
ure. and from which a number of interest
ing relicS-cannon shot aud parts of guns
were rescued, wss accomplished last week.
BLOWING UP A WRECK.
Contractor Charles w. Johnston of
Lewes, DEL, who has charge Of the re-
moyal of the wrecks for the government. is
now at work on sunken barge in the
Wrecks Channel just OF Fig Island jetty,
about two miles below the city. Between
$50 and 200 pounds Of dynamite were ex-
ploded on the wreck yesterday, tearing
loose timbers which have lain at the bottom
Of the river since the civil war, when the
barge was sunk as an obstruction. The
wreck is in about twenty feet of water.
Mr.. Johnston is diver of long experience.
When a MORNING NEWS reporter went
alongside his boat yesterday in batteau
from the ferry boat Eureka, Mr.. Johnston
was down below adjusting a charge Of
dynamite under mass OF refractory tim
bers and bolts, in spot likely to do great
execution. A jerk on the lifeline in his
assistants hand was the signal for him to
pull in. At the end of the line was the
diver, who appeared like huge amphibian
above the surface clad in suit yellow from
the mud III the river and with a glistening
metallic head from which the
diver looked through thick glass
windows, or what at first glance looked
like immense eyes. The copper dome was
unscrewed from his head and the bronzed
and good natured features of Mr. Johnston
appeared. He had placed a ten-pound
charge of dynamite under the sunken
wreck.
THE EXPLOSION.
The wires connecting the cartridges with
the battery in the boat were connected, the
anchor line was pulled in, dragging the
boat to a safe distance, and everything
in readiness, the lever of ths
battery was pressed and simultaneously
shock like the tremor of an earthquake
was felt, and following it a huge body of
water was thrown by the tremendous force
OF the explosion to a hight of twenty or
more feet, leaving crater into which the
surrounding waters rushed. 1t was the
work OF a second. The disturbance was
most severely felt within a radius Of 100
feet, then it subsidized, except the motion,
which was felt for minute or two. and
the debris of the wreck, huge timbers and
shattered plank, came up in all directions.
SEEING THE RESULTS.
As soon as the wreckage was clear Mr..
Johnston donned his copper helmet and his
diving dress and dropped over the side of
the boat to see the results of the explosion.
In half an hour another charge of dynamite
was placed under the wreck, and was ex-
pleded with similar results.
The dynamite is used In half-pound
cylindered cartridges about eight inches
long and one inche through, tied
together in bunch, making q charge as
large or small as is desired. Each cartridge
Is connected by fuse, ending in fulmina-
ting cap, with the main wire leading to the
battery in the boat tire main wire being
Ddl1 ont n FQai Uhafnxrots 1avaorfh y a.
desired, in order to place the boat at safe
distance from the explosion.
DIVERS APPARATUS.
The apparatus used by Mr.. Johnston in
diving is the latest>improved diving dress.
made Of rubber cloth, covered with canvas
strong metal helmet, with round pieces of
plate glass in front, rests upon pad on the
shoulders. The air is supplied to the helmet
ny means OF rubber tube connected with a
pump on the boat. A belt of leaden weights
Is worn around the waist and huge iron
Soled shoes On the feet. In this suit the diver
walks on the bottom of the river as easily
as IN the ordinary suit of clothes on
Iano, and in ordinary diving is able to see at
some distance, but in the Savannah river
the water is too thick and muddy to see
anything, and everything has to be done by
feeling. MIR. Johnstou's knowledge of SUBJ
marine engineering is extensive, and has
peen gained by lengthy experience.
EARLY HISTORY OF DIVING.
Diving in its present developed state is the
outcome OF the past thirty or forty years !;
puU IL was not. as is generally supposed, un-
Khown to the ancents. 1t is very likely
thaE the earliest divers of whom mention is
maze relied wholly upon their lungs while
moIAlng under wafer and it seems probable
tnat the work done by them was insignifi-
cant, as 1t was impossible to stay under
water more than one or two minutes, and.
time.
Inc elephant when swimming across lakes
ana rivers instinctively raises his trunk, and
.nls actlon may have suggested the idea Of
AL ar tube with floating funnel attached.
r DIVERS were employed at the siege of
roy Dy the Greeks. The defenders are
sdI1 10 nave protected the front of their
1 mallS on the sea face by huge blocks of
s s intended to prevent the approach of
.ue boats OF the Greeks, loaded with
"a apults and other destructive engines of
%aI. Inc sssailauts were much annoyed
W ,"orkmen under the water who came out
oIu cut their cables. Divers were also en-
hioteu at the siege of Syracuse, and there
n ~ .Ie authority of Plutarch that they were
S'0u ID Egypt at the time of Cleopatra.
THE DIVING BELL.
-. 70 leave the mythical realms of antiquity
T %H1 70 come down to the middle ages; in
CO.. Nv Two Greeks showed in the presence of
Hhuarles V. and his court at Toledo, Spain,
s sne principle Of the diving bell They de-
So eaued into the water in large inverted
n9.Gie heavily loaded with metal at the rim,
w. ~. =. burning candle between them, and