The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-15
sPONG DIVERS GO TO WAR.
Greek Experts Furnish the Worlds
supply OF High-Grade Goods.
From the New York Times.

FROM the view 1 Ofk Times.
The war between Greece and Turkey
will have marked effect on the importa-
ton of high-grade sponges. The finest in
the world. particularly the costly cup
sponges, come from Greece. Several hun
bred divers, who make a living the year
round at their trade, have quit work and
Joined the army.
The cleverest sponge divers In the West
Indies cannot equal the experts at Hydra
Greece. The diving bell has supplanted
the individual deep-water experts to some
extent, but the best specimens are found
hidden away in the depths by men who
cling to the old-fashioned method of div
ing from boats.
Stories told of feats of these divers are
almost incredible, J. e. Leousi of the Lee
bess Sponge Company, 81 Maiden Lane,
spends a great deal of his time each year
in Greece, and frequently goes out with
the divers employed by the firm. He told
a reporter of the New York Times that
an expert Greek diver thought nothing of
plunging to a depth of 200 feet from the
side of a vessel and remaining under
water two and one-half minutes before he
came to the surface, with the sponge in
a bag attached to his waist, and a knife
in his hand.
Sometimes the men are overcome by the
immense pressure of the water, and blood
issues from their nose and ears. Thus,
before making the dive, which is held by
a man indthe boat. Long practice has en-
abled the latter to tell in a moment when
anything is wrong, and he loses no time in
pulling his man to the surface. Another
man, stripped ready for work. is standing
by to take his place.
Sponges are much like diamonds; their
value depends largely on their shape and
texture. The finest for bathing and toilet
purposes come from Greece. very small
cup sponge costs $150 at retail and they
run all the way from that price to SIS.
Druggists who have rich customers are
constantly on the lookout for special or
ders.
The best wearing carriage sponge comes
from Florida and the West Indies. OF
late years there had been a demand for
them from abroad for this sort of work,
as against the competition of the Medit-
erranean sponges. But the finest sponges,
perfect in shape and texture. are not
found in the waters of the Western Hem
isphere. Russia, Germany. France and
England buy a great quantity of the low,
rougher grade sponges from this country
The demand is always above the supply.
In Florida, and at Nassau the water is
shallow enough 70 permit Of sponge fish,
ing with a long pole with three prongs
attached one man rows the boat. while
the other leans over the bow, powerful
magnifying glass In hand, his eyes fixed
on the water. When he sees a sponge,
down goes his pole.
In Grecian waters the bottom Is too deep
for this. The men there go out on sponge
fishing expeditions as the New Bedford
whalers used 10 do, on shares. They some
times stop out two months.
A sponge Is not an agreeable object TO
the sight or smell when II Is first taken
from the water. After haul they are
spread out on a sandy beach. In the blaz-
Ing sun. 10 let the animal matter die out.
After a day or two they are ready for
pounding" a process which means liter
ally what he word implies. Thoroughly
thrashed, they are put into crawl" an
Enclosure that floats In deep water where
the tides can wash over them. They are
left there for two =. -'ore. Then they
are put In strands. or strings and taken
to the vessel.
The duty on sponges imported from
Greece under the Mckinley tariff was 20
| per cent. Under the Wilson tariff II Is
10 per cent. IL " proposed under the new
tariff 20 charge ad valorem duty on spong-
es IN their crude state. As a matter OF
| fact, sponges In their crude state are not
| importable, because no transportation
company would take them Importers Of
spongos are somewhat puzzled 20 know
what the Dingiey bill will ultimately do
with them. A. Moses OF the Lebess COM
pany said that they would prefer the epe-
cinc duty. although" he added 1T
makes little difference 10 us how much
they increase the duty or how they col
iect a. The people who buy spongcs pay
for Il ultimately"