The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-09-23
THE OCEANS BOTTOM.
Ingenious Invention of an italian Known
as u Diving Cabin.


as n Diving Cabin.
We have all read of visiting the bot
tom of the sea by means of a diving
bell. but it has been left to an Italian
resident of France to invent a cabin
for the same purpose. The inventors
name is M. Patti del Pozzo. He calls
his apparatus a submarine worker and
It seems remarkable affair of its kind.
II has just been successfully tried, the
bed of the Seine being used as the field
Of operations.
1t consists of an enormous bowl or
globe, steel plated and capable of re-
sisting the strongest pressure. 1t Is
nine feet nine inches in diameter,
weighs ten tons and is moved by three
screws and helm worked by electric
ity. In the apparatus are two boxes,
or tanks. filed with ballast, which,
when turned over, enable the invention
to rise from the bottom to the sur
face OF the water. There are also conf
cal tubes, furnished with powerful
lenses, which permit the exterior OBJ
jects and ground to be clearly seen.
Entrance is affected by a manhole
and the apparatus is kept in communi-
SdIAOh WIN bOdl VI WIN bue ShOiC
by means of a cable. The cabin is
reached by ladder and is lighted by
electricity. From this cabin every
thing outside the machine. such as
shovels, picks and graphing irons, can
be manipulated by means OF levers or
handspikes.
The cabin contained sufficient air for
the four person who went down in 1t
recently to last them forty-eight hours.
The inventor states that half a dozen
people could comfortably remain in the
interior and breathe without fear of
rarefection of the air for the space of
half day. M. Pozzo also affirms that
there Is no danger likely to be incur
red by his big apparatus. Persons in
the interior can communicate with the
boat or the land by telephone, and
even If the solid suspending cable were
to give away, the ballast could be over
turned by touching lever, and the
globe would ascend to the top of the
water.
The descent to the Seine's bed was
effected under the railway bridge at
Choisyle-Roi. outside the Notifications,
and everything went off successfully.
The submarine worker is to be tested
in deep sea depths at Havre and Brest.
Great things In fact are expected from
the machine by its inventor who has
certainly gone a considerably way to-
ward making realities of some of the
effects OF the imagination of that dis
tinguished story-spinner and fictionist
OF the marvellous julie Verne.
Who knows what the submarine
worker is destined to accomplish? 1t
may discover the exact whereabouts Of
the illfated Drummond Castle, and OF
other big wrecks. It will be of i'm
mense use in the pearl, coral and
sponge fisheries, and in laying or re-
pairing cables. al this will depend
however. on the sea tests. For the
present 1t is sufficient to know 1t has
been successfully tried in Paris.
II impracticable at sea It will provide
another amusement and recreation for
visitors and residents Of Paris, who,
when they have exhausted the curl
osities Of the catacombs and been in
boats through the big drains, can then
descend comfortably into the bed of the
Seine and inspect the homes of the
gudegon. for which Partisan Waltons
so energeucally fish throughout sever
al months in the year.
Many persons may be inclined to re-
gard this as joke Of some clever in
ventor. but 1t is nothing OF the sort.
1t is, in fact. say the French scientists,
one OF the most clever ideas of the year
and there is no reason to doubt its en-
tire practicability. II 1t reaches in
France the measure of success which
1t is believed will attend 1t, the invent
or, M. Pozzo, declares he will himself
come to the United States with it, and
demonstrate in New York harbor the
truthfulness of his claims.-Philadel-
hia Times.