The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-20

When engaged In saving valuAhles from we'll
known wrecks she is 70 run on the surface OF the
sea with her string OF barges, like q tugboat and
her tow. She Is also to sink herself and baryes
70 the bottom of the coast and run over the hard
sands as If she were . locomotive with o train
Of cars attached The inventors Of the craft
intend TO look for some Of the 1000 vessels sunk
and The s1oo. 100000 lost annually at sea The
boat may also b used in laying foundations
for piers. lighthouses bridges, docks. and
h~reakvatsrA h may also make journeys
among beds Of coral or sponge for business pur-
poses. and take Town scientific and pleasure
parties
Ths boat e 10 Be able 10 descend to q depth Of
800 feet, and 10 TO sink or rtse at the VIII OF the
operator In the pilot house. When searching
along the coasts for valuable wrecks the loco
motive viii carry Q searchdght, which Is TO
throw a beam from 500 feet to . quarter OF a
mile IN width. When the vessel Is on the bottom
the divers are to pass In and out Of her as read
fly as they would enter or leave Q house on dry
land They will also have the advantage OF
lights in their operations and derricks to assist
them Her crew may live in her for DAYS with
cut coming 70 the surface. and operations may
be carried on day or night and in calm or stormy
weather.
The inventor. Simon Lake Of Baltimore, has
already accomplished many Of these things, he
says, in an experimental boat He has witnesses
that he propelled bis model on the surface in any
desired direction, submerged the boat and
brought her to the surface again. and guided the
locomotive along the bottom OF rheAtlantio coast.
and walked out Of the craft while It was under
water. and none Of the sea entered her. He found
marked articles which had been thrown over
board and returned them to the beach.
The accompanying cut explains the details Of
the machine. She Il to carry ak mep-a Cap
taln, an engineer. and four divers The hill Is
built Of steel and strongly ribbed to Withstand
The ~reeker is divided into four eonpaFsments
with an air lock sdtolnlnF. and the lookout and
operating chamber in the bow. In the engine
SSieh is Is 70 oe oP D.rsss s sSs s ysssai e nSen an: ina is sG pnsr
ming on the surface. A dynamo win be geared
to ths propeller shaft as an auxiliary force when
Uadsr the front part Of the craft viii DO two
wheels studded with teeth to give them a grip
BY an electric motor. At the rear 0t the loco
motive there will be q wheel to carry the weight
instead of the propeller when submerged Is cal.
eulAted at 80 per cent. The electrical force will
soo AIRED IN stSrnss batteries. In the engine
ne atmosphere will be compressed to q density
seventy times greater than the normal, Foul
% pumped out In the engine room arc also
steam and electrical pumps for handling the
Forward Of the living room. and reached
through alright doors, is the divers compart-
SSoE which drops downward when any one
nsnes % !eaye the room and go out on the bot
TON o, me sea. IL u the mosT remarkable feA,
never be opened Until there Is q pressure OF air
N me apartment equal to the pressure OF water
sures are equal. a fact indicated by . gauge. the
Goor may be opened and no water will enter the
At all times while the divers are at work on the
Ssss sfS -ar ~ means OF the Airioek . diver may
craft does not have TO be closed.
The density of air in the airlock and the divers
apartments pre- events the rush Of air into the
living room while the men are passing back
telephone. a hose reel, a divers hosting engine,
and Al Wrecking tools necessary. Forward OF
in which the atmosphere viii be normal. This
tine quot house when travelling on tho bot.
TON In it the operator In charge OF the vessel
~ll contso! the hoisting derrick rugged on the
On The nose of the vessel viii be placed a 1000:
to BE- put on the stsrboard and port bows. In.
fandescent lamps throughout the vessel are to
to DO placed in tho bottom OF tho hull to assist
In sinking the boat.
To sink the wrecker hye tanks In the vessel
are nearly nlled with water and the weights arc
lowered TO the bottom OF the sea. THEN the
cables are wound into the boat and she is drawn
.antsn ship, whose ioestioa S Is kn0 oUHn The
wrecker retains a reserve buoyancy. and In case
OF accident the anchor chains may DO cnt loose
anu the craft rises 10 the surface. When out on
seAfhin9 expeditions the tanks will be died
Win suncient water TO keep the locomotive on
the bottom and the toothed wheels will drive
her forward, Tho ssArchliRht will show the
path across the hard, sandy beaches which grit
me coasts. and also bring out the lines Of unken
bulls The derrick on the how IS 10 be operated
oy man in The forward compartment
Inc ALTER has glass, windows. The diver has
only 10 place the hooks on the objects and tne
man 10 the boa, hoists the load and swings it
over the freight cars and deposits il. These
cars are shaped like giant revolver cartridges.
Win Z door in the centre OF their backs. When
loaded the cars are coupled together and at
tAched 10 tho locomotive. The train then cIimba
mp the beach TO the dry land. This method costs
lea, power than running on the Surface. esne-
~Aly In stormy weather. 1t Is 70 be so arranged