The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1898-07-08
FIGHT UNDER WATER.
VISIONARY SCHEMES FOR THE
OCEANS BOTTOM.
40 Scr1pc B2ttieships Cleaning the
HnlIs or tho Naval Fighters Il Their
Vaiuable and Necessary Work Now
The Diving Apparatus.

From the Washington Pest: II Paul
Jones III ghostly sulse wanders around
the wIrships OF u new navy ne must
see many surprising access ries TO :he
fighting forces as organized in his Gay.
One novel and useful addition TO the
crew of a w2rship of the present time
is the submarine diver. The impOr-
lance OF this individual 10 the welfare
Of a warship has been amply shown
during the recent operations against
the Spanish fleets. Speed has been the
most important point in the maneuver-
ing during the opening events OF the
war, and This has rendered it neccs-
sary for our ships to be in the best
possible trim for fast work. Az, cw-
ing to the lack of foresight Oh the part
OF those responsible. We are not pro-
vided with the necessary dry docks to
enable us to clean the foul bottoms OF
our vessels when they come off a long
voyage, it has been necessary to send
divers down to do the work as best
they could.
1t has not been done well, but it has
been the best kind Of substitute that
could he found for the proper article.
When a ship goes into dry dock, and is
scraped clear of the barracles and sea-
weed and rank growth that accumula.-
ed there during a sea voyage, and is
then treated to a new coat of paint.
she energies from the dry dock as clean
and fit as when she made her maiden
voyage. The submarine divers are able
only to scraDe away the barnacles and
seaweed. and ven then they are Sc
hardness of their dress that it is i'm
possible to do the work in any but g
clumsy and incomplete way.
But good work or bad, the diver has
become a necessary part Of the ships
crew. Many warships carry n or
the rating Of diver requires special
qualifications. Before being sent for
training the man applying has to un-
dergo an extremely rigorous medical
examination. The diving apparatus in
Use in our navy is a costly affair. The
method Of its working is simple.
He is not a prepossessing sight, this
monster with the huge head-dress and
the glaring eyes, but his usefulness to
the navy is Unreasonable. He was
wanted in a hurry, and unfortunately
IS uct ca hand when the Maine vert
-,.. .-,o 49, >nu1 of ,Ioran, lorhor
lie will be wanted in coming engage
mcnts to patch holes in the sides Of
war craft, if these wounds mercifully
fall shC-t Of being mortal; he will az
sist IN wrecki1g operations when it is
found necessary to go fishing for the
valuable portion Of a Spanish fleets
equipment after we have treated it as
Dewey treated the enemy's fleet at Ma
nile; he will be ready 10 help a United
States vessel out of a score Of unfore-
seen troubles that may arise when the
modern warship gets down to fighting
that is not all one-sided.
Theoretically. the submarine diver
is a formidable aid in operations
against the enemy. Whether or not he
Will he 50 in practice remains to De
seen. The theorists assert that the div
CT can he SEM under water on dark
nights to grope his way into the mined
entrances 10 harbors and cut the wires
connecting the explosives with the
shore: or they say he can attach mines
TO the keels Of anchored war craft and
explode the mines when he reaches a
safe distance: or he can saw the cables
TO great inconvenience. if not in a po-
sition of positive danger.
There is scarcely any limit to the
theorists suggestions for using the sub
marine diver as a means of o!fense in
naval campaigns. but most of the plans
the most practical use to which the
diver can be put is to clean and repair
the ships of his own nation when 1t IS
necessary that the cleaning and re-
pairing be done eXtraneously and IA
cilities are not at hand to dry dock the
vessel.
The limitations Of the diving aDpar-
atus forbid any very dangerous Of
fsrsive work being done by the man
who Gescen2s il it. He cannot wander
too FAR from his base of operations On
acr0"Ht CT his dependence on the air
supply. and the boat from which he is
lowered could rot approach very near
to a vessel or harhor in these days OF
searchlights without being discovered.
It is possible, however. that daring souls
will try the experiment before the pres
ent wal is over, and naval experts may
have to find some way to guard against
a new enemy Of the invisible variety
the submarine diver on blowing up
purposes bent.