The Philipsburg mail., 1898-07-29
FIGHT UNDER WATER.
VISIONARY SCHEMES FOR THE
OCEANS BOTTOM.
To Scrape Battleships - Cleaning the
HuIls OF the Naval Fighters Is Their
Valuable and Necessary WoSk Now
The Diving Apparatus.

Valuable and Necessary WoSk Now
The Diving Apparatus.
From the Washington Post: If Paul.
Jones in ghostly guise wanders around
the warships Of our new navy he must
see many surprising accessories to the
fighting forces as organized in his day.
One novel and useful addition to the
crew OF warship Of the present time
| is the submarine diver. The impor-
tance Of this individual to the welfare
OF 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. AS, oW-
ing to the lack of foresight on the part
of those responsible, we are not pro.
vided with the necessary dry docks 20
enable us to clean the foul bottoms Of
our vessels when they come off long
voyage. it has been necessary to send
divers down to do the work as best
they could.
1t has not been done we'll, but it has
been the best kind Of substitute that
could be found for the proper article.
When a ship goes into dry dock, and is
scraped clear of the barnacles and sea-
weed and rank growth that accumula:-
ed there during sea voyage, and is
then treated to a new coat of paint,
she emerges from the dry dock as clean
and fit as when she made her maiden
voyage. The submarine divers are able
only to scrape away the barnacles and
seaweed. and even then they are so
handicapped by the heavness and un-
possible to do the work in any but a
clumsy and incomplete way.
But good work or bad, the diver has
become necessary part Of the ships
crew. Many warships carry one or
more trained divers. and to attain to
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 prepossessing sight, this
monster with the huge headdress and
The glaring eyes. but his usefulness tC
the navy is unreasonable He was
wanted in hurry. and unfort1nateiy
was not on hand when the Maine went
down into the mud of Havana harbor
He will be wanted in coming engage
ments to patch holes in the sides o
war craft. if these wounds mercifullI
fall short of being mortal; he will as
Gist in wrecking operations when it i.
found necessary to 90 fishing for tht
valuable portion of Spanish fleet
equipment after we have treated it n
Dewey treated the enemy's fleet at Ma
Mia; he will be ready to help United
States vessel out of a score of unfOre
seen troubles that may arise when th'
modern warship gets down to fightin:
that is not all one-sided.
Theoretically. the submarine dive
s formidable aid in operation
against the enemy. Whether or not h
will be so in practice remains to b
seen. The theorists asert that the div
er can be sent under water on darl
: nights to grope his way into the mine,
', entrances to harbors and cut the wire
:, connecting the explosives with tn
shore; or they say he can attach mine
to the keels of anchored war craft an
explode the mines when he reaches
f1 ;,tn In hn J,1
of anchored vessels and put their crew
to great inconvenience. if not in pc
), stion of positive danger.
There is scarcely any limit to III
:. theorists suggestions for using the sui
marine diver as means Of offense i
naval campaigns, but most of the plan
:, are visionary, and it is probable tha
the most practical use to which I'll
diver can he put is to clean and repai
>. the ships of his own nation when it
y necessary that the cleaning and r.
pairing be done eXtraneously and f.
cilities are not at hand to dry dock tn
vessel
: The limitations of the diving appa1
, atus forbid any very dangerous o
fensive work being done by the ma
= who descends in it. He cannot wandc
too far from his base of operations Il
account of his dependence on the a
/, supply. and the boat from which he
"a lowered could not approach very nes
- to a vessel or harbor in these days
:. searchlights without being discovere
-' It is possible, however, that daring sou
y will try the experiment before the pre-
I. ent war is over, and naval experts md
have to find some way to guard again
a new enemy Of the invisible variety
the submarine diver on blowing l
purposes bent.