The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1898-08-06


The Diving Apparatus.
From the Washington PoEs: II 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 a warship of the present time
Is the submarine diver. The impor-
lance 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 1t neces-
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 to
enable as to clean the foul bottoms Of
our vessels when they come on a long
voyage, it has been necessary to send
divers down to do the work as best
they could.
It has not been done well. but It has
been the best kind of substitute that
could be found for the proper article.
When ship goes into dry dock, and is
scraped clear OF the barnacles and sea-
weed and rank growth that accumula:-
ed there during a sea voyage, and is
then treated to q new coat Of paint,
she emerges from the dry dock as clean
and 1T 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 heaviness and I'M
hardness OF their dress that it Is i'm
possible to do the work in any but
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 IN
dergo an extremely rigorous medical
examination. The diving apparatus in
use in our navy is q costly affair. The
method Of its working is simple.
He Is not a prepossessing sight, this
monster with the huge head-dress and
the glazing eyes, but his usefulness 10
the navy is Unreasonable. He was
wanted in a hurry, and unfortunately
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 Of
war craft, IL these wounds mercifully
fall short Of being mortal; he will as
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 feet at Ma
Mia; he viii be ready to help q 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 q formidable aid in operations
against the enemy. Whether or not he
will be so in practice remains to be
seen. The theorists asert that the div
er can be sent under water on dark
nights to grope his way into the mined
entrances to 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
of anchored vessels and put their crews
q
sition of positive danger.
There is scarcely any limit to the
theorists suggestions for using the sub
marine diver as q means Of offense in
naval campaigns. but most of the plans
are visionary, and 1t is probable that
the most practical use to which the
diver can be put is to clean and repair
the ships Of his own nation when II Is
necessary that the cleaning and re-
pairing be done extraneously and "a
cilities are not at hand to dry dock the
vessel.
The limitations Of the diving appar-
atus forbid any very dangerous Of
fensive work being done by the man
who descends in It. He cannot wander
too far from his base Of operations on
account Of his dependence on the air
supply, and the boat from which he Is
lowered could not approach very near
to vessel or harbor in these days OF
searchlights without being discovered.
1t is possible. however. that daring souls
will try the experiment before the pres
ent war 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