The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-11-18

| SeStS d IelHeuy. Let there DE Geitdii i leather bags made of several bignesses,
 which for the matter of them should be
 both tractable for the Use and Manag-
 in of them, and strong to keep out the
 Water; for the Figure of them being
 long and open at both ends. These bags should be fixed in inside windows
 in the ship being to open and shut as
 a purse Now if we suppose this bag
 thus fastened to be tied close towards the window, then anything that Is to
 be sent may be safely put into that
 End within the Ship, which being again
 close shut, and the other end loosened,
 the thing may be safely sent out with out admission of Water" And it is
 further stated that the taking of things or persons into the boat could be easily
 effected by the same means
 The propulsion of the craft is the
 next problem. It is suggested that the
 motive power should be supplied "by
 the help of several Oars, which in the
 outward ends of them shall be like the
 Fins of a Fish to contract and dilate,"
 and here again the passage where they
 are admitted into the ship should be tied about With the leather bags to keep
 out water. As the author states, "The | Contrivance of this may seem very diffi- l cult, because these submarine naviga-
 tors will want the usual advantages of Winds and Tides for motion and the
 sight of the Heavens for Direction"
 But still even difficulties have their ad-
 vantages, for 'it will not be convenient
 perhaps that the Motion in these Voy-
 ages should be very swift, because of
 those Observations and Discoveries to
 be made at the bottom of the Sea, which in little space may abundantly recompense the Slowness of its pro- gress." The mariners needle must be
 used for steering and the course will be the more regular "by reason it is not subject to Tempests or unequal Winds" One must however, be careful that this Ark be so Ballast as to be of equal | weight with the like magnitude of | Water, 1t will then be easily movable in any part of it,, and the method of descent and ascent is very simple. This may be easily contrived if there be some great Weight at the Bottom of the Ship (being part of it's Ballast' which by some Cord within may be | loosened from it. as this Weight is let | lower, so will the ship ascend from it 1 eff need bel to the very surface of the | Water: and again, as it is pulled close 1 to the Ship so it will descend D
 l The greatest difficulty of all is pre- sented by the question of ventilation, and although it is not suggested tthat Man may, by Custom (which in other things doth produce such strange, in- credible effects), be enabled to live in the open Water, as the fishes do," yet 1t is submitted that by custom men can learn to do without much air or not require it very pure, which to unex- perienced Persons may prove hazard ous." To insure an adequate supply of air it is, in the first place, necessary that the Vessel itself should be of a large capacity and then, Eff the meer Refrigeration of the Air would fit it for Breathing, this might be somewhat helped with Bellows, which would cool it by Notion" Another purifying agent which may be employed is fire, which would rarify the air in the mid- l dle, and circumambient Coldness to- wards the sides of the Vessel" by cool- ing and condensing would make such a Vicissitude and Change of Air as might fit it for all proper Uses' The scientist of the period was apparently |
  ture was attended to, the air would take care of itself If by any chance "neith- CT of these Conjectures will help it is said that there is in France diver | ''who hath lately found out another Art. | whereby man might easily continue | under Water for six hours together" whereas other divers could only remain submerged for half-an-hour which | Qf 1t be true, and were commonly known might be sufficient help against | this greatest Difficulty" As to the uses of the ship. the advantages of such Contrivance" are so many that Lit is not easie to recite them" In the first | place, lis private; man may thus go to any Coast of the World invisfbly. without being discovered or prevented | in his Journey" And then again Iris safe" and that not only from tides and bad weather, but from Pirates and Robbers, which do so infest other Voy- ages; from Ice and great Frosts, which do so much endanger the Passages to- wards the Poles" It is doubtful if the modern submarine sailor would have the hardihood to voyage to the Pole beneath the ice; but all things are pos- sible in days when a man is found hardy enough to attempt the perilous passage through the air. Of course, the chief use of the submarine boat would be in time of war. As our author re- marks, 'it may be of very great Ad- vantage against a Navy of Enemies. who by this means may be undermined in the Water and blown up." And again, Tt may be of special use for the relief of any Place that is besieged by Water to convey to them Invisible Sup- plies, and so likewise for the Surprisal of any Place that is accessible by Water"
 It is only in quite recent years that science has advanced sufficiently to al- low us to ascertain the nature of the bed of the ocean, but the idea of doing so, was cherished in the breast of the savant of old; as he suggests various experiments. may be carried on beneath the surface and discoveries made, "and above all the discovery of submarine treasures is more especially consider able'': and lesser vessels may be att tached to the greater one ''wherein seye- ral persons, as scouts, may be lodged bp ta1x of oh |