Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-16
TRAINING DIVERS
REGULAR CLASS ORGANIZED IN
THE BRITISH NAVY.
Pupils Arc First Accustomed to Work
In q Tank Under Close
Supervision.


diving section, composed Of men expert
and skillful in all kinds Of submarine work
Such a detachment is absolutely indispen-
sable, in view Of the fact that through UNI
foreseen circumstances the submerged por-
ton Of the hull Of the armorclad. and espe-
cially the propellers. often require examina-
iton: while In cases Of accident. such as
collision and running aground. close IN
vestigation to discover any possible injury
to the iron sheath Of the ship has to be
carried out. and occasionally. il the dam
age is serious. considerable submarine
patching has to be done until the vessel
can reach drydock.
The diving section of the British navy Is
comprised throughout Of volunteers. No
man is compelled to become a member OF
the detachment. even IL physically mt. ow-
Ing to the peculiarly hazardous and ardu-
Gus nature of the work. AS an induce
ment. however. the admiralty pay the
divers a higher salary, as we'll as Offering
the men other special privileges.
When a man volunteers for diving serv-
ice, he Is at first submitted to a rigorous
medical examination. Owing to the enor-
nous pressures to which the body is sub
tected at different depths. only those with
the strongest constitutions and in perfect
health are admitted. No man is passed
who has a short neck. is full blooded or
has a florid complexion; nor those suffer-
ing from head and heart complaints. or
from sluggish circulation Of the blood.
Inc medical qualifications are very strict.
as, indeed. they should be, as weakened
constitution would expose the man to ex-
tremely dangerous risks under water. Fur
thermore, when man passes beneath the
waters surface. any physical defects he
may possess Immediately show themselves
in an accumulated manner.
Three Schools.
The medical conditions satisfied. the man
Is drafted n of diving
schools These are at Portsmouth. Devon
port and Chatham, respectively. but the
largest and most important is at the pre-
mier dockyard of Portsmouth Here the
man is initiated into submarine work, spe-
cfal classes for this purpose being held. AS
the first and greatest difficulty which the
man has to surmount is nervousness. the
training Is not carried out in the open sea,
but In large circular steel tank built on the
shore. This tank measures about ID feet in
height by approximately Is feet In dia-
meter. and is pierced with a number OF
glazed portfolios. through which the in
structor can follow and watch his pupils
movements. A gallery extends around the
top Of this tank a short distance. from
which the diver makes his descents into,
and ascents from. the water within.
The man is first instructed in the nature
OF his dress and equipment. and how to
employ the appurtenanceS with which he Is
provided, such as the telephone, lifeline and
ladder. Owing to the clumsy and weighty
nature of the diving dress, the sailor ex-
periences considerable difficulty in becom-
ing accustomed to 1t. He is then instructed
as to the manner in which he must de-
Scend and ascend the ladder, and how to
utilize the outfit and tools with which he Is
supplied. The first named is most i'm
portant point.
Directly the diver disappears beneath the
surface of the water his body becomes SUBJ
jected to heavier pressure. For instance. at
depth of 20 feet the pressure is S1s pounds
to the square inch above atmospheric. 1t In
creaSeS proportiOnately as he deScends low
err and lower until at. say, 2O4 feet, which
is the greatest depth to which a diver has
penetrated-thiS depth was reached by the
diver James Hooper. when In quest of the
Cape Horn" sunk off Pichidanque. South
America-the enormous pressure of SSh
pounds to the square inch has to be sus-
tanned Even at the moderate depth of 81
rect the mans body has to support ag-
gregate pressure Of 900 pounds weight,
besides the ordinary normal air pressure,
which represents another 10000 pounds,
making total pressure of 10000 pounds
The First Descent.
When a diver makes his initial descent,
owing to the strangeness of the experience.
he suffers from curious pulsation and
gasping for breath. These peculiarities
will not be overcome until the man has re-
gained his confidence.
Should a man betray evidences of more
than usual nervousness after his first de-
scent into the water, he is expelled from
the class: for although the admiralty do
not compel a man to become a diver they
insist that he should Immediately over
come any inherent timidity. The instructor
accompanies the man to the gallery of the
tank. conveys to him his commands, espe-
cfally insisting upon slow ascent and de-
scent. The diver then enters the water,
and the instructor follows his movements
through the glazed portfolios, transmits his
instructions through the telephone appa-
ratus. and inculcates the man into the code
of signals generally employed. At first the
sailor experiences considerable difficulty in
moving about the bottom of the tank in his
EO-pOund shoeS-the total weight Of a divers
dress is 100 pounds-but in a short time he
-ccomes accustomed to the task.
The diver undergoes six weeks training
at this curious school, At the conclusion
of this term he is attached to the open-sea
class, and has to carry out his work under
natural conditions.
AS the instructor cannot now watch the
divers movements, the pupil has to rely
upon his own confidence. Diving in q tank
in limited water space he soon finds to
be vastly different from diving in the open
sea. where he has to encounter currents
and tides.
Before he makes his descent the instruc-
tor impresses again upon the diver the urg-
ent necessity of careful descent and ascent,
and what to do If he desires to come to the
surface suddenly. or emergency necessi-
tates a rapid ascent. These instructions are
most vital. especially in descending and as
cending carefully. At times he must cease
in his descent to RECOVER his equilibrium,
and IL he experiences any pain in his head
he must ascend a few feet until the pain
has passed away. and then resume his de-
scent even more slowly than before.
A slow ascent Is even more essential than
a slow descent. especially If the man is at
all full blooded. AS the pressure upon the
body decreases, there is a tendency In this
case for the blood to rush to the head. and
serious results may be incurred unless ex-
treme care Is taken. A man Of strong con-
stitution is not advised to ascend at a
greater speed than two feet a second when
the depth does not exceed 80 feet At a
greater depth slower speed Is even more
imperative, for as the man passes to de-
creased pressures. he must allow the mus
cles and tissues Of his body to be relieved
gradually of the enormous pressure they
have sustained.
Depth Gradually Increased.
The pupil Is at first only taken to a shall
low depth, but this is gradually increased
as he becomes proficient, until a maximum
depth of 40 feet Is attained. Beyond this
depth naval divers are not compelled to go,
but in nearly every instance they do de-
scend to the normal limit of $50 feet. Be-
yond this latter depth 1t Is not advisable for
a man to descend. unless possessed of an