Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-01-06

A
IL 8 sci "sully" not so very
long ago, when 1t Went 20
SIoNS the bottom not far from
Saigon, has afforded the divers intrust-
ed with examination OF the submerged
ship opportunities for making exhaust
i've and important explorations Of the
bottom of the sea. In these fields of
Bub-aqueous exploration special dis
tinction has been won by young
naval engineer named De Plury, who,
by the aid of an apparatus of his own
invention, succeeded in reaching a
depth of even more than 1876 feet-a
depth which had never before been
attained.
De Plury has invented a kind of
metal armor which affords him every
protection, while by means of a special
chemical combination, respiration is
automatically provided for. Thanks
to this, he has already made over 115
most daring descents with perfect
safety. He has thus been able to
discover a most marvellous world,
hitherto seen by no other eye but his;
the sea bed Is n scene of marvels COM
blned with no small amount of tragic
horrors.
THE first sensation experienced"
said this intrepid diver at recent In
terview with an italian Journalist, lis
something like that which is felt on
descending into mine, but you soon
get accustomed to 1t. At depth of
about nine feet medusae began to be
found in large quantities. Seen through
the water, everything appears magni-
fed, and they are apparently Of enor-
Gus proportions. All recollection of
the protection afforded by the glass
front Of the helmet is forgotten, and
the first impression is that these
masses of horrid tiaccid and Shiny
medusae will adhere to your face.
"Just a little lower down, and a
scintillating multitudinOus shoal of
small fishes is encountered, simmer
ing like so many strips of shining
copper, or other metal, in state of
continuous vibration.
"At depth of about 1872 feet thick
masses of seaweed are traversed; some
of these are hair-like vegetable
growths, with arms from 20 to 80
yards in length, which, with a kind
of horrid vitality, wrap themselves
round every part of the body. These
algae constitute grave danger, as
they can easily paralyze the divers
movements and, by rising above and
around him, can weigh him down with
| weight amounting to several hun
edweight-sufficient to break a rope
or life line when hauled on. Below
! ,102 feet there are small snake-like
and alSIf about three feet in length
resembling dolp6iTsl.7ens OF the deer deep
hurI themselves violently against the
diver. If, as already remarked, he IS
somewhat young at the game, ana
by MIS- ~neftan, the protection afforded
mortal dread lest they ahon,S WIN Il
coed in smashing the glass tfo...S sue.
the helmet despite its four inches OF
fchntFeka4eSSs: . OF course, should that oc-
eous. anfan-
still other and worse monsters are
the polypi or devil fish,, who wrap
their Shiny tentacles round the bold
explorer; but although repugnQnt,
these monsters are cowardly, and i'm
mediately renounc, their attack on
coming in contact with the unfamiliar
feel of the metal armOr plating Of my
diving dress There are other equally
horrible, and much more intrepid, giant
crabs. Some of those | have seen
have measured as much as three feet
in diameter. Due to their strong shells
and formidable claws, they constitute
n continual menace to the safety Cf
the diver, which is by no means to be
despised. This is about all that can
be said on the score of the deep-sea
fauna. The reformation of fish Is
not very noticeable at such small
depth; by reformation 1 mean not only
change OF form, but also of character.
This takes place at depth of about
1904 yards; here their nature changes
entirely, and they assume the forms
and constitutional notifications neces-
sary to enable them to bear the enor-
nous pressure to which they are snb-
iected at the depth where they move
and have their being.
Hitherto it has been quite impos-
sible to obtain living specimens OF
these submarine creatures, as they
reached the surface with their volume
'Iadrupled due to the reduction Oh
pressure. All these creatures are car
nivorOus, and their capacious maws
not unfrequently serve as the tombs
of unfortunate sailors whose ship has
gone to the bottom, and their bodies
gradually sink deeper and deeper,
while the formidable pressure to
which they are subjected in an in
creasing intensity soon smashes all
but their bones, and finally brushes
the corpses quite fiat. But enough;
suffice it to say that this awful spec
tacle is scarcely visible after a depth
of 80 feet.
One curious fact attending these sub
marine explorations is afforded by the
light, which forms strange blend
of green and violet light, the color
being little similar to that of the cav
ems which are to be seen in icebergs.
At a depth of 80 yards the light be-
gins to get more and more diffused,
and the sun viewed through the mass
of superintendent water appears like
reddish opaque globe; but-and this
is somewhat strange-when sheltered
from the rays of the sun (behind a
rock, for instance) the stars become
visible even at midday.
zone day, just about noon, saw
ever-to-be-forgotten sight at depth
of 100 feet The sun was right at the
zenith. The bottom upon which l
stood consisted Of fine white sand
and the reflection of the light upon
the snowy carpet gave me the impress
sion of standing upon PLAZA OF molten
gold. At a depth Of 226 feet the OBJ
security is complete; at 327 feet the