The Washington times., 1908-07-12
Deep Sea Dfver' S a Stirring Life;
Requires Nerve and Strong Body
Many Are the Deadly PerilS Lurking Among SunkeH
Ships at Bottom OF Ocean or on the
River Bed.

es Of his helmet When ne reaches the
sunken ship. he goes along the hull
on one side and examines IL. but before
he can examine the other side he must
go up again and come down on that
side. in order 10 avoid having his air
pipe fouled. he can report 10 those in
the boat above by means OF a telephone
or speaking tube. which is attached
close 10 his ear on the left side OF the
helmet; or If these are not already
fitted. he writes on a slate which Is at
tached to a line and hoisted on board
When TIE diver gives two pulls a.
his line they are a signal 20 those above
20 lower Gown 20 him what ne requires
IN the way OF tools, etc Three pulls
given 20 the lines mean --Heave away
at anything he requires 70 3 hOisted-
-Four pulls signify Pull me up or
L am coming up and two sets OF
four PNSls each, given in quick Success
sion. mean Something has gone wrong.
pull me Up at once
! The greatest difficulty a diver has 70
contend with is when he is working in
either a very muddy bottom OF in
] strong UndercUrrents. II the currents
are too strong for him he lets himself
| go, and having signaled 20 those above,
L
An Automatic Safety.
Should the airpipe ct severed. the
/ air Inlet valve in he helmet closes
/ automatically and II the diver quickIy.
/ closes the outlet valves ne may be aOIe
! 10 reach the surface safely The diver
/ endeavors TO prevent the air accumu-
/ lating at the back Of the dress. FOR Y
/ that takes place his legs Will rise and
/ he VIII be pitched on MS head. and
| may damage the helmet. For this rea-
| son he cannot safely stOop too low and
/ when he kneeIs he does so on one Leg.
| Ia order 10 keep his body as upright as
| possible Should he feel his legs rising.
/ he need only Unscrew the air outlet
I valve in the helmet or open the air
! cock. or pull open one Of his wrist
4 bands and allow the air 10 escape
/ quickly Sometimes an air valve IS fit-
/ ted on the front plate OF the COrseIet
/ in addition 10 that at the side OF the
] helmet But he must be careful not %
/ open both Of them, or the air viii pass
/ out Of one and the water enter al the
4 other.
Should the diving dress get torn there
I IS NJ need for the diver to become
l alarmed. as the pressure Of the air viii
] Dc SUFFICIENT TO keep the water from
/ gaining upon him until he reaches the
/ surface-proviced he closes the air out
/ Jet valves
: The greatest depths 20 which divers
! have descended have been 162 feet by
4 Lambert, l9z feet by ErOstarb. and 204
4 feet by James Hooper While these
/ dlVeEs took hours 70 go down and come
I ~ again they could only STAY down for
/ a period OF twenty minutes or so at one
/ time
A Suit Of Steel.
| For working in deep water a special
form Of dress is used. having a steel
! Internal crinoline 20 prevent pressure
/ against the body. and two additional
| weights Of fifty pounds each are slunS
/ from the waist belt-One in front and
J the other al the back Of the diver.
! Bleeding III the ears and nose some
! times occurs under great pressUres. and
/ in that event II is advisable for the
| diver 10 ascend very slowly or he may
| suffer from a disease known as the
/ bends" which produces excruciating
( pains in the joints Of the limbs. due TO
/ imprisoned air in the body, and may
/ prove fatal Should he be seized with
/ the bends on reaching the surface II
/ viii be necessary for him 10 go down
/ again for some time, and come up
/ slowly.
/ Divers can use the pick and spade
4 below water. blast holes in ships. and
/ rocks. etc. with dynamite. and can
\ also drill and cut nCleS OF hammer
i with the aid Of pneumatic tools at
{ Iached 70 ? hose pipe IN connections with
( an air compressor fixed on 2 barge
/ English Mechanic and World Of Science.