West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-09-24
SUBMARINE PHOTOGRAPHY.
Device For Taking Motion Pictures Of
Fish IN Their Element

Fish In Their Element.
\ submarine motion picture camera
recently invented 10y m American
photographer has hccu successfully
employed In securing motion pictures
OF marine vegetation and ash In the
harbor at Nassau. writes Consul W. L.
Doty from Nassau. bahama islands.
The apparatus consists OF dcxible
metallic tube twenty inches In diam
ctcr. which IL composed OF "A series OF
units. or sections. OF overlapping
hinges set I'm IA vertical position. though
tho tuhc may bc suspended at any
particular angle. The pressure of the
water bends tho Joints inward and
causes tho hinacs TO fall downward.
Thus the weight ls increased. the differ
cnt sections are easily lowered. aud
tho tube becomes automatically poised.
even when the noat or barge above IN
being rocked 10y the action OF the
waves. a strong rubber covering rem
dcrs the tube impcrvlouS TO the water.
This tube dcsccnds through the well
hole OF the tloat or barge.
To complete the device there IN n
lower end OF the tube I'm II ordinary
atmospheric conditions are maintained,
as tho upper end OF the tube Is always
open. and the operator experiences no
unpleasant effects while working In II.
Attached To the chamber there ls a
funnel In the shape OF n truncated
cone provided at the larger (outcrl end
with glass port ono and onc-halt
inches thick. The length OF this funnel
IL six feet, I'm order TO give the correct
focus for photographlug through tho
port.
During ordinary daylight In the Mas
sau hnrbor artificial light IL not neccs.
sory, and mt night about nine mercury
vapor lamps and rcncctors are suni-
Client, the frame being lowered 10 the
proper range. The operator (photog-
rapher) sits I'm the terminal or work
chamber many hours nt time. taking
motion pictures mt hls ease. The
operator in charge was formerly an
expert photographer I'm the United
States government service
The results or tho pictures taken in
Nassau harbor have been quite sue
ccssfuL The marine gardens. fish OF
many varieties. old rocks with divers
descending among them, anchors at Il
depth OF 100 feet and sharks and other
monsters Mt their deadly work. all
show up with great clcarncss. IL is
remarkable that the photographs re-
veal nothing above the surface OF tho
water. The effect of picture OF n
swimmer f. weird II his head md a
portion of his body are out OF the wa
ter The face of one looking down
through n water glass can. however, be
photographed from below. IL Will
prove OF great interest 10 biologists
and school children, as well ms TO the
general public. 10 learn that the son OF
the inventor of the tube fought shark
twelve feet below the surface OF the
water. He fought single handed, with
only knife for his protection. and
had neither helmet or suit OF protec-
tive material AS this fight was sue
ccssfully photographed from within
the tube. valuable information will bo
secured OH the methods OF attacks by
sharks.
1t appears that no cinematograph
worthy OF the name has been taken by
others at more than two or three feet
below the surface OF the water so that
this apparatus IS unique. for pictures
have been taken with It Mt n depth OF
about thirty feet