The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-16

rine illumination, should that he neces-
sary.
AS a matter Of fact it was not neces-
sary. and these artificial lights were
scarcely used. owing to the wonder
full clearness OF the West Indian sea
even at considerable depths.
The Williamson party remained at
Nassau through April n May. work.
ing daily among the neighboring
islands with the Jules Verne and the
deep sea tube ms getting good results
from the very start. So brilliant was
the tropical sun, so crystal clear the
water that even at d'pths OF eight
or ten fathoms the photographer down
in his iron chamber was able to get
marvellous pictures OF this strange
submarine region with its vast ST.
l%ences. its waving sea gardens. scarlet
and purple and old gold. and its mill
ions Of rye colored fish darting
among forests Of live coral.
"It was like an enchantment," said
Ernest Williamson, "to look out from
the observation window over the sea
floor. 1t was like being in spirit land
where all things were at peace"
How far could you see through the
water?" I inquired.
ION favorable days we could see dis
tinctly for $50 or 200 feet. Beyond
that objects seemed to fade away into
the palest sapphire mist. 1t was Won
derful to look up and see the surface
waves from below. undulating
smoothly with no broken crests. As
the sun fell on them its shafts were
1rnlnn into v;l,,.r rain that ~ N !. l,vr,,
to us like fireworks"
I asked Mr.. williamson IL there was
no danger of their five foot observa-
ton window being broken by the water
pressure, and he explained that there
was no chance of his because Of the
funnel shaped space inside the win
dow. where the air pressure Is kept
equal to the water pressure outside by
means an air pump. An air gauge
and a water u near the funnel
show at all times what these pressures
are.
"Ill tell you how we did our sub
marine work." explained Ernest Will
hanson. my brother George and Carl
Gregory would usually be down in the
chamber. say at a depth Of fifty feet,
George watching things and Gregory
taking pictures. I would be up on
deck, leaning over the open tube lis
tening for orders.
ITS easy to talk up and down the
tube. It's like talking up and down a
chimney. George would call out:
Stand by Forward Att Let her
swing Slack off, Now hold her OF
whatever he wanted to say. Then
u,o,,II rnnaot thaca ordnro 10 Too nath.l
on the Nautilus, which would be tow
ing us.
III George said: Raise her. oil
Lower her. I would give the word tc
men at the chain hoists and they would
raise or lower the chamber. Some
times we would let the Jules Verne
drift with the tide, Photographic what
came along"
How far off can you photograph OBJ
jects through the water?" ! asked.
"About a hundred and fifty feet ir
favorable conditions"
Motion pictures?"
"Yes."
In this way the Williamson part,
got some extraordinary submarine snaI
shots and a great number Of sub
' marine moving pictures, about 20.OO'
feet OF film. They took native boy
diving for pennies and scrambing To-
them at the bottom. They took
diver George Williamson) in his div
ing suit. searching for treasure nea
a wreck. while n column Of bubble
boiled up from his helmet. and a make,
diver swimming through a sea fores
of palms and ferns. then, seated OF
the bottom. tanning himself with
purple sea fan.
"But In greater depths o woul
need artificial light?" / suggested.