Year: 1867

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The New FORK Heralds Valparaiso correspondent
sends the following:


After the bombardment of Valparaiso and while
the Spanish fleet was at Caloa, German residing at
Valparaiso constructed sub marine boat for the par
pose OF applying topedoes to the bottom of the Span
ISL frlgates The boat was about forty feet long, and
Was propelled by screw worked BY hand So conf
dent her builder in her efficiency that at the first
experiment in the bay he took with him into the boat
his son and eight friends. After sailing about few
moments on the surface, the boat made to sink
withoa the perception Of having the cables attached
for Use in case of accident, buoy to mark
the spot where she went down.


Several hours elapsed and the boat failing to appear
the spectators crowded the mole began to fear that
all was not right and the day passed away the con
ycton became general that the adventurous party had
gone to the bottom.


came in and fired gun the spot where the boat
had disappeared As the small boats were passing to
and from the steamer with passengers etc, bubbles
were discovered rising upon the surface of the water
where the submarine boat last seen; and those
came up at regular intervals in small numbers it was
supposed that the party st alive, and hearing
the steamers gun and knowing that great many boats
would be going to and fro signaling for help by
ejecting air.


A diver belonging to one of the English men-of-
war was at once sent down, and after half hours
anxious waiting he returned with the intelligence that





water Chains and cables were Immediately attached
to the boat and repeated efforts made to raise
her, but without avail, her bottom seeming to have
been sucked into the bozy bed Of the and becom
ing firmly fastened.


All night and the next day until afternoon the bub
bes kept coming up, like signals sometimes not ap
pearing for half an heGr at time, and then suddenly
rushing up for few seconds with great force. The
feeling Of the popuace assembled to rescue the party
from their terrible fate may be imagined; but what
must have been the reflection Of the during those
| awful hours at the bottom of the bay, knowing, as
they did, what little hope there was for them.


They could have heard the divers working on the
sides Of their boat attaching the chains and perhaps
felt the strain as the cable drew taught; but time
sped away without their being raised dispar worse
than death must have taken possession OF them.
Doubtless they tried signal through the sides Of
their boat to the diver hammerng eutside but he in
bis diving dress could hear nothing. The Aperture
to the interior small that but person could
pass through it at time, and that very slowly; so
that if an attempt was made to escape by that means
all would inevitably be drowned. After many hours
of laborous efforts to raise the boat the machinery
broke and the attempt was necessarily abandoned
About the middle of the afternoon OF the second day
the bubbles commenced growing fainter and more
rare, and before sundown entirely ceased. The boat
still lies whore it went down, and passengers arriving
by the steamer are told by the boatmen as they row
toward shore, the painful story OF those ten mems
fate and of the families who still moan in Valparaiso
for their fathers and brothers in their iron coffin at
the bottom of the sea-