A NEW SECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 303, 22 December 1932, Page 7

A NEW SECTION.

NAVAL SALVAGE ARM.

LONDON, December 16.

The 10 months' salvage operations in an unsuccessful attempt to raise the.M2 have resulted, declares the "NewsChronicle," in the birth of a new naval arm, the M 2 divers using their experience to train a new corps. .

The divers made 1300 separate descents during the operations, usually remaining 00 minutes under water, and taking a further 72 to rise to the surface, thus avoiding too sudden changes of pressure. The longest dive lasted 340 minutes.

The lives of the men were in constant peril, divers being trapped on the seabed when the gear fouled. One was held a prisoner upside down until comrades dived to release him. Others were carricd by dangerous tides under the ship, and one was using a new oxyliydro flame-cutter when it exploded. He had a miraculous escape, though his diving suit had to be cut off him. The hull of the M 2 was sealed with, tons of ccment.

A diver who had been instructed to make his way to another part of the long hull heard through the telephone someone singing "I'm Happy When I'm Hiking" as he plodded in his leaden shoes along the ocean bed.