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Otago Daily Times, Issue 318, 26 December 1862, Page 6

A Diving Boat.—An attempt to construct a vessel of this kind was made in 1774, by a man nain;;d Day, of Yarmouth, who was successful in two descents, and made a third, f om which he never returned. His first descent was made in a market boat, which he adapted for the purpose, and in which ho lay under water lor twenty-lour hours, afterwards ascending to the surface without assistance. This experiment having been successful, he wrote to a Mr Blake, whose character as a sporting man he lenrrit from the Sper'ing Calendar, the letter v/bich follows : _<- sir,—l have found out an affair by means of which many thou rands may be won. It is of a paradoxical nature, but can be performed with easa ; therefore, Sir, if you choose to be informe I of it. and ghn me one hundred pounds of every thousand you shall win by it. I will very readily wait upon you and inform you of it. . I am myself but a poor mechanic, and not able to make, anything by it without your assistance.—Yours, &c, J. Day.' 1 An interview ensued in London,.a model was constructed, which was submitted by Mr Blake to several gentlemen, who approved the design, and Day was then sent back to Yarmouth with the fund? requisite for carrying out h;« idea. When the vessel was completed, Mr Blake was present when Day made his trial descent wUh his new vessel in Catwater, at the .bottom of which ho lay for twelve hours. On the day fixed far the (Treat trial, she was towed to a spot where thedepth of iiio water was twenty-two fathoms; her inventor shut himself in her, let in the water, and disappeared. The twelve hours having e'apsed. and there being no signs of bis re-appearance, Mr Blake applied to the captain of the ' Orpheus' frigate, and also to Lord Sandwich, for assistance, but all was ineffectual, neither Day nor his vessel were ever ag^in seen by mortal eye. 'There is no; description extant ot 1110 mo^ein which the vessel w,'? constructed; the only nformatibn ion this point is, that it'Jiad a faLo bottom, which held a quaritityjof ballast, that could be detached when the person inside desired to return to the surface.— United Service Gazette.

Proposed Ihtkrcolonial Rowivg Matoii — With a desire to initiate an intercolonial rowing match b tweere Victoriaand Sydney, to take place in the same week with the ensuing cricket match, a meeting of the various boatia* clubs was held last evening at Marshall's Cricketers' hotel, Mr H. *. Williams in -the chair. v It arcs proposed by Mr M'Cutchcon, and seconded by Mr Irving, .atid carried, " Thut a challenge be sent to row a four-oared race by armatsuru in any boats, on tlie Paramatta lliver, jnimtidiately before the Intercolonial Cricket Match/ To carry out the arrangements a c<»inmittee was elected, which included' Mr Jajlor of tlie Melbourne Olub, Mr Williams of the Ariel Club. fiSr, tfovrpef of tlie I-eander Club. Mr Irving of the u» i- v - versify-Olub, Mr M;*<^»toheon of the J^wick-Club, . .Mr Byrne* and ifcr.Q^Garrick.. The Jceetiwc jthen. * adjourned this evening at viglA^.m.^rE^rdld,