EXTRAORDINARY DIVING.

Otago Witness, Issue 741, 10 February 1866, Page 6

EXTRAORDINARY DIVING.

A DIVER TWO IIUI»DRED FEET BELOW THE

SEA LEVEL.

In the month of January last, the Liverpool steamer Columbian, with a cargo on board valued at L 50.000, sunk off the coast of France in twenty -five fathoms water. The great depth prevented both English and French divers from attempting the salvage of the ship and her valuable cargo, none of them having ever worked deeper than fifteen or eighteen fathoms. At last a Paris Company contracted to try this salvage at their own cost and risk — to receive 60 per cent, of what they saved ; the other 40 to belong to the owner? or underwriters. The extraordinary efforts made by the divers are thus described :— On Thursday, the 31st August, the Fiambeau sailed from Molene, found the Columbian, and anchored over her. The ladder (which I had got made at the dockyard (was lowered, with a pig ot iron at each side of its end. The diver went down, stopping at each tenth step to signal that all was going on well. As he descended he found the pressure increasing to a most painful degree.. When on the last step he saw the ladder was too short, the wreck j being ten or twelve feet deeper than the ' pilots had reported (they had stated its depth to be 29 fathoms— l 74 English feet) The ladder was sixty metres — 197 feet — long from the top step to the lowermost one, from which the diver let himself down, ten or twelve feet below the pigs of iron. The electric lamp had been let down, but the pressure was so great, that, although, made of strong copper, with strengthening bars inside, it wa9 bruised quite fiat. The diver could distinguish the steps of the ladder, and even the fine line holding the lamp. He walked forward about twenty steps, sinking ancle deep in sand, and «ras then suddenly seized with a dizziness, and nearly fainted. He made bis way back to the ladder, and made the signal to be hauled up. It was nof perceived on board, but the people on deck feeling uneasy at having no signal, hauled him up rapidly. The forcing pump not being sufficiently strong, the air could not be sent down regularly, and the air tubes had burst. The pressure at bottom was so great that none but such a matt as this diver, who ia built like an Hercules, could have withstood it. The scaphandre was torn and bruised ; the under garment^ of strong caoutchouc cloth, was rent in several places, and its feams were imprinted in the diver's flesh. After threequarters of an hour's rest, and the forcing pumps and air tubes b;ing repai r ed, the diver v:ent down a^ain. He had not walked more than a few steps from the ladder when the same accident recurred. In getting back to the ladder, his arm got entf.nx3ed in oue of the rope 3 attached to him. lie uapcrewcd his dagger knife from his side, cut the rope, and was shot up with great velocity, being buoyed up by the air conhined in the scaphandre. His helmet struck, with a stunning blow, against the hull of the Flambeau, close to her keel. lie hid still strength enough to push himself away from the keel, and was floated to the surlace, on reaching which he began to sink. Fortunately a boat was at hand, and he was picked up, brought on deck, and was taken oat of the scaphandre apparently dead. It wa3 more than half an hour before he came to, after continued frictions of camphorated brandy and ethef. He then slept soundly for an hour, and oa awaking wanted to re -descend, but he was not allowed. I asked SI. Carvallo, chief of the salvage company, what were his conclusions after this trial. His answer was to the folio whig effect:— "l am certain that at a depth of 40 metres (131 feet) all salvage may be carried on without any danger. Even at 50 metres (164 feet) it may be done if proper precautions are taken; but beyond that depth the danger is too great. I have therefore made up my mind. My company abandons the salvage of the Columbian, and I shall leave this for Paris to-morrow morning. M. Werdermann and the diver called on me separately yesterday evening. Both are still of opinion that the salvage is possible. With powerful means, which they themselves would superintend the making, they would not hesitate to dive to the Columbian, and feel certain of success."

Characteristic Story of the Late Premier. — The Irish papers are telling a* most characteristic story of Lord Palmerston. He wanted to clear the estate of Chiffoney a iittle, as it was too much subdivided, and persuaded the tenants to accept free passages to America, a remission of all arrears, and a sum of money on landing. When the contract was concluded he wrote himself to the shipowners, saying that if the money paid would not secure kis people the best treatment, the contract must be cancelled ; and on their reporting themselves satisfied, ordered that during the voyage each of his people sncild have a glass of hot rum punch after Sunday's dinner—rather, it is said, to the chaplain's dismay.