EXTRAORDINARY DIVING

West Coast Times, Issue 146, 7 March 1866, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY DIVING

In the month of January last, the Liverpool steamer Columbian, with a cargo on board valued at £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 owners or underwriters. The extraordinary efforts made by the divers are thus described:— On Thursday, the 31st August, the Flambeau sailed from Molene, found the Columbian und anchored over her. The ladder (which I had got made at the dockyard) was lowered, with a pig of 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 at the last step he saw the ladder was too short, the wreck being ten or twelve feet deeper tban 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 was bruised quite flat. The diver could distinguish the steps of the ladder, and even the fine line holding the lamp. He walked forward about twenty st6ps, sinking ancle deep in sand, and was then suddenly seized with a dizziness, and nearly fainted. He made his way back to the ladder, and made the signal to be hauled up. It was not 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, aud the tubes had burst. The pressure at the bottom was so great that none but such a man as this diver, who is built like a Hercules, could have withstood it. Tbe scaphandre was torn and bruised ; the under garment, of strong caoutchouc cloth, was rent in several places, and its seams /were imprinted in the diver's flesh. After three-quarters of an hour's rest, and the forcing pumps and air tubes being repaired, the diver went down again. 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 entangled in one of the ropes attached to him. He unscrewed his dagger knife from his side, cut the rope, and waa shot up with great velocity, being buoyed up by the air contained in the scaphandre. His helmet "struck, with a stunning blow, against the hull of the Flambeau, close to her keel.

He had still 'strength enough to push himself away from the keel, and was to the surface, on reaching which he began to sink. Fortunately a boat was at hand, and he was picked up, brought on deck, aud was taken out of the scaphandre apparently dead. It was more than half an hour before he came to, after continued frictions of camphorated brandy and ether. He then slept soundly for an

hour, and on awaking wanted to re-deacehd but he was not allowed. I asked M. Carvallo, chief of the salvage company, what were his conclusions after this trial. His answer was to the following effect.— lam 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 sure of success." — "'.rimes."