Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1875 — Divers’ Dangers. [ARTICLE]

Divers’ Dangers.

During the recent operations on the Vanguard two of the divers narrowly escaped death. The first instance w-as that of a man named Rowe who went down quickly to his work knowing that he had not much time to stay below.." In his rapid descent the pressure became suddenly increased to such an extent that he lost his senses. The signalman above twice gave the signal “All right,” and, receiving no response, ordered liis men to haul up. Rowe, however, was fast entangled in the spare rigging floating about, and it was only by the combined strength of seven or eight men that he was eventually brought to tlie surface quite black in the face. A few minutes more under water and he would have been dead. The .next case was that of went down to the bridge of the Vanguard, in crossing which he slipped and fell on the deck. Stunned by the sudden increase of pressure, he was unable to answer the signals, and was in consequence at once hauled up into the "boat in ah apparently lifeless condition. Restoratives were applied, but it was two hours before he revived, and he is still in the hospital under medical care. The greatest .danger the divers experience is from the ropes, sails, shrouds, etc., which incessantly move in the water below. As the tide, which here exceeds the rate of four miles an hour, sets in one direction, all the various mov-ing-objects go with the stream, and the diyers, wdio have to w-ait until the watftr is moderately still, go dowm clear of all embarrassment. As, however, the tide reverses its course, the moving mass returns upon them, and they often have to cut their w r ay through to gain the surface. Notwithstanding all these difficulties the divers—and especially two of them, White and McCblloch—have successfully reached the hull, which lies in deep darkness, and measured the-hole in the side by means of notching a wooden lath carried down for the purpose, and placed against the aperture. The Denayrouze lamp, which had been materially useful in removing the rigging of the ship, was not taken down on this occasion, inasmuch as the divers required the use of both hands in endeavoring to escape entanglement by some stray 7 rope. —London Telegraph.