Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare / Containing a Complete and Concise Account of the Rise and Progress of Submarine Warfare

by Charles William Sleeman

Ladder.—An iron ladder should be provided with stays to bear against the side of the boat from which the diving is carried on, to which may be attached (if working in deep water) an ordinary rope ladder, with ash rounds, and weighted at the end. Some divers have the ladder only 20 feet long, to the last round a rope with a weight attached, which rests on the ground; by that means they descend.

Directions for using the Apparatus.—The ladder having been fixed, the position of the pump should be decided on, and it should be securely lashed by means of the ropes attached to the handles down to a stage, into which the screw-eyes should be fastened if necessary; the pump should be placed out of the way of the divers, the men attending on them, and all the men employed. The best position for the pump is facing the head of the ladder, and about six feet from it.

While the diver is dressing, the pump should be prepared for use, the winch handles should be taken out of the pump case, the nipples protecting the crank axles removed, the nuts being replaced on their screws. The nuts for the ends of the crank axles are taken off, the fly-wheel placed on the shaft, and the winch handles put on, and secured by the nuts, which are screwed home with the spanner. The pump is always worked in its case.

The flaps covering the pressure gauges and that at the back of the pump case should be opened, the screw on the overflowing nozzle of the cistern removed, and the cistern filled with water; the caps of the air delivery pipes should be removed, the necessary lengths of air-pipe should be put together carefully with washers in place, and all the screws must be worked home by means of the two double-ended spanners. The air-pipes should be tested by holding the palm of the hand to the end of the pipe, till the pressure shown on the pressure gauge is considerably above that corresponding to the depth the diver is to descend.

Dressing the Diver—Crinoline only for Deep Water.—The diver having taken off his own clothes, puts on a guernsey, a pair of drawers, very carefully adjusted outside the guernsey, and securely fastened by the tape round the waist, to prevent them from slipping down, and then a pair of inside stockings. If the water be cold, the diver may put on two or more of each of the above articles. He then puts on the crinoline and woollen cap, drawing the latter well over his ears; some divers find relief from putting cotton saturated with oil in their ears.

The shoulder pad is then put on, and tied under the diver's arms. He then gets into the diving-dress, which in cold weather should be slightly warmed, drawing it well up to his waist; he next puts his arms into the sleeves, an assistant opening the cuffs by means of the cuff expanders, or by inserting the first and second fingers of both hands, taking care to keep his fingers straight. The diver, by pushing, forces his hand through the cuff. He puts on a pair of outside stockings and a canvas overall to preserve the dress from injury.

The diver then sits down, and the inner collar of the dress is drawn well up and tied round the neck with a piece of spun yarn, and the breast-plate put on, great care being taken that the india-rubber of the outer collar is not torn in putting it over the projecting screws of the breast-plate. The four pieces of the breast-plate band, which with the thumbscrews had been previously placed for safety in one of the boots, are then put over the outer collar, and secured to the projecting screws by means of the thumbscrews; the centre screw of each plate should be tightened first. It will generally be sufficient if the thumbscrews be screwed up hand-tight, the spanner being only used when necessary. The canvas overall is now adjusted and the boots are put on.

The rings are passed over the cuffs, and the sleeves of the overall are drawn down to cover them. If gloves are to be used, the rings will be put on over them, as well as the cuffs. The helmet (without the front bull's-eye) is then put on; before doing so, the attendant should blow through the outlet valve of the helmet; he can do so by placing his head in the interior, and placing his mouth to the hole where the air escapes. Blow strongly; if in proper working order, the valve will vibrate. A loop of the life line is placed round the diver's waist, the line brought up in front of the man's body, and secured with a piece of small rope passing round his neck, or to the stud on the helmet. The waist-belt is buckled on with the knife on the left side, the end of the air-pipe being passed from the front, through the ring on the belt on the man's left, and up to the inlet valve on the helmet, to which it is secured; the upper part of the pipe is then made fast by a lashing to the stud on the left of the helmet. The diver then steps on the ladder, and two men are told off to man the pump.

The weights are then put on, the front weight first, the clips being placed over the studs on the breast-plate. The back weights are then put on, and the clip lashings over the hooks on the helmet, and the two are secured to the diver's body by means of the lashing from the back weight, which is passed round the waist, through the thimble beneath the front weight, and tied to the other end of the lashing at the back weight.

When the signalman is sure that all is right, and that the diver understands all the signals, he gives the word Pump, and screws the centre bull's-eye into the helmet securely; this done, he takes hold of the life line and "pats" the top of the helmet, which is the signal for the diver to descend.