THE DIVING BELL.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 2, Issue 42, 1 August 1850, Page 4

THE DIVING BELL.

The diving bell is a machine so contrived, that the diver is safely conveyed to any reasonable depth; and may stay more or less time under the water, as the bell is greater or less. It is most conveniently made in the form of a truncated cone, the smallest end being closed, and the larger open. It is to be poised with lead, and so suspended, that it may sink full of nir, with ils open end downwards, and as near as may be in n situation parallel to the horizon, so as to close with the surface of the water all at once. Under thic covering the diver sitting, sinks down with tho included air (o the depth cie- ■ ■>•■.. th • Imllow of the vessi'l can

contain a tun of water, a single man may remain a full hour without much inconvenience, and at five or six fathoms depth. But the lower he goes, still the more the confined air contracls itself, according to the weight of the water that compresses it; so that at tht'rty-lhiee feet deep the bell becomes half full of water, the pressure of the incumbent water being then equal to that of the atmosphere •, and at all other depths, the space occupied by the compressed air in the upper part of its capacity, is to the space filled with water, as thirty-thiee feet to the depth of the surface of Jthe wator in the bell, below the common surface of it. And this condensed air being taken in with the breath soon insinuates itself into all the cavities of the body, and has no ill effect, provided the bell he permitted to descend so slowly as to allow time for that purpose. Diving bells are used for working under water 6y. Forexample, many of the pointed rocks in Sydmey Harbour were removed by labourers who descended at various places in the diving bell, and with pickaxe and lever, cleared the cove of such dangerous obstructions.

! Female Magnanimity. Some years ago, an instance of humanity and p-csence of mind, occurred at a place called Noyou, in France, which well deserves to be commemorated. Four men, who were employed in cleansing I a common sewer, were so affected by the fffitid vapours, that they were unable to ascend. The lateness of the hour (for it was eleven at night), rendered it difficult to procure assistance, and the delay must have been fatal, had not a young girl, a servant in the family, with courage and humanity th >t would have done honour to the most elevated station, nt the hazard of her own life, attempted their deliverance. This generous girl, who was only seventeen years of age, was, at her own request, let down several times to the poor men by a rope. She was so fortunate a« to save two of them pretty easily, but, in tying the third to the cord, which was let down to her for tliat purpose, she found her breath tailing, and was so much a fleeted by the vapour as to be in danger of suffocation. In this dreadful situation, she had the presence of mind to tie hersell by her hair to the rope, and was drawn up almost expiring, with the poor man in whose behalf she had so humanely exerted herself.

Far from being intimidated by the danger of the enterprise, the moment she recovered her (spirits, she insisted upon being let down lor tho poor creature that remained, which she nctually wks; but her exertions at this time Tailed of puccess, for the unfortunate man was drawn up dead. The corporation of the town of Noyou, as a small token of their approbation, presented the generous girl with six hundred livres, and conferred on her the civil crown, with a medal engraved with the arms of the town, her name, and a narrative of the action. The Duke of Orleans also sent her 500 livres, and settled two hundred yearly on her (or life.

! EDWA'nu Vl.—lie was but nine years and I three months old when he ascended the throne—he had an extraordinary memory, an J excellent sense for his age, while he was indefatigable in his studies, to render liim the better able to fulfil the duties of his exalted station. When eight years of age he was capable of writing Latin letters to his father Henry VIII ; and French was as easy to him as his mother tongue. He applied himself to the arts and sciences, and became master of the Gieek, Spanish, and Italian languages. Among other institutions established by his wishes and under bis authority, for good and charitable purposes, that of Christ's Hospital stands foremost for the high character of the education which it bestows ; and for the men of first-rate ability and talent it has sent forth into the world. Archbishop Cranraer, the godfather of Edward, on ono occasion brought a present to 1 biro, saying, that no one but himself was to touch it, or it would soon be spoiled. " Then, my dear kind brother," replied the child, "I would rathsr not have any plaything at all." And again, when trying to reach something beyond his height, one of his companions handed him a Bible lo stand upon ; but this the young prince mildly refused, saying, that such an act would be a desecration of the Scriptures. His latter days were particularly employed in the contemplation ol all that was suited to fit liim for a better world, and ho expired on the Cth of July, 1553.