HUNTING FOE HUB-MARINE TREASURE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 151, 27 June 1881, Page 1

HUNTING FOE HUB- MARINE TREASURE.

A sohooner owner by & Connect! cu b " Sub-marine Company " ia beiog used in expioriog a sunken wreck oil RoutK* Island, near Peekskill, on the Hudson. The wreck has been there many years, and is reputed to have been the ship of the famous pirate Captain; Kidd. A visitor says that among the appliances of the schooner are a great variety of machines, pumps, rudder tubes, and other contrivances for brioging treasure out of the deep water. Chief among tleae it a large diving-bell, of boiler; iron, with little round windows on every side, bo tr at the man inside can see out ia every direction— "up, down, and across. It is kept in a well in the bold, and, when it ia used, bolts &t the top are unfaßtened, tho man climbs in, and the bolts are again fastened, the top being put on so ti^ht that the sifjir v both air and water proof. The sensation of beiog bolted into this narrow iron prison fcr the first time is B&id to be terrible, though the experienced divers do not mind it. There are two rubber tabes attached to the top, one to carry off the exhausted air, the other to supply fresh air. When tho man if> faste-ned, tne air pump is itarteJ and the bell is hoisted out with bo immense derrick and lowered over the side. This bell can operate in 300 feet of water, and is, of course, raised or lowered by steam. When all is ready, it is lowered to the bottom. The man inside looks through his windows and determines what must be done first. He has win a to pull to: signal the men above. He caa tell; j ibem to hoist, bwer, give him uiore or ' lees air, or any other sigcala that may : h&ve been ig.-eed upou. Attached to ! the side cf tbo eliving-beil, and : operated, ; | by tteam, from above, is what is called j " the arm"— A heavy tttaohmeot, proo vided with so many points and swivels I that it is capable of makiog all the ; many motions of the human arm, with ■ mood greater strength than any human aim ever had. This arm has a hand, i with fingers, that hold a saw, an axe, j a orow-bar, or any instrument desired. : If the man ia the bell deeires to saw, i he ia drawn up, a saw is put in the steam hand, and he goes back and begins work. When be wants an axe or a hammer be ie drawn up> again, and ihe tool is changed. The iron bell is almost human in its capacity for work, and With the brains of a man inside, it is a valuable labourer. When the work is iv very deep or daik water, or at night, an electric Jight is attached to the bell,) and; ihe bottom for many yards ; round is made as. bright aa if the sun shone upon it. The effect upon the I surface of the Water of this bright light underneath ie said to be dazzling and : beautiful, and some of the Bip Van Winßleites who live up yonder on the hills may well wonder when they see (he bottom of the Hudson bright with electric light and ft steam man digging for a pirate's treasures.