SUB MARINE BOAT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 246, 17 October 1872, Page 8

SUB MARINE BOAT.

On Thursday evening last, in the Commercial Assembly Eobms; Mr. Nufcfcall, one of the patentees of the sub-marine boat designed , Mr. Villaine for working the^ftj^iferous deposits in the river bedr'cif New Zealand, gave a. description .of this lateßt scientific wondeir;and explained the conditions upon which it is, proposed to form a company. The attendance was pretty good, and very fairly represented by t^ose gentlemen who are always prepared to give encouragement to any scheme likely to develope the resources «f the country and at the same time prove remunerative to themselves. After reading the prospectus and the opinion of some eminent Victorian engineers, Mr.

Nuttall proceeded to give a descrip tion of the boat from a plan which he had before him. The following is an outline of the same :-— He said an iron boat on the Villaine principle, 26ft. long by : 7ft. in diameter, is capable of containing three meu fit work for six "four's at the bottom, without cornmu- : nicating with the surface. Provision js made for propelling the boat under water. The interior of the boat is divided into compartments, namely, a ballast chamber, a place for' working in, air-tight compartments containing air compressed to six atmospheres, and a space into which water is. admitted to sink the boat, the water being afterwards used to wash the metallic ore, there being a sluice 30ft. long in the boat. There is also an open space for allowing communication between the two ends of the vessel, and there pre pipes and cocks for regulating the air, and chemical means are taken for renovating it. Provision is made for those inside to move the boat ahead or astern on the bottom, for maintaining the equilibrium of the boat, and for fixing the boat upon an angle of 45 or 50 degrees if required. Th 3 mode of working the boat is as follows : — The boat being brought to the scene of

operations, those' intending to descend get into her through a man-hole. When a sufficient quantity of air has been accumulated in the reservoirs, the man-holes and air funnels are hermetically closed, and sufficient water is then admitted to sink- the the boat, Once on the bottom, the compressed air is allowed to rush into -the working chamber, upon which, the bottom of the boat, an iron door of eight superficial feet, is opened, and work is commenced. The vessel is again brought to the surface by "discharging the water taken in. .For the purpose of compressing the air, a tender and engine would be employed. The boat, . tender, and •engine, he' considered, would not exceed £1500. No doubt existed in his mind that the gold was in the beds of the rivers, which were in many places natural siuice boxes, whose crevices only required to be explored by the submarine boats to unfold - the incalculable treasures. He had visited the Molvneux and Kawarau, and from personal -conversation with those ifrho had. obtained large quantities' of' gold from the ban kg J of these rivers, when they were at their lowest, lie believed, .Mr.' Villaine 's invention, was. in every respect suited for working them. At the'' dose of the lecture some questions were put. Mr. Squires asked if the patent was secured in New Zealand, - Mr. Nuttall-said<ife-was.- : Mr. Acton ' asked what -became of the boat -constructed by Mr. Villaine on the " same " principle •in Melbourne. " Mr. Nuttall stated, in reply, that Mr. Villaine was very badly treated in Melbourne. He got 1 amongst a lot of li sharks^" who wished to gain all fhe advantage from his invention, and leavet him nothing; so in disjifst he went to Mr. A. K. Smith's yards, where. the boat was lying, and took a h/unme'r and broke it to pieces. 'Mr [Squires then said it was only right this- meeting should give some expression of opinion on the matter before it. The plan of the boat he must admit was very complicated and required some scientiGc knowledge to fully undecstand it. Many objections tind difficulties, he bad no doubt would occur to practical. miners, which Mr Nuttall cpnld not be expected to for.gee.' But taking the- worst view of the case, if regarded as an air-tight cham-ber,-in-which-work could be carried on : ,' and the "wash dirt simply secured, ft was a great advance on, the best 4redge.. Mr. Nuttall had told the meeting that the patentees surrendered ftjl rights, aqd were prepared to sell 1000 shades, ami as soon &s r £2 10s per share, on this 1000 was paid up, they- would commence to contribute on their own 200 Q. shares'. This was a very liberal offer, on' their part, b.ut he thought it , should be expressed in the prospectus. •> , A provisional treasurer, he/^oofiiideFed, should. hav£. been appointed from, the directors; Tn t 1 & inflßßenfc state of - the prospectus' he- • otnjld not . advise any one to take ■■"afiaiipfli' but with these alterations \ r tfhich i^f '.jSTtittall expressed himself flgve^^^p^inajce^ he thought the An-. '.. vetoes, should receive some^ncourage- • meat i^nd^' limitations, and^hadj no* doubt :tlialr a- '-number of -shares 1 -; w.a&ld xba* taken' "up in' Lawrence. Mr: J} v(jttall:"c6asideredv (jttall : "c6asidered '.the prospectus* a r jnjftbi* and that H was .the deed of t(JsQci£tion which alone was binding, * Mr. Squires thought different. Tha fopoint was ma^eoß the representations

of the projectors were t"nen liable 'foY'any .ffye ,rety6 J sehtations made by them. % ( , „ - Mr. Nuttall said Mr. Barton waff present, and perhaps would put them right on this point. ■ Mr. Barton confirmed Mr. Squires' statement' that' the prospectus ,'was binding. . The meeting then broke up.