Page:Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries.djvu/48

 Devon Notes and Queries, 27 for himself, claimed as his own the invention attributed to N. Symons ; but from the particulars recorded by him, the plan and construction were wholly different. His first experiment was to get "into a hogshead, upon land, bung'd up tight," in which he remained for •* half an hour without communication of air." After submerging it he goes on to state, ** and then try*d how long I could live under water without air-pipes, or communication of air, and found I could stay longer under water than upon land." After this he had an "engine" made for him by a cooper in Stanhope Street, London, of which you have the following description. It is made of wainscot, perfectly round, about six feet in length, about two foot and a half diameter at the head, and about eighteen inches diameter at the foot, and contains about 30 gallons; it is hoop'd with iron hoops without and within, to guard against pressure; there are two holes for the arms, and a glass about four inches diameter, and an inch and quarter thick, to look thro', which is fixed in the bottom part, so as to be in the direct line with the eye ; two air-holes upon the upper part, into one of which air is conveyed by a pair of bellows, both which are stopt with plugs immediately before going down to the bottom. At the foot part there's a hole to let out water sometimes ; there's a large rope fix'd to the back, or upper part, by which it's let down ; and there's a little line, called the signal line, by which the people above are directed what to do, and under is fix'd a piece of timber, as a guard for the glass. I go in with my feet foremost, and when my arms are got thro* the holes, then the head is put on, which is fastened with scrues. It requires 500 weight to sink it, and take but 15 pound weight from it and it will buoy upon the surface of the water. I lie straight upon my breast all the time I am in the engine, which hath many times been more than six hours, being frequently refreshed upon the surface by a pair of bellows. I can move it about 12 foot square at the bottom, where I have stayed many times 34 minutes. I have been ten fathoms deep many a hundred times, and have been 12 fathom, but with great difficulty. With this engine I dived three years before I saw Mr, Symons." (412)