When such a condition arises it is usually necessary to dynamite the hull in order that the obstruction will not menace further shipping, Dut here come the fine points of a diver's ability.
To many, dynamiting is a matter of drilling hol placing charges, but the Whangpoo under-water worker knows dynamite as something entirely different.
For not only must he prepare the holes and set the shots, meanwhile Keeping the locality clear of silt sand and the variety of oddities that the river carries to, the sea, bul beforehand he must make a complete reconnaissance of the entire ship in order that his work can be carried on in the place where it will do the most. good.
And this means a clambering over the ship from stem to stern dragging a heavy air pipe behind him together with the safety-giving life line, not Knowing what situation will confront with each now step or what change the river has wrought in the conditions he just left.
Naturally such" work requires highly trained men, and it is a credit to the local Chinese to know that the work is largely carried on by e countrymen. There are one was wrong, and the medical men who ere called gave as their opinion that he had died of natural causes.
Tenching the Young Idea In the training of new men comes situation that, though fraught with little danger, is filled with no inconsiderable aniount of humour to both Iayman and experienced diver alike, On going down for the first time considerable stress is laid on the uses of the safety valve in the front of each suit which is simply a device that shuts off the outgo of air and fills the suit instead. The result can be imagined, Buoyancy is a marvellous thing as the embryonic diver discovers when he takes the advice of older and more experienced heads and utilizes the safety valve at first opportunity. Not only does he come to the surface but usually he comes with such speed as to arrive as though shot from a catapult with the lightest part of his suit first.
As the fect are the most heavily: weighted and are balanced by the huge and cumbersome helmet the amusement of the spectators can be imagined, One point of special danger is Just below the joining of the Whang-oe by the Soochow Creek where for half mile a current is produced that is not equalled for speed in many places hereabout Bat all in all the work is looked upon by the divers as containing no more dangers than are chanced in the average day's work ashore, and though the remuneration ig not Inrge the majority of employers make special bonus arrangements for especially difficult work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.