PROTO-BATHYSPHERES 49 



ried a dozen rowers besides passengers, being rowed along 

 under water — or, more reasonably, on a level with the 

 surface of the water. It may be, however, that in the 

 course of this experiment, some alkali was used which 

 absorbed the poisonous carbon dioxide in the breathed air. 

 It was stated that "Drebel conceived that it is not the 

 whole body of the air but a certain spirituous part of it 

 that fits it for respiration, so that besides the mechanical 

 contrivances of his boat he had a chemical liquor, the 

 fumes of which, when the vessel containing it was un- 

 stopped, would speedily restore to the air, fould by the 

 respiration, such a portion of vital parts as would make 

 it again fit for that office." 



John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, was a most remarkable 

 man, and while he made no diving inventions, and as far 

 as we know, never even waded in the water, yet a few 

 paragraphs from his writings are pertinent to our theme, 

 and full of the charm of the man's personality. He was 

 Cromwell's brother-in-law and yet was persona grata to 

 both Charles I and Charles II, and was a power in the 

 formation of the Royal Society. He wrote on a score of 

 subjects and illumined all by his brilliant mind. 



He had heard of or seen Drebel's submarine boat and 

 opined that "how to improve it unto publicke use and 

 advantage, so as to be serviceable for remote voyages, the 

 carrying of any considerable number of men with pro- 

 visions and commodities, would be of such excellent use 

 as may deserve some further inquiry." He divided his 



