WONDERS OF THE DEEP 83 



eye-holes in front, covered with glass, and protected 

 by strong guards made of brass wire- 



A diver is further supplied with a life-line, as 

 it is called, made of stout manilla rope, which he 

 always holds in his hands. With this line he can 

 signal to those on deck, in accordance with a pre- 

 arranged code. The life-line has also the advantage 

 of serving to guide the diver in returning to the 

 ladder by which he descends and ascends. Modern 

 diving suits, it may be interesting to note, are 

 supplied with a telephone apparatus, and this enables 

 the diver to keep in close telephonic communication 

 with the men on board. 



The above is a simple description of the diving 

 suit in common use. Of course, there are different 

 kinds of diving suits, each having certain modifi- 

 cations and improvements. One type of diving suit, 

 for example, contains an arrangement that enables 

 the diver to obtain his own supply of fresh air, 

 and thus avoids the necessity of his depending on 

 the air supplied to him by the air-pump. The 

 cost of a modern diving suit varies from £75 to 

 £200. 



Before the diver is ready to descend into the 

 water a number of weights are adjusted across his 

 chest and back in such a manner that they cannot 

 possibly become detached. These are necessary to 

 enable him to descend with facility to the depths 

 of the ocean and walk about the floor of the ocean, 

 and also to permit him to maintain his equilibrium 

 while he is below. Every diver wears a heavy 



