5: The First Dives of the Trieste 



ON ist August 1953 — the Swiss national holiday, a coincidence of 

 happy augury — the colours were hoisted on the Trieste: the 

 tricoloured flag of the Italian Navy and the white cross on a red back- 

 ground of Switzerland. The bathyscaphe is still at the dock on her 

 cradle. The giant crane of the * Navalmeccanica.' yards approaches and 

 its powerful hook grasps the suspension-ring of the bathyscaphe. 



It is customary for a ship to be baptized before it first makes contact 

 with its element. In general, a bottle of champagne is broken on its 

 prow. Never having understood the relation existing between bits of 

 broken glass and a ship to which we wish a happy future, I left out this 

 part of the ceremony. On the other hand the priest was welcome who, 

 asperging the Trieste with holy water, according to a pious Italian 

 custom, put it under the divine protection without which all human 

 labour is vain. 



Then the crane lifted the bathyscaphe and, rolling along its railway, 

 carried it towards a sheltered place in the port. At this moment a 

 cloud of pigeons flew from the top of the crane and hovered beneath 

 the Trieste. This unexpected and charming tribute had been prepared 

 for us by the crane driver, who had wanted to play his part in the 

 solemnity of the moment. The crane stopped, swung round and 

 placed the bathyscaphe in the sea. As its hull as yet contained nothing 

 but air, it floated high on the water. 



The following day the 'Esso* tankers arrived from Naples. A 

 hose was placed between the dock and our submarine and 18,920 

 gallons of petrol passed into our reservoirs. Why, it will be asked, 

 18,920 gallons when the float could contain 22,660 gallons? Because 

 at the time that we drew up the plans of the Trieste it was necessary to 

 leave a margin of safety, for at that time we were quite unaware of 

 what would be the exact thickness of the metal sheets and their 

 weight. There can, in fact, be differences between the metal sheeting 

 ordered and that which is turned out by the rolling mills. Moreover, 

 we had to take into account the possibility that we might later install 

 heavier apparatus. Again, we had provided for the event where the 

 bathyscaphe might make dives in tropical waters: in warm seas the 

 petrol would expand and the possibility of the formation of vapour 



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