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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1955-08-25, Page 7He Wrote Flee n That Came True �... French novelist Jules Verne had a habit of getting in well ahead of scientists. His fertile imagination was considered far- fetched a century or so ago, but history has caught up with him again and again. What Verne thought of as fiction has come to pass and to be accepted as part of everyday life. His "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" inventions, for instance. He created the submarine "Nau- tilus"—and to -day we take sub- marines as a matter of course. e put men under water in self- contained diving -suits which en- abled them to walk about with- out any air -pipes from the sur- face—and nowadays young men by the hundred don frogmen's outfits for the sheer fun of it. Walt Disney's film of "20,000 League Under the Sea" has brought the Jules Verne fantasy to the screen, now that the fa- mous novelist's description of under -water suits has become present-day reality. True, a suit of the type crea- ted on paper by Verne was ac- tually invented within a few years of the novel's publication in 1870, and the Disney research experts managed to trace it. It agreed with every detail outlined by the novelist, includ- ing a diver's helmet, a close - fitting rubber suit, and an aqua- lung. It was hand -made and weighed 225 lb., compared with the modern frogman's outfit of a total 40 lb. First demonstrated in 1879, the suit was a revolutionary, but not entirely successful, step to- wards sea-bed exploration. Verne may have used his ima- gination to make life under water a relatively simple mat- ter, but he was certainly not the first man to think about the subject. Man has sought to conquer the sea-bed for centuries, partly out of sheer curiosity, but also for more practical reasons. The scientific aspect is one. Reclaim- ing sunken treasure is another. Vast riches were lost along the shores of the Mediterranean in very early times, and there were always men who dreamed of recovering them. In fact, the, first known refer- ence to deep -seas diving goes back as far as the first century. The Latin writer Pliny described divers who were equipped with ata' tubes, the free ends of which were supported on -the surface of the sea by inflated bladders. It was not until the Middle Ages that really determined at- tempts were made to .use div- ing -suits to any great degree. During the siege of Constanti- nople, in 1433, the Turks sought means to break the chains that closed the mouth of the Golden Horn. The only way to do this was for men to go beneath the water and remain there long enough to hew through the chains. So divers were equipped with close -fitting leather suits, top- ped by a huge oval headpiece, with a pipe leading from the top. Then, in the early seventeenth century, an Englishman named Repton invented what he called "water armour." A Dutchman named Cornelius van Drebbel experimented with the first sub- marine, using the Thames for his experiments. The "water ar- mour" was a failure, and the inventor nearly drowned him- self, but the submarine met with some measure of success. Something approaching the modern frogman's outfit was invented by an Italian, G. - A. Borelli, in 1675. Although un- wieldy and uncomfortable to wear, it even had web-footed boots. All sorts of freakish shapes and designs have been intro- duced at various times, all of them extremely hazardous for the heroic fellows trying them out. Though they worked within reason, they were not really successful. One of these extraordinary diving -suits was invented in 1715 by an Englishman, John Lethbridge, of Newton Abbot. It looked something like a leath- er sack, with one end larger than the other. A glass scuttle en- abled the diver to see, and it was suspended horizontally so that he was lying in something like a large covered -in seaman's hammock with a window at the bottom. He could only look downwards. There were sleeves for the wearer's arms, and it was inflated with enough air for him to breath for a restricted time. Curiously enough, mankind seemed to give up the idea of conquering the ocean bed after this. It was not until the end of the 18th century that any- one else had a try, and this time it was a man named Kleingert, of Breslau, who designed a suit of leather jacket and drawers, over which was placed a dome- shaped cylinder reaching to the hips. Air was pumped down to him through pipes attached to the cylinder, and the air pres- sure prevented water entering the suit. Descent was made with the aid of lead weights, and the diver merely released these WRESTLING MATCH — Everyone had a job on their hands when cl truck turned over releasing 50 pigs on a road. Teen-agers loined in the roundup. Richard Croswell (in shirt) and Joe Strauder, here bulldog a 300 -pound escapee to help out. GO01—OI' Case is NOT in his second childhood, despite the finger -in -the -mouth pose. That's just a quick, handy way to sample the frosting on his 64th (or is it 65th?) birthday cake at Yankee Stadium, New York City. The peppery Yankee mana- ger celebrated his 65th (or is it 64th?) birthday by announcing a Yankee rebuilding plan that could well take two or three years to realize. (The record book says he's 65 — his wife says he's 64.) weights when he wanted to re- turn to the surface. Though it failed to cause much of a stir, that invention was actually the basis of the present- day diving -suit. It was modified and improved upon twenty years later by a man named Siebe, who later improved on it still further and designed the first successful self: -contained diving - suit on which all modern equip- ment is based. So diving -suits were not new when Jules Verne let his ima- gination take them to greater extremes than man had actually invented at the time. SUS*:"E T [MG Jonathan Daniels probably covered a thousand horse races —Kentucky Derbies and other classics of the track— during his newspaper career, but none of them made the impression on him occasioned by a race be- tween five camels at a Carolina carnival early in the century. Nobody remembers who per- suaded the owners of the five camels 4o stage the race, but the first thing anybody knew, news of the contest spread throughout the state, and peo- ple began to bet on the outcome. Perplexed bookies established initial odds of four to one against all five camels, but just before the race so many big bets were planked down on the one named Ben Ali—all of them, apparent- ly, made by the Arab owners— that the bookies grew suspicious„ and refused all further bets. Furthermore, they watched the race with eagle eyes for any sign of dirty work. The race, to all intends and purposes, however, was fairly run. All five Arab owners pres- sed their mounts with equal fer- vor and determination, and when Ben Ali won easily, the bookies could find no excuse for with- holding payment to the win- ners. One of them, his exchequer badly depleated, asked the Arab who had finished third, "What made all you birds bet every- thing on Ben Ali?" The Arab explained, with a grin, "Mister, Ben Ali is what is known in our country as a bell. camel. From the day of their birth, camels are taught to follow the bell camel!" �/: AI�S'MJ4GY Y...V..N•...^STY.' LATE SW E TO BRITISH PORTS: First Class from $192 Tourist Class from $140 5A LINGS At Thrift -Season R„, s ROUND TRIP FOR AS LITTLE AS VESSEL From MONTREAL Sat. AUG. 20 ASCANIA SCYTHIA QUEEN MARY IVERNIA MAURETANIA FRANCONIA QUEEN ELIZABETH SAXONIA PARTHIA CARONIA SAMARIA QUEEN MARY BRITANNIC ASCANIA Fri. AUG. 26 Fri. SEPT. 2 Wed. SEPT. 14 From QUEBEC TO FRENCH PORTS: First Class from $199.50 Tourist Class from $145 From NEW YORK Wed. AUG. 24 Wed. AUG. 31 ry Wed. SEPT. 7 Wed. AUG. Tues. AUG. Wed. AUG. Fri. SEPT. Sat. SEPT. Wed. SEPT. Thurs. SEPT. 24 30 31 2 3 7 8 To Liverpool Havre, Southampton Cherbourg, Southampton Liverpool Cobh, Havre, Southampton Havre, Southampton Cherbourg, Southampton Greenock, Liverpool Liverpool Havre, Southampton Havre, Southampton Cherbourg, Southampton Cobh, Liverpool Havre, Southampton See your local agent-- INe ono can serve you bolter CUN ARD LINE We Indies oc ✓G S U JSES AIrr IrDi ll�RI:ti4S: rrta TNB GRE RID claim Corner Ray Si Wellington Straete, Toronto, Ont. --Tel. IMP, 4.3471 sswmawana mics By ANNE ASHLEY Q. How can I remove mildew from fabrics? A. In early stages remove by rubbing into the material a paste of powdered chalk and soapsuds and laying it in ' the sun. Renew as often as it dries, For advanced stages steep the article in a weak solution of chloride of lime for half an hour, and then transfer to a sol- ution of 1 ounce hyposulphite of soda to a gallon of water to check the action of the lime. Then rinse in clear water. Q. How can I keep the sharp edge on knives? A. The sharp carving knives should be kept separated from each other. If kept together they will lose the sharp edge from contact with other blades. Q. How can I keep celery crisp? A. By washing thoroughly and keeping in the refrigerator for a few hours in a pitcher of cold water. Add a teaspoonful of salt. Q. How can I clean ordinary window shades? A. Rub with wall paper clean - stretched tightly on floor or table er. Holland shades should be and tacked down, then scrubbed with hot suds and brush. Rinse with brush and warm water. Wait until almost dry, then iron. Q. Flow can I remove ink stains from fabrics? A. By covering the spot with a paste made of starch and but- termilk. Allow this paste to dry and then wash the goods in warm water. Q. How can I easily pour catsup? A. All that is necessary is to push back the thickened portion that congeals around the top. It will then pour easily. Q. How can I make a good ironing board cover? A. When a new cover is need- ed for the ironing board, make a slip of unbleached muslin to fit the board, open at both ends. It is far better than using a sheet, or sewing or tacking it to the board. Q. How can 1 prevent a burn- ing sensation on the feet caused by .being too dry and harsh -skinned? A. A. good remedy is to rub them thoroughly with olive oil, massaging it well into the pores. Q. How can I make it easy to cut inergingue pie? A. Lemon meringue pie will not be difficult to cut if the pie knife is wet with cold water be. - fore using. This prevents stick- ing. Q. How can I trace ants to their nest? A. Sprinkle , cake crumbs or coarse sugar on the floor and watch to see where the ants carry it. In this way they can be destroyed at their source. If red ants nest in floors, carbolic so- lution can sometimes be intro- duced by use of an oil can with a long nozzle. SIDE WAS WILLING A near-sighted p u b l i s h e r, walking along the beach at Pro- vincetown, Massachusetts, en- countered a comely young lady who greeted him by .name. Un- able to recognize her without his glasses, the publisher stammer- ed, "How nice to see you up here. Row long are you stay- ing?” "I've got to go home Sun- day," she told him sadly, "What a pity," he remarked, "Septem- ber is the best month on the Cape. Why dont you stay an- other week?" "I will if you'll let me," the girl said coyly. The publisher examined her at close, range and suddenly recognized her. 11 was his pri- vate secretary. An Umpire' Word "Gentlemen, 1 was unable to see the .catch, In your judgment was it fair Or foul?" is the way the .high -hatted umpire used to query the crowd whenever a questionable play arose. He would carefully consider the opinions offered and then an- nounce his decision to the young gentlemen on the field. It was not questioned. The ump did not have to be as hardy in those days when baseball was a rather mild pas- time; but when the character of the game changed, when it got tougher, so did the umps. They had to be as tough as the players in order to Survive. , . . It was not until the founding of the American League that the harassed umpire could be- gin to breathe easier. Ban John- son realized the importance of protecting his officials and abol- ishing intimidation of them by club owners. He standardized their uniforms and added a base umpire to help the lonely man behind the plate. More impor- tant, he saw to it that his offi- cials were backed up by the League and that unnecessary abuse of thein would not be tol- erated in the new circuit... . Most umpires begin on the sand lots, work up from there through amateur circuits such as high schools and colleges and then serve a sentence in the mi- nors... . Meanwhile the fledgling offi- cial is not forgotten. He is watched and reported on by hawkeyed scouts just as ball- players are. The .things scouts look for in an umpire are: his konwledge of the rules, keen- ness of eye, ability to be in po- sition to see a .play, personality and ability to run a game with- out friction.—From "The Story of Baseball," by John Durant. He that laughs at his own jest mars all the mirth of it. —JAMES KELLY Of all the days that's in the week I dearly love but one day -- And that's the day that comes betwixt A Saturday and Monday; For then I'm drest all in my best To walk abroad with Sally; She is the darling of my heart, And she, lives in our alley. HENRY CAREY GESUNDHEIT — All dressed for the hay fever s-eason, Barbara English waits for the first - sneeze come August 15, clad in a dress fashioned of some 1600 disposable tissues. Cam- eraman says he'll wait for sneeze 1599, then .. . CLD VETSH BABY CHICKS CHICKS every week in the year. Special breeds for eggs, broilers, roast- ers, dual purpose. Also older pullets, 12 weeks to laying. Not too soon to book chicks for fall delivery. Cata- logue. TWEDDLE CHICK HATCHERIES LTD. FERGUS ONTARIO BROILER Growers, we feel sure you will make more money with Tweddle genuine broiler chicks, Indian River Cross, Arbor Acres White Rock, Nich- ols New Hampshire, every • one lst. generation stock. Place your orders well in advance to be sure of a date for delivery. Broiler folder. TWEDDLE CHICK HATCHERIES LTD. FERGUS ONTARIO HATCHING EGGS HATCHING eggs wanted by one of Canada's largest and oldest established hatcheries. Eggs taken every week in the year. Big premium paid. For full details write Box 131, 123 Eighteenth St., New Toronto, Ontario. EMPLOYMENT WANTED TRAINED butter & cheese man, 30 years, German, great and strong, wants position. Write Fritz Wildfang 195 Broadview Avenue, Toronto. FOR SALE GEHL FORAGE HARVESTER, corn attachment new; used blower. Price complete $1,500. Apply NORTH LAN= ARK CO-OP., Almonte, Ontario. FOR SALE or Trade, Canadian Pat- ent! Power Transmission Speed Jack for grain elevators. No belts or chas- sis. Write for picture. Henry Ward, lelemme, Iowa. AYRSHIRE Springers2 cows, 4 heifers, Registered, Accredited, Vaccinated. Wm, G. Beirnes, R.R. No. 2, Listowel, Ont. CIGAR Store and Gift Shop. Fixtures, Walnut Floor Cases Pipe Racks, Wall Cases. Hardwood finish throughout. Bargain. Goldstein's, 52 Spark Street. Ottawa, Ontario. CHOICE brick restaurant, snacks. drinks, excellent equipment. Apart- ment upstairs, Complete $26,000. half cash. Village brick store 20x60 in. cluding tinsmith's equipment, two apartments upstairs, $5,500 cash, corn. plete. Wrn. Pearce. Realtor. Exeter, Ont. LANDRACE Pigs, Registered; York. shire•Landrace crosses, weanlings. LAURENCE LaLONDE BROCKVILLE ONTARIO HELP WANTED THIRD class refrigeration stationary engineer for cold storage plant in Eastern Ontario. Must be able to do building maintenance work. Please give age, marital status, education and salary expected. Box 134, 123 Eight- eenth Street, New Toronto. SEW? Homeworkers urgently needed, Full or part time projects. 'Write: ADCO SERVICE, 561, Bastrop, La. FOREMAN for cold storage plant in Eastern Ontario. Knowledge of cheese and apple handling would be helpful. Please give ago, marital status, edit. cation and salary expected. Box 135, 123 Eighteenth Street, New Toronto. ISSUE 34 -- 1955 MEDICAL PROVEN REMEDY — EVERY SUFFERER OF RHEUMATIC PAINS OR NEURITIS SHOULD TRY DIXON'S REMEDY MUNRO'S DRUG STORE 335 Elgin, Ottawa $1.25 Express Prepaid POST'S ECZEMA. SALVE BANISH the torment of dry eczema rashes and weeping skin troubles. Post's Eczema Salve will not disap- point 'you. Itching sealing and burn- ing eczema acne, ringworm, pimples and foot eczema will respond readily to the stainless, orderless ointment, regardless of how stubborn or hopeless they seem. POST'S REMEDIES PRICE ;2.50 PER JAR Sent Post Free on Receipt of Price. 899 Queen Si. E., Corner of Logan. 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