entirely renew its 6000 cubic feet of atmosphere in sixteen seconds.
A kind of perpetual slight shower of salt water supplied from the hold, and arranged at the stern by bringing a supply of oxygen, was found to enable the divers to remain two hours and a half longer without air from above.
The Admiralty had not been sleeping all this time: they now sent in a report to Prince Constantine, stating that “Bauer could not fasten his ventilating tubes from within, but had to send out a sailor through the hatch to fix them when already under water.” Had he done so the vessel must have been at once swamped. They followed this charge with various ingenious inventions of the same sort, till they went too far, and the Prince became suspicious,—had the report translated and sent to Bauer, who answered it in a letter of such energetic indignation and uncompromising truth, as might have caused a stroke of apoplexy to a prince of weaker nerves.
Constantine immediately consented to Bauer’s demand for a new commission of investigation. Eighteen persons, military and scientific, were appointed to it. They ate, drank, and made observations for five hours under water, isolated from the upper atmosphere, tested the vessel’s action in every way, and finding her day after day equally docile to command, they officially declared all doubts of her success entirely destroyed.
The coronation of the present Emperor, September 6th, 1856, was celebrated by Bauer and his men as no king’s or kaiser’s had ever been before. He went down with Lieutenant Fedorowitch, his sailors, and four musicians. After singing the “Native Hymn” above water, as soon as the first salute was fired down sank the hyponaut. Each baring his head, they then sang to the music, “God preserve our Emperor.” Toasts and triumph-marches followed, and loud cheers, the tranquil fish looking in all the time, wondering what new madness had seized their visitors. The trumpets sounded strangely softened, as though they were played some way outside the vessel, and the trumpeters found under water practice far easier than on terra firma. The music and cheers were heard 400 feet off on the surface.
The Commission prohibited any intelligence being sent to the Emperor or Prince of these novel celebrations, though the latter had left orders that all news of interest should be immediately telegraphed.
About this time, Admiral Napier arriving in Cronstadt, the authorities had the hyponaut hidden away behind a large ship whenever he came into the harbour.
Bauer had found Lieutenant Fedorowitch was in league with his enemies, and had always, when possible, contrived his absence in his voyages. But he now (October 2nd) received orders to blow up a large ship under the inspection of the new Commission, and take the Lieutenant with him. The ship had been placed in an almost unattainable position, three and a half versts from Cronstadt . Bauer started for the work with the hyponaut sinking at a considerable angle. But the Lieutenant was steering, and suddenly they found the stern fast aground in a sand-bank, and the screw tangled in weeds and rubbish. They were forty feet distant from the ship, but could neither advance nor retire. The ballast water was then pumped out, and the head immediately rose, but the stern remained fixed. Bauer began to throw off the iron ballast provided for emergencies, and at last the sand and seaweed began slowly to yield to the vessel’s efforts, and she was fast safely regaining a horizontal position, when her commander was horror-struck by a great rush of water through the hatchway: he and the men rushed to close it, and found the Lieutenant had left it open as he furtively crept out on to the head now quite above water. It was in vain to attempt to shut out the water now; the trap could not be pulled down, and Bauer and the sailors were obliged to follow the Lieutenant, and leave the hyponaut to fill and settle down.
When Prince Constantine arrived in Cronstadt an official report awaited him, representing the Lieutenant’s conduct as a performance of his duty in so saving his own valuable life. The Prince thought otherwise, and removed him from his office on the Commission, assuring Bauer he “knew no accident would have happened had not Fedorowitch been present.” The hyponaut was swamped on the 2nd October, 1856, on her 134th (!) trial under water.
Bauer now received orders to build a submarine corvette of 24 guns, with steam power for surface navigation, and his atmospheric invention to act under water. She was to be provided with sufficient air to remain six hours below water with 75 men. To be about 150 feet long, 12 feet high, and 20 feet broad. The cannons to be closed by a self-acting valve when under water, but to be fired from above the level by allowing the vessel to rise when at the right distance from the enemy. She was to be fish-shaped, and capable of rigging with sails if required; and Bauer to immediately furnish a model 16 feet long. He was appointed a salary of 130 rubles a month, with a uniform,—an important matter in Russia,—and the official title of “Submarine Engineer.”
The hyponaut was recovered again after four weeks, but parts of the machinery required repair; and, in spite of the repeated orders of the Lord High Admiral, remained uncompleted from November, 1856, till 1858.
When Bauer commenced arrangements for building the submarine corvette and model,—though Prince Constantine had given strict orders he should be supplied with everything requisite for the purpose within the estimated sum,—he was informed that he must take the whole value of that sum in equal sized metal plates, though he had applied but for a small number of various proportions. He could besides get no wages for his seven workmen, nor the necessary money for requisite castings. Had he taken the plates offered, and disposed of the surplus number, his enemies would have involved him in the tortures of a law suit. He was forced to bring the works to a close: he had no private means to carry them on, and for this delay the Admiralty stopped his salary! Again Prince Constantine came to his relief; indignantly ordered his arrears to be paid up, and his appointments in future to be on no pretence detained.
