Champion Diver’S End.

“King’s” Death in Harness.

From Our Own Correspondent

Thursday Is., May 29.

ONE of the best-known Japanese divers passed away recently in the person of “King,” who had been working round Thursday Island for over 20 years. He was one of the Bowden Company’s best men; and with another diver named Tomo had earned a reputation for going down to great depths wearing only the helmet over a flannel suit, in place of the usual cumbrous diving outfit.

He was never attacked by sharks, and used to declare that in case of accident he could reach the surface much more rapidly and with less danger than in the full dress.

He met his death while working in the vicinity of Darnley Island. On indications of something wrong the line was pulled up and it was dis covered that King’s helmet was de tached. The body was brought in to Thursday Island, and a post-mortem showed that the heart was in weak condition. The circumstances of the death seemed peculiar: whether the unfortunate man had dragged the helmet off accidentally or otherwise can only be left to conjecture, but it is one of the tragedies that accompany the collecting of the ocean’s wealth.

We are indebted to Mons. N. Hagen, of Noumea, for this photo, of the steamer “Loyalty,” owned by Messrs. Hagen Freres, of Noumea, ashore in Noumea Harbour. The “Loyalty” was caught by a tidal wave which followed the cyclone early last month and lifted high and dry on to the shore. Several attempts to refloat her by means of heavy ground tackle have failed.

High and Dry.