New Invention

Allows Divers to Descend to 40 Fathoms

A NEW diving suit and helmet which, is claimed, will revolutionise diving for marine products has been perfected by a Sydney inventor after 20 years’ work.

Divers in Northern waters to-day are faced with the terrors of paralysis and death if they go beyond comparatively shallow depths. With this new invention they can comfortably descend to 40 fath oms, whereas with the old suit 30 fath oms was considered the maximum.

“This suit gets away from the old theory that the pressure of water causes paralysis,” said Sir Walter Carpenter, head of W. R. Carpenter & Co. Ltd., who is one of the syndicate backing the new invention. “The new idea is that there is little pressure in water, but that the pres

sure is in the air trying to get out of the water.”

Air is pumped into the ordinary diving suit, and lead weights are used to take the diver down. Underneath the water the air compresses itself so much in an effort to get out that it forces blood to the diver’s head and causes him to bleed from the nose and ears, said Sir Walter.

There is no air in this new diving dress.

Air is pumped into a container, which is released into the helmet in amounts suffi cient to enable normal breathing. The pressure in the new helmet is sufficient only to prevent the water from entering.

Mr. Reg. Brodie, who had been under medical treatment for several months in Namanula Hospital, Rabaul, died on Christmas Eve. Born in Queensland in 1881, he went to South Africa as a member of the Australian contingent dur ing the Boer War and later served through the Great War with the Aus tralian Light Horse. Mr. Brodie joined the New Guinea Administration in 1925, being roadmaster until July, 1934. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Right Rev. Stephen Davies, Bishop of Carpentaria, arrived in Sydney from Thursday Island by the Merkur on January 23.