Page 5 - pm_1952_10

Merlllaids

Tales

W ebo 'Special'.f.Jts the top
at the bottom ! !

SOUTH AFRICA 2nd JULY 1952.
"After searching the sea bed off
Durban's North Pier for an hour
yesterday morning a diver recovered
a £250 movie camera which went to
the bottom when a photographer,
Mr. H. Duncan Abraham, fell into the
sea from the deck of a ski-boat".
So much for the story, but horo is
the story behind the story to!d in
Mr. Abraham's own words.
"At the time of the mishap th e sea was out wa s completely unaffected by the salt
too rough for the divers to operate, so wotor, as th o excellent paint and enamelling
salvage operations had to be postponed a bly protoci od the metal and was itself
until the next day when the weather and th e " nti rolv un blominhed, exce pt for slight
condition of the sea was more favourable. damage to tho name plate, which is
"Fortunately through havinq taken very unimportant.
good bearings at the time of the mishap "Another interesting point is, that in
the camera was retrieved within an hour's spite of the fact that the camera was found
search by one of the divers on the sea bed lying on a sandy portion of the sea-bed,
,.t a depth of 30 feet. The camera had been not one qrain of sand was discovered any-
submerged for approximately 24 hours and where in the interior of the camera .
when it was brought on bo'lrd the diver's The thr.ee Berthiot lenses and the Hyper
boat I shook the salt water out of the Cine attachment were satisfactorily stripped
camera and on pressing the release trigger and cleaned, even the delicate diaframes
the camera which was loaded with film were in excellent condition after being
worked perfectly; as if nothing had happen- cleaned and replaced, showing no ill-effects.
ed to it. On examining the film it was "The cement of the lens components was
found that only about 15 feet of the 100ft. unaffected, but it will naturally be necessary
roll was damaged. to re-coat the surfaces, but in the meantime
"Tho camera was of course subsequently this does not prevent good pictures from
stripped, clea ned and oiled to get rid of being taken.
any ill-effects of the sea water. It was "In conclusion I would like to mention
found however that no serious damage had how very satisfied I have been with the
occurred, th e working parts of the camera general efficiency and simple operation of
were not in any wa y affected ; owing to the the Pathe Webo in my professional work
non-corrosive natu M of the metal of which and I am extremely happy to have my
the gears and working parts are made, also camera back after its sojourn at the bottom
the liberal amount of chromium platinq on of the Indian Ocean, and the fact that it
rna ny portions of th e camera were unaffect- has stood up to this severe test without
ed, and vital parts like the gate and serious ill-effect speaks well for the dura-
pressure plate were in perfect condition. bility and workmanship of this excellent
The body of the cam·era ; both inside and camera."
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