Sounds like this guy was a regular renaissance man.

On 5/2/97 7:44 AM Johnstone,H,NAID,JOHNSTH M wrote:

>I've just found a book called "Caves and Cave Diving" (first edition)
>which was published in 1956!  It explains the equipment necessary for
>underwater exploration - the most necessary being a strong boat and lots
>of strong bags to put everything else in! It also states that the usual
>diving suit - fed by an air-tube from the surface - is not suitable.
>"The diver heavily encumbered by lead-weighted boots would often come to
>a stop due to the difficult nature of the new passages. Besides, the
>sharp blades of rock, cut by water action in the roofs or walls, would
>cause him to run very great danger through damage to his suit or to the
>air tube."
>
>It goes on to explain that the "light self-contained breathing apparatus
>admirably meets the requirements of the speleologist...the diver
>substitutes the human standing position for that of the fish. Furnished
>with Corlieu fins he can swim easily in the winding passages and with
>care avoid contact with the walls, since touching the walls could raise
>clouds of fine mud...these rubber fin invented by Commander Corlieu are
>absolutely indespensable to enable easy and rapid movement."
>
>"The eyes and nose are covered by a visor which does not cover the
>mouth. The air reserve is contained in one, two or three bottles, one
>having a capacity of five litres and normally empties of air at a
>pressure of 200 kg/cm2. ...The diver holds a mouthpiece between his
>teeth. This mouthpiece is made in such a way that the water cannot get
>in and there is no loss of air.....A number of cavers are of the opinion
>that this equipment must be modified  in view of undergound exploration,
>particularly the air tubes and the addition of a pressure gauge which
>would indicate the pressure in the bottles at any time. The necessity of
>the addition of a pressure gauge appears to me to be debatable. Apart
>from the fact that it is uncertain whether from a practical point of
>view the diver would be better informed about his reserve of air, it is
>not easy to devise a method of connection which would be entirely
>satisfactory."
>
>Their torch appears to be a car bulb, mounted with a reflector but
>without a focussing glass and fed by a cable from the surface.
>
>It describes the suits - cut sponge rubber one tenth of an inch thick
>stuck on a cotton stockinet bathing costume of 1900 style. It also
>mentions a 'Tarzan' type of suit for low temperatures, consisting of
>"thick sponge rubber, watertight and covering all limbs."
>
>"A depth gauge is indespensible and a watertight watch is perhaps
>useful."
>
>There is a lot of emphasis on diving in teams who trained together and
>the streamlining of diving kit - especially the air-tubes.
>
>It also covers the use of closed-circuit breathing apparatus used by the
>English - but warns that the divers should be highly skilled!
>
>It looks kinda interesting...
>
>Dive safe...
>
> - Helen
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