John Day (carpenter) facts for kids
John Day (born around 1740, died June 22, 1774) was an English carpenter and wheelwright. He is known for being the first person recorded to die in a submarine accident.
Day built a special wooden "diving chamber," which was like an early submarine. It didn't have an engine. A man named Christopher Blake, who was a gambler, helped Day with money. Blake bought a 50-ton boat called the Maria for £340. Day attached his diving chamber to the deck of the Maria.
The Maria boat had 10 tons of heavy material, called ballast, inside its storage area. Two more 10-ton weights were attached underneath the boat. These weights could be dropped from inside the diving chamber. After Day was locked inside his chamber, another 20 tons of ballast would be loaded onto the Maria.
The Daring Bet
John Day made a big bet with Christopher Blake. He claimed he could take his boat down deep underwater. He bet that he and his diving chamber could go down to about 40 meters (130 feet). He also bet they could stay underwater for 12 hours.
The Final Dive
On June 22, 1774, the Maria was pulled by another boat to a spot north of Drake's Island. This was in Plymouth Sound, near Plymouth, England. Day took a candle, water, and biscuits with him into the diving chamber. The boat even had a hammock for him to rest in.
After Day was sealed inside, the heavy weights were loaded onto the Maria. Then, the boat and Day's chamber sank into the water. Sadly, they never came back up.
It seems Day made a big mistake in how he calculated the boat's balance and weight. Experts believe he might have died from not having enough air (asphyxiation). He could also have died from getting too cold (hypothermia). Or, the boat and his diving chamber might have broken apart from the huge water pressure. This sad event was the first recorded time someone died in a submarine accident.
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