Samuel William Maquay
1866 Patented an ingenious method for raising sunken vessels using hydrogen-filled balloons, the hydrogen being generated in underwater cylinders. At the time he was working in Australia as an electro-chemical plater and gilder.[1]
1900 'DEATH OF NOTABLE INVENTOR. In Mr Samuel Maquay, who died this week at Chertsey, the world of applied science has lost an inventor of a high order, though his name was known to few outside the circle of specialists. Thirty years ago gained great reputation in Australia by the invention of the collapsible pontoon for the raising of wrecks. With these pontoons he rescued a large number of wrecks off the coast of Victoria, and later on in the north of Ireland. He co-operated in raising the Grosser Kurfurst off Dover, and himself actually applied to the enormous rent in her side a gigantic pneumatic shield of his own invention. But operations were stopped by bad weather, and afterwards the salvage company found the work too costly. After that was engaged in raising a large merchant vessel in the Mersey, but the company employing his invention failed just as the hulk was above the level, and the task was abandoned. In later life Mr Maquay was chiefly occupied with the aplication of electricity, and produced a miner’s safety-lamp which has stood all the tests of the experts, including Sir Frederic Abel. Only the cheapness of human life has prevented the lamp being used in all mines. Mr Maquay had lately completed some important improvements in primary batteries, which will have great influence on the future of motor-cars and electric launches.'[2]