New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-13
The Raising oT the sunIxen Ships at aebaa-
topoi-Progress ofthe Work.

A correspondent Of the New York Tribune, writing
from sebastopol, on the 1st Of September, gives the
following statement respecting the progress Of the
American company in raising the Russian war YES
sells
In my last stated that we had raised the follow
ing vessels sunk at the head of South bay viz /:
Empress Catherine, 120 guns Chesma 81 guns
ir'gate -, go guns a small vessel. name not
SHOWN These were blown to pieces, and Of course
raised IN fragments. The companys share Of the
materials was probably 100000 roubles, expenses,
however, to be deducted.
We have now lying at cur wharf the gun brig Sc
melai, or Bold, which raised entire Next was the
beautiful steamer Turk, captured from the Turks dur
ing the commencement Of the war. She was built
expressly for the Sultan, and used a yacht. Her
engines comparatively in perfect order her hall
but little injured, and not at all worrn-eaten The
Russian Government appraised her at so 0G9 rouhIes
1915 ,000D and accepted her at tre under the gau-
alton. The next was the Goisnoi, war steamer
which was built in 1885, and is Of course qnits old
but nevertheless perfectly sound uniBiured BY worms
her engines in good condition. with massive copper
boilers, and cost in England when new, e15, 900.
The Government has not decided to accept her
if broken the materials will be worth probably
$40 000 We have f0ur steamers sluBg and ready TO
raise, and we have had some difficulty with the war
steamer Danube to which our cassons are now fast
ened. She is Of iron, and heavy that the forward
chain cut her completely in two which is very se
riOns matter, as she cannot be pumped dry when
raised to the surfaee but in my next hope to give
4 a
caissons work admirably but had they been OF double
their capacity the power derived from them would
| be immense. We shall Immediately construct two
| Others OF large dimensions and although we have
been here fifteen months all preparations are not
completed. Millions of dollars worth of property lie
buried here, which can never be recovered unless
| some Yankee will invent wind mill pump Of suf
! icient power TO empty the Black Sea.
Everything goes on harmonously, and am happy
to state that Mr. GOEen has succeeded in obtaining
an amendment to his contract whereby he is entitled
to all that is raised instead of the moety as hereto
| fore. think that the Boston Submarine Gompanys
two vessels Cen Knox and Silver Key rather missed
/ it in leaving SebastopOl pending the negotiation
/ which resulted in the advantageous terms on which
| they might have worked subsequently, and by which,
by this time they might hay realized 500 600 easily
| But this is a matter that does not concern me.
! think that, in former letter,I alluded TO the
great mistake that has gone the rounds Of all news
| papers, that the ships sunken In Sebastopo harboE
had been proved to be entirely worthless on account
of worms and have it from good authority that a
prominent st0ekholder of this company, who was
four FIVE months at Sebastopols and who after
| wards was in London, had exhibited at the Times
office piece of the Twelve apostles steering wheel
| which indeed was much eaten. He also represented
that the entire ship in the condition, and
that it had been ascertained beyond doubt that all
Of the sunken fleet were likewise eaten up by the
| worms You may be assured that every story or
! statement of this kind is false.
| am convinced from unmistakahle observation
that the damage by worms does not exceed ten per
cent, allowing the ships otherwise to be worth as
much as when sunk and think it can be satsfac-
toriy accounted for in this way The bottom of the
harbor Of sebastopol, throughout its length and
breadth, excepting only places near the shore,
is from five to six feet in depth Of soft mud. Very
soon after the ships were sunk they formed for them
selves bed, and as the masts and spars were all
standing the agitation of the sea caused motion
which was communicated to the hull which, disturb
ing the muddy bottom, caused a sediment to settle
upon the ship within and without which, in all cases
destroys the ncpient worm and prevents others from
commencing their attacks.
All this we have seen, Now the parts truly ex
posed are the rails, combings Of the hRtehes steer
ing wheels, and other portions where the sediment
does not firmly adhere The sap on the spars is in
varably destroyed, while the heart is untouched
war arc built wholly OF pine; this is great mistake
for have never seen finer oak timber in the WorlG
than that Of which these ships are built.