The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-21


The wrecking machine of the Monitor
Wrecldngs Company, of New York. might nave
been seen early yesterday afternoon making It's
way slowly Town the haroor with the ebb tide.
She is not q fast craft, Ior was 9sfe baHt lot
speed, but, in her way, she Is serviceable and
well adapted for the purpose Intended. she ls
Ian oblong tat OF a6outs1so'tons capacity, 10 feet
| deep, d feet wide, and 80 feet long. The two
wheels on the SIDE are propelled by a powerful
engIne, which also supplies the; force: for tie
| hosting apparatus. "An-fnclined derrick rises
about2o eetYron the deck Z and justoFerhangs
the stern OF this singular craft. of'the three
| SUPPORTS ghtchoompose II, two huge beams,rtse
from the sides, and the third, oraced with iron,
| runs from the bow or the craft, and -unites wttn
the other two about 20 feet In the air, just over
the stern. In the apex Of this triangular pyra'
| mid hangs a block and tackle. The Wtndiass
around which the rope Irem this runs Is worked
by the engine, and Is capable OF raising 40 tons.
On the deck OF the craft 10 an air pump, eeVeral
anchors, &C., and over all q square canvas NY is
| pitched to protect the men, seven ip number)
from the sun. This nondescrlpt vessel like Brit'
annia, needs no bulwarks; at all events has none;
and In rough weather the waves sweep over her.
| The men are tried hands. however, sad accustom.
ed to danger. Their craft has Just been Ia nding
an immense cargo Of metal and iron, after a most
successful trip and after a little rest, they are
ready once more for their dangerous work. They
have provisions aboard for two weeks, and no
freight excepting several barrels OF gunpoWder
slowed away below. The weather Is fue, and
they enjoy themselves on their trip down the har-
Dor. The boat Is under the command OF
CAPTAIN W. N. soAMEs.
/. The captain Is Q man Of about five feet eight
inches high, whose bronzed face and thick, we'll
knit Fame seems to Sci I'll difficulties at defiance.
Hei an experienced diver Of sixteen years. stand
ing, and has worked In water oae hundred and
ffty feet deep. One OF his most notable feats
ives the raising of the Adams Express Comps,
nyls safe from the bottom OF Lake Erie, where IL
had gonedoWn with the steamer MtlwauEle. 1e
contained near 50, ooo, 900 Of valua6les. and the
captain realized accordingly. The water. was
over one hundred and hfty feet deep, and the
pressure was so greas that his extremities were
benumbed and entirely without feeling, and he
was unable to stand for some time after each
visit 10 the bottom. The captain IS open. plain.
spoken and courteous as q captain should be.
he understands his business, and on his
ARRIVAL AT THE wBEHAwKEN
goes to work in Q business.like manner. The
spot La well known. just on the llghtshipof that
maine. The Dow anchor is let go just over the
sdnkea monitor, and a quarter anchor Is dropped
at some distance from each side. By sounding
they ind the exact site Of the monitor, and the
mach.ue is hauled into exact position. The an.
Choir ropes are ttghtened, and she stands steady
and In one place.. The divers now bring forth
their
SUBMARINE ARNoR,
and carefully array themselves for their peftlous
work. They put on a close India-rubb r suit,
coming up to the neck. highlands sre IueouerS
ed, but the suit Is made alright at the wrists.
The feet are then, cased In heavy shoes, with
about twenty i've pounds OF lead on the soles, to
sink the diver aud bring him up standing at the
bottom. Lastly, a huge helmet Is put on over the
head aud neck, aud covering the upper portion
of the breast The India rsober suit Is securely
fastened to this by bolts aud screws In a perfect
ly all. tight manner. The helmet is made OF
brass, and has several little windows OF Gear
glass to enable the diver to see his way. The
windows are protected by wire, and thus secured
from breaking. Lastly, frems thescfnsnsafethe
helme. run gutta perchas pipes SswhIchSTur1ish
fresh air, and keep The div6saifve. SsRhe otheFend1
Is attached to the air pump on the deck OF the
craft. which is kept working the whole time,
forcing fresh air down the pipe. The diver Is
no" 'S'' Sz ssSas rsrosA ssdslassr.
and vithhis all tubes on his ann, he gives the
signal and is lowered Into the water. Arriving at
the bottom, he walks about with the aid OF his
welghty shoes and commences work. If any por-
ton Of the metal or iron. work about-t the wreck Is
detached by the actioniu the tide, he giTesaislg<
nal and the tackle chain is lowered. He hooks it
on, aln.siyi5R snotheN signal the mass is hoist
ed To- TN 5strRcs. ssAs snother time,ha gets a
iron bpSdeapdifras t9uig for spme time before he
can adjust the chain around the matter to be
holsted. This Is, says the captain,
HOT WORE
In the present weather. Should there be none Of
the wreck detached, another signal Is sent up
soon, answered BY the descent OF" q keg OF pow
der, lowered to the diver. who places 1t In q proper
position to effect his object Of, breaking up the
wreck. A wire runs into the powder through the
head Of the keg, leaking being prevented by tai
low. T.hediver gives the signal, and is hoisted to
the surface. In o few moments q galyanic bst.
terry OF the deck Of the machine attached to the
wire communicates an electric spark to the pow
dsr--4 ddlS2 ruShanS& sound IS -aeard. A vast
volume Of water b throwa;up bsst6e srstdciai
suBSAxsS1 sss&rHagAIE!1A-
and in a few moments ptsnsS aodsother dtseeta
psrnora OF the wreck come whlr}Dg TO the sur.
face, mingled with mud and sand. The dryer
again repeats his visit, the hoistlngof the wreck
commences again, and 30 the work goes on.
TIE w8EHAwKES
lies due east and west On Q bottom OF mud, and
there IL about eight feet Of water over her at low
tide. ;Inthts pesltton:sheas q aEngeEoEs;oassrne.
ZION IN the channel, and should be removed If
possible. All Of her machinery hes been taken up,
and likewise the iroR OF her turret and deck. Her
interior Is all filed With mud and garbage, among
which human bones are, here and there Visible.
The diver is able to see s6oushlm when the water
ia clear. When the water Is not clear he is com.
PEELED 20 go entirely " feeling, and inths muddy
water he sees better by night than BY day. Tis
is owing to the presence Of innumerable phospho-
resent sparks, (satd byscienttsts to be composed
Of aniIaaacula) Over TWO hundred tons OF Iron
and various metals have been raised from this
Ship
THE HoUsAToNIc
lies In tnIrty.six feet Of water just over the bar
sixteen miles from the city. She rests on q hard
shell b6ttom, and lies northwest and southeast,
upright on her keel. The water out here Is beau