The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-14
TRYING TO FLOAT A BIG SHIP
TIE COAST WRECKTNG COMPANYS DO
INGS Ar sEIBRfGHT.
Moving the Stranded IA mcrirue- The Eno~-
nous Gables and Tremendous Power Eus-
rloyed-When the ship may be In Port

nous Gables and Tremendous Power En-
pioyed-whcn tho ship may be In Port
The great steamship LAmcriquc TO all ap-
pcaranccs lies IA high and dry at Seabright ~
when. on the morning of the 7th Of January. she
went ashore. Yet she has bcen moved two hun
dred and ninety feet. and to-day. IA on the first
day Of her misfortune. men and women. and
even children. walk out TO her. IA she lies at the
shoros edge. and pat her great iron sides. Al
though her stern is seventy ivo feet further out
from shore by reason Of this backward and
slightly outward progress OF nearly 800 feet.
there is no moro watcr between her port side
and the sand than tho Same narrow ditch that
at low tido existed Mt first This is because the
waves that strike the shore Mt either ond OF tho
mammoth vessel push quantities OF sand be-
foro thom. and as tho hull Of 900 feet length pro-
tects this constant growth OF the beach behind
1t. there has gradually bcen built point or lit
tle cape that reaches N the vessels side
shifting rs that IL moved. far out beyond
tho line of const on either side. None OF
the wrocking company,s apparatus Tor mov- %
ing the ship is visible ~ Pc from from shore, rel, Inc
bontswain's chair-a board hung from pulley
running along the rope that rcaches from tho
vessels deck ~ the beach. Timd men clutch
the chair with desperate grip and arc hauled
over the ships rail more dchd than alive. but
those Of steadier nerves who perform the feat
ENJOY its novelty. Once on dock tho greatness
OF the wrockcrs' undertaking Is appreciated.
Over the entire dock arc massiN: chains ropes
~ big as n mans head. and blocks and falls
that seem big and strong enough TO move
the whole Transatlantique tYmnny siin"t This
falls resolves itself into Ave immense hawsers
that lead from the stern and tho starhoard
qunrter of l'Ameriguc far out into the sra nt
tho bottom of which they are anchored and held
in yet flrncr place by other equally large cables
also anchored which cannot be- seen Mt all
Tho first of these great haw~ers leads from tho
great steam wiudlass in the forward part OF the
ship. 1t is a l5-inch ropo. 200 fathoms In longth.
and ia anchor is made doubly secure Dya chain
of 2'.-inch wire. 10 inthoms long. held by an
an 'hor Weighing $500 pounds. The second
hnwser Is 100 iatnoms Ions. and isworked by tne
forward donkey engine; Tho cham attached 70
the anchor OF this cable drags ts own anchor
OF iioo pounds. The third hawser or cable;
leading over the starboard quarter. IA worked
hy an after donkey engine. ana is 800 fathoms in
length and Is inches IN circumference. Bent on
ahrve the s.90-pouni anchor that secures tnis
cable Is another cable. equally large and nearly
ns long. secured by nm anchor weighing two
tons. Tho fourth and iiith cables lead direct
fnihoms in length Each IA rengthcn"i 10y u
duplicate of itself and held by anchors weigh
ing more than 1000 pounds. The two hawsers
leading from tn" vessel = stern hr, tp pun nor
straight backward ont Oi the mud she lies in,
ant the three great cablcs that are run out from
the starhoard quarter are TO ease her gently
outward toward the sea as -he Ia dragged along
Al first the cables wore all run out from her
startpard side and anchored, 80 that they
pulled more from tho side than the stern.
but tho high walls of the mud bed IN which
shn hns a.ifl nd were insurmountAhle With tho
present arrangement III" waves that whirl rhst
her stern keep eating out the sand ahead ani
open "a roadway ~ ali" moves. Tho method ~
working IA" great cables hn- been described in
detail All Tia" cables nrv tight"nrd unit th"y
ar, stiff AMI straight. They are 50 flexible and
elastic that. with "a steady. even strain upon tho
vessel. thcy gradually sla, ken lower and lower.
own Weight. Capt. Merritt who is In charge Of
need be moved only 100 teet further, before sh"
will float but II will need water such as il only
obtanabe in southe'uterly gale: Then. by
taking advantage Of every swell that brings the
water around her. she can be hurried along to
water OF a sufficient fixed depth to float her.
But there have been no south"a-t'rly gte- since
the LAmeriguc went n-hore although they N q
usually frequent at this season Of the year.
! During cghtorn days past the son hH- h"'n NJ
smooth as mill pond, although the sailors and
fishermen OF the ronst d"rlar" no calm of
such duration has been known IN twenty years.
! The sight-r"rs are wnt0 h"d from the -hip by
nearly two hundred imprisoned souls ANXIOUS
/ for change. most Of them anxious Tor any sort
OF change. The spuitrring, quhrr"lsome
! French sailors do nothing hut lahb"r and eat,
aud long to get away. The hearty. loNia wrm,k-
crs eat and smoke and long Ia gct away The
| agents Of the Custom House and the company
| eat and drink and smoke and possess "a" same
| side. never loses sight of her. Hc PAGES the
| decks ana pray- that the vessel may p" saved.
| Pilot Wcyer, usually, sood-naiurcd, blasts hls
starry toplights and shivrr- hi- imbrr- when =
| ever pilot boat heavcs in sight; Capt. Merritt
alone Is cheerful. for he IL confident TINT, how
ever long success is deferred, II will come even
! unily He spends half his time altering.
| Strengthening, and improving hi-, apparatus.
and the other hall ho devotns 10 his men. 10y
| engaging them in base ball or sudden icnt- at
| shlp moving e. keep thcm supple and rnersot' O..
! when tho time comes t. move IN" ship he
| SAYS t. his visitors. " YOU may not want To To-,
here. for its going To he lively work and dth"r" II
be- sea enough on t. t,st the strength of IN" ship
and of the cables. too But the ships all right
and it will hr myuprid, 10 SAY when deliver her
| now coat of pnint, and yuu'N IND her as good
| and sts.nch ~ the day she stranded.