The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-04-12
Wreck Raising.

The London Times says:--In view Of
tho fact that vessel of our own Royal
Navy and one belonging to the German
Imperial Navy still lie submerged on our
coast, it will not be inopportune if we
place before our readers a description Of
plant and apparatus which have been de-
signed with tie view Of raising Her Ma
jcstys shir Vanguard. 1t may be re-
memberPi that Mr.. Druitt Halpin, G. e.,
the en- sineer to the Victoria Craving
Docks, raised the steamship Edith from
her long submersion in Holyhead harbor
ia December last. That success led Mr..
Halpin to devise means whereby the rails
ing of the Vanguard might, at least, be
rendered possible, and these plans have been
patented. Two main difficulties confront
at the outset all who may attempt to raise
large ships which are submerged in deep
water. The first difficulty is that of Of
fectiug proper attachments so as to obtain
a sure hold on the ship; the second is that
of avoiding the sinking Of an immodeTate
amount of capital in the necessary plant
Mr.. Halpin claims for his designs thai
they meet both these difficulties in very
practical manner. He effects the FIRST Oh
iect BY means of special boring gear, work
ed from iron towers, while the second is
attained by 80 constructing the lifting
plant aud apparatus that il forms float.
ing dock capable Of transporting itself "a
any part Of the world, thus also obviating
the cost Of towing hitherto incurred 10
taking floating docks to distant naval sta
tons.
The general principle consists ia attach
ing steel wire ropes to the vessel to be
raised and in putting them in uniform
tension, so that the ship is not subjected
to any strain. To this end a wrought-iron
cylindrical tower, about FIVE feet in diam
eter, and formed in deep wrings or sections,
bolted together by flanges, is lowered
and built up as II is lowercd-from a
floating staging into position befide the
wreck. The tower is open at tho top,
while the neaT the bottom Is a working
chamber, beneath which is q compartment
capable Of being filed with water Ia a
chamber below this compartment guam
tity Of ballast is placed to lower the centre
Of gravity Of the structure. The tower is
guided to any desired position by the aid
Of four small anchors, the wire ropes Of
which are rove through blocks at the bot
tom Of the tower, while the free ends are
under control from above. Guy ropes are
also led from the top Of the tower to an
other set Of anchors, and by their means
oscillation is controlled,
The working chamber has glass sight
holes, through which the operations may
be inspected. The electric light is used
to aid vision at night; and, in order to dis
perse the fish that might be attracted by
the light, jets of parafine are occasionally
elected into the water near the light
Around the working chamber ia a belt
with trunion, which carries a long bar,
which bar revolyes around its own axis as
well as vertically around the axis Of the
trunion. It is also capable Of being run in
and out horizontally, or at an angle to-
wards the wreck In fact, it has pre-
cisely similar action to the handle Of a
smiths vice. One end Of this bar carries
steel wire brush, while the other is fitted
With steel futed drilling tool shaped like
a pointed projectile. The brush end Of
the bar Is hollow, and Is In communica-
ton with head Of water giving very
much higher pressure than that due 70
the head Of water at which the work i
being carried on.
The brush, having been brought TO bear
against the side Of the vessel, is made q
rotate, and, at the samo time, the water
under pressure rushcs from the centre Of
the brush, BY this means the seaweed il
cleared away, preparatory to The drill be.
Ing applied, the action OF which would be
greatly impeded by the marine growth,
A spot having been cleared, the bar 4 re.
versed, end for end aud tho borine-tooI
Is brought into play on the cleaned plate.
The drill being rotated, hole Il bored
through the skin plating ofthc vessel. The
drill bar i then brought into vertical posi-.
tion and recelyesa cazt-stecl togale, which Il
% form the attachment, aud which il pass.
ed into the hole by It's aid. The tou9le 4
contested 70 q steel wire rope. which 4
led up above, These operations having
been completed, the tower is moved bodily
forwards to the point At which the next
hole y 70 be made, and SO on until sll the
holes have been drilled and ali the ioaole.
placed 10 position around he shin. Tho
drilling arm is worked By gearing and 4
shaft which runs up outside Tie tower aod
If.a...