Smyrna times., 1888-08-01
The Braak Expedition.
ALL READY TO OPERATE IN DELAWARE
WATERS WITHOUT ASKING LEAVE.

The repairs to the steamer City of
Long Branch, now lying at COOper's
Point, have been finally completed,
provisions have been put on board,
and if no unforeseen circumstances
delay the expedition start will be
made this morning for the Breakwater,
where the treasures of the English pri-
vateer BiGGk are supposed to have
been engulfed in 1898. The vessel is
manned by a crew of 24 men, under
command of Captain Charles A. Adams
and Lieutenant George 2. Blow, both
of the United States navy, and com
prises two divers and their assistants.
Submarine Engineer Charles F. Pike
will have charge of the diving.
The vessel, which has been placed at
the service of the syndicate backing
the expedition by r. p. DObbins, its
owner, was built five years ago to run
between Long Branch and New York
and has a length of lS3 feet, width
over all of As feet and a draft of less
than six feet. The peculiar shape and
light draught of the steamer admira-
bly, fit her for diving operations. She
is propelled by large stern wheel.
moved by two simple cOndensing en-
gines, with Is inch Rces' cylinders.
having a stroke of seven feet. Two
| Ward boilers, carrying u pressure of
$50 pounds each, supply the steam.
The vessel, which is over 500 tons bur
| den, can make 13 knots an hour.
Two entrances on the port and star
board sides Of the vessel, only few
| feet above the surface of the water, fa-
| cilitate the descent of the divers. A
steam winch, with Il derrick boom at
tachment, has been placed in the boat
and is capable of raising several tons
The diving equipments have already
been described in the Public Ledqer
The divers can work from any part OF
the vessel, and can use tha search pine
at the same time, as there are eight
| points where connections may be made
with powerful Water pump. 4 cen.
tritugal suction pump, Burk's patent
has been placed on board. and will be
attached to a long siX-inch pipe
through which will be drawn the mud
and debris concealing the wreck.
! The arrangements for dredging and
examining the sea bottom are said tC
be as complete as naval science car
make them. Instruments seldom mel
with in the mercantile service have
been loaned the expedition bv tn,
navy department. Among these is =
" station pointer" used almost pXclu.
slvely in the coast survey for plotting
the position of vessels, by which al
angle can be had by means ofthe Yer
nler attachment as far as - seconds
A full complement Of maps of Della
ware bay and the vicinity ofthe Break
water, including about 80 drawings i,
taken along, and among them is fac
slmile Of a chart, printed by Joshuf
Fisher in this city shortly after tn,
signing of the Declaration Of Indepen
dence and another of map drawn il
! III9 by Sir Andrew Shape Hammond
OF the British navy. curious fac
mentioned by Lieutenant Blow is that
by comparison ofthe charts. it is learned
that Cape May has added five mile
to its length during the past 100 years
and Cape Henlopen two miles. Th,
arrangements for dragging for the
treasure are very complete. Spars 3,
feet long extend on each side of the
stern of the boat, giving an entire
width Of ll5 feet From these will
drag long hoop of galvanized wire
which will cut through the mud an,
fasten in any obstacle on the sea bot
tom. Several graphing irons will b
run out from the stern in addition t,
the wire.
Tne vessel is expected to arrive a
the Breakwater this afternoon.
point will be located as near as posi-
bic over the supposed wreck Of tn
Brddk by means of the station poin
ter or three-armed protractor.
square will be laid out, with buoys at
tached to heavy anchors, and the spac
enclosed will then be thorough,
dragged.-Ph PhHadelphja Ledger.