The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
BLOWING UP A WRECK.
METHODS USED By THE GOVERN
mEyT TO REMOTE VESSELS.
There Is = Probability that I'm Time spe-
olauy Equipped Vessel WI be
Detailed for the work


not only created sad havoc, destroyed
much property and ended many lives
but they left in their track many dangers
which make possible future disasters.
Among these may be mentioned derelicts
and sunken wrecks. or the former there
are now some twenty along our coast
endangering the eoastwise trade as well
as the transatlantic trade.
From time to time, the Hydrographlc
Office Of the Navy Department receives
notices Of the positions Of these dei ELECTS
from the various ships that have sighted
Them This office issues a monthly chaIt
showing the positions Of the derehcts'
and ii is interesting to note how they
drift with the currents and winds.
There are also number OK sunken
wrecks. whose masts and rigging project
above the surface Of the water. THESE
being In shoal water, are near the coast
and are particularly dangerous TO our
coastwise trade.
A ship running into a derelict or Sunken
wreck is in as great danger OF serious
injury as If she had colhded with a ship
under way, and the ugly point about the
derelct Is that it carries no lights, and
on a dark night IL would be impossible to
see IL I'm time to avoid the danger. The
brave seaman must rush boldly on and
trust 10 the "cherub who sits up alott
% guide him clear OF the masked foe.
The increasing commerce of the world
has made apparent the necessity OF doing
something Tor the lessening of this dan
ger and for some time past there has been
serious discussion Of plan TO have an
international arrangement for the re-
r.f no Ft
each country take upon itself the task OF
keeping clear a certain definite section
of the frequented parts of the ocean. At
the present moment there is an endeavor
70 Secure legislation on the subject IN
Congress. There is a strong possibility
that our government VII detail d vehsel,
probably a sea-going tugboat. to this
duty, equipping her with the necessary
gear. as hawsers. grapnels tackles,
/ hedges. explosives. torpedoes. electric
machines, and means Of setting tire TO
dangerous floating wrecks
Recently the old war veteran the L. s.
5. Kearsarge was sent to destroy q par
ticulary dangerous wreck of the entrance
TO Delaware Bay 1t may not be with
out interest TO describe her experience,
methods and the results.
She left New York on September q.
and on the morning Of September 2S ar
rived near the position of the reported
danger
The danger sought had been described
as two spars sticking out of water 10 the
height Of about eighteen feet rather
small object 10 see on the sea even in
daylight unless close to il.
Arriving on the exact position as re-
ported, nothing could be seen of the spars.
Search was begun on the plan used i'm The
h.. IL.
spot. 1t is known as the Starring
method or running radlals." This con-
sists in running few miles on any given
course, then steering a course at right
angles for few miles then steering for
the original position, passing IL and stand
ing on for -e% miles, turning at right
angles, running few miles then turning
ana running again for the original posi-
ton.
The second tack brought success. ana
the ship was soon at anchor near the
wreck.
A cutter in charge of the ordinance
officer, left the Kearsarge and went To
the wreck SOundings were taken over
the wreck, and the officers inyestiga-
tons led Go the conclusion that the decks
OF the hull must have split, and that the
only part dangerous TO navigation was
the floating wreckage masts. spars etc,
tnat remained attached to the hun.
The problem then resolved into blowing
up or tearing away this wreckage. A gun
cotton torpedo. wires and AN electric ma-
chine We're then placed IN the boat, and
the boat proceeded 10 the wreck a line
was loosely placed around one of the
masts, forming a sort of grommet. Tine
torpedo was fastened 10 the grOmmet ana
lowered about thirty feet under water
the grOmmet keeping it near the mast
This was "a very dangerous part OF the
operations. on account of the plunging OF
the masts and boat In the heavy sea, and L
required all the strength and skill OK
the twelve hearty seamen 10 keep the
boat from being swamped or crushed.
After the torpedo was lowered the boat
pulled away 10 distance of about Eve
hundred feet paying out on the electric
wires Arriving at this distance the
electric machine was pat in action. the
circuit tested, a button pressed. and an
explosion followed which shattered the
mast
A second torpedo was in like manner
taken out and secured TO one OF the re-
naming masts, but the wires becoming
foul Of the wreckage, the circuit was
broken and the torpedo could not be eX-
plOded. il was then decided to try and
pull one Of the masts clear. The Kear-
sarge hove up her anchor and steamed
over near the wreck.
A large hawser was taken out
by the boat and made fast 10 one Of the
nasts. When all was ready, the Kear-
sarge backed on her engines Juggling
away at the hawser. The mast pulled
under water, the hawser surged and
strained The mast had a good hold on
the wreck and would not let 80. Some
thing had 90 come. SO the hawser
parted The haWser was again taken
out by the boat. and this time it. was
made fast 10 the third mast The
Kearsarge backed AZ before and after
Juggling for several minutes, till 1t seemed
as though the hawser was again about
TO part, the mast broke adrift from the
wreck. From an examination OF this
mast ard the rigging and parts OF sails
that still chung 10 IL, il was evident that
the schooner had been capsized In a
sudden squat with all sail set. proba-
bly, all hands were lost
The big mairmast remained to be
got rid OF. A third torpedo was put in
the boat the wires We're carefully over
hauled, all connections examined and the
boat proceeded 10 the wreck. This
torpedo was attached 20 the mainmast
as the. others had been. and the boat
pulled TO a safe distance and the torpedo
was successfully exploded, 50 success
fully IN fact as to cause by its conclusion
the explosion OF the second torpedo.
There were two distinct explosions
following each other very closely proba-
bly within a second. The pieces Of the
splintered spars foated on. the wire and
rope. rigging and sails sank 10 the bottom
aud the wreck was no longer dangerous
10 ayigation.-Scientihc American.