The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-19
TO RAISE SUNKEN SHIPS.
AIRTIGHT BAGS AND CYLINDERS
TO FLOAT THE WRECK.


ship Turned Upside Down Befo
1t Is Raised.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Au ingenious invention fq raisi
su1ken wrecks. which has just been !
wanted by Felix Gaillard, a Frenthman,
bordeaux, is beginning to attrad consl
srable attention in the marine world.
well as among wreckers and dives. III
device is so very simple and at tie san
time constructed upon principle vhic
have so long been thoroughly fanilLr
every school boy that the only w,nler3
why it was not applied long ago. D Ca
lard early in his career knew andbppe-
cjated the numerous difficulties cont
cred in raising wrecks by the sV and
laborious method of sinking sssons,
binding them to the huh and slog rails
ing it to the surface. where Il water
could be pumped out of the hullnd the
work of repair begun. often hen his
difficult task was nearly compiled and
the wreck was almost a the lrface a
slight leak in one of the caissos would
allow the huh to sink hck tothe bot
tom and the work wouldhave be done
all over again.
At such time Gaillard pishedmost de-
Toutly that some other heansbf wreck
raising could be devised but S no one
appeared to be able to prluce he muca-
longed-for invention be hally set about
devising one himself
He was familiar with he pInciple by
which when an invertd cup is forced
beneath the surface of e waser the air
pressure within the ye|l keeps it dry
and prevents the waite from filling it.
This was the first idea the French in
yentor and it is the fIdamental prin-
ciple of tho perfected Gllard system of
wreck raising.
Simple as is the meth as applied by
the inventor, it took lonshonths to make
The theory practicable. 10th time and
money were required, al, while he had
almost too much of the inner there was
a lamen table scarcity funds until a
number of financially sol Wrecking COM
panies became interestd in the matter
and furnished Gaillard VII the necessary
capital with which to cay on his work.
The result of this work Simply a num-
Der OF waterproof bags nde in the shape
of huge cylinders or pes; long tubes
which connect these bad with a power
tul air pump and sOmoStoUt pieces of
canvas and chains. Thu is the entire
invention, complete and Iadyfor service,
yet II represents long houE of Thought, as
Well as days and Weeksbf work, which
were necessary before tb persistent in
Ventor could go to thos wp had fur
hlsned nm the money win Which TO carry
on the work and say with cEtainty: Il
nave completed and pefectej my plans
ana machine for raising wreck
me air pumps used In this wrecking
tachlhe are much moR poyerful than
me ordinary kind and are carried in the
stern OIL staunch ocean-gbing Ugs, capable
Of outstanding any kind of weather.. and
are Ilrnshed with engines. If the most
powerful construction. The engines in
these tugs are SO arranged hit whenever
u is desired they can be ciTnected with
NE ar pumps and used to force air
through them, While the tug remains
stationary. The air ls forced
nrSt through draught pipe into a huge
UeIoWs-lke arrangement lade of steel,
WOOD, canvas and leather nd reinforced
a. ~ every possible point With a double
aIlekhess OF each material 1t is circular
al form and held in positiol between two
nqrizontal steel plates who are connects
49, ny powerful screws. Wen the air is
tOige9 INTO the drum it naturally expands
aIG FORCES the two steel states, between
NHen II is held, apart. Ater it has been
SJnlpletely filled with air be huge screws
mnaCH connect the rims OF the plates are
turned by the engines a'd by screwing
lhe two steel plates togener a powerful
IieS9ure Is brought to bar and the air
"t'llIH the dIum is fOrcedOut through the
P,pes winch lead to the elinder-like bags
49, T'a4 Ile large main pipe which forces the
- rom the sunken hull. Automatic
tdIYes prevent the air eing forced back
through the pump
I'VE, men a wreck is to De raised by this
ra 1,l,Da 'ne cargo, if TIRE is any, is first
n l1no' "a ana tug supplied with air
:; Imp mp bags and the ret of the equipment
~, SSnt 10 the place where the ship went
50 W. ~ anu anchored little to one side
16o as nQt To- be directlj over the spot where
.cnn,r nun lies. On tie tug is carried a
Ioo.iPISte ulVerS Quit, and when the boat
IN ~ 70 anchor tie diver is sent down
|r o ne StIe oottom to mike the preliminary ar
H. SSHlehls Tor raising the wreck. When
|coI ll dil5aS 81, mas been occasioned by a
sun or by striking a Suhmerga6 raef
~ ~ ihe ship has Slid back into deem wa
kairee iiere are hides in the hull 10 be re-
krin 81 oeL0fe anything can be done toward
me cart to the surface. II is
Which ID me large pieces of canvas.
tisnensaatt9 d Plrtlon of the outfit, are in
SttIn99dDle. With them the diver matches
III" SnSiy as possible the holes in the
ksi t ana at the same time OPENS All The
kitbin ~. ~ me sunken ship and makes fast
ion mn me null the large main mines whicb
ounce with the huge air drnpo ~ y M ~
M iudl much being accomplished lie
tbst ~ - lOWdtd the raising is to make
fsnpoor We nun in the securest nossihIe
1hese ara "e numerous cylindrical bags
H. are sent down to the diver USbo
al mans, binds them aIong he kaS1
IN sto,t sue. These bags are CONNECTED
H. ~ pipes with the air nllnn above
kachinerII, az ~ are made fast the powerful
plmp is Ser u IN me me tug connecting with the
n infnpDdass gradually fill with air under
fom aboNJa q. OF the powerful pressure
III hill I've w, they exert a lifting mower an
h nv m" bn ,,cn Is not TO be resisted. Grad
Fer ana So frame Is completely turned
NJ the SEQ annually rests on the hottom
Mn ~ "a, upside down, the air in the he gs
fsltlon RGGHClent buOyancy to keen II IN
ahich NJ. meantime the large main Mines
'sye not 5 llIst made fast inside the hull
IN ST. peen idle, and as the notJorf,,i
steady current of air ie eo ny ,P13MeIIul
No. ~ me hun the water Is eradHai1,,
il en- ~ Sut ana light buoyant air taxes ~
Ntssura in ras heavier water. AS the air
u and rises Eases the huh becomes light
thstantiv toWard the surface. Air being
~ stIdy forced into the hniI ard tbss
a rnsinaapped along the keel The nreeeUra
xacfi,1' ttdHihed and the water kent ont on
Nm tilling, same principle that IL is kent
q ter. me inverted cup held under
~ beffl'lon to turning the hun unsi@,
Ihged - II IS emptted of water the 'hags
a e NJ Itiong the keel also serve the mr..
n lon VbjiPtnS tne craft In the proper no
i ter ctLe IL Is being raised thro1iob ne
H., strange as IL NAV annear M ~ ,ir o.lS
Mkeel M iVr the craft during the Drocess
4ihed ~ Were this position not main.
II ana eulp would naturally right her-
the vy6r.ii.t IN and sink, thus undoing
b Id IS at ~ OF the Wreckers. Once The
+. ma, me surface Il Is a GONNA ra ti,,ai,,
w. 10 H. 10 maintain the air pressilre
"A AZ hHll IS towed 10 the nearest dry
All pea Wills Is the air pressure Is MAIN
Nv ,r3t " the dry dock N L. easv ~ LIE Iank
f. esesr pace her IN position ~ 1ai,a ~