The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-21
HOW SHIPS ARE SAVED.
The Appliances Used in Raising
SuBken Vessels.

The desire to save IL possible, the
wreck of the battleship Maine is general.
and men whose engineering skill is well
known have expressed the opinion that
the chances of saving her are excellent.
1t has been pointed out that larger ships
than the Maine have been raised. and
that too, when they lay in the open sea,
deeply sunk and exposed to rough wealth
er and high waves. The opposite of these
conditions prevail where the Maine lies.
The water is not more than thirty-six
feet deep, according to report; the har-
Dor is quiet and protected, and one end
Of the vessel is still above the surface.
The two big wrecking organizations
which responded to the Navy Depart
ment's request for a consultation on the
subject of raising the Maine were the
Merritt & Chapman Derrick and Wreck
ing Company. of New York, and the Bos-
ton Towboat Company. Upon being
found that, by combination of all their
facilities, the two companies could work
together much more advantageously than
either could alone, the representatives of
both organizations agreed TO put aside
ly, If the Navy Department should decide
to attempt the raising. After examining
the plans of the Maine and obtaining all
possible informationFegarding the disas-
ter. the agents of the wrecking compa-
MES were convinced that it would be
feasible at least 10 attempt TO raise the
ship from the bottow into shoal water.
This Accomplished the hull could be
transported by various eXpedients into
American territory, where IL could be
overhauled. IT was also quite proba BILE,
they thought, that the ship could be
raised even more successfully than this.
but they could make no definite state
ment regarding the work until they had
been able to inspect the wreck.
The ordinary method Of lifting sunken
vessel is by means of powerful derricks.
When these fail, pontoons of great lifting
power are used. The Merritt and Chap
man Company possesses two giant der
ricks. each of which is capable of lift
ing 800 tons. and the Boston company
owns the large wrecking steamer Orion
which was sent to Ifs the Kearsarge or
Roncador Reef. Besides these, the Navy
Department owns several large pontoons
which would be available. and the new
floating dry dock at Havana might be OF
great service.
When a large vessel is TO be rails by
means of derricks. wreckng tugs with
these derTicks on board are placed on
both sides of the sunken craft. From
the derricks great chains carried
down under the hull of the wreck by
divers. and are securely fastened under
the keel, bow and stern. Then the en-
gines are started and the wreck is lifted
bodily. the work of pumping out the
water from the hull proceeding as she
rises. The Orion has especially power
full pumps, which would be chiefly relied
on to empty the Names water-tight COM
partments. Once within reach. the open
ings in the sides and bottom are stopped
up by divers. who work under the water
or close to the line. After this manner
many a submerged vessel which was
thought beyond hope Of rescue has been
raised until she could be towed away
sometimes even being able to proceed to
the nearest dock under her own steam.
When psntoons are used a series OF
them IS run along the side lines of the
sunken wreck. From them immense
chains are run down under the keel Of the
ship. The ends of the chains are fastened
across the pontoons, which have been
sunk almost to the water level by filling
them with water. much on the principle
followed in floating docks. The chains
are drawn taut and the pontoOns pump
ed out. the wreck rising as they regain
their buoyancy. When their lifting limit
is reached they arc uIled and sunk again.
and this process is repeated until the hull
is atloat between them.