The herald., 1898-12-17
SUNKfN SHIPS Of WAR
MAY YET BE RAISED AND SEE
SERVICE
MANY ENGINEERS ARE EAGER
To Make Contracts to Raise the Maine
and the Colon on Contingent
Fees
Associated Press Special Wire,


NEW YORK, Dec. l6.-A dispatch to
the Tribune from Washington says:
The Navy Department has not abandoned
the hope of rescuing the Maine from Havana
harbor and bringing the wreck back to this
country for rehabilitation, nor does it seem
likely, from the interest taken by respon-
sibe wrecking experts, that the Cristobal
Colon will be permitted to pound to pieces
on the shore west of Santiago. The board
of construction has under consideration a
formal proposition for the salvage of both
these vessels and their delivery at New
York or such other port in the United
States as the government might select, but
no company will be allowed to begin opera
tions on the vessel until a comparison car
be made between the offers from several
trustworthy concerns.
The Swedish company, which is said to
be the most capable and experienced in the
world, now has experts at work on the
Colon, making an investigation into the
difficulties involved in her salvage. Divers
and engineers have been brought from Eu-
rope, especially for this purpose, and after
satisfying themselves OF the Colon's condi.
tion and the expense that must be incurred
in floating her they will go to Havana and
examine the Maine. There is no doubt in
the minds of naval officials that the re-
oprt of these experts will result in bona
fide offer from the Swedish company The
Navy Department has, however, made the
rigid rule that no proposition will be con-
sidered involving the government in any eX-
pense until the vessels are safely delivered
in naval dry dock, on the mo cure, no
pay" principle.
One offer under consideration comes from
some associated engineers in New York City
who have ample capital and who easily con-
vinced the board Of the feasibility of their
project from an engineering point of view
Their original terms, which are, however,
subject to modification, contemplated the
payment by the government of $250,000 cash
in the case of the Maine, and $1,000, 900 in
the case Of the Colon on their delivery at
the New York or the Norfolk Navy Yard
in addition to one-third of the appraised
value of these vessels on their arrival, the
valuation to be made by board of arbi,
tration. The uncertainty as to the precise
amount of remuneration involved in this
proposition is not attractive to the naval
officials, who will insist on stipulating the
exact sum to be paid by the government
for salvage before a contract is signed.
The method of raising the vessels to be
used by the engineers who appeared before
the board is extremely simple. Pneumatic
caissons attached to chains, passed under
meath the vessels through channels by al
ternating jets of water and compressed air
constitute the lifting power. These chan
nels will be of sufficient size to enable a
diver to pass under the vessel with mes
senger lines. As soon as the chains are
hauled through and made fast to the sides
or deck of the vessel, the excavations will
be filled up by the process by which they
were made to prevent the vessel from set
tin. Experience has shown that ten or
twelve such channels will not cause a
heavily loaded vessel to sink more than
six inches in very soft material
To effect the release of a vessel situated
like the Maine, in tenacious harbor depos-
its, jets of compressed air will be sent along
the keel simultaneously with the introduc,
ton of air into the caissons The caissons
are uniform in size, having buoying or lift
ing effort of thirty tons each, this constitut-
ing the system, the weight Of the vessel and
its contents determining the number re-
qured to raise it. Their size and weight
admit of these caissons being easily handled
in the water by the divers alone and their
distribution, together with the automatic
valves with which they are provided, make
it possible to exert uniform force on all
parts of the vessel. The danger of rupture
from undue pressure due to depth under
water. or other causes or the danger OF
breaking air hose is wholly obviated by the
automatic valves. The caissons are ar.
ranged in series, and greater or less power
as circumstances require, may be exerted
at any point. The system is declared to af-
ford complete control of the wreck and
when the water is expelled from the cais-
sons the vessel is lifted to the surface in a
single operation. 1t is asserted that with
these. caissons the Cristobal Colon can be
raised and righted even in a sea way.
In the case of the Maine. it is intended
to cut away the forward portion Of the hull