The age-herald., 1898-07-26
DIFFIFULTY OF
 SAYING THE COLON Submerged Steamer of 1000 Tons on
 Her Beam End. SHORT PORTION OF STERN Is Clear of the Water, Which Fills
 Her Interior. HOBS0N'S PLAN IS FEASIBLE The Work of Raising the Sunken Spanish Warshp is an Engineering Feat of Large
 Proportions Outline of
 the Scheme Proposed.
H0BS0N'S PLAN IS FEASIBLE

New York, July 25.-Lieutenant Richmond Pearson Hobson returned to the city today, after the second visit to Washington since his landing from the St. Paul here on Fri day morning. While in Washington he again conferred with Secretary Long con- corning the saving of the Cristobal Colon. Upon his return to this city he went to the office of the Merritt & Chapman Wreck ing and Derrick company to complete the preparations for righting and preserving the Colon.
 Lieutenant Hobson announced later in the day that the Merritt and Chapman Wreck ing and Drydock company had consented to undertake the recovery of the Cristobal Colon and was making every effort to be- gin the work as soon as possible.
 .'The difficulty of saving the Colon," he said Ties in the compete submerged con- dition upon her beam end of a steamer of 1000 tons. Only short portion ot her stem is clear of water, which fills her whoie interior. Her sea valves are open ana her sides in a few places are perforated with shells. The beach upon which she lies is exceedingly shelving, forming a part III fact of the mountain which there rises out of the sea. In short all the conditions are present which render the fighting ana raising of the ship an engineering leat ol large proportions. At the same time, u is simple and quite feasible No new appll- ances are needed, nothing has to be in- vented; 1t is simply a question of getung to the spot in time with the accepted means and methods on sufficient scale'
 Lieut.. Hobson's Plan
 As to the plan for raising the Colon, Lieu tenant Hobson said:
 "We will run the pontoons alongside or the Colon. submerge them and after ehaihs under the bottom of the ship have been fas- tened to the pontoons and tghteneo, the pontoons will be pumped out At the same time we will use air pumps In trying te force the water out of her air chambers and water tight compartments. IT many or these compartments are found 10 De Ill condition this combined force from the out side and the inside will be sufficient to raise the Coion several feet. If they are not sufficient then air bags will be put In her hold and inflated by compressed air. Every time the ship is raised a few rect from the bottom she will be lowed further in shore after several easy stages she will be high enough out of the water to make necessary repairs. It is not thought her hull is in leaky condition, but 1t was the opening of the sea valves that sank the ship If that is found to be the case the Colon may be tewed to dry dock in this country for permanent overhauling. I think it will be fully two weeks before the work Of raising the Colon can be begun. As to when it can be finished will depend largely upon the smoothness of the water. Fortunately for us the weather has been propitious so far and it is our hope that it will continue until the Colon is high and safe on the beach,
 Lieutenant Hobson went over to Glen Ridge, N. J.. this evening and lunched with Mrs. Sampson, wife of Rear Admiral Samp- son.
 Lieutenant Hobson left at midnight to- night for Boston for the purpose of in specting pontoons to be used in raising the wrecks of the Cristobal Colon and the Te- resa. He said before leaving:
 "I hope to finish my business in Boston in a day and return to Washington on Wednesday. l do not know how soon shalal leave for Cuba.''
 Tonight he was the recipient of an in- formal reception by the members of the army and navy club.