The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-03
WORK TO Be STOPPED.
Expense Of Raising the Spanish Wrecks
Is Too Great

Expense OF Raising the spanish "rechs
Is Too Great
New York. Nov. "A dispatch to the
Tribune from Washington says: The
navy department has practically decid-
ed to abandon wrecking operations un-
der existing contracts on the cruisers
Cristobal Colon, Viscaya and Almirante
Oquendo, near Santiago, which have be-
come enormously expensive to the gov
eminent. n To approve the recommen-
dations, in part at least, of Naval Con-
structor Hobson and other officers. who
have been experimenting the work OF
%rescuing these vessels.
The department has reached the con-
clusion that the Viscaya and the Almi-
rante Oquendo will probably never be
rescued and the Cristobal Colon, II saw
ed at all. will not be brought to the
United States by the Merritt and Chap
man wrecking company of New York.
which has been working on this vessel
under special contract involving the
payment of $500 % a day since July 20.
without visiby improving OF the
chances OF that vessels salvage.
The company since July 6, when Ii
executed the first contract for the pros
ecution OF wrecking operations on the
ships of Cervera's squadron. has been
receiving a separate payment OF $500 a
day with n single result that the 1nfan-
Ia Maria Teresa is on her way to Nor
folk. where n commission VIII decide
what additional compensation, not ex-
ceeding $500, 900, shall be paid to the
w%recking company on her account.
The board of construction. to which
the matter was referred for considera-
ton by Secretary Ions after he had
virtually decided that the present ar
rangement was becoming intolerable.
assumed the responsibility OF recon-
mending that the contract for the sal
wage OF the Colon be annulled on Nov.
10 and that new proposals for righting
and raising that vessel be publicly
sought by the navy department and re-
strlctions which would involve the gov
eminent In no additional expense. un-
less the attempt was altogether sue
cessful.
The department will send a cable dis
patch to Captain Chester. senior naval
officer on the south coast OF Cuba. III
the recommendations of the board are
approved. as they will be without doubt.
directing him TO concentrate the
wrecking work for the present altogeth-
er on the Reins Mercedes. which is
submerged in still water and capable
of ready raising and that no further
attention for the present be paid to the
oquendo and viscaya.
Captain Chester will also. In all prob
abil1ty, De dtreCte0 AT once 10 uesuoy
the collier Merimac. utilizing for this
purpose the naval vessels under his
command and their explosives. this plan
being calculated to relieve the govern
ment Of additional expense, while at
the same time giving naval seamen de-
sirable practice In counter-mining n
the removal Of channel Instructions.
Naval officers have not expressed any
particular dissatisfaction with the work
OF the Merritt Il Chapman Wrecking
company. which has received $1,000 a
day for more than three months at San
tiago, but the experts are thoroughly
agreed that little more can be accom-
plIshed beyond the raising of the Mer-
cedes with the present plan at Santa
go, and they have decided that further
expense Is useless.
The prospect OF successfully raising
these vessels Is increased by the arrival
I'm Washington Of representatives OF a
welsh wrecking company. This COM
pany II seems Ii not only confident OF
its ability to bring the Cristobal Colon
and the other Spanish vessels to the
United States. but ls ready to guarantee
the delivery OF them at the New York
navy yard. The Welsh wreckers pro-
pose 90 take all the risks of failure
without expense to the government and
TO rely. IL they succeed. for compensa-
ton wholly on arbitration.