The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-20
wnEcNING cERvERA's FLEET.
How some of the Defeated spanish
Craft May BE Saved.
From The New horA Ilmes.

The wreckers who have been examln-
ing the remnants Of Cervera's squadron
have given it as their opinion chat they
can successfully raise every one of the
Spanish ships, if the United States gov
eminent thinks it wants them lifted.
This statement has not excited any
great amount of surprise at Washing
ton, for the same men said they could
float the wreck of the Maine, and pro-
ceeded to set about IL with a confidence
born of certainty. The Maine was the
worst and most thorough wreck that ever
went 10 the bottom of the sea. but the
wreckers say that nothing but the out
break of hostilties prevented them from
raising the ship on pontoons and remov-
ing il to a dry dock.
IL has been said of the modern wrecker
that he would hoist out the bottom of
the sea if he could only get his Crap
! ping irons securely fixed, and the expo
nents of the craft seem to bear out the
! statement. There is no task he will not
| attempt, no place into which he VIII not
60 and in most of his enterprises he is
| successful.
Every one of the vessels that were once
| the pride of Spain is ashore ana from
| the news that comes from Cuba they
| seem 10 be there good and fast One of
| the ships, the NiZcaya, Is so badly torn
that it would hardly be worth the trouble
! to try to float her The Nizcaya was de-
| stroyed by the explosion OF her own tor
pedoes, after she had been set on fire by
American sheds. The others, according
! to the WreCkers, can readily be raised
and taken to the United states for resto-
ration.
The methods 10 be adopted to float most
| of the ships will be the same as those
| cod tn h. r
! liner stuck her nose into the sand at Long
! Branch. Very heavy kedge anchors win
! be carried out TO sea and sunk in the
sand. From these lines viii be carried
| to the ship and attached. If steam can
| be raised on the Spanish ship a winch wiz
! be put to work hauling on the kedge an
Choir, at the same time that the powerful
| wrecSing tugs drag on separate cables
| As the Spanish ships seem TO have gone
ashore at low water, it is probable that
at high tide they can be tloated.
If these devices fail, powerful derrick
tugs Will be placed on each side of the
! wrecked and stranded vessel. At the same
time that the winch turns and the tugs
! pull the derricks viii exert their strength
10 lift the vessel. Should even this fail
| there yet remains the plan of placing pom
| toons beside the sunken ship. These pom
toons Which resemble big scows, are
| placed in position alongside and then al
| lowed 10 fill with water. When sub
merged TO the level of the sunken ship
| they are secured TO its huh by heavy
cables and chains, which are placed by
divers.
When everything is in order the big
| pumps of the wreclIing tugs are set to
work pumping the wafer from the pom
ICONS. If the adjustment has been righl
aud the weight is not too great the pom
toons, as they rise. bring the wreck to tie
| surface with them. When the whole outfit
floats the tugs are again brought into use
to tow the wreck, pontoons ana all to a
dry dock.
Nowadays wreclSing is a science, and the
| wrecking tugs used by the companies in
different parts of the world are examples
of engineering skill. A modern wrecker
has the most powerful engines adapted
rather for heavy, steady strains than for
speed. Every cOntrivance that can lend
it power or efficiency is In use There are
powerful searchhghts. capable of throw
Ing a beam of ,U&ht deep into the water
or to fllumipate The scene of wreck for
night work. Every one Of these boats as
matter of course carries its own cleo
trio lighting plant High over all tower
the enormous derricks from which depend
chains, hawsers and ropes of all kinds.
The whole ship is nothing but a vast
floating workshop; thoroughly equipped
for the work in hand. One of these wreck
Ing steamships can, often does, carry a
!
last for three months or more.
The crews of these vessels are invariably
picked men. Most of them are not only
divers, but are also skilled naval engi-
neers. The captain of the ship is himself
| able to go under water and examine a
wreck or direct the work of the men who
are operating under water. Sometimes
diving bells are used but as a rule the
men prefer to work IN the individual div
ing suits, which allow them more liberty
There used to be two big Wreckng firms
in the country, both having headquarters
I'm New York. Between these two-the
Merritt and Chapman COMMUNICATIVE
were some exceedingly lively races when
the telephone or telegraph brought to
New York the news that some big steam
ship was 5n trouble, for it was an unwrit-
I ten law that the first wrecker to get a
hawser over the boat got the salvage. The
wreck or rather stranding of the ST. Paul.
! at Long Rranch put a stop TO the COM
petition between these firms. however.
When the news was telephoned in from
the Hook that the big liner was in trou-
bic. there was one Of the hottest races
down the bay that ever came Off The
tug of the Chapman company got away
first, and easily won the race, but the job
was too big for one firm to handle, and il
was obliged to cali in the help OF the rival
organization. This enforced partnership
led to closer relations, and now the erst-
whileFivals are partners.
Most of the work OF the modern wreck
ers is done either In harbors or in sight
or land, but If there are reasons for at
tempting the raising Of a ship anywhere
in the ocean the wreckers stand ready TO
try it. Already negotiations are under
way for the raising Of La Bourgogne. Tho
ship sank eighty miles off Sable Island IN
water that has usually been considered
beyond soundings, but the wreckers say
they can grapple for the wreck and per-
haps get it. They have met with success
ia deep waters before, but the raising OF
an ocean liner from 800 fathoms OF water
win be quite The boldest things the wreck
! epl-s qua. .aff1 faI