The Springfield herald., 1898-02-25

sary to enable Il diver to grope his
way safely through the internal parts
of mighty ship like the Maine, torn
and dismembered. as she is, and this
work is highly dangerous. Creeping
through narrow iron-bound passages
and cropping for the doors of the
wnter-tight bulkhead which divide the
hull into compartments. on Shiny floors
and in perfect darkness requires the
highest expert skill. and that Is why
Captain Sigsbee with only sailor divers
at command. had not been able to do
much so far towards unraveling the
mystery of the Names untimely end.
1t is to meet just this emergency that
the Navy department is making every
effort to hasten the beginning of the
work of recovery of the goods and per-
haps the raising of the hull by pro-
fessionals.
To that end. Captain Lemly. the
judge advocate general of the depart
ment. was at work to-day in his office
with representatives of wrecking COM
panIes trying to draw up contracts for
the immediate prosecution Of the work.
He has been at the task now two days.
and it has not been easy to dispose of.
This is owing to an apparent DISPOSE
lion on the part. at least of one, of the
bargain. leaving the department in the
dark rs to the amount of money to be
paid for their services.
But it Is believed the obstacles have
now been, surmountcd and the con-
tracts can be signed tomorrow. 1t is
the purpose of Captain Lcmly to hurry
this work. and to that end he is ar
ranging to have two of the companics
combine their forces. They will be paid
on the scale of IL days work. with n
provision for n bonus if they succeed
in raising the vessel. thus insurinS the
recovery of as much of the valuable
equipment as is possible. should it not
be practicable TO float the Maine again.
Great difficulty is expected in recov-
erng the big ten-inch turret guns, each
worth S4O,0W, owing not only TO their
wcfght-fifty tons apiece, without car.
riages-but to the enormous turrets in
closing them with 100 tons of steel. 1t
is doubtful, if the tops of these turrets
can be removed, as was first supposed,
by cutting off the bolt heads that fix
them to the sides. rs these large bolts
are probably countcr-sunk, and thus
hold below.the surface of The metal
while the confined space within the, tu1
rcts would make II very difficult to op-
craze there on the inside ends under
water. l; is hoped that it may be feas
iblc to raise the turret entire with the
guns. If lifting apparatus of sufficient
power can be applied.
The decision of the government to al
low concurrent Investigations of the
cause of The Maine disaster. for lis
own part making an Independent inves-
;ig.,tion through the naval court Of in
Quiry already appointed. while permit
ting the Spanish authorities TO make
such investigation as they desire. This
arrangement commended itself to ma
val men alike as fair to all, and at The
s;iine time calculated TO develop the eX-
act facts in a manner that could not be
questioned. :.
Chief Engineer Melville has decided
views in favor of the proposition tofc-
build the Maine. :. --..~. -,s..at.,
''Even suppose this costs S1,OOO,OOO,"
said he. "a new ship equalto the Maine
pairs could be made and the ship put
In service again in year mt the furth-
est. To build n new ship like her
would take at, least three years. With
regard 10 the praciicability of raising
the vessel ii is to he remarked ma
large vessels lInye been rnised which
were at sea. where tley We're. exposed
10 the waves. while the Maine is In a
perfectly quiet harbor. one end restin.
in the mud and part of the o;hcf end
above water. r -..
1.-The Maine fs in a shallow spot, as
protected as mill pond, aud she II