New-York tribune., 1898-12-16
NAY RAISE MAINE AND COLON
uopE OF SAVING BOTH SHIPS NOT YET
ABANDONED

.orosrr1oNs FOR SALVAGE CONSIDERED nv
THE NAVAL BOARD ON CONSTRUCTION.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBrxrl
washington. Dec. 15-The Navy Department
a., not abandoned the hope Of rescuine the
Maine from Havana Harbor and bringing the
,rreck back to this country for rehabilitation.
-, does II seem likely. from the interest taken
-, RESPONSIBLE wrecking experts. that the Girls.
.obal Colon will be permitted to pound to pieces
:, the shore west Of Santiago The Board on
construction to-day had under consideration a
..-nal proposition for the salvage of both these
..ssels and their delivery at New-York or such
.,hsr port in the United States as the Govern
,,.nt might select. but company will be al
,,ued 10 begin operations on the vessels until a
.onparison can Re made between the offers
n,orn several trustworthy concerns
GOVERNMENT TO RUN NO RISK.
The swedish company. which is said to be the
most capable and experienced In the world now
,ss experts at work on the Colon making an in
-est,gation into the difficulties involved in her
..Ivage. Divers and engineers have been
hrough, from Europe especially for this pur-
mise and after satisfying themselves OF the
colon's condition and the expense that must be
and examine the Maine. There is no doubt in
the minds OF naval officials that the report Of
these experts will result in a bona-fde offer
rom the Swedish company. but disposition is
manifested TO give preference to American
~-eckers II all other things are equal. The
Navy Department has. however, made the rigid
nile that no proposition will be considered in
volytng the Government In any expense until
The vessels are safely delivered in naval dry
dock on the "no-cure- re-no-pay' principle.
The offer under consideration to-day came
from some associated engineers in New-York
city. who have ample capital and who easily
convinced the Board Of the feasibility Of their
pro1ect from engineering point Of View.
Their original terms. which are. however. sub
,ect to modification, contemplate the payment
hy the Government Of $3.50 O0O cash In the case
o. the Maine and 81 100000 in the case Of the
Colon on their delivery at the NewYork the
Norfolk Navy Yard in addition 10 one-th.rd OF
the appraised value OF these vessels on their
arrival the valuation to be made by board OF
arbtrators. The uncertainty as 70 the precise
amount Of remuneration involved IN this propo-
ston IS not attractive 10 the naval officials. who
will insist on stipulating the exact sum to be
paid by the Government for salvage before
contract is signed
PROPOSED METHODS OF SALVAGE.
The method Of raising the vessels 70 be used by
the engineers who appeared before the Board
today is extremely simple. Pneumatic cassons
attached 10 chains passed underneath the
sci through channels made by alternating jets
Of water anG compressed air. constitute the lift
Ing power These channels Will be OF sufficient
size 10 enable diver 10 pass under the vessel
with messenger lines. IS soon as the chains
are hauled through and made fast TO the sides
o. deck OF the vessel. the excavations will be
filed up by the same process by which they
made TO prevent the vessel from settling.
Experience has shown that ten or twelve such
channels will not cause a heavily loaded vessel
10 sink more than six inches in very soft
tsr.a
To affect the release Of vessel situated Ike
the Maine. in tenacious harbor deposits. jets OF
compressed air will be sent along the keel smu-
taneously with the introduction Of air into the
cassons The caissons are uniform in size hav-
ing buoyng or lifting effort OF thirty tons
each this constituting the unit of the system.
the weight o. the vessel and its contents deter
mining the number required 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 auto
matte valves With which they provided.
make IL possible 10 exert uniform force 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
calssons are arranged in series. and greater or
less power a. circumstances require may be eX-
ered at any point. The system is declared 10
afford complete control Of he wreck and when
the water is expelled from the caissons the
SCI Is lifted 10 the surface in a single operation.
u is asserted that with these caissOns the Girls
tooai Colon can be raised and righted even in Il
seaway
In the case Of the Maine ii is intended 10 cut
away the forward portion Of the hull. which
destroyed by the explosion. and, after lifting the
tuhinJured portion Of the vessel 70 build bulk
neao and false bow 10 fit the opening