New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-19

cav Tbesa contractors spept several hours In
the Bureaus Of Construction and ordnance thiS
morning studying the plans OF the Maine es"'
mating the removable weiL-hts ana discussns
an infinite number OF details all or WHICH CON-
trtbutedr to convince them OF the pracocapihty
as A. plain business proposition. OF raising the
vessel off the bottom Of the harb<'r and getths
her into shoal water. II nothing oetter' "hete
temporary expedients could be arr anseo 10 III
sure the safe transport OF the hull to American
territory no matter how extensive the damage
might be.
Upon the feasibility Of repairs. which would
not amount TO rebuilding altogether. they wouid
not pretend TO speculate until they had been
able to inspect the wreck. but they expressed
no doub, OF their ability separately or working
in concert to raise the big ship with relative
ease certainly with reasonable economy ana
they could imagine no complex problem arising
in any part OF the work
THE WRECKING APPARATUS.
The New York company was already provideo
with two huge da-ricks. each capable or hIt'hs
300 tons. and these could be taken no Havana
within a week. Other paraphernaEa and
wrecktng vessel whEh they might utilize were
row at Key West. and preliminary investga-
lions could be begun in day or two
The Boston company owns the large wreck
ing steamer Orion which sent TO the Cario-
bean Sea to lift the Kearsarge on Roncaoor
Reef This veSsei carries all necessary eau'p
ment. including powerful pumps. when "ouiu
be relied upon 10 empty the Names waterus"'
COMMITMENTS. as we'll as all other reauiSs'e''
II was found to-day that the Navy department
fortunately possessed several large pontoo"s VI
considerable lifting power. which are no" d.
Pensacola, and In addition TO all these racnn-
ties there is the great floating drydocK IN ma
vana which was lowed from England iast l'ii
and which the Spanish Government wouio uii-
doubtedly be only too anxious 70 place a' 'i''
Governments disposal The troupe a' hrS'
perienced with this dock has disappeared anu II
is now in perfect working order
II was pointed out to-day that II the Maine
couId he raised ten feet by ordinary appliances
81 would then be d simple matter to hoa' 'he
docr under the vessel and raise her out or the
water Under these circumstances. temporary
rena,rs for the VOYAGE to New-York would De
attended with no difficulties whatever. AT New
York the ship would go into Naval DOCK NO
9 where her ehabilitaton could be pushed lor-
ward to early completion.
MELVILLE THINKS SHE CAN BE SAVED.
Fnc,neer-,n-Chief Melville. with his we'll
known vigor and intensely practical ability, said
TODAY that no sensible man would listen 10
anv suggestion to abandon the Maine To save
her as a plain business proposition was a1lo-
matte and it was insulting to American aplN'y
to talk Of feasibility. With brains and money
absolutely nothing impossible In modern
engineering. From all that can be learned
he said 1.-THE destruction on the Maine Is con-
fined to the part forward OF the machinery ana
It seems very probable that the engines ana
boilers are still intact. They cost Sio,oV. Inc
guns and turrets certainly still in userui
condition. and they represent over $4,000
more. The hull abaft the part injured Is still
in good condition. soon be made So
What is needed therefore. is to repair the
bow and the forward part Of the ship gener-
ally. Even suppose this costs S1.UOVU.
new ship equal TO the Maine would cost nearly
100000 The repairs could be made and the
shin put IN service again In a year at the
furthest. To build new ship like her would
take at least three years. With regard to the
practicability Of raising the vessel. 1t Is to be
remarked that larger vessels have been raised
which were at sea, where they were exposed to
waves. while the Maine Is in a perfectly quiet
harbor one end resting in the mud and part Of
the other end above water.
BIGGER SHIPS HAVE BEEN RAISED.
THE Maine is in a shallow spot. protected
The British armor-clad Howe Of over 10000
TONS was raised off Ferro Spain. in the open
ocean and II. NJ S. Sultan, of over 5000 tons.
was raised and saved after she sank in the
Comino Channel. In these cases the damage
was different from that to the Maine consisting
Of numerous jagged holes OF large dimensions in
the bottom. SO far as the nature of the acci
dent is concerned. however. that to the Alaska
when she rammed an iceberg shows that with a
suitable bulkhead. properly shored. the Maine
could be raised il even she could not be foated.
by pumping out her compartments The explosion
came suddenly that there no chance
to shut the bukhead DOORS which accounts.
perhaps. for the water filling the after spaces.
The Alaskas injuries were. however. less serious
than those OF the Maine.
"No other nation on earth calmly loses q ship
and we should least Of all conss to do so.
Great Britain has not abandoned the idea Of
raising the Inflated battle-ship Victoria which
was accidentally rammed by the Camperdown
during evolutons in the Mediterranean. She
now lies In water about four hundred and fifty
feet deep. where divers probab bly, cannot work
and where operations will be conducted with
great difficulty but the Admiralty expresses the
determination Of lifting her and towing her TO
Malta. The Maine lies in thirty to thirty-slx
feet OF water. and Is probably no worse dam
aged than the Victoria"
SIX REASONS FOR THE PLAN.
Engineer Melville adds six terse reasons for
raising the Maine:
"First-Public policy. Regardless Of cost any
ship should be raised and repaired II practica-
BILE.
"Second-For the ascertainment Of the exact
condition Of the ship under water
"Third-As ~ object lesson TO the world The
United States claims its own. dead or alive from
any, entangled in the debris
"Fourth-As a measure OF economy. II the
ship Is flt for raising IT will cost less TO ret her
than 10 build a second ship Of that type
"Fifth-To recover the dead or their bodies II
any, entangeld In the dehis.
"Sixth-As the quic st and most satisfactory
way OF C, airing the harbor Of the detriment TO
navigation she must be removed by the United