New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-24
WRECKERs SAIL FOR HAVANA.
THE MONARCH WILL BE ABLE TO LIFT THE
TuRREr AND THE TWO BIG GUNS.

TURRET AND THE TWO BIG GUNS.
The Merritt & Chapman wreckng Company are
making active preparations in connection with the
contract made BY them with the Government to
raise the battle-ship Maine. Mr.. Chapman and
Captain Wolcott returned Tuesday night from
Washington and in their Office yesterday.
When asked TO whether tho Monarch was OF
sufficient power TO do all the lifting required, It
was said that nothing definite could be given out
now regarding the power necessary 10 raise the hull
and an examination would be necessary TO deter
mine this point The Monarch. however. will be
able 10 Eft the combined weight OF the turret and
the two big guns attached thereto. which amounts
to about hundred and sixty tons as the lifting
fifty tons 1t will be some days before the Monarch
reaches Havana. but the other wrecking boats Will
The wrecking-steamer l. J. Merritt sailed for
Havana AT midnight with the lighter Frederick f.
Sharp in tow. carrying the heaviest wrecking ap-
will begin work on the wreck Of the Maine The
colt, and the wreckers were in charge Of Captain
Fred E. sharp The boats are heavily laden 1
dion TO the cumbersome wrecking apparatus, and
will not be able TO make more than nine and a
half knots an hour. so that they VIII not reach
Captain Wolcott knows Havana we'll. He was
captain Of steamer which during the Civll war
made almost daily trips from Florida ports TO
Havana, being one Of the most successful block
Captain Sharp has been in Havana Harbor many
times. and has explored the bottom OF the hdrbor
He once raised loaded steamer which had sunk
in the bay, and successfully put her In drydock
He is not surprised that the divers cannot ascer-
tain what happened. There is. he says. layer of
five feet Of what he termed SCOT at the bottom Of
the harbor This is a thick blass mass which has
about the consistency Of molasses. and which is
Amos: impenerabe 10 the eye. so that diver
has 10 be guided almost entirely by touch. Havana
is dead" harbor There is no ebb and flow Of
tho tides. 5 in New York HarbOr. This SCOT Is
the accumulated filth of hundreds Of years
When asked II he expected to have much trouble
in raising the Maine. Captain Sharp said 1t
hard TO tell. II might be easy and II might be
impossible. Weeks of work would be necessary
before even relative idea Of the difficulties to be
overcome would be known. The ship would eventu-
ally be raised. he thought. Captain Sharp said he
had five hundred stout hemlock boards on board
with which II might be possible to build a bulk
head across the tear across the forward part Of
the battle-ship II this could be done. the task
would be comparatively easy. The Right Arm Is
already on the ground. and the giant derrick Mon
arch will 80 there later.
The Monarch will leave New-York at daylight
this morning for Wilmington TO raise a steamship
at the bottom OF the bay there before starting for
Havana.
divers in the employ OF the company TO work
under the Maine Captain Haggerty the oldest
diver in New-York. ought 70 reach Havana today
on the Olive;te. having left New-York by rail on
Sunday.