The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14
THE WORK ON THE COLON.
NOW THE WRECKERS Will TRY TO
RAISE THE WARSHIP.

It Will Bo n Difficult Task, hut There Is
Reason to Believe That II Will 10 Sue.
cessful-The Work OF Running Chains
Under tho ship-Use of the Air BnEs.
When Richmond Pearson Hobson, Naval Con-
%structor, U. s. N. after q personal inspection OF
the wrecked Spanish ships near Santiago. told
Admiral Sampson that. In his opinion, both the
Colon and the Maria Teresa could be saved. he
was sent north at once to lay his views before
the authorities at Washington. He talked 40
convinclngly that 1t was not many hours before
he was in consultation with a wrecking COM
pany. In a corner OF one Of their offices
sits q quiet American citizen. From his desk
go forth many invisible lines leading to all
parts OF the coast. At the end OF these lines are
peculiar tugs and floats and giant cranes. and a
small army of men to work them. One ofthese
lines led to an unfortunate battleship whose
bones still lie in Havana harbor. And another
line is even now leading down to a stretch OF
beach on the south coast OF Cuba where Span
ish war vessels are Rrovelllng and grinding and
beating as II anxious to escape from the venRe-
ance OF an outraged people. 1t is to save two
OF these craft that the wrecker has marshalled
his forces ut Hobson's invitation.
That tho task will be difficult Is we'll known
to those who understand the ways OF tho
weather during these hurricane months around
Cuba. but Hobson by his intelligence and
bravery has enrned the confidence, of the Gov
matter. There is another reason why the Gov
eminent Is anxious to float these ships-one
outlined in q remark made by a high official In
we must. not fail to. fly Old Glory over at
even u 1t means double the cost Of the vessel"
he said. The dastardly attempt on the part
opening the sea valves after the white flag OF
surrender was flying shall not succeed"
its ways. the task Confronting, the ,wreckins
company in the case of the Cristobal Colon
is stupendous. She lies or her beam ends on a
sloPing part OF the Cuban coast, some forty
eight miles from Santiago. 1t will be neces-
sary to right her and then, supported by pom
already taken show that her position, ,is such
that a sudden storm from the south will have
a contingency that will render the work OF
Wrecking her almost If not quite impossible.
There are able nen engaged IN the task how.
odds are even that the Cristobai Colon viii sail
The plan formulated by Naval Constructor
Hobs3n' and approved by the wyrecking com;
p~ontoons Of great lifting capacity. and a num-
Der OF air bags. The latter are to be placed
empty within the hull. and then inflated; The
OF pontoons is an old story. The outfit for
work on the Spanish warships includes a num-;
Der OF strongly built pontoons, several powerful
tugs and a large floating crane,
The first duty to be attended to in a case like
movable. When this is accomplished the real
labor begins. The pontoons are lowed along
side and placed in positions equally divided on
each side OF the wreck. Heavy chains must now
necessary to proceed irst with what is techni;;
This is a small chain which is sawed through
the mud and debris at the bottom to a place
are passed from pontoon to p]ontoon.
A number OF chains Of increasing thickness
are. then drawn under. until the heavy chain
after chain i 70 follow o. Unit until there Areas are suflcient
plumber TO answer the purpose. This pre-
masses OF debris which naturally a%ccumulate
under the hull reetard progress. and often call
When sn0 finally fHafEy'f in o. place seyefT pass SUP up through sRat the
pontoon wells to tho pontoon decks. where
there are certain toegles arranged for control
and the utmost care is taken in their manu-
ft~acture. Cases have occurred whore defective
moment the work OF weeks.
In righting vessels on their beam ends the
used. The Chains are passed from the pontoons
vertically downward and completely under the
side OF the hull which touches the sh9al; Then
opposite side. and are then attached to some
object on the wreck, such as Y, the mast or super,
the chains is taken In and the ends are securely
fastened dt,17 the pontoHSns; II eEerythinS
not give way. then the rise of the tide will cause
the hull to be gradually lifted. until she stands
This much accomnlishedi preparations. are
air bags in the lower decks. Each bag is sup
posesdto be capable Of lifting thirteen tons. As
of these. in addition to the pontoons. will be
needed The placing OF the bags y not a diff
G pnid t TAX the 1 tid q 6 Pnl tie e9 Gu f@e a eoastt amd must to tR be
TACT that the spot is entirely open to the sea and
the sweep Of Ire southern winds.
desGription of the wreckinG Of the Wells City.
sent to the bottom OF the North River by a col
lision with the American steamer Guyandotte.
isR wmrSh fo@P Pnised 4o tES yGWEe elTss G 81 the sn SPs sho
same system of pontoons was used. The three
pairs of p%ontoons employed then had a greater
steamer. This was rendered necessary by the
fact that there were, eight feet Of water over
her deck and n considerable amount OF debris
and sediment which had accumulated by the
action OF the, rivers current.
,I p93w n e ~ chains haItso OF thrS%ehbi nm TN tnic cSa fss were were
as the latter sank. the slack Of the chains was
pumping out began the lifting, power OF the
po1toons became apparent pI1n and the hnoyansy
raise the% WeIls city was a failure. As the
o oSe Of Ie't th the l fl2ft@m ahnin keel c s%t s through t6e
others to part like the swapping Of threads. All
the tedious operation OF replacing the chains
wasfnally dragged from the bottom. The first
took the p~ontoons and wreck in tow and hauled
them to shallow water Here the raising de;
nearer shore, and in time. a spot was gained
where It was easy to build the necessary Golfer
In 1894 the wrecking company now engaged
on the Spanish vessels raised the U. s. s, Tai
! lapOoSa. sunk by a coal schooner in Long
| Island Sound. Pontoons. were used, and In a
remarkably short space Of time the old wooden
Runboat was lifted. pumped free from sand and
water, and sent under her own steam to the
Brooklyn Navy, Yard: In the history of wreck
ing there have been few cases where n warship
was the subject OF attention. The battleship
Howe. which was stranded on a reef in the Med
~iterranean several years ago. was successfully
raised only after the display Of wonderful skill
on the part Of an English company;
Long and varied experience has reduced
the wrecklng Of vessels to an exact science. but
war ofier such ana ana excellent opportnnnity Tor the
exercise Of skill and practical work as will be