Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-16
TO Raise MAINE And COLON.
Swedish Experts and Divers from Europe are
Examining The HulIs.
Vogue b, the Navy Depart.
m.nt.

New York, Dec. ia dispatch 10 the
Tribune from Washington says;
The navy department has not aban-
doncd ghc hope u rcsculng the Maine
from Havana harbor and bringing the
wreck back 90 this country Tor rchnbil-
itatlon. nor does II seem likely. from the
interest taken by responsible wrccklng
experts. that the Crlatobal Colon will
be- permitted 10 pound To pieces ON the
shore west NJ Santiago. The board OF
construction has under consideration a
formal proposition for the salvage OF
both these vessels and their delivery at
New York OF such other point In the
United States 40 the government might
select, but no company viii b. allowed
10 begin operations on the vessel until
comparison cnn be- made between the
offers from several trustworthy con-
Germs.
The Swedish company. which IL said
20 be the most capable ana experienced
In the world. now has experts at work
On the Colon making an investigation
Into the difficulties Involved In her
salvage Divers and engineers have
been brought from Europe especially
Tor this purpose, ana after satisfying
themselves OF the culonE condition and
the expense that mus be- Incurred In
noatlng her they VIII ~ Ia Havana ana
examine the Maine, There IN no doubt
IN the minds at naval officials that the
report OF these experts viii result In a
b1naiidc offcr from the Swedish COM
pany. The navy department has. how
ever, made the rigid rule that no prop
osiilon viii be considered Involving the
government IN any expense until the
vessels are safely delivered IN a naval
dry dock. on the mo cure, no pay
principle.
one onfcr under consideration comes
itom some associated engineers In New
YORK city. who have ample capital ana
VINO easily convinced the board ~ the
feasibility of their pr0jcc, from an en-.
bihecrinE POINT " View. Their orlginal
terms, when are, however, subject 70
modification. contemplated the payment
by the CAV frnment of 100000 cash ~
the case OF the Maine, and 100000 In
The case OF the Colon, on their delivery
NJ the New York or the Norfolk navy
yard. In addition 10 onc-thlrd ~ the
appraised value Of these vessels on
their arrival. the valuation 10 be made
10y n board 0f nrhlirnt0rs. The unccr-
talniy ns To the precise amount ~ re-
muneratlon Involved In this proposition
II not attractive 90 the naval officials
who VIII insist on STIMULATING the exact
sum 10 be pald by the government, FOR
salvage before contract II signed.
The method Of raising the vessels 10
be used by the engineers who appeared
before the board IL extremely simple.
Pneumatic onlssons attached 60 chains.
passed underneath the vessels through
channels by alternating 1eis Of water
ana compressed air, constitute the llfi-
ing power. These channels Will be %
sufficient size 10 ennhlc diver 20 pass
under the vessel with messenger lines.
Az soon aa the chains are hauled
through and made fast 60 the Sides or
deck % the vessel. the excavations viii
be filled up by the process by which
they were made 20 prevent the vessel
from settling. Experience has shown
that ten or twelve such channels VIII
not cause heavily loaded vessel q
sink more than six Inches In very sort
material.
To effect the release ~ a vessel sltu-
htod like the Maine, IN tenacious harbor
deposits. lots OF compressed air WIN =.
sent al lng The keel simultaneously with
the intr.dneflon nf air into the calssOns.