The western recorder., 1898-02-24

snry to enable diver to grope his
way safely through the internal parts
Of mighty ship like the Maine. torn
and dismembered. as she Is, and this
work is highly dangerous. Creeping
through narrow iron-bound passages
and cropping for the doors of the
water-tight bulkhead which divide the
hull Into compartments, on Shiny floors
and in perfect darkness requires the
highest expert skill, and that is why
Captain Sigsbee with only sailor divers
Mt command, had not been able to do
much SO far towards unraveling the
mystery of the Names untimely end.
1t Is to meet just this emergency that
the Navy department Is making every
effort to hasten the beginning of the
work of recovery of the goods and per-
haps the raising of the hull by pro-
fessonals.
To that end. Captain Lemly. the
judge advocate general of the depart
ment was at work to-day in his office
with representatives of wrecking co.u-
panies trying to draw up contracts for
the immediate prosecution of the work.
He has been at the task now two days.
and 1t has not been easy to dispose of.
This Is owing to nn apparent DISPOSE
ton on the part, nt least of one. of the
MItthlnE W oiiNt "a
bargain. leaving the department in the
dark as to the amount of money to be
pnid for their services.
But II Is believed the obstacles have
now been surmounted and the con-
tracts can be signed tomorrow. 1t Is
the purpose of Captain Lemly to hurry
this work, and TO that end he is ar
ranging to have two of the companies
combine their forces. They will be paid
on the scale of days work. with n
provision for n bonus If they succeed
in raising the vessel. thus insuring the
recovery of as much of the valuable
equipment as is possible. should 1t not
be practicable to float the Maine again.
Great difficulty is expected in recov-
ering the big ten-inch turret guns, each
worth $4,000. owing not only to their
weight-fifty tons apiece, without car
riages-but TO the enormous turrets In
closing them with 100 tons of steel. 1t
Is doubtful II the tops of these turrets
can be removed, us was first supposed,
by cutting Off the bolt heads that fix
them TO the sides. as these large bolts
are probably countersunk. and thus
hold below the surface of the metal,
while the confined space within the tur-
rets would make 1t very difficult to op-
crate there on the inside ends under
water. 1t is hoped that it may be feas-
ible to raise the turret entire with the
guns, If lifting apparatus OF sufficient
power can be applied.
The decision of the government to al
low concurrent Investigations of the
cause of the Maine disaster. for its
own part making an Independent inves-
tlgation through the naval court of in
Quiry already appointed, while permit
ting the Spanish authorities to make
such investigation as they desire. This
arrangement commended itself to ma
val men alike as fair to all, and at the
same time calculated to develop the ex-
act facts in manner that could not be
questioned.
Chief Engineer Melville has decided
views In favor of the proposition to re-
build the Maine.
Even suppose this costs 81 900, ,000,"
said he. "a new ship equal to the Maine
would cost nearly S5,000.000. The re-
pairs could be made and the ship put
In service again In n year Mt the furth-
est. TO build new ship like her
would take mt least three years. With
regard to the practicability of raising
the vessel 1t is to be remarked that
large vessels have been raised which
were at sea. where they were exposed
10 the waves, while the Maine Is in n
perfectly quiet harbor, one end resting
in the mud and part of the other end
above water.
1.-THE Maine is in n shallow spot, as
protected as n mill pond, and she Is
only 6.O00-ton ship. The British ar
mor-clad How, of over 10000 tons, was
raised Off Ferrol, Spain, in the open
ocean, and ii. NJ. $. Sultan, of over
1000 tons, was raised and saved after
she sank in the Comino channel"
Orders have been issued for the en-
llstment of 800 men for the navy, TO
fill the vacancies caused by the de-
struction OF the battleship Maine, and
TO complete the legal quota.
The new men will be sent to receiv-
ing ships, whence they Will be sent TO
ships In commission wherever needed.
Commander-ln-Chief Street of the
Union Veterans Union has offered TO
. the President the services OF 10000