New-York tribune., 1903-08-16
INJURED BATTLESHIP.
The Massachusetts, Can MoUe Under
Her Own Steam.
Gpr rrLFeRAPH 10 LIE TRlBUNE.l ]

Bar Farbor Ne. Aug. 15-The divers working
the hull of the United States oatteshlp Massa-
chUsetts, which into pinnacle or Egg ROCK
on Wednesday, finished their examination OF the
hull TODAY Four divers were at work again to-
day In the main body of the vessel they found no
punctures whatever though there were dents here
and there along the double bottom. Ihe Vesse'
struck the pinnacle on her shoe and seems TO
have dragged over the rock somewhat. Inc rudoer
has not been swept away, as some reports trom
here yesterday stated; in fact the rudder is whoIy
intact The propellers touched the rock but no
noticeable damage was done to them. The report
that the machinery Of the injured vessel is not nj
to use is also false according TO the statement OF
Captain Eaton tonight.
The ship came in from her accident under her
own steam she came in from the outer harooI
under her own steam. and every movement she mas
made has been under her own steam. When asked
If he would be towed TO the drydock at New-Hork'
Captain Eaton tonight said I'VE shall go uhdeT
our own steam. and, if necessary, we coulu so
from here San Francisco. l expect that we sla1I
sail from here about Wednesday, and thlnk the
ship will be able to steam at from seven 10 nliie
knots an hour" When asked If it were true that
the shin had fifteen holes in her bottom Cdplail
Eaton responded in the negative, and 10 the que9
ton whether not he were in danger OF slhhlis'
he said There has not been the slightest danger
of our sinking since the time we closed the COM
partments that leaked After the bulkheads were
closed there danger, and we are no" aS
safe as we would be without any punctures' NO
new leaks found by the divers To-Day anu
they have been over the entire hull 1 expect that
it will take from thirty to sixty days to palch up
the hull after get into drydock
The work of removing ammunition and coal 1roh
the ship continues. Night and day coal is being
shifted to the collier Lebanon, and tomorrow the
l3-inch shells will be transferred to the Cugoa To-
night the bow of the ship is more than a 1oot
farther out Of the water than normal. Normally
the bow draws 26 feet tonight she draws a rect
inches When the ship first came in from the acct-
dent the bow drawing q feet II inches ana
the stern 26 feet inches. Now the bow is drawing
q feet inches and the stern % feet inches rms
makes the mean less than normal. Work was begun
on compartment A to-day, and by tonight '1s
had been pumped out. A Z is the large compart-
unent in the bow which held more than one hundred
tons of water. A re IS the upper part OF It, Ihls
leaves the water now confined to A proper and y
o. The pumps are working here ten minutes an
hour and that is taking care Of things all right.
The wrccking tug Storm King arrived from the
Boston Navy Yard about noon to-day. She brought
two large S-inch centrifugal pumps which were put
aboard the Massachusetts,, but Captain Eaton VIII
have no use for them unless something much un-
looked for happens. The tug Potomac also arrived
to-day TO lend any assistance she could, but no use
has been found for her yet.