Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-17
REsculNe A SUBMARINE.
German Device Completed In Three
Hours Saved Twenty Seven Lives.

Although submarine navigation is
admittedly dangerous, it will come
with a shock of surprise to many pee-
Pile to learn that during the past 10
years, according 10 recently published
statistics, the lives of 129 officers and
men have been lost in some 20 serious
accidents which have occurred, all of
them during peace maneuvers. Most
of these fatalities might have been
prevented had there been at hand, or
within reasonable distance. the proper
appliances for quickly locating the
sunken vessel ana raising her TO the
surface. 1t was only in connection
with the latest accident which oe-
CURED to a German submarine. that a
suitable salvage plant was available;
and it proved its efficiency by raising
the vessel within three hours after
reaching the scene Of the disaster.
OF the submarine accidents above re-
ferrcd to- seven occurred in the French
Navy. with a loss of s. lives; tive in
the English Navy With loss OF Is
lives. two occurred to Russian subma-
rines. with a loss OF y lives, one Jap
anese accident occasioned the loss of "A
lives; Italy in one accident has been
SO fortunate as TO lose no lives.
The speedy raising Of the Germans
submarine L 3. which sank IL the har-
Dor at Kiel. was due to the possession
by the Germans of a sea going sal
wage dock capable OF navigating under
its own steam, which was built eX-
pressly for the raising and docking of
sunken submarines. This vessel the
Vulcan. which is shown on our front
page IN the act of raising the Z g. is
double-hu vessel. go feet in length.
with a lifting capacity of SOC tons
The width between the two hulls IS
sufficient to admit with good clearance
the largest submarines. At suitable
height shelf is formed along each
wall of the interior opening. and up
on this rests the removable floor of the
dock.
The two hulls of the ship are each
built with water tight compartments
OF large capacity. similar to those
which are found in the side walls OF the
ordinary floating dock. When a sunk
en- submarine is to be raised the Nul-
can staams to the wreck and is moored
securely in position above it. Span
ming the we'll between the two hulls
are two massive santry cranes. each
provided with heavy lifting tackle
driven by electric motors. The first
operation is to fill the compartments
until the vessel has sunk to the re-
quired depth. The floor OF the dock IS
then moved clear Of the we'll. Tie lift
ing tackles are now lowered and made
fast either to chains which have been
slung around the body of the suhma-
rine or two massive eyebolts which
are permanently rive ted into the sub
marines hull At the order to hoist
away the submarine is lifted free from
the mud and drawn up within the Well
until its bottom is clear of the sup
porting shelves on the inner faces OF
the two hulls above referred to. The
dock floor is then placed in position
upon the shelves. the water Is pumped
out Of the two hulls and the Vulcan
rises, lifting the submarine and the
dock floor clear of the water.
There is some confusion in the ac-
counts which have been cabled over
regarding the loss and salvage Of Sub
marine L. 3. As soon as the accident
occurred the crew released a spherical
ADuoN IpiAAsillAIFis ~GA1i EtShAN AHf@%t tN-'H+t
which rose to the surface, uncoiiing its
wires. the lower ends of which We're
attached to the hull and led to tele-
phone within the vessel. BY this
means the Captain of L. was able To
communicate with the surface, and he
reported that the vessel had As hours
supply of oxygen. and that the crew
was in no immediate danger Orders
were at once dispatched for the Nul-
can to proceed To the scene Of the dis
aster According to one report, a
floating crane, pending the arrival of
the Vulcan. succeeded in lifting the
bow of the submarine sufficiently for
q of the crew to escape through the
torpedo discharge tube. the Captain
and two Lieutenants electing to re-
main in the coming tower until the
arrival of the Vulcan. The breaking
of the ventilator. however. and the
subsequent flooding of the vessel, I'M
fortunately proved fatal to the three
officers. On the arrival of the Vulcan
she was moored above the wreck, and
IN three hours time the vessel ap-
peared above the surface.-Scientific
American.