Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-22
F-4 IS MOVING
TOWARD SHORE;
GOOD PROGRESS
Cruiser Maryland Will Go Out
Tomorrow to Pull Heavy
Load

That the F-4 may be in shallow wa
ter much sooner than was originally
planned is the opinion Of those in
charge of the salvage work. This
morning conditions were reported as
mere favorable than at any time since
the second stage of the salvage oper-
ations opened, and it was freely pre-
dicted that with four steel cables
holding. the F-4 would be raised with
in a comparatively short time.
"Everything points to success,
said Lieut. G. E. Smith, officer in
, charge OF the work. this morning
The fourth line was placed yester-
day and seems to be holding just as
we'll as the others. With good wealth
er and a smooth sea, we hope for re-
suits. can't say just how Far shore
ward the submarine has been brought
as she is lying on the slope of an un-
der-sea hill that makes it difficult to
estimate but 1t is a fact that We have
taken up some cable on the hosting
gear"
This moraing at II o'clock Lieut..
Smith came ashore for a conference
with Admiral Moore. at the Honolulu
naval station. At H. 80 the command
ant and the submarine commander
left for the scene of operations.
Plenty hapai not too much huki.
That's the situation in submarine
salvage operations this afternoon
when, with the F4 r'ised several feet
off the bottom and hroadside to the
beach. the tugs navajo and Maksala
were unable to give their load
shoreward progress. In other words
while the hosting gear uf the scows
has proved adequate to its task, the
load and resistance of the two big
scows and their swinging burden has
proved too much for the towing boats
According to present plans. the Mary
land will go to the rescue early to
morrow morning, and it Is figured that
the tow will be easy work for the
cruiser.
Each of the 60O-ton scows has been
submerged about two feet by the dead
weight of the sunken submarine, and
by this it is figured that almost four
tons is being supported. The cables
and hosting gear on the pOntoons is
holding perfectly without sign OF
slipping, and those in charge of opera
tions are convinced that with a strong
enough pull shorewards the F-4 can
be brought into shallow water, where
divers can descend with ease and fix
slings by which she can be lifted d.
rectly to the surface.
Operations were resumed early this
morning, after the line which carried
away early Monday morning had been
replaced, and it was at first thought
that excellent progress was being
made, owing to the fact that the sub
marine was lifted from the bottom
with comparative ease. When it came
to making shoreward progress, how
ever. the Navajo and Makaala, hooked
up tandem couldn handle the tremen
dous pull, and it became evident thai
some other tow would have to be pro
yided
The F-4 is broadside to the beach,
having been swung into this position
to minimize the chance of the holding
lines slipping off. The sea floor makes
a steep rise where the sunken sub
marine is lying and to get her up the
hill. even when clear of the bottom,
takes more power than was at first
estimated.
1t is not definitely announced at
what time the Maryland will take over
the tow but it is believed that she will
clear tho harhor Tomorrow morning