Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-29
F.4 IS BELIEVED
TOBE NOW IN 50
fEETLESS WATER
Task of Divers Expected to Be
EasIer-Oeflnite Progress
Is Made

SALVAGE Operations on the - W"r"
transferred from ship I" shore rod ty.
On the navy docL Oh the floating
crane. on thr.di, IN. tluat and on one
Of the hitting scoWs tied uD 70 the
wharf, crews were at work getting the
gear into shape for another concert
I'd attempt to wrest the Sunkcn sub
marine from the ocean floor
While it is true that several lines
around the submarine have parted and
that only one wire cable now holds
her to d single pUntOOn sCOW. the Of
fiCerS in charge Of the work do not
feel that the, past few weeks have
been time lost They consider that
they have made good progress, he.
cause they now have very fair idea
Of actual conditions, know inst how
formidable the job is, and, above all,
have the boat in about 81 feet less
water than she lay in when operations
commenced This last fact has been
established by recent careful sound
ings at the spot where the PA lies
Even 3UfOot difference in depth
will make the work of the divers con
sderably easier, and 1t Is expected
that when the new lines are fast the
services of the deep-sea experts who
came over in the Maryland will be con.
stantly needed. If possible a salvage
hose will be attached to the subma
rine and the Maryl4nd's compressors
put TO use to force some of the wa
ter out of the wreck Besides this
attempt the divers will have to make
several trips to the bottom to see how
the new lines, with chain inserts, are
holding, when they have been dragged
into approximate position.
One line has been fitted with its
chain and probably this will be drag.
ged Under the submarine tomorrow, If
weather conditions permit. Men are
busy today fitting the cables with
eyes" into which the blight Of chain
will be shackled. Handling the heavy
wire and making the necessary spices
and securing the clamps is tedious
work at best, and it willprobably take
a couple of days to complete the three
remaining cables. With good luck the
divers may be called on to go down
Saturday morning. 49,.
Maryland to Form Lee. |
When the F-4 is again fast in the |
wire and chain sings and the cable |
ends carried to the drums of the two |
lifting scows, the cruiser Maryland |
will be Unanswered into position to |
form a lee under which the divers
can work in comparatively smooth |
water. While any one Of the divers !
would be willing to descend under or
binary weather conditions, the Off.
GERS will not take the responsibility |
of ordering a diver down when there
is danger OF his lines becoming fouled !
on account of rough water. The splen.
did weather that prevailed for almost
D. month after the submarine sank, can
not be counted on, and it is estimated |
that day or two might be lost when
the divers were most needed. BY
anchering the Maryland in position |
alongside of the scows it is believed |
that considerable security will be af.
forded. Special buoys and anchors
have to be made ready, but by the
time the drags have been made and
the submarine again secured, every.
thing will be ready for the cruiser to
shift position.
This morning Admiral. Moore and
Captain Kittelle of the Maryland con.
ferred at the Honolulu naval station
Heads of departments of the salvage
job were all ashore this morning, the
navy dock being the scene of a mum.
Der of informal conferences - -