The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-04-27
Nothing Could Be Done Yesterday
In Fairway Owing TO the I
TubuIent Water - =.
DIVERS WERE ON HAND NJ.
$To DESCEND TO WASP
win Go Down When Weather
Permits and Report On
Condition Of Hull e,
From Monday Advsrtissr.l


Terrific wind and heavy seas made
impossible yesterday any work what,
soeyer on the salving of the submarine
IA, except 20 make Preparations Tor
continuance OF work when the wind
and sea subside. Do.
This may be today, but It is up to
the weather man to say, and 1t was
the general belief late yesterday after
noon that the elements would not sub
side sufficiently to allow of any sus5
tanned efforts this morning. tr =
II is almost n certainty, however,
that nothing more will be done in rails
ing or towing operations until diver
can again descend to the wreck anG
make observations. The diving GREY
was on hand early yesterday morning
but Commander Smith and Chief Gun
ner Stillson refused to take the risk
of lowering a man through the mesh
of six steel cables with the chancet
of fouling lines increased by the tur
-bulent elements.
Fear Held for Gables III
II Is possible that by this morning
more of the three cables now holding
the submarine will have parted through
the chaRng of the wires against the
submarine body. Two Of the lines are
light ones, but all connected with the
work hold faith in the holding Of the
line known as "Hilo.s' This Is the
eight.inch cable brought from the Ha.
wall metropolis, and the heaviest which
has yet been used ,on the work. y
There was not much surprise when
it was found Saturday morning that
one of the four lines had chafed
through and parted. The sea had been
none too smooth. Yesterday the two
ponderous 900. ton scow pontOons and
the dredge Gaylord were tossing about
like -so' many corks. To release the
strain the tautness was somewhat slack.
ened on all six ends, but even this
would not eliminate working of cable
against shbmarine. II more lines part
it will-.only be what is expected and
looked for.
Splicing New Gear
For this reason work was continued
yesterday on inserting ninety foot
lengths of two and one half inch chain
as a SPLICE in the heaviest cable now
on hand and which will be placed about
the sea.wasp as soon as the weather
permits. It is purposed to so maneuveN
be directly about the F-4 and prevent
further cha6ng breaks. Two more exi
tremely heavy cables are expected to
day on the Manchuria, and will be SINH
larry spliced and kept in readiness tx
replace wire cables as they part.
Admiral Moore, Commander Smith
Constructor Furer, Chief Gunner Still
son and Master Bigger Buss went Out
to the wrecking craft in the early fore
noon. 1t was confidently expected that
the divers could descend and mako OBJ
servations, on which would result the
feat of attempting to tighten the
weight of the F-4 by pumping com
pressed air into the body.
Stillson, Chilly, Nelson and Drel
lishak were in readiness with their ap
paratus, but as time wore on and the
wind and sea became more tempestu
Gus rather thu stiller, all hope Of be
ing able to dive was given up by the
officers in charge,
Divers Anxious to Work
All night long the divers barge had
been tossed and smashed against the
side of the Maryland by wind ant
waves, not only damaging the barge
but disarranging apparatus, and accord
ingly at eleven o. clock the tug Navajl
was ordered to tow the barge into thu
navy slip. There, during the remainder
of the day, the diving crew worked
with lines, hose, helmets, air tanks ant
reeompression chamber to keep theil
equipment up to top-notch order il
anticipation for the strenuous worl
which is coming. Ia. -
In fact, the divers are anxious Il
be at work again, but admit II would
be haZardouss to descend to the sub
marine with weather conditions obtain
ing such as yesterday. 1t would be al
most impossible to prevent lines from
foulinGs ...-... -..
As+to the ultimate success of being
able to attach an air line to the F4
not oneIpf the divers holds any doubts
They declare in unison that they will
be able to find the breaks in the hull
that they will be able to open the sal
wage valve;> tOscarry down an air hose
from the compressed air tanks above
and connect it with the submarine.
Claim They Can Patch Holes
They contend still further that il
the breaks are found to be on top Of
the hull as she now lies, which would
make futile the pumping down of com
pressed air, they will be able to TAX,
down steel plates and repair the breaks
sufficiently to allow of from 100 to 15t
tons of water being forced out of the
ship. The divers would not even con
lecture how long this operation will
take, as they do not know what condi
tions surround the submarine, she hav
ing been moved considerably by the
pontoons and the Maryland. They in
siSt they can work at the present depth
of the F4 for approximately half an
hour at a time, and that by working
in relays, one diver taking up the work
where his predecessor left off, the tast
set before them by the officers in com