Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-23
PENDULUM PLAN
1OBE TRIED OUT
IN F-4 SALVAGE
Naval Officers Watch Results
of New Experiment With
Great Interest
ABRUPT SLOPE OF BOTTOM
PROVES GREAT HANDICAP
Difficulty of Hauling 800 Tons
Up Steep incline Is
Tremendous

The sunken submarine FL was
raised eight feet this morning, and
towed approximately so feet shore
ward. Salvage operations were halt
ed by the parting Of one Of the lines
which held the stern Of the submar-
Inc to the lifting scows, and this will
have to be repaired before work can
be resumed. According TO what luck
is met with In getting new line fast,
operations will be resumed.
The use. of the Maryland as tow
ing vessel proved a success and while
navy officers are extremely conserva'
tive in their predictions, it seems to
be the opinion that the present plat
of operations is the right one.
At 2 O'Clock this afternoon actual
towing and lifting work was at a
standstill to await the fastening of a
new line to the F-4.
The amount of lift obtained through
this mornings operations can be &C
cnrately determined by the amount of
cable on the drums. there being abso.
lutely no stretch left in the lines thst
connect the F.4 with the lifting scows.
Eight feet more cable is reeled in and
therefore lift of eight feet has been
secured. The pull inshore can only
be estimated and the figures range
from so to IS feet.
With the Maryland on the job as a
towing vessel, it is hoped that sub
stantial shoreward progress will be
made with the sunken submarine F-4
within the next few hodrs. Much de-
peiIds on the developments Of this
afternoon. and If the plan now in op-
Grafton fails. those in charge of the
salvage work will be hard pressed for
a new one. There is no disposition
toward pessimism by the navy Off
GERS who have the task in hand, but
ii is generally conceded that the un-
dertaking is stupendous, and that a
large element>d luck will be essential
to a successful conclusion.
This morAiag shortly before s
o'clock the Maryland worked her way
out from the navy dock and maneu-
vered into position shoreward from
the lifting scows from which the sub
marine is suspended fore and aft by
four wire cables. It took all morning
TO get the cruiser into position and
pass the towing gear from the Mary
land to the scows, the work being ac-
however. without hitch
or accident Weather conditions
greatly favor operations, the sea be.
ing as smooth as the proverbial mill
pond, and there being no wind to in.
terfere with operations. s
The plan which is being tried to
work the, submarine into shallow
water is said to be entirely new. and
naval officers are watching results
with keen interest. The F-4, a water
logged shell, and suspended from the
lifting scows on nearly 300 feet of
wire cable, forms a great pendulum
which will swing backwards towards
deeper water il sufficient impetus Is
given to the scows in a shoreward
1t is believed that a pow.
erfuI strain on the scows will cause
the F-4 to swing out far enough to
enable a considerable lateral move
ment to be secured before she
on the slope OF the sea floor.
The scows could then slack off to a
position directly above the submarine.
take up the slack on their hoisting
Continued on page two)