New-York tribune., 1918-07-21

OF these vessels nave Deen SUNK III
depths of water in which it is not
possible for divers to work or for sue
cessful salvage operations to be con-
Quoted. Under ordinary commercial
conditions it is not possible to under
take such operations in greater depths
than twenty fathoms and the majority
Of the big ships which have become
war losses have been sunk in such
deep water so that they may be writ
ten off as definite losses to the mer-
camille marine.
Organization of
The Department
1t is of interest, however. to turn
from these vain imaginings to the
actual work which has been accom-
plished by the Admiralty Salvage De-
partment since the autumn Of 1915
when the salvage Of merchant ships
was first definitely undertaken under
Admiralty auspices. In the years be-
fore the war the Admiralty had no
salvage section, but relied on private
firms to undertake any work coming
within that category in connection
with war vessels. When, on the out
break of hostilities, it was decided to
form a salvage department the only
sources from which this department
could be recruited were the private
companies which had worked in con-
junction with shipowners and under
writer's for many years, and of which
the Liverpool Salvage Association was
a notable example. 1t is doubtless be-
cause the new department was manned
in this way and because a wellknown
salvage expert was placed in command
of the forces engaged that so much
success has attended the work which
has been undertaken. Until now the
only indication of what was being done
las been derived from the statements
in Parliament as to the number Of
ships brought into port after sub
marine attack and under repair, but
some figures which are now available
indicate the magnitude of the salvage
operations in connection with mer-
chant ships.
1t should be pointed out that until
the autumn of the year 1916 the work
Of salvage was mainly confined to war
ships, but the magnitude of losses Of
merchant ships from submarine at
tacks made it necessary for the
Admiralty to extend it's salvage op-
crations to merchant ships. The
process Of expansion is still going
on. There arc a considerable number
Of salvage vessels at work in home
waters, in the Mediterranean and on
other trade routes where vessels are
liable to submarine attacks, while a
policy of coordination of salvage
operations has been carried out with
tho Allied governments and a Joint
Salvage Council called into existence
Hazards of
the Work
1t can be readily understood that a
great deal Of salvage work has been
carried out under extremely hazard.
GUS conditions; yet operations that
would not have been attempted In pre-
war days have been undertaken and
in the majority Of cases carried ou,
successfully with the smallest per.
centage of loss. Sea conditions are
a constant enemy of the Salvage De.
partment. Work which has taken
many days to carry out may some,
times y swept away by single heavy
sea- One Of the greatest difficulties
has, however, arisen from the accu-
mutation Of gas in the holds of sunken
vessels ewing to the decomposition of
vegetable and animal matter Men
engaged in the work have sometimes
lost their lives. In one particular
case four men were overcome by gas
Special trouble has arisen from the
gas given off by grain, which develops
sulphurettad hydrogen, causing par
tial blindness and violent sickness.
1t is stated, however, that a discovery
which has been made during the war
has the effect of rendering these gases
innocuous, and it is now possible to
carry on the work freely as soon as
the presence Of the gases has been
detected and the rotting cargoes
sprayed with the special preparation
Of which the antidote consists.
The extent of the work done may
be gathered from the statement that
from October, 1915, down to the end
of May, 1913, total of 407 ships, most
Of them of considerable tonnage, have
been salved by the Admiralty Depart
ment. During the present year nearly
$50 ships have passed through the
hands Of the department, an achieve
ment which is testimony Of the in
creased efficiency of the work arising
from the exploitation of new methods,
the larger number Of men employed,
and as the outcome Of experience
not, as might perhaps be imagined,