New-York tribune., 1918-07-21


excellent results which have attended
salvage operations in other seas.
A Notable
Feat in Lifting
One or two examples may be quoted
Of the kind of work which has been
undertaken by the salvage department,
in the lifting of vessels Of sizes
and weights which until now would
have been deemed impossible. 1t was
formerly considered that the limit in
weight for lifting from depth was 1900
tons, but this figure has been consid-
erably exceeded with the use of wire
ropes during the last three years. A
case in point was that Of large gov
crnment collier, partly filled, which
was sunk by collision in twelve fathoms
of water, blocking a most important
channel and anchorage. Her removal
became a matter of urgent necessity
but owing to the strong tides and the
chances of bad weather it was not prac-
ticable to use Golfer dams or any meth
cd of that description. The only al
ternatives were an attempt to lift by
means of pontoons or demolition by ex-
plosives. The latter method was re-
jected owing to the heavy cost and the
time which would have been required
to carry out the work. as each piece
would have had to be lifted and re-
moved to clear the anchorage, which
was used by the largest classes of
ships. 1t was decided, therefore, tc
have recourse to lifting methods.
The weight of the ship, including
the mud which had accumulated, was
calculated at $500 tons, but it was
found possible to reduce this weight
to about $500 tons by emptying the
ballast tanks and forepeak. An in
spection by divers showed that the YES
sci had sunk into the mud past the
were not at the outset encouraging
They were further diminished by the
fact that another vessel of deep draft
coming up the channel had grounded on
the upper works of the collier, crush
ing down all deck erections flush with
the deck. After considerable difficulty
sixteen 9-inch wire ropes, having a
guaranteed breaking strain of $50 tons,
were got under the collier and attached ID
to the lifting craft.
When everything had been pre-
pared the water was emptied from the
ballast tanks and the forcpeak by
compressed air and the first lift sue
cessfully accomplished. Calculations
tons, and the four lifting vessels en-
ho ia q
distance of over one mile inshore clear
of the anchorage. AS result of fur
ther lifting operations the vessel was
gradually moved until her decks were
almost dry at low water. The final
stage of the work was to send divers
| down to patch the damage, roughly
and to pump out the water and foat
the vessel. The task of patching the
hull to enable the vessel to proceed
to repairing port was complicated
by the fact that, the bottom being in
mud, the lower part of the fracture
vas not accessible. and it was neccs-
fasten to the ships side a Golfer dan,
reaching above. highwater mark, sc
that mechanics could work inside and
plate up the aperture.
Salving a
Food Ship
Another interesting piece of work
was carried out in connection with q
new vessel of large tonnage which
was torpedoed while carrying a cargo
mainly of foodstufts, valued at 83,000,.
000 An attempt was made to beach
the vessel, but this was only partly
successful, and the Salvage Depart
ment had to face the problem arising
from situation where at low water
the shelter deck, which was fifty-seven
feet from the bottom of the ship, was
just awash. 1t was decided, as an
ordinary pumping plant would have
failed to give the necessary lift, tc
have recourse to submersible motor
has been gained during the war
pThese possess the advantage that they
can be lowered from the decks of the
salvage steamer to any position under
water and worked either by current
supplied from the salvage vessel or
by means Of a self-contained inclosed
generator, driven by oil engines, which
can be placed on board :. wreck. The
/ damage in this particular instance was
of somewhat extensive character, the
plating having been destroyed over an
area forty feet long by twenty eight
feet deep. Measures were taken to
drain off the water from some of the
holds into the stokehold and engine
room, and the forward tween deck
matches having been closed up and
made watertight,. the motor pumps
were placed in the stokehold and set
to work.
1t was then possible to pump out the
stokehold engine room and some of the
afterholds. A considerable quantity of
cargo was next discharged and pumping
operations we're put in hand in the for
ward shelter deck: This still left the
lower holds full of water, but the ship
had been lightened to an extent which
enabled her to be put into better po-
sition on the beach, and some thou
sands of tons of cargo having been dis
charged, she was foated off and put
into drydock.
Yet another case was that Of an oil
tank steamer of the largest class which
caught fire as the result of striking a
mine and had to be deliberately sunk
by gunfire in order to extinguish the
flames. This having been successfully
accomplished, divers went down to plug
up the shot holes, and it was then a
comparatively simple task to pump out
the vessel and to patch her up to enable
| her to make the voyage to a repairing
port.
Many other cases might be quoted
but these examples are typical of the
work which is constantly in progress
and which engages the services not
only of a considerable feet Of salvage
vessels of the most modern type, but
also Of the greatest quantity of plant
4 - ~ ~ .ol,