The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-09-10
CAN'T keep A
GOOD SHIP DOWN
Half Of Torpedoed Craft of Great
Britain Have Been
SaIvaged.
METHODS GREATLY IMPROVED
Much Greater Weights Than Believed
Possible Are Now Being Lifted
No Hope Of Ever Raising
Lusitania.

j GuoitdUtas
| London.-Of 400 British ships sunk
In the last two and half years at
least 30 per cent have been raised
from the bottom Of the sea. The or
ganizatiOn responsible-the Admiralty
Salvage department-is composed en-
tirely Of experts employed by COM
mercial firm which engaged in the busi-
ness before the war. Ships were SO
cheap then, however, that often 1t did
not pay to raise sunken wreck and
restore her to seagoing condition.
Things are very different now, and
the result Is that invention has been
stimulated to an extraordinary extent.
It used to be considered that 1900
tons was the greatest weight that
could be lifted from under water hy
wire ropes. A sunken government col
lier that was obstructing O. fairway
was lifted out Of the mud recently and
carried away by four lifting ships, with
sixteen 0inch wire ropes, and the
lightweight carried was calculated at
2,75O tons. The wreck was shifted
one mile at the first lift, and SO was
gradually taken to the beach, patched
up and sent off to the repairing yard.
She went back into service and made
several voyages before torpedo end
ed her career altogether.
Cannot Raise Lusltania.
Ships sunk in deep water cannot be
salved. It is not expected that the
Lusitania, for example, will ever be
lifted. Divers cannot work in more
than rs fathoms successfully, though
for special purposes they may some
times go down to IS fathoms for a
brief spell Of work.
The bulk Of the ships saved have
been sunk In less than 20 fathoms, or
have been towed inshore by rescue
tugs, and have gone aground in fairly
easy positions.
The salvage men face considerable
risks, not only from bad weather but |
also from submarine attack. Only one
salvage ship, however, has been lost |
through enemy action.
One Of the largest oil tank steam.
ships was mined and caught fire.
There was heavy explosion and the
decks were flooded with burning oil.
The cargo consisted largely Of benzine.
Most persons would conclude that the
case was hopeless. Not so. The yes
gel was scuttled by gun fire and thus
The fire was extinguished. Then divers
plugged all the shot holes, besides clos
ng other apertures. On being pump
ed out the vessel floated and was
forthwith taken to a repairing port.
New Pump Is Valuable.
AS showing how valuable is the new
'ubmersible, electric motor pump, a
ecently torpedoed ship which carried +
cargo (mainly foodstuffs) of more
han $15, 100000 value had a hole 40 I
eet long by %. feet deep in her side.
The was taken in tow by rescue tugs, h
ut went down before time had served
0 beach her suitably. No ordinary
umping power would have served the
eed, but the new type pump enabled ,
engine room and all her af-
or holds to be pumped out, so that
argo could be discharged and the YES
81 taken higher up the beach. Then
he Tightening process was continued !,
ntil the vessel was f1oated and taken
ito dock, practically, all her cargo be-
lg saved.
The number Of the ships of the mer-
lntile marine actually salved by the :
apartment in two years from 1915 to !
III was 26O. All these vessels were
big tonnage. For the present year : !.
le monthly totals Of such vessels
lived were: January, IA; February, =
!; March, 81; April, SO, and May, 10. Y
hus the department has saved 407 y
lportant vessels Of the mercantile .
arine. This does not include vessels =
lved outside of home waters. =
The larger figures Of the latter pc =
ID were due, not to increased enemy =
tivity but to improved salvage meth =
Is. q
Many risks are run by the divers, =
rticularly from gases generated by q
vegetables and meat in
e holds of sunken ships, deaths hav-
resulted from this cause. Grain, It n
ems, develops sulphuretted hydro te
n, which occasions blindness and y
)lent sickness. =,
A chemist, however, has found a II
eparation which when sprayed on a W
tting cargo Immediately kills the h
SEES and enables men to carry on 81
cir work in safety.