Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-08-14
TORPEDOED SHIPS
CURED OF WOUNDS
Ships Sunk By Submarines
Are Raised And Fully
Repaired

An English Channel Port, July 26.-
(By mail. War has converted this
port into huge ship hospital.
1t is the haven of torpedOed, mined
and disabled vessels, and is equipped
with the best ship surgeons" and
"nurses" in the United Kingdom.
Here ships the Hun has torpedoed
and reported as sunk are given new
lease of life and sent out again to sea.
1t is estimated that hundreds of thOus-
ands of tons of shipping and tens of
millions of dollars worth of cargo are
saved as a result of the work of that
part of the British admiralty known
as the salvage section.
Passing out to sea on one of the
crack salvage boats the United Press
correspondent observed more than a
score of torpedoed transports and
steamers. Most of them were British,
but sprinkled here and there were a
few American and Portuguese ships.
Some of them had been torpedoed
twice One formerly a German liner,
but taken over by the United States
after war was declared, was torpedoed
in the same spot on each side. Another
ship had been shot in two. but both
parts were brought in by salvage boats
and the ship eventually will be sent
to sea again.
Divers Patch Ships
Another ship which had huge hole
on one side and fourteen holes made
by splinters when the torpedo struck
was undergoing repairs.
Two divers were at work alongside
the boat. They signalled for the lower
ing of the "patch" and it was drop
ped down to them. A "patch" is a
number of wooden beams fastened to-
gether to cover the hole made by the
torpedo. Pumps were set to work empty
ing the water filled hold. When the
Iship was able to float she put out un
der her own steam to go into dry dock
for permanent repairs,
Before the war 6 or salvage jobs
at one time was a big task. To-day the
salvage section is equipped to handle
from 80 to 60 jobs at one time.
One ship in dry dock here, rescued
as it was sinking, is the American OF
tanker 0. B. Jennings of Bayonne, NJ
In April the Jennings collided will
q British tanker. Both were carrying
oil cargoes and the impact from thu
collision set the oil afire. Thirty sever
members of the crew of the British We
sci were burned to death. Two other
sought escape by diving overheard bu
landed in flaming oil covered sea
and were roasted alive. Only on
aboard the Jennings was killed.
Blaze is Very Fierce
For several days the blaze was s.
fierce that salvage ships were unabl
to approach either ship. Finally the,
managed to beach the British shiI
The smoke for a time prevented az
tproach to the Jennings When it final
ly cleared, the heat prevented approach
Finally destroyers were brought up an
and several score of shots fired int
her. Forty holes were made in the hui
and she sank just far enough to put on
the blaze. The Jennings was the
beached and the remainder of the o
removed by pumps. 1t is estimated tn
value of the cargo removed from tn
Jennings was 100000 dollars. TIL
Jennings has been repaired, and no
is ready for sea. The British vessel
still submerged, but she is expected t
be floated soon. Close to 100000 do
lars worth of cargo is being remove
from her.