The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-26

water from the cylinders, and allows air to enter in it's place. The result is that as the air e-~ers them, the cyl finders become lighter and lighter, untli finally the buoyancy overcomes the dead weight of the wreck and gradually the cylinders rise to the surface, bringing the wreck with them.
 Success has already attended this use of buoyancy cylinders, not only with smaller craft, such as sunken submarines and destroyers, but frequently with olg ships as well. Of course in tidal waters the problem is an eas>er one. Full use is made of the natural rising and falling of the waters, the wrecks being moved by stages along the bottom until they have been gotten close enough inshore so that at low ude they are exposed and, salvage men may get at their wounds to patch them Thereafter. with their hulls patched, they are pumped out. floated and lowed into the nearest dockyard.
 Another discovery which is revolution iz'ne salvage work. is the discovery o- gas to counteract the gases generated by certain forms of rotting cargo. Sal
 wage men have lost their lives through being overcome by the accumulation or
 cases in the hold of a sunSen ship, owing 70 the decomposition of vegetable matter
 DN the acton or sea water pN 'He uoN'S of meat, etc The gases arising from
 prain give especially a deal of trouble. Grain under sea water developes sul-
 phurated hydrogen which causes semi
 blindness and violent sickness, and turns everything a leaden color. A chemist
 has. Showever, made an extraordinary discovery during the war, which kills
 these gases immediately, and salvage
 men are now able to carry on their work
 freely as soon as the presence Of the
 gases has been discovered and the rot
 ting cargoes have been sprayed with thls preparation.
 Much has already been written on the
 work which has been done to date by
 the British admiralty's salvage depart
 ment in the recovery of sunken shlps.
 Since October, 1915, some 400 ships Of
 over 1200 tons each, have been saived ana
 taken to repairing yards, where they
 have been refltted and put into commits
 sion. Many ship which the Germans
 have sunk is now blowing the seas as
 a result of the skill and daring or the admiralty's salvage men.
 Salvage under private auspices after the declarations of peace however, IS expected to outshine in daring even the most brilliant of the admiraltyTs feats Tn the great hidden treasure hunt, riV- airy between salvage firms is expected completely to eclipse the very biggest
 undertakings of the past Mammoth TOT tunes will be dug up from the bottom ol the seast, and the salvage workers VII share of the spoil. Divers who, Of late years have been earning anywhere from
 s25 to $50 week while working on 8 big and risky job, will easily outstril their previous records. So keen will be the competition for experienced men that expert divers will command their owr prices
 Many romantic tales have already beer | told of the expedients resorted to by shlT salvagers, but in the next three or foui years they will all be beaten. It is prob able that except for salvage operations i close in under the coast of England, the great treasure hunt will not get under way before next spring. It is expecteS | then to center for a time in the Nortf sea-'the North sea is the center O | everything in this war.
 The North sea is a shallow puddle ane as soon as the mine fields which cover | it have been swept up, it ought to bf dotted with salvage outfits l nave seer an admiralty map of the wrecks Tn the North sea. Wrecks are marked Tn htti'
 red dots upon the maps, and they covel the North sea like the frecliles on 8 farmer boys face Sweeping up the mine fields in the North sea will not be
 week lend pob however, and 1t Will DC
 late in the spring before the North sea will be safe for wreckers to work Tn Even then, they will be armed with ma chine guns to sink wandering mines Probably ships crossing the North ses will be armed with machine guns TOT 2 | years. I have heard more than on' naval officer declare that he doesn't expect to live to see the old North seq | free of mines.