Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-25
American ingenuity Makes prac-
tlCable Reclamation of In
valuable Supplies.
WILL Be GREAT INDUSTRY
One Of Greatest Coal Fields in World
Lies of Atlantic Coast-To Be
Brought Up by Subma'
rine Salvagins.


tic coast from Norfolk, Va, to Bos'
ton. II is made up Of cargoes col
sunken ship which lie on the floor
of the ocean, ana soon viii he brought
to the surface by means of q great
after-war industry, known as the sub
marine Salyaging Of sunken carg"c>,
which viii be the means Of reclaim
ing millions Of tons Of coal, scrap iron
and other raw products long since
abandoned as lost.
The United States is taking the lead
of all nations in fostering this great
industry which grew out Of the war
when the efficiency. Of the submarine
as a monster of frightfuness was
demonstrated. Peace VIII allow the
submarine to come into ifs own as q
great reclamation agency
In Long Island sound there lie
million tons of coal, of which, 1t lis IS
timated by salyaging experts, at least
% per cent is reclaimable ut a cost OF
about % cents per ton. Reclaimed
coal sells at the market price Of $40
or S12 ton.
BY means of the salvaging submit
rine ii is possible TO cover - square
miles of ocean bottom day in search
ing for sunken huks. Once a wreck
is located it will be simple matter,
now that the salvaging submarine is
as perfect as the torpedoing sUbna-
rine, to reclaim 300 tons an hour, and
to locate half q dozen ships in rs
many hours.
Coal All Along Coast.
Along the sound from Bridgeport 10
Norfolk. Conn, 10000 tons OF coal
were sunk last year alone. Similar
coal wealth awaits a finder all along
the coast, for, according to marine
rulings, findings is keepings,' ana tie
finder of the sunken cargo is the
owner.
The reclaiming of wealth given up
for lost when the boat which carried
1t sank is to be one of the most fer
tile fields of production of the recon
struction period. The perfection of
the salvaglng submarine makes pos
sible and practical an enterprise that
was beyond the scope of the most dar
ing and doughty divers who sought to
find sunken cargoes.
This is illustrated by comparison
of the work of the old-time divers
with the mechanical work of the sal
vaging submarine. A diver NAMED
Hooper held the record for immersion
when he went down $50 feet in 1881
to reclaim the gold which sank in the
Alphonso XII off the Canary islands.
Hooper made 10 different trips TO
the wreck in as many months. So
arduous and fatiguing was the descent
that he was able to remain only -
minutes each time before he signaled
for the return journey. II took him
four hours to make the descent be-
cause of the necessity Of accusloming
his body by degrees to the increased
pressure. The last time he went down
he became paralyzed and was Obliged
to come up leaving S150000 IN gold
behind him which still awaits find
er. In all he brought up $350000.
Today the salyaglng submarine
goes down at the rate Of Il foot n
second, and the diver can remain a
month in it If he desires, working an
eight hour day or however long his
day may be. The materials salvagcd
are pumped to the surface By means
Of Il 15-lnch pipe. which will bring M
800 tons Of coal or scrap iron in IN
hour, and place it on the deck OF Il
cargo carrying steamer nearby. An
entire cargo is thus salvaged in a few
hours, and the work of locating ard
salvuging another wreck Immediately
undertaken.
Works Many Economies.
IN the matter of economy Of tiro
and money, the saving Of the strength
of the divers and in locating with
dexterity the whereabouts OF Sumlcn
cargoes, the salyaHng submarine com.
pares with the old-thne method OF
picking up materials from the oceans
bed as does high power motorcar
with a 0ne-hOrse shay
Coal Is decidedly improved by "A
reposc Of many years under sea, for
marine salts enter its porous cXtrriut
and Increase It's power Of combustion
for both domestic aud industrial
uses.
Pig iron has been salvaged after q
stay Of 100 years il the furthcst
depths, Rails are brought up in good
condition also. Copper bars, brn~.
and al sorts Of machinery are recoy.
cred in good condition. for although
every metal has a different lie. Tn,
sediment in the water forms Il COATING
over the materials and prcscrl p,
them. If copper and steel are ncol
each other in cargo, the copper Will
eat ,he steel and destroy II. so etron,
is the clectrolytic action.
The scrap iron reclaimed in mi,
way is sorted out, some going to roll
ing mills. others to brass fo,ndlie.
and ell filling the worlds constant,
increasing demand for iron in a.,
English channel repoSes vast quaa
tity Of iron and steel, owing 10 III,
many ships which were sunk during
the war.