Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-04

Gils can seldom survive three or four tides
without the loss Of almost all its flesh, so
great Is the effect of the constant pressure
and friction OF the ebbing and rising water
The Germans have always asserted that
the Lusitania bore cargo OF arms and
ammunition. 1t was on this pretext that
the German U-boat sank her. Will the
British Government take pains to disclose
the entire cargo of the il-fatqd liner be-
fore neutral commission, that the Ger.
man claim may be forever silcnced?
There have been other methods suggest
cd from time to time for raising the Lusf-
tania. In exceptional cases divers have
been provided with specially constructed
diving suits and have gone down below the
S0-foot mark. In the raising OF the United
States submarine F4, which sank outside
honolulu harbor on March %, 1915, and
which was relocated and towed into the
harbor five months later, the divers went
down more than two hundred feet Such
fcats, however. are only attempted for
purposes OF observation The bulky. rigid
construction OF the suits precludes the
possibility OF their use when active work
is to be done by the diver.
The old method OF raising a ship by
means OF pontoons was to float the pom
toons on the surface above the vessel to
be raised and hauling it up by means of
cables. This has been deemed impractl-
cable in the present Instance
AT ono time it was suggested that tow
ers be erected around the Lusitania and
that on these powerful derrcks he mount
ed. Tho problem would then resolve itself
into supplying enough power to lift the
$4,000 tons OF tho hull aud tho weight of
Inc water III 1t, herculean task more am
bilious in it's conception than plausible
another plan that has been used in
erecting bridges and in the raising of
smaller vessels sunk In peculiarly situated
spots on the oceans bed is that OF sink.
ing caisson. or steel cylinder. around tho
vessel eNhausting the water by pumps.
and maintaining sufficient pressure of
air inside the caisson to keep the water
out In the case OF the Lusitania its depth
and It's size would preclude the possibility
OF using caissons. The pressure necessary
10 Keep back the water would be too great
Tor the bodies OF the men working in the
caisson. Their lungs would be smashed
IN and they would actually smother from
100 much air instead OF the lack OF it, Be-
sides, the caisson would have to be so
large that the cost of constructing and
maintaining it would be greater than tho
cost Of building the Lusitania itself, and
obviously there would be no profit in tho
salvage.
The estimated value OF the Lusitania "a
so great that even IL n years time is re-
CURED for the work the speculation will
prove highly profitable. Aside from tho
value of the ship itself, it is known that
over million dollars in money went to
the bottom. together with Il cargo of eS-
press freight valued in 1915 at $3.50, 900.
precious stones worth 100000, fortune
In gold. silver and copper bars and $4,000
in sheet brass a considerable quantity of
this material Is worth moro to-day than 1t
was In 1915. The British Government the
Cunerd Line aud the salvaging COMPANY
expect to divide at least Sl5,0000OO when
the liner shall have been raised.