The New York herald., 1922-09-17


water pressure. The operation of
sinking the pontoons under the con-
troll of the men in the coming towers,
attaching them magnetically to the
wrecks sides and pumping them until
they rise to the surface is of such
short duration that it can be carried
out at the slack between two tides or
in spell of fine weather, however
short. Fierce tides and heavy weather
will break up almost any other sal
wage operation.
The deep water can be Illuminated by
electric lights sunk on the ponroons
and the wreck can be promptly towed
to sheltered beach for the final stages
of her break UP or repair. The system
has the further advantage that sunken
ships will be brought to the surface
awash and need not be towed SUBJ
merged. as Is the case where ordinary
pontoons are employed with chains
shortened with the fall of the tide.
Scores of HulIS Lie
In Favorable Spots
OF course, operations will only be di-
saving. either for what they contain
or for themselves. Many are silted up
beyond reach, but know Of scores that
lie on rocky or gravelly bottoms, with
nothing to prevent them from being
raised.
No; I don't think the Lusitania will
ever be raised. She lies in over sixty
five fathoms Of water, and it would re-
quire six pontoons-three on each side
Of her-to bring her to the surface.
These pontoons would have to be 200
feet by 40 feet by 20 feet in dimensions
and would each have lifting power Of
$500 tons. 1t would be extremely diff
cult to get all these pontoons in posi-
tion in single tide. and there are COM
plications which would make the un-
dertaking altogether too hazardous;
evenzif the treasure on board we're very
great sA !.
The promoters of the Neale Ship
Raising Association had in view the
construction of a plant consisting of
two pontoons of the dimensions given
above, together with the batteries Of
electro magnets and attendant tugs
and air pumping machinery. and cal
culated to raise vessels up to 5000 or
5000 tons. The cost of such equipment
would, at present rates, be in the
neighborhood Of f750,000. OF course
one such equipment would be available
for use in an unlimited number Of
cases.
There is many little cargo ship,
Fhowever, that Is worth a try for what
she contains-coal and steel and cop
per and even more perishable things.
In many instances the sea water cor
rodes or coats certain commodities
cnly on the outside. leaving the inside
untouched and whole. / know Of one
man who purchased a cargo Of cheese,
supposed to be worthless, at a cost of
something like a penny a pound and
| sold it again at Is. Cd. a pound, thus
making a small fortune out Of it. For
scraped away every cheese was found
to be In perfect condition-more to
the taste of the epicure than when it
had sunk months before.
Soap, too. which would seem at frs,
glance to be the most perishable thing
To sink in the sea. behaves in the same
way. The salt water forms a coating
that leaves the interior of the bars
sound and useful. There was even a
case of some friends OF mine who were
present when some bags of flour were
raised from a wreck which had been
driven ashore. Naturally the salvers
were throwing them away. when some
one had the curiosity to bore into one
of the sacks. He broke through a
hard crust into -four as sound as when
II came from the mill. without a trace
of mold or decay.