The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-03-24
NAVY KEEPS UP
SALVAGE WORK
Service Developed During the
World War Proves lmpor-
tant in Peace.
Most Complete and Modern Salvage
Vessels Ever Built Are Doing Good
Service Along the coasts-
Remarkable Feats.

Vessels Ever Built Are Doing Good
Service Along the coasts-
Remarkable Feats.
Wash1ngton.-One of the interesting
developments in the United States
navy as the result of wartime exper-
fence was the building up Of a salvage
service, designed to aid in the saving
of wrecked ships and the recovery Of
cargoes and valuable ships gear. When
the country entered the World war the
navy possessed no regular salvage ser.
vice, although collections Of salvaging
machinery had been made at several
depots, and apparatus had been
brought to high degree Of efficiency.
But this was used mostly in cOnnec-
ton with experimental work in firing
at various targets Stimulating vessels.
However, when the gathering Of
United States vessels, large and small,
In European harbors resulted in many
incidental minor accidents, and the
operations Of enemy submarines called
for equipment to save costly boats
and their cargoes, the navy was quick
to build up service which not only
soon repaid the cost of organization,
but has since resulted in great saw
ings.
Establish Salvage Stations.
The first step the navy took was
the establishment of a salvage Sec
ton of the bureau Of construction and
repair, drawing personnel and equip
ment from private salvaging COM
panies. Salvage stations were estab-
lished along the Atlantic coast by
taking over many private concerns,
and by August, 1917, a salvage unit
had arrived in France. This consisted
Of the navy's first salvage vessel, the
q. s. S. Favorite, a 1,2OOton ship
equipped with the finest tools and
machinery for recovering wrecked YES
sells. She was stocked with diving ap-
paratus, decomposition chamber,
pumps. and cutting and welding tools
for both underwater and surface work.
A 25-ton derrick was amidships.
Immediately upon her arrival in
France she started salvaging opera
tons that kept her busy with not an
idle day for eighteen months. Her
work consisted in pulling boats, large
and small, off the beaches, raising them
off the bottom, rescuing torpedoed
ships and towing disabled ships to
port. The vessel played an important
part in repairing the transport Mount
4 Vernon, which was torpedoed after
leaving Brest, and then placed Golfer
dam, the largest that has ever been
installed in a disabled ship, on the u.
8. s. Westbridge. Almost any one of
the vessels the salvage ship rescued
resulted in saving more than the cost
Of outfitting and maintaining her.
Joined by Two Others.
This vessel was shortly Joined by
two others, the Chesapeake and the
Mamma Hata, all equipped with the
most modern gear, and though they
continued to do their valuable work
for many months, it was not spectac-
ular task and the men who imperiled
their lives received little recognition.
One of the important feats they &C.
complished was the salvage of the
British vessel Narragansett, after the
attempt had been given up by the
British. The American ships came
along with advice and equipment that
made q success of what had appeared
q hopeless task.
The Favorite. while In France, was
the most complete and modern salvage
vessel ever sent out, and attracted the
attention and investigations of the
foremost European shipping nations
In the fall of 1919, all salvaging op.
erations having closed, the Favorite
returned home, and the other two ships
were sold to a British salvage concern
with full equipment. The former then
was placed in the service Of the Pana
ma canal, where she Is now doina
heroic work.
However, the wartime experience
showed the navy the need Of such yes
sells, so two were equipped especially
for the purpose, the Falcon and the
Widgeon. They are comparatively
small, strongly built and have the I'm
est equipment. They can work In
rough and shallow waters where other
vessels could not venture The Wild.
geon will be used on the west coast
while the Falcon, which has been In
service along the Atlantic for some
time, has already been valuable in the
recovery of two submarines sunk in