The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-02-17
NAVY KEEPS UP
SALVAGE WORK
Service Developed During the
World War Proves lmpor-
tant in Peace.
PROFITS FROM EXPERIENCE
Most Complete and Modern Salvage
Vessels Ever Built Are Doing Good
Service Along the Coasts
Remarkable Feats.

| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF the Interesting
DEVELOPMENTS in the United States
navy as the result of wartime eXper
fence was the building up OF salvage
service, designed TO aid IN the saving
of wrecked ships and the recovery OF
aargoes and valuable ships gear. When
the country entered the World war the
navy possessed no regular salvage ser
vice. although collections of salvaglng
machinery had been made at severai
depots, and apparatus mad peen
brought to a high degree of efficiency
| But this was used mostly IN cOnnec-
ton with experimental work IN hrlng
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 Doats
and their cargoes, the navy was quick
TO build nm a 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 ana
repair. drawing personnel and equip
ment from private salvaglng COM
panies. Salvage stations were estaD-
Iished along the Atlantic coast by
taking over many private concerns,
and by August, 1917, salvage unit
had arrived in France. inns consisted
Of the navy's first salvage vessel, the
u. S. S. FavOrite, 1,20o-ton snip
equipped with the finest TOOLS ana
machinery for recovering wrecked yes
sells. She was stocked with diving ap-
naratus. decomposition chamber,
pumps. and cutting and welding tools
for both underwater and surface work.
A. 25-ton derrick was amidsh1ps
Immediately upon her arrival IN
France she started salvagng 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
Vernon, which was torpedoed after
leaving Brest, and then placed Golfer
dam, the largest that has ever been
installed in disabled ship, on the U.
s. s. WestbrIdge Almost any one OF
the vessels the salvage ship rescued
resulted in saving more than the cost
of Quitting 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 a spectac-
ular task and the men who Imperfect
their lives received little recognition.
One of the important feats they ac-
was the salvage OF the
British vessel Nara gansett, after the
attempt had been given up by the
British. The American ships came
Along with ADVICE dlu Equipment eie''
made a success of what had appeared
J hopeless task.
The Favorite, while in France, was
he 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 OPP
,rations having closed, the Favorite
.>turned home, and the other two ships
we're sold to a British salvage concern
With full equipment. The former then
vas placed in the service of the Pana-
ma canal. where she is now doing
heroic work.
However. the wartime experience
Ihowed the navy the need of such yes
els. so two were equipped especially
or fi,e purpose, the Falcon and the
yidgeon. They are comparatively
mall, strongly built and have the fin
,st equipment, They can work in
ouga and s'la''ow waters where other
-assals could not venture. /, The Wild
con will be used on the west coast.
yhile the Falcon, which has been in
eryiee along the Atlantic fer some
,me. has already been valuable in the
of two submarines sunk in
Il. |