Evening star., 1927-12-25
PONTOONS CALLED ONLY AIDS
IN RAISING OF SUBMARINES
Lieut.. Comdr Ellsberg Describes Diff
culties Encountered by Divers
in Salvage Work.

selves into the mud in which they
sink. and just OF Provincetown Har-
Dor, where the S-4 lies. there Is no
clear space under her keel forward.
and not much aft. ATidships she is
buried at least six feet. How. then,
can the divers get their reeving lines
for the chains underneath? The an
swer is fire hose.
Divers Difficulties.
Armed with this. the diver goes
down. aims his nozzle at the mud
against the submarine and starts TO
wash out a tunnel. II you have seen
several firemen cling 20 the nozzle OF
a hose directed against a burning
building. you will remember the force
the men must Use 10 hold the nozzle
from knocking them down. Consider.
then. the position OF diver sub
merged in ice water. burrowing in
utter blackness through a wall OF
mud beneath a submarine. No help
near. the danger of the tunnel caving
in. no sense OF direction. and only the
throbbing fire hose and his air line
connecting him with the world above.
IL is a Job which takes more cold
courage than any other on earth. and
as the divers. at one-hour intervals
follow each other. work progresses.
u
tribute 10 mankind that men can be
found 10 make it progress at all.
The tunnels for the reeving lines
are thus driven. Some go faster than
others. depending on the hardness OF
the bottom and the weather on top,
We spent six weeks on one tunnel on
the S-Sl. for storms continually drove
us OF. and each time we returned we
found the tunnel filling up again.
The mud in Provincetown Harbor is
much softer than that at the bottom
of Block Island. where the S-5i went
down. days work will drive such
tunnel under the S.+'s bow. two or
three days work may suffice further
aft.
With the tunnels dug and the
chains pulled through. the work OF
lowering pontoons on the SI will
begin. Moderate weather is neces-
sary for this. The guide lines are
threaded through tho hawserpipes on
the poutoons. which are then ooCdei
until they sink. Then the pontoon IS
slowly lowered down from the Fal-
con. held at each end by q ls-inch
hawser. When the pontoon IS jus,
above the S-4. we will stop lowering.
Two divers will slide down 70 the
pontoon aud make certain Ii IS prop
erly placed.
Then we will lower the pontocn
very slowly until the chain slings
under the S-4 Here we will hold the
pontcon while the divers shove the
&0- pound nickel steel tcggles through
the proper chain link. II the wealth
or on top il not smooth. and 10 never
really is at sea. then as the Falcon
rolls and pitches. the pontoous sus-
pended from her DO likewise and the
IL hold their footing and shoot the |
tcggles through 10 lock the chains in |
position, Many a diver. good sailors, /.
too. has become violently Seasick 100 |
zee, below the surface as they rode !
tho heaVtng pcrtocns and eaoeaV- |
ored to secure them.
Second Pcnteon Lowered.
When the chains are tcSgled. the |
pontoon is lowered the rest ct the |
way - the bottom. under the guild |
ance ct the divers reports. Keeping |
a little clear ct tho submarine S-4 60 |
avoid smashing II. \ similar pro- |
on the opposite side ~ the S-a, When !
IL il complete. iuSt enough air Is /
blown into the rontccnS to make /
them fcat up tsli they rise. one each |
side ot her hull and grip her In "A i
cradle SLING formed ct the two chains.
The pentocnS are then dashed by the /
divers wire ropes across tho deck ct /
the submarine IN keep them trcm
slipping NJ aud additional wire ropeS
are secured ~ parts ~ the sOhu,a~
rine, such as guns and cleats, for the
same purpose.
tur rrsrua work cn the S.4, which
was flooded eNrept for the torpedo
room forward. where six men were AZ
ftrst alive. there were required two
pairs ot roptocns near the stem in
ot,lvr ta llrt ths tow
Under the best ~ weather ccnAt.
tions. three daNs work, grNA hark
with the tunnels and the desperate
uree en the pAvt cf the divers tN
rescue living shttHnates Rre -rvauirrd
To- secure these pNntgnNS
Anow the divers, | know What
the tottrm IL and | can ttvnlV SAY |
that sNeu nothing worse than cniv |
pa@r weather conditions theN weu,d
haze driven those tuuuots amt had
the Sis tow up III thsee days. per.
hans lN less.
Meanwhile II VAS also necessary
~ keep the men alive ter that period
and for that a few hours more dtvlag
tine on Last SUNDAY would have given
us cur aie line connections to the S-tS
torpedo roem.
We did not set even pgNr diving !
We set haWltnS Sate which
nade diving tmpo~stals, and not untu
W ednestaN Afternoon, two daNs aSs, |
wera divers Cnce more hack cn the
giving us an opportunity !
ta hlnw ia alr through the SO tube
tsN then the last ''an's welt signal
JFem eur shlpmatss IN the torlAeNse
roen ot the 81 was NNru than 80
tlullIa old,
tssasytsAt issya -