Smyrna times., 1938-08-04
BRAAK EXPEDITION AT
LEWES

BRAAK EXPEDITION AT
LEWES
The repairs to the steamer City
of Long Branch, now lying at
Cooper's Point, have been finally
completed, provisions have put on
board and if no unforeseen circum-
stances delay the expedition a start
will be made this morning for the
Breakwater, where the treasures of
the English privateer Braak are
supposed to have been engulfed in
1898. The vessel is manned by a
crew of "a men, under command of
Capt. Charles A. Adams and Lieu
tenant George P. Blow, both of the
United States Navy, and comprises
two divers and their assistants.
Submarine Engineer Charles F.
Pike will have charge of the div
ing. The vessel, which has been
placed at the service of the syndi-
cate backing the expedition by r.
P. Dobbins, its owner, was built
five years ago to run between Long
Branch and New York, and has a
length of 1873 feet, a width over all
Of 43 feet and draft of less than
six feet. The peculiar shape and
light draught of the steamer ad-
mirably fit her for diving opera
tons. She is propelled by a large
stern wheel, moved by two simple
condensing engines, with 18-inch
Rees' cylinders, having a stroke of
seven feet. Two Ward boilers,
carrying a pressure of $50 pounds
each, supply the steam. The yes
sci, which is over 500 tons burden,
can make Is knots an hour. Two
entrances on the port and star
board sides of the vessel, only a
few feet above the surface of the
water, facilitate the descent of the
divers. A steam winch, with der
rick boom attachment, has been
placed in the boat and is capable
of raising several tons. The diving
equipments have already been de-
scribed in the Public Ledger. The
divers can work from any part Of
the vessel, and can use the search
pipe at the same time, as there are
eight points where connections
may be made with a powerful wat
er pump. A centrifugal suction
pump. Burk's patent, has been
placed on board, and will be at
tached to a long six-inch pipe,
through which will be drawn the
mud and debris concealing the
wreck. The arrangements for
dredging and examining the sea
bottom are said to be as complete
as naval science can make them
Instruments seldom met with in
the merchantile service have been
loaned the expedition by the navy
Among these is a !
station pointer" used almost ex-
clusively in the coast survey for |
plotting the position of vessels, by !
which an angle can be had by
means of the Vernier attachment |
as far as Is seconds. A full COM
plement of maps Of Delaware Bay
and the vicinity of the Breakwater,
including about so drawings is TAX
en- along, and among them is a
facsimile of a chart, printed by /
Joshua Fisher in Philadelphia
shortly after the signing of the
of Independence and
another of a map drawn in 1873 by
Sir Andrew Shape Hammond of the
British navy. a curious fact men
toned by Lieutenant Blow is that,
by comparison of the charts, it is
learned that Cape May has added
five miles to its length during the
past 100 years, and Cape Henlopen
two miles. The arrangements for
for the treasure are very
complete. Spars 35 feet long ex-
tend on each side Of the stern Of
the boat, giving an entire width of
lis feet. From these will drag a
long hoop of galvanized wire, which
will cut through the mud and fas-
ten in any obstacle on the sea bot
tom. Several graphing irons will
be run out from the stern in addi-
ton to the wire. The vessel is ex-
pected to arrive at the Breakwater
this afternoon. A point will be To-
Gated as near as possible over the
wreck of the Braak by
means of the station pointer" or
three armed protractor. a square
will be laid out, with buoys attach
ed to heavy anchors, and the space
will then be thoroughly
dragged
PERSONALS