RAISING OF THE VANGUARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1040, 25 October 1877, Page 2

RAISING OF THE VANGUARD.

The preliminary experiments on the wreck of the Vanguard have resulted very satisfactorily, and the ultimate success of the undertaking to raise her is a matter of certainty. On the first day Captain Coppin was engaged altogether in what is technically called "sweeping" the vessel—that is, encircling the vessel with ropes in order to find its exact position, &c, and afaer some time the rope at the forward part of the vessel caught the hull, and was dragged under it for some distance, when it became so fastened by the weights used to sink it that all the efforts of the boatmen failed in extricating it. The rope was then drawn "taut" exactly over the spot on which it was held below, and the sounding showed that it must have completely passed under the vessel. It was then buoyed at each side and left so. Owing to something being wrong in the coupling apparatus it was not till the third day that the divers were able to make a descent, especial care being necessary, owing to the depth of water in which the vessel lies. "When all was made right, however, the diver, after one or two attempts, reached the deck of the vessel, and reniaiued a considerable time below. He was first for some time on the main rail, looking in vain for the great bank of sand which was supposed to have gathered round the vessel, and on coining up, his report was that the vessel lay almost upright, very little canted to one side, and not all sanded. His subsequent descents revealed the fact that the Vanguard is what is technically called " pooled," or, in other words, that whilst she has made a dock, as it were, for herself in the sand, the bank is some distance from her, and she lies on hard ground, divided from the bank outside by water. The diver also followed the rope which had been previously caught as we liave mentioned, and found it had passed right under the vessel as far from the Bternpost as the foremast. It would seem, therefore, that the position of the ship is most favourable for lifting by the means of huge steel wire ropes passed under her and made fast above to the immense pontoons. Captain Coppin finding the vessel so favourably placed intends to begin at once to get the lifting ropes placed under her, so as to be ready for making the lift as soon as the pontoons are completed. The pontoons will be constructed on the Clyde, and each will have a lifting power of over 3000 tons, and will be specially constructed to meet the requirements of the great undertaking.