THE S.S. TARANAKI.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 183, 10 July 1869, Page 4

THE S.S. TARANAKI.

/We take the following from the Wellington Independent :—A telegram has been received from Picton, stating that the divers have been down several times, and have seen the vessel plainly. She is exactly in the same position as when first reported. The divers remained an hour under water without inconvenience, so that the depth of water in which she is sunk will not seriously retard the operations. Two of

the pontoons are at the scene of operations, and the other two are expected to be finished in a week. Every preparation is now being made, so as to commence the work of raising the Taranaki on the arrrival of the other pontoons. Messrs. Seager and Thirkell are superintending the work, and are most sanguine of success. The men succeeded in getting up the anchors and chains on Saturday last. The diver engaged stayed at one time under the water for a space of one hour and twenty minutes. The divers have been on the deck of the Taranaki, and they state that everything is in exactly the same position as when she went down. As seen from the truck, the divers describe the vessel as presenting a peculiarly beautiful appearance. Every particle of the vessel is covered with white coral, the ropes having been encrusted the thickness of a man’s leg ; and the effect is both striking and novel, as the coral has the property of reflecting the light and illuminating the water around the vessel, so that she can be distinctly seen in every part. Even the ropes, as they lay coiled on the deck, are all covered with coral. The divers think that they can attach the rods for lifting the vessel in about a couple of hours. The Post says : —The Wreck Recovery Company aie progressing favorably with their operations for raising the Taranaki. They have succeeded in getting up one of her anchor's, and had the other at the surface of the water when the chain by which it was lifted broke, and it fell back again. The divers can remain down for an hour and a half without inconvenience. They report that the vessel presents a most remarkable appeai’ance, every part of her rigging and spars being hung with some light corally substance in the form of stalactites or icicles, giving the idea, in the sub-aquaeous stillness, of a sudden descent into the realms of fairy land. The anchor which was dropped is, we believe, quite easy to recover.