SALVE OUR SUNKEN SHIPS

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 7 June 1920, Page 4

SALVE OUR SUNKEN SHIPS

DEEP SEA TREASURE THAT MUST BE RAISED. I'or many mouths to come salvage operations will bo in evidence in many seas. Although much of the tonnage sunk by submarines is beyond recovery.. a very huge number of vessels can be raised and a considerable quantity oX cargo recovered. The various salvage companies have ; some wonderful records to their credit, such as the salving of H.M.fcS. Gladiator, when a deadweight of 6000 tons was lifted by means of steel hawsers attached to "camels," or cylinders of , compresed air; and the recovery of thi ouivic off the Lizard, when the strand ed liner was split in two by dynamiti charges and two-thirds of her towed U Plymouth. There are different methods of rais jug wrecks, each system having some thing to commend it. A useful device Xor salving submarines is uiat initiutei some eight years ago by the building of a floating dock, in the centre o. which is a well. The vessel has i double hull with watertight compart meats. When about to begin salvag iterations the compartments are iillei with water until the vessel has sun ,o the desired depth. Chains are the. lowered under the hull of the sub { marine, powerful cranes with a lii'tim i sapacily of 500 tons are set in motion j the water is pumped out of the hull I and the mass raised to the. surface. I Raised by Pontoons. ! The recovery of the steamer Joswhich sank off New York after a ierious lire had broken out, is an h. stance of a plan sometimes adopU i by aalvagfl ofheers. Three pontooi rtith wells for receiving water, and : barge were placed hi position on eithi ;.iduof the sunken craft. Strong eabl ~-t-rc passed under the vessel's hull, liel;0 nloo.is were pumped dry, and the ' wreck brought to the surface. One of (he most difficult salvag" tasks of recent years was that of tin Empress of'lreland, which sank in th. St. Lawrence River. Owing to th<strong current diving operations we... only possible Cor two periods of halt; au.hour daily, liven then the risk w.-.. to great that divers worked in pai;Notwithstanding these difficulties tinside of the ship was cut open, mnih and bullion from the strongroom re covered, and the steel masts of tl. I liner, which were dangerous to navigii tion, cut asunder by air drills. Another adjunct of a salvage outii: is a canvass bag of huge dimensions specially made for (he purpose. Eael bag measures at.nut K)ft in diamcte. ■ and is taken in a deflated form by divers into the hold of a sunken vessel. When a sufficient .number have been placed, air Ts pumped into them, when i the wreck rises to the surface and if ready for towing to dry-dock. The estimated amount of speeio lying at sea-bottom is a fabulous sum. i, ■|'-i lil | ii is not impossible of recovery is evident from such records as £90,000 In Spanish gold from the Alphonse XII. off Grand Canary, nearly £IO,OOO worth of silver ingots from the wreck ed Skyro oil' L'inislerre, and main others of mere recent date. The sea depths today hold cargoes I and ships worth many nVillious. No

liner bait has ever offered itself to a salvage company.