Submarine Appliances And Their Uses
Deep Sea Diving, &c., &c.

Co-pyright Photo No. 59. Position of the Vessel after she had been dismantled. submarine pneumatic tools being used for cutting away the funnel casings, etc. All openings were made watertight by wooden covers secured by hook bolts. After this work had been completed, it was found that the part torn away by the St. Paul had folded down on the port side, having no doubt turned over as the ship heeled on her damaged side. In order to avoid further damaging the vessel, it was decided to remove this ragged structure, this being done with “Gelignite.” The vessel was now ready to be hauled into shallower water. Five river gun-boats with very heavy moorings, in view of the strong currents, each boat carrying steam-driven centrifugal pumps, sizes $in. to i2in., were moored “bows on” to the wreck. The suction pipes of the pumps having been placed by divers, two steel-plates pontoons, or “caöiels,” each 50ft. long by 10ft. in diameter (having about 100 tons buoyancy), sheathed with wood, the ends being protected by collision mats, were secured to the vessel for the pur- pose of increasing her buoyancy. The pontoons, made with coned ends, were fitted with valves for the admission of water when it was desired to sink them, and also with valves, connected to air compressors by means of flexible tubes, to admit air for the expulsion of the water when the pontoons were required to be refloated. The cylinders had external loin, channel stiffeners fitted circumferentially, and these were also used for taking the wire ropes by which the pontoons were connected to the wreck. For securing the pontoons, steel bits or bollards were bolted down on the port side of the ship- i.e., the side which lay above the water level. Over a teak backing a steel plate was fastened on the outer skin-plating, and behind it hard wood blocks were fitted between the frames, with a heavy steel plate connecting these blocks together. The bolts passed com- pletely through the bollards and other parts, and were secured inside by divers. Around the channels on the external surface of the cylinders a 6in. wire-rope strap was wound, one eye being wove through the other. A special shackle was also devised for enabling the wire rope to be disconnected readily. The shackle was made up of two plates, so that the outer one could be removed to free the rope. The vessel was slung to the pontoon by means of a gin. cable. One end was shackled to Che strop round the cylinder, the other end being towed under the Gladiator by the Ranger (one of the Liverpool Salvage Association’s vessels), and made fast to the bollards on the port side of the wreck. The buoyancy of the pontoon, when pumped out, thus tended to pull the ship over in the upright position. But the idea at this stage was merely to ease the ship in ordex- to facilitate the operation of hauling her inshore. 133