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TOILERS UNDER THE SEA 375
marie to yield up the treasure carried safe, but salvage operations abroad will,
down in them. Two notable salvage un­ unquestionably, in many instances, be
dertakings right here upon our Atlantic centered upon refloating the foundered
Coast are suggestive of what may be craft. Again, American exploits in this
done later. One of them illustrates how sort of recovery work have blazed the
facilities designed primarily for another way. We know already what com­
service can be made to help the wreck pressed air skilfully used will do in rais­
hunter.
ing submerged ships, but most of these
The steamship Merida, bound north­ tasks have had to do with vessels resting
ward from the West Indies, collided upon the bottom in land-locked or rela­
with another steamer in May, 1911, and tively sheltered waters. The most ambi­
sank in the open Atlantic at a point tious exception is that of the Americanestimated
between fifty and fifty-five Hawaiian liner Washingtonian which
miles east from Cape Charles. Cape collided with a big five-masted schooner
Charles is the northern limit of the en­ off the Capes of the Delaware and sank
trance to the Chesapeake Bay. She went in 90 feet of water something like fif­
to the bottom in water ranging from 250 teen miles seaward. No vessel has ever
to 300 feet in depth, but as she foundered been refloated from anything like that
during a fog it was not possible to estab­ depth when exposed to the broad sweep
lish her exact position. We all have heard of the sea, and especially when of such
of the wire-drag by which the U. S. size. The Washingtonian is more than
Coast and Geodetic Survey explores 400 feet long and of 6,650 gross tons.
navigable waters and, by a "sweeping" The salvors had no trouble in finding
process, succeeds in locating submerged the wreck. She lies over on one side at
obstacles that might otherwise escape the an angle of 75 degrees, and rests upon
sounding lead.
the injury which carried her to the bot­
The wire drag was employed by the tom. Again, a fickle season brought
salvors bent upon finding the wreck of operations to a halt, but with the return
the Merida, but the submerged area in of mild weather this spring work will be
which she lies is so vast that the treasure resumed. Compressed air will be
seekers were not able to finish their task pumped into the vessel so that it will
during fair weather last summer. As pocket itself inside of her and raise her
soon as the season moderates, the salvage to the surface while still lying over on
fleet will start again upon its quest, and her side. This posture must be main­
if the wire-drag engages a submerged tained until the ship is towed into Dela­
obstacle at a depth not exceeding 300 feet ware Bay and there allowed to settle
then the divers will be sent down to deter­ again upon the bottom in shallow water.
mine its character. In this way. it is If the vessel should right herself before
hoped to locate the foundered liner and then the compressed air would burst
then to recover the $225,000 worth of through her decks and let her sink in a
silver bullion in the purser's strongroom, position which would make it well nigh
which can be reached through the purser's impossible to refloat her in the open sea.
office opening out upon the saloon deck. The salvors are confident that thev can
This undertaking is interesting because carry this project to a successful con­
it indicates in a general way how the clusion, and their plans are carefully laid
wire-drag will probably be used abroad and ripened by last year's experience.
upon the restoration of peace in determin­ The case of the Washingtonian is indicaing
the whereabouts of sunken vessels tive of what will be essayed with some of
worth while.
the ships sunk in European waters. Suc­
In the case of the Merida. the one decess would richly repay the venture, besire
is to reach the silver bullion and such cause for some years to come ocean­
valuables as may be locked in the purser's going steamers will be at a premium.