THE RAISING OF THE EURYDICE

Inangahua Times, Volume 95, Issue 95, 20 September 1878, Page 2

THE RAISING OF THE EURYDICE

Attempts to raiso Hor Majesty's ship Eurydioo, lying in tho English Channo, on tho southorn extremity of tho Islo of Wight, hnvo nt length ovontuatod in a succossful schomo. Sho was lying in COft of wator, and omboddod in lift of mnd in which sho was gradually sottling down. Tho alterations on tho last plan huro boon few and simple Wiro hawsers woro substituted foe two chninH, bo that tho arrangements woro in tho following manner:— Tho atoms of tho Wayo and tho Swan, and two smallor vossols, whtch lay across tho Eurydioo boamwiso, pointed towards Culvor olifF somowhat, whilo tho larger vcssola, tho Poarl and Kinaldo, stood alongside thorn on tho outsido, pointing in tho opposito direction. Tho two smaller vossols woro each attached to tho wreck by two toggles, thollinaldo by *wo toggles and two jowol ropo*, and tho Poni'l by four jowol ropou, all crossod in such a manner as to givo tho utmost resisting power. Tho wiro hawsers used upon tho Wavo and tho Swan wcro both of 7in in diamotor, whilo on tho.lfinaldo and tho Poarl thero woto two of 7in and two of Bin. On Monday afternoon, under tho suporintendanccof somoof tho Portsmouth naval anlhoritics, every preliminary arrangement was mado for carrying out tho sohomo, somo 400 or SOO men having boon told off from H.VT.a. Duko of Wellington tho Asia, and tho Exoollont, and opm« lions wero resumed at 1 o'clock on Tucsdny morning. "When tho tulo was about flood tho wholo of tho vcssola wcro pumped into until thoy wero sunk to tho depth required j 924 tons of water woro pumped into tho Poarl until, with adopth in hoi* hold of 10ft. fiho was sunk sft Gin. The Itinaldo wa« mado to hold COO tons with on internal dopth of Oft, and oxtcrnal depth of sft; whilo tho Wavo and fho Swan woro immorsed 3ft 6in. by means of 100 tons of walor in oaoh. When tho wreck was mado taub with those boat», and tho wntor was pumped in them, tho omount thoy had boeu sunk, added to tho amount of tho rise of tide, gavo a grontor lift than tho depth of tho holo. Whon tho tido had obbed, divers woro sent down to sco that everything was soeuro ; thoy re* porlod most favorably, und as soon as tho tido bogan again to flow, steam ilro»ongiuoß and steam-tugs woro sent to pump out tho water in tho gunboats, tho body of water in thorn varying from 190 to 22d tons. Tho only fear now was as to whether such a strain would or would not pull tho Eurydioeto pieces, but as tho buoynnoy in conscquonoo of tho pumps pumpiug out the bo*ts, aud the tido incroased, tho

wreck camo up gradually. It was intended to havo omployod tho turret-ship Thunderer as a tug as soon ns tho Eurydieo was suspended in tho wator, bo as to havo towed hor with tho gunboats attached to shallowed wator. She stoamod round about waiting for hor opportunity, but in so doing she swopt aoross tho tido and lost hor chain and goar. This necessitated somo delay, inasmuch as it took up valuable timo crooptnj* for tiro hawsers, Ono was speedily reccvorod, but it rcquirod tho work of a divor to find tho other. Tho sooond, howovcr, was to havo been dispensod with, and a ropo hawsor substituted, but, just as tho Thunderer was stoaming towards tho soono of tho operations, her capson foil ovorboard, carrying with it tho lino: In ordor to ascertain thorofore, if tho wrook was frood it was deoidod to j haul in tho hawsors, so as to draw tho oraft with tho flow of tho tido, slackening thoso that had kept them stationary. This oxporimont provod in ovory way successful, and tho Eurydieo was lifted oit of tho holo, convoyed somo 150 or 180 ft in tho wator; and dopositod on a hard bottom, Operations will now go on daily until tho fossol is docked.