The Refloating of the R. N. San Giorgio (November 21-December 10, 1913): Extracts from the Report of Contrammiraglio Umberto Cagni

The San Giorgio had left Reggio, Calabria, somewhat before 6 p. m. She was standing north through the straits of Messina, running a speed trial and allowing the engine room force to work up the speed as steam came. There first occurred a “mix up” with two steamers bound south. The San Giorgio was compelled to sheer out to port, after some confusion, in each case. A search was then made for I’unia Pezzo light, and it appears that Punta Pcloro light was mistaken for it. The bearing A-A (See Fig. 1) was apparently plotted through Punta Pezzo fixing the ship at the point B whereas she was in reality at A. This assumption appeared reasonable since the speed was estimated at 13 knots whereas the ship was really making 16. The ship grounded a few minutes after this bearing was plotted.

This accident came as a hard blow to the Italian Navy. It was the second time this splendid ship had grounded under apparently inexcusable circumstances. There were on board and on the bridge at this latter time two officers of splendid attainments—Admiral Cagni and Captain Cacace were perhaps the best known and most beloved and highly respected of all the officers in the Italian Navy.

In the legal proceedings consequent to this accident, Admiral Cagni was exonerated of all blame, and although relieved temporarily from his command, he was subsequently restored to it. Captain Cacace was suspended for six months, and the navigator imprisoned for a term. The last two officers were assessed the cost of repairs.

This account seems of peculiar interest in that it shows the perseverance, cleverness and attention to detail with which the Italians attack their problems.

On November 21, at 6.25 p. m., the San Giorgio grounded without shock near the shore at a point between the hamlet of Sant’ Agata and the Contrada Principe, and immediately heeled 4 degrees to starboard.

The large boats were immediately hoisted out and an anchor was carried out from the starboard quarter to the eastward, to hold the ship fair with the current.

Fires were lighted in the boilers in the two after boiler rooms, third and fourth.

The boilers in the forward boiler rooms, first and second, had been under steam, but the water had rapidly invaded the first compartment, and the personnel, after having isolated the boilers and released the pressure, had been forced to withdraw; closing all the water-tight doors after them. The water, in addition to entering the forward boiler rooms invaded the 190-mm. magazine, the 254-mm. magazine, the 254- mm. handling room, the 76-mm. magazine, as well as the adjacent spaces, namely, from frame 16 AV to frame 50AV. It also threatened to invade the upper spaces. The flooding of these localities, however, succeeded very slowly and the crew were able to make an attempt to get going the means for pumping out each locality. This work was forestalled, however, by the impossibility of opening the valves of the manifold connecting with the suction to the sounding wells, which manifold for the wells forward of frame 30 A V are situated in the forward boiler room.

However, the slowness of the flooding, which, in the locality comprised between frames 30 AV and 50 AV was arrested at the second hatch, and the fact that the ship in grounding had received only a light shock indicated that the hull had not received any grave injury.

From a preliminary round of soundings it was found that the ship was held on a shelf sloping off from port to starboard and from the bow toward the center, with the bow in 4.59 meters of water.

The idea of freeing the ship and floating her in the flooded condition was soon abandoned, but I hoped to release her before she should get tighter aground by reason of her own weight, and to move her astern, say 20 meters, so as to let her rest in deeper water and thus render less difficult the subsequent labor of refloatation when all or the major part of the water should be pumped out.

The strong current, the rising sea, and the favorable inclination of the bottom made this hope not unjustifiable.

With this in view, I vainly tried to haul her towards the after anchor, having put into action all the means of pumping out the flooded compartments and backing full speed with both engines, first separately, then together.

Meanwhile steel hawsers were got on deck and ready, and at 9 o’clock the first line was given to the steamer Roma, which arrived very quickly with the second-in-command of the San Giorgio on board. This steamer, of 4000 horsepower, was admirably handled by her captain, who, in spite of the difficult current which runs in the locality of the grounding, succeeded very shortly in taking up the tow.

November 22D, 1913

While we waited for high water, which the light-house keeper informed us would occur about 2.30 a. m., provision was made with all the means at hand to impede further flooding of compartments by infiltration, shoring up the secorid hatch between frames 30 AV and 50AV.

At 2.35 the Roma went ahead full speed and the San Giorgio, as soon as the tow straightened out, backed water, backed full speed, first with the port engine, then with the starboard, and then with both together. This attempt proved fruitless and the Roma was ordered to veer a bit of chain and then at our signal to go ahead at full power: the San Giorgio aided this force with her engines backing full speed (70 turns, about 5000 II. P.). But this also proved fruitless and the two steel hawsers, one of 16 mm. and the other of 14 mm., carried away simultaneously.

The Roma should have left at midnight for Naples: I let her go.

From a visit made soon after the grounding by Captain Cacace, who knew perfectly and in the most minute particulars the interior of the ship, it was ascertained that:

1. The water had completely flooded compartments Nos. 90 (forward boiler room), 89, 91, 92, 93, 94, 96 (adjacent bunkers), 88 (190-mm. magazine), 82, 83 (254-mm. magazine), 77 (76-mm. magazine).
2. That water was rapidly flooding compartments Nos. 84, 86, 87 (torpedo store rooms), 81, 85 (tiller room) 78, 79, 80 (carpenter’s shop).
3. Water was flooding by infiltration the torpedo launching room (170), the surrounding compartments (168, 169, 171, 172), and the flanking refrigerating compartments (161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166 and 167) as well as the central station and the passageways.

The captain ascertained also from the differences in level of the water inside that the major number of the above named compartments were flooded by infiltration due to imperfect closings, or imperfect holding of water tight bulkheads or doors, through transmission passages, or through voice tubes which last let in water everywhere in small but uninterrupted streams!

He rapidly arranged a system of obturation such that by the early hours of the 22d the inroad of water was completely stopped and limited to the above cited compartments.

During the night the captain of the steamer Salvator, of the German Salvage Company of that name, came on board and at 4 o’clock there came also the diver Bisi. After having been given to understand that his services were hired and that they were not in the nature of salvage, Bisi was sent to visit the under water body and at about 6 o’clock reported that all the after part of the ship was free, and as for the forward part, whilst the port side seemed to be in perfect state resting on a shoal of sand and grass, the starboard side showed a large dent near frames 32AV and 36 AV and rested on a reef abreast the after smokepipes near frame 22 AD.

It was evidently necessary to give up the hope of moving the ship in the condition in which she found herself. It was therefore decided to begin the lightening which would have eventually to be done, which was roughly calculated at 1400 tons. Through the captain of the Port of Messina a contract was made for two pairs of shears and two pontoons of 500 tons each, and four of 100 tons and 50 tons.

At dawn, the 22d, the discharging of ammunition, light guns, anchors, chains, coal from the second compartment, and naphtha, began.

As soon as daylight broke a new visit was made to the bottom by the diver Bisi, who confirmed his previous statement, reporting, however, that the small isolated reef at the stern, near frame 22 AD, although very near, did not touch the hull; and that having better observed the damage forward, it appeared to be a horizontal rupture with a maximum width of 30 cm. for one meter’s length, 4 cm. for another meter, and narrower still, for somewhere about 2 meters further; that this damage fell between frames 23 AV and 28AV and that it was open and could be easily closed from the outside, which he proposed to do. His proposition was accepted and he immediately began the work.

Now, considering the draft when the ship was at Reggio compared to that when aground, it was calculated roughly that, granting we were able to free all the water which had penetrated to the interior, we would be able to attempt to refloat her only after 1470 tons of weight had been disembarked.

"Plan of Soundings

Rilievi dei fondali

(Scala 1:500)

Fig. 3

Thus by the early hours of the 226, the general idea of the work of refloating was adopted.

At 8 the Ferruccio arrived and sent on board a squad of forty men, her boatswain, and her diver.

The crew of the San Giorgio had worked all night and continued to work with admirable vigor and order. But it became necessary to make them rest in turn without interrupting the work, which became possible with the help of the Ferruccio and the Filiberto, recently arrived.

There was made of the area about the ship, a plan of soundings, from which it was seen that the depth increased regularly and rapidly from the starboard and stern of the ship. A tide guage was established and an anchor laid out off the stern to starboard in reinforcement of the kedge already laid out right after the grounding, also an anchor of the San Giorgio off the stern to port.

The lighters began to arrive and the discharge of weights proceeded rapidly and orderly.

Each pontoon as soon as loaded was sent to the Difesa with an inventory of the material contained. To the small pieces, which could be confused, and to other similar material a tag was in each case attached. In the evening at 6 o’clock there had already been discharged 290 tons of material. The torpedo launching room and the adjacent compartments had been freed of water and we had commenced to overcome the water in the 76-mm. forward magazine from which the divers brought out the boxes of ammunition.

The ship had been righted 1 degree and now heeled 3 degrees to starboard.

As the major part of the weights had been taken from below an approximate calculation of her stability was made, and, in view of the results obtained, the disembarking of ammunition, naphtha, and coal, was suspended, and the work on the deck was hurried on, intensifying the work on the roofs to the 190- and the 254-mm. forward turrets in order that the guns might be disembarked quickly so as to resume as quickly as possible the disembarkation of material in general below as well as above.

Before midnight the diver reported having finished stopping the patch over the hole with chocks which in all haste had been prepared; there was ready also the special mat made of strips of wood faced with a cushion of oakum 10 cm. thick and the ends of it were passed under the bottom. The Ingegnere Navale of the V.

Pisani, Capitano Rabbeno, a qualified diver, prepared to visit the work done by the diver Bisi before the application of the mat was to be proceeded with.

Meanwhile the navy divers from the San Giorgio, Ferruccio, Filibcrto and Pisani continued to get out the ammunition from the 76-mm. magazine (compartment 77) and from the upper 254-mm. magazine (compartment 165) in which the water was overcome by a Merryweather pump, of ten tons capacity an hour, and hand pumps.

23D November

In the early hours of the morning the work of disembarking of the roofs of the 190-mm. turrets commenced.

An anchor from the Filibcrto was carried out with four lengths of chain, 200 meters each, from the stern of the San Giorgio somewhat to starboard, and there was made fast to the chain and led taut to the capstan, a wire hawser of 16 cm.

A good kedge was laid out to starboard from the bow.

About 9 the repair ship Vulcano, with men and material for help, arrived.

Ingegnere Rabbeno, after having minutely examined the hull, confirmed generically the information already at hand but made exception as regarded the hole, which he believed to be only partly covered, which could prolong itself indefinitely toward the bow hidden in the sand which surrounded the hull to a height of about 20cm. from frame 28 AV to frame 56 AV. The left flank appeared to be completely free. The bottom apparently was of sand and stone except at the point where the reef engaged the stern (frame 22AD) and near frame 8AV where there appeared to be a hump well delineated by sand under which there could be stone.

The profile of the bottom and its relative position to the hull was as shown in the attached sketch.

Ingegnere Rabbeno considered that the work of the diver Bisi had been well done and the placing of the mat was proceeded with and finished by noon.

The turbine pump was started up and then also the Worthington but we only succeeded in lowering the water in the forward compartment about 55 cm. after which the ingress of water came into equilibrium with the suction of the turbine and the Worthington, which is about 4500 tons an hour. This failure of the diver did not dishearten us in the least, but convinced us of the prolongation of the hole beyond frame 28AV and we therefore decided to try to dig out the sand along the bottom with the navy divers.

The Societa Salvataggi e Ricuperi di Messina, to whom the diver Bisi belonged, offered to excavate this sand rapidly with the special turbine which they had installed on the steamer Audax. I accepted their offer and next day the experiment was made. In the meantime in the morning, having ascertained the impossibility of carrying the stern to starboard so as to liberate the reef on 22 AD, it was decided to blow the reef up with dynamite. This had apparently already damaged the hull for it was found that the fresh water contained in the double bottom above it (compartment 38) was salted, and in any event it represented a serious danger in case bad weather gave a motion to the ship. The operation was very delicate on account of the proximity of reef to the hull, but it was indispensable; and there was therefore engaged another diver, expert in this work, a Swede in the service of the Societa Salvator who commenced immediately to drill the holes for the mine.

During the day there arrived thirty workmen from the Armstrong Works to assist in the dismounting of the turrets. There arrived also the Ercole with a hoisting lighter and two corpi morti, and there commenced to flow rapidly from the Arsenal the means of work and salvage ordered by the minister.

The work of discharging continued with alacrity and at 6 o’clock in the evening there was found to have been disembarked over 400 tons of material.

Considering the condition of the ship as indicated by the numerical data collected, it appeared that she had taken aboard about 1600 tons of water, and, taking count of the diminished buoyancy of the hull there resulted an initial difference between weight and buoyancy of over 2800 tons, which, with the disembarkation already effected of about 400 tons of material, would reduce it to a little more than 2400 tons. This difference represented reaction of the bottom and approximately speaking it was necessary to annul this reaction to liberate the ship.

It appeared beyond doubt that by means of portable or temporarily installed pumps and by patiently sealing the bases of the bulkheads with rapid setting cement, it would be possible to free and keep dry those compartments flooded by simple infiltration. On the contrary for the compartments flooded by direct ruptures, one could not have the same certainty, sincp it was very probable that the holes were not completely accessible to the divers, being in part imbedded in the sand.

The idea then was to discharge or support the vessel in such a way as to keep it down by the stern as much as possible, since the immersion of the stern, by rotation about the point of rest forward, would bring about a diminution of thrust of the hull forward notable enough. Practically speaking, admitting the worst hypothesis, viz., that there would remain in the end 1200 tons of water inside the ship, it was not possible to realize this condition by the disembarkation of weights alone, since the point of rotation was very far forward; but it was useful to keep in mind the ulterior and notable diminution in thrust of the hull which would result, either from the intensified disembarkation of weights near the bow to the exclusion of those near the stern, the providing of an abundance of external means of flotation, or the placing of these means as near the bow as possible. The preparation and expedition of two couples of compressed air cylinders of 350 tons each was being prosecuted, and the captain of the Port of Messina placed, at my disposition, pontoons and lighters together with the cylinders sufficient to produce the desired external lifting force.

The condition of the ship, so far as regards stability, remained good. This would also be true even if the ship were to be considered in the most unfavorable of the hypothesis, i. e., to be on hard and incompressible bottom. The reaction of the bottom against the keel produced a light heeling moment easily noticed, on account of which the ship tended to fall to one side, preferably to starboard; but found, after a few degrees, a position of equilibrium and a moment of stability which rapidly increased with each additional amount of heel. It seemed prudent altogether to persevere in the plan already adopted and give precedence to the disembarkation of high weights, accompanying it gradually by the disembarkation of the weights low down, and to maintain the ship as nearly upright as possible. I arranged in the engine room space two long pendulums (4 meters) to indicate any inclination, whether longitudinal or transversal.

The pumping operations made it necessary to keep open many means of communication for the passage of tubes, conduits, etc.

I arranged to proceed as rapidly as possible with a distribution of temporary pumps with fixed piping, in such a way that each transversal zone of the ship would have at least two suction pumps of its own; and arranging to maintain closed, at least, the communications between the above mentioned zones and to give to each independence from the others.

I arranged to install in the torpedo launching room a pumping central, this being particularly adapted to the purpose by its freedom from obstruction. This room is on the deck which covers the two largest magazines flooded, and is in the heart of the zone subject to inundation, the limits comprised in the bunkers and boiler rooms flooded. By arranging the pumps on this deck they would be able to work at a limited suction height, and therefore in the most efficacious mode.

I requested therefore from the ministry the dispatch of pumps; I procured a list of pumps which the various local companies had available and took inventory of their state of efficiency.

A heavy anchor with eight lengths of chain was laid out from the stern at a small angle.

During the night we succeeded in emptying compartments Nos. 79 and 86, which had been flooded by the giving way of the bulkheads in the transmission passageways, and we succeeded in conquering also the water in compartments 77 and 87.

These results gave great encouragement to the men who for two days, guided by Capitano Macchinisto Capitanio and Ingegnere Rotundi, had lived in water to the waist in the bottom of the hold, in the hardest kind of work, battling against a continual flow of rivulets which taken altogether were a great menace of serious flooding.

24TH November

In the early hours of the morning the last 190-mm. gun was hoisted out. A start was made on the roof of the forward 254-mm. turret which had to be lifted in sections. This proved very ticklish work for the two fitted pontoons had no boom of sufficient length to take the plate from the center line of the ship, and it was therefore necessary to work with two false tackles while the pontoons had a sensible movement from the sea.

The ship had already come up one degree and now heeled only two degrees to starboard. She also moved slowly.

The Societa Salvataggi e Ricuperi put to work their sand sucker only to find out its impotence, whether this was due to difficulties of bottom or position as the company claimed or to imperfections in the material, I do not know. They gave up their work, which was thereupon undertaken by the navy divers, and the company and the diver Bisi were dismissed. A squad of seven good divers arrived from our school and with them Tenenete di Vasccllo Vivaldi Pasqua, an excellent licensed diver.

All the after part of the hull of the ship was free up to near frame 89 AV, except for the isolated reef near 22 AD, which was to be demolished; but in this zone it was not desirable to apply external lifting force for the reasons already given; in fact they would have done more harm than good. From frame 8AV to near frame 12 AV the keel was fast to the ground. Going towards the bow from frame 12AV to frame 27AV there was a space about 14 meters long free by reason of the bottom falling away, which permitted the passage under the keel of steel slings necessary to secure a pair of cylinders to the ship. From frame 27 AV to near 64 AV there was a zone of more than 30 meters where the keel was fast to the ground forbidding the passage of slings under the keel by any means. Furthermore, the limited depth of water at this point made it impossible to submerge completely the large cylinders (5 meters in diameter) and hence made it impossible to take advantage of the full lifting power of the cylinders in case of need. Similarly a zone from near frame 64 AV to the ram was free, but there the falling away of the hull of the ship prevented any slings which should be placed there from holding, and the limits of depth forbade the employment of compressed air cylinders.

Considering the necessary balance of moments, the two cylinders applied in the free zone, frame 12 AV to 27AV, were not of themselves sufficient to free the ship because they would be too far abaft the point of rotation of the keel on the bottom. It was therefore necessary to apply forward of the cylinders, that is, under the forward part of the ship, a pair of pontoons or lighters.

In view of complex considerations I decided to adopt as external means of buoyancy forward a couple of cylinders secured with steel wire slings passed under the keel in the free zone, and forward of these a couple of big lighters or pontoons yoked to the ship by means of large brackets or buffers keyed to the ship's side near the bow.

This pair of lighters or pontoons, which would work at a considerable distance from the midship section, up under the bow, should give the necessary and sufficient upward thrust for floating off and a large reserve of stability for further eventualities; the pair of cylinders which had been placed somewhat abaft the localities flooded by direct holes would be put into use more or less according to the quantity of water that remained on board at the time of refloating.

I ascertained the principal features of one of the large 500 ton lighters which was then alongside, and sent Ingegnere Monticilli to select the best of the large floats which the captain of the port put at our disposal. I requested the expedition from the Royal Ship Yard, at Castellamare, of the 12 large iron brackets which had already previously served in refloating the ship.

Ingegnere Monticilli reported that the best floats were three large wooden coal barges (of which one was already alongside) of 500 tons capacity each.

In this manner, having at our disposal three barges and four cylinders, and actually putting into operation two barges and two cylinders, there resulted ample provision for any eventuality.

To hurry along the drilling for the mine to blow up the after reef, and for the work on the brackets the use of the compressors on board the Vulcano seemed very desirable. This ship therefore came and moored astern of the San Giorgio, but towards evening when the air pipes had just been run out, the turning tide which took against her port side became so strong that the Vulcano was driven sideways causing her to plough against two anchors; the position of that ship became dangerous for herself and the San Giorgio as well and it became necessary to slip her moorings and give up the use of her compressors.

During the ebb tide there ran near our stern a violent set off shore almost perpendicular to the shore line, while forward the current was much less strong and followed the direction of the beach. At such times along the starboard side from the gangway to the bow the current followed the side of the ship while from the gangway to the stern to starboard and to port, a direction much inclined, almost perpendicular to the side, and from the port gangway to the bow the water was more or less still. This whirl-

pool effect made it very dangerous to approach our stern, from either side of which the lines to the anchors ran.

A 200-ton Worthington pump was rented and installed in the torpedo launching room in order to secure a good pumping efficiency. In the meantime the firemain was being hitched up with blind flanges in such a way as to be of use in pumping out the forward compartment. The Worthington 400-ton pump was connected up aft. In the meanwhile the hand pumps and the io-ton Merryweather, installed on the armored deck over the torpedo launching room, worked incessantly and the freeing of the forward compartments of water proceeded.

Compartments 79 and 86 were now dry and 87 was free of water. Compartment 82 was turned to with success.

As soon as we commenced to overcome the water in a compartment, we had placed on guard there two petty officers, of whom one was to remain always present. For this surveillance the forward part of the ship was divided into 3 zones. The extreme bow was entrusted to 8 petty officers from the Ferruccio, the next after one to 8 from the Filibcrti, and the after part to 10 from the San Giorgio. Every hour the captain or his representative visited the compartments which were dry or were being pumped out. Every three hours a visit was made to all compartments adjacent to those innundated, and to those which had shown signs of giving way to infiltration. Every 6 hours a visit was made to the holds, double bottoms, cofferdams, coal bunkers, and bilges.

By nightfall 223 tons of material had been disembarked, making a total of 663 tons.

The weather had heretofore remained always good and this was very fortunate for us, but this evening there arose a fresh west wind which, in case it veered into the “ libeccio ” might raise a bad sea at Sant’ Agata.

The sea going tug Titano arrived.

An electrical 20-ton pump from the Volcano was added to those already in use. The water in compartment 81 was overcome and that compartment dried out. From compartment 77 we commenced to take out 76-mm. ammunition without the aid of divers, and the water was lowered in compartments 80, 82, 83, and 85. It began to be clear that we should be able to completely free all the spaces forward of frame 30AV.

An attempt was made to pump with the outfit of the Ercole but the tortuous lead of the suction hose and the depth of same rendered practically vain this attempt or at any rate incommensurate with the great interference which the presence of this large tug caused in the disembarkation of heavier weights and the work of the sheers.

By means of a cartridge a part of the after reef (near frame 22 AD) was blown up and the complete destruction of it appeared to be surely possible.

The wind became very variable, but held within 3 or 4 degrees of the quadrant, and the barometer showed small but lively falling off. The local pilots said that with the “ libeccio ” the water was likely to rise about 60 cm. and 60 cm. represented for the San Giorgio an additional buoyancy of about 1000 tons. In case such an occurrence should come about, or with an even smaller rise, the ship might make an unforeseen movement and in such a case it would have been a grave mistake not to profit by it. The four moorings astern were therefore reinforced with wire, as well as those on the starboard quarter and all the doors in the passageways and the battery were hermetically sealed. There were closed and shored up all the bulkheads surrounding the forward boiler room spaces and compartment 88 was kept ready for closing. In case of the ship’s going into deeper water the water in the forward boiler room would rise as high as the armored deck and would overflow into the passageway through the apertures through which pass the uptakes. In view of this consideration the hinged watertight doors of the fireroom trunks had already from the first days been kept closed; that, is, those of the compartment surrounding the smoke conduits, and these had also been shored up; but on account of the large volume of the engine room trunks it was decided to close directly the apertures above the armored deck. With this in view, a force of boilermakers, under the direction of Ingegnere Monticelli, had already rapidly knocked down the uptakes between the armored and battery decks, numbering the pieces, while a gang of carpenters, using a double layer of heavy wood with felt in between, built over the four openings in the armored deck a robust watertight trunk, solidly shored up from top to bottom. This work, which was pushed ahead and finished, insured us against a dangerous entrance of water which would leave her to sink considerably by the head had she unexpectedly floated off in this condition.

The engines were warmed up and fires were lighted in all the after boilers and left to be ready on half an hour’s warning.

Two navy divers went down into the forward boiler room and closed tight the openings from the bunkers after having freed the guides of coal. They had orders to try to open the valves of the forward main drain but this they were unable to do.

We began to come up the nuts and studs of the forward side armor where it was arranged to make fast the 12 brackets already requested, which had served before, by bolting them to the side; they were due to arrive soon from Castellammare.

The question of placing these brackets with reference to the floats which we were to employ was now taken up. These floats were very broad and on account of their disposition it was necessary to prolong the arms of the brackets from 4.50 meters to 6.50 in order that the point of pressure would plumb the midship line of the lighters, and avoid serious heeling of the floats when in use. Besides, the brackets when previously employed were applied to the central part of the ship whereas now they would have to be applied at the extreme bow. Ingegnere De Vito worked up the scheme for making the necessary modifications and had made the various drawings; the work consisted of applying to the lower face of the brackets iron beams curved and molded according to the difference of profile between that necessary and that existing. Each bracket was able to resist a force of 8o-tons applied near the extremity of the arm for which, to care for all the thrust the lighters were capable of, (about 500 tons), six brackets for each side would be necessary. But since the work of modifying these brackets was slow and tedious and since it was shown by calculation that it would be sufficient for each one to exert about 250 or 300 tons of pressure it was decided that, while proceeding with the preparation of all the six couples, precedence was to be given to the first four, putting them in position and putting the floats into use as soon as they were done. Only in case some eventuality should require the employment of a superior force, or one near the maximum available, would the others be applied.

By nightfall there had been disembarked 106 tons of material and there had been pumped out 200 tons of water. The ship had already come up one degree. The weather remained variable but the west wind had shifted.

26th November

During the night compartments 80 and 82 were pumped out and the ceiling of compartments 83 and 85 was uncovered. The drying out as far as bulkhead 35 AV was then assumed.

The navy diver De Francisco discovered the leak in compartment 77. The flooding kingston had forced and cracked the covering in the fork of a star.

The steamer Augnsto brought a squad of 90 workmen from the Arsenal to reinforce the 30 arrived the 23d, besides the 30 from the Armstrong Co. Twenty-eight workmen also arrived from Castellammare coming by rail.

After sundown the Dandolo arrived towing the 150-ton floating crane.

Another part of the reef under 22 AD was blown up and although a point still remained in contact with the ship’s bottom it was much cracked. The explosion of the other mine during the night was delayed since double bottom No. 34 adjacent to No. 38, the fresh water in which had already been found to have salted, gave signs of considerable infiltration while double bottom 38 was found to be under pressure.

The heads of two rivets were found near the reef, which explained what had happened and the next day work was begun to stop the leaks using wooden plugs.

Signor Vivaldi confirmed the existence under the keel of a free space for about 14 meters between frames 10 AV and 26AV for the passage of the 4 slings for the cylinders, and a space further aft at 5 AV for the passage of the 5th sling. He also ascertained that the accumulation that had formed on the bottom under the first strakes opposite frames 8AV to 12AV was a hard and fragile conglomerate covered with sand and that this did not touch the hull but was clear of it by about 10 cm.

By evening 60 tons of material and 100 tons of water had been discharged. All the bolts of the 190 casemates and those of the forward 254 casemates had been come up.

27TH November

During the night the last forward 254-mm. magazine, compartment 83, was dried out and in the morning the adjacent, 85. was finished.

The navy diver had placed internally and shored up over the hole in compartment 88 the iron box made for that purpose on the Vulcano. The Titano was moored along the port side as her pumping float was situated lower than that of the Ercole and therefore gave a more efficient suction. With the Titano’s pump, which handled in the operation about 200 tons, and the Worthington, installed in the torpedo launching room, good for more than 200 tons, we commenced to pump on compartment 88 and lowered the water rapidly. The men could already work in the magazine and went ahead getting the ammunition out from there. At a certain point the outer pressure carried away the felt that was placed between the leak-stopping caisson and the hatch. It was necessary to let the compartment refill, and re-do the work, substituting for the felt a large layer of rubber.

During the night a large 150-ton crane had been rigged. Before noon time the pontoon had been towed alongside and the work of disembarking the 190-mm. casemate was begun; the two forward 254-mm. guns were also disembarked.

During the day a good part of the armor that was loose had been hoisted out while inside the work of cutting rivet heads and bolts continued.

As a result of observations made by Lieutenant Vivaldi, and in view of the unfortunate outcome of our attempt to pump out the forward boiler room, it was decided to remove the mat of the Ditto Salvataggi e Recuperi, and attempt the obturation of the hole with our navy divers. Some good submarine lamps had arrived from Spezia and with these the work could be carried on at night.

The after reef to starboard near 22 AD which was smashed the day before was found to have been carried away by the current and now the after part of the ship was completely free from any danger.

The Swedish diver closed with strips of lead the crack in the plating, and stopped with wooden plugs the holes left by the two rivets that had been dislodged. Double bottom 38 was then easily emptied and 34 dried out.

Double bottom 34 was cemented from the inside where the outer plating joined it.

This work finished, I decided to discharge the Swedish diver and Salvator, good as they were, who, because they belonged to a foreign company, provoked a quantity of insistent and continuous criticism from the Societa Nazionale. The public began to make of it a question of sentiment, against which it was not worth while to fight from the moment we were able to take care of every eventuality with our navy divers.

The ship was now on an even keel and had become very sensitive to the movement of weights. She had a light rolling movement, and also moved somewhat in the longitudinal sense.

By evening 120 tons of material had been disembarked making altogether 919 tons, exclusive of the water taken from inside, in the neighborhood of 300 tons.

28th November

During the early hours of the morning it rained excessively but the work was not slackened on that account.

During the night compartment 84 was emptied and the work of stopping the hole in the 190-mm. magazine from the inside was finished. During the day the ammunition from this magazine was discharged and the level of water inside was lowered to within a few centimeters of the mat. The work of stopping the small infiltrations and of shoring up the large box-shaped leak stopper was proceeded with and from now on the problem of this compartment may have been considered solved.

Forward of frame 30AV all the compartments above the bilges were dry except for certain minor infiltrations which little by little were being stopped.

There was a false alarm in a coal bunker, from which at the fifth plate there was an unexpected burst of water. This was caused by the rupture of a voice tube which communicated with the forward boiler room. The damage and danger were quickly taken care of.

Two 190-mm. casemates, and what had remained of the forward 254-mm. barbette were disembarked. The latter had presented grave difficulties during the unbolting which we had begun before the arrival of 150-ton crane, because it would have been impossible to lift the entire casemate with the two hired cranes which had only short booms and limited capacity (about 30 and 60 tons).

There was beginning to be felt the deficiency in transporting lighters which, on account of the lack of hoisting gear, could not be entirely discharged on shore. I sent the 60-ton floating crane to the Difesa and with this means the commandant, working night and day, returned to us regularly our unloaded lighters.

The divers who worked on the hole outside informed me that the ship now rested on a heap of conglomerate in the region of frames 5AV and 8AV and in fact on one of the periodical visits to the double bottoms it was found that the double bottom to starboard under the fourth bulkhead, second compartment, was under pressure. This was caused by a slight but noticeable settling of the bow. Therefore I decided to lighten the stern immediately disembarking the 254-mm. guns.

In a few hours the roof of the turret was come up and thanks to the 150-ton crane, the disembarkation of these guns was accomplished that same night. The stern came up about 20 cm. and the hull came free from the mass of conglomerate.

By night 140 tons of material had been disembarked making a total of 1059 tons.

In the afternoon the rain stopped and good weather came again with a breeze from the northwest.

29TH November

Compartment 88 was now completely dry and the work of calking several leaks around rivets which held the ammunition racks was progressing.

Ingegncre Rotundi, with the workmen from the Vulcano and those from the Naples Arsenal, finished the installation of the pumping central in torpedo launching room.

This central was composed of an electric centrifugal 300-ton pump (of the new Duilio) more specially arranged with a view of taking care of underlying 190-mm. magazine should the leaks at any time reopen; a Worthington* steam piston pump of 200 tons capacity especially arranged with a view to taking care of any invasion of water into the 254-mm. magazine; 3 smaller pumps of about 10 tons capacity each (two electrical centrifugal and one steam piston type) arranged with a view to keeping dry the torpedo launching room in case of need.

There was installed below, in the underlying 190-mm. space, an electrical centrifugal pump of 100 tons capacity, which could work intermittently, if necessary, to take care of water coming by infiltration. In the same compartment there was also arranged a suction for the 400-ton Worthington permanently installed on board.

In this manner for all the zone as far as frame 40AV, means were amply provided for taking care of any water which in any event should come in by infiltration.

All the piping for water and steam passed through the bulkheads in watertight flanges; in the course of this work, near every hole which was made in a bulkhead there was prepared and kept ready a corresponding leak stopper.

The forward well at frame 45AV was now dry.

The fresh water tanks, which practically fill the entire space between frames 50AV and 56AV, were pumped out and hermetically sealed.

Arrangements were started with a view to converting the electrical distribution pumps into exhausting pumps, to provide against any eventual, however improbable, flooding of the space between the hatches.

We laid out from the stern, always slewed a little to starboard, a third 6-ton anchor backed up by a 2-ton one with 8 lengths of chain, the end of which was hove taut and secured on board.

Two 24 H. P. winches in the after deck house were arranged to haul on the chains.

The standing parts of the tackles were secured to the ports of the two central bunkers and the running parts led to the forward capstans.

A beginning was made on the disembarkation of the forward armor to port with the small sheers, while the 150 ton crane worked on the starboard side in spite of the sea.

In the meantime request had been made, several days previously, for leak stoppers of dimensions adequate for covering the air ports. They arrived with the usual promptness. It was impossible, however, to apply these stoppers because they adhered badly on account of the marked curvature of the ship’s side where the ports were situated. A remedy was found in forcing small mats soaked in oil and tallow between the air ports and the side. The divers had worked almost all the night and continuously throughout the day. They assured themselves to-day that the hull did not touch from aft to frame 40AV, although between frames 30AV and 40AV it was free only by a few centimeters.

The ship now had a movement in roll more pronounced than on the preceding days: she was maintained without constant heel by filling of the lateral double bottoms. By night 309 tons of material had been disembarked making a total of 1368, not counting about 100 tons of water. The westerly wind continued.

30TH November

Thoroughly assured of the water tightness of the compartments forward of bulkhead 30AV, a second attempt was made during the night to overcome the water in bunkers 91 and 93, and the efforts this time were successful, thanks to the closure of the lower doors effected by the divers.

The work of getting the coal out of these bunkers was proceeded with immediately—a tedious work since it was necessary to hoist the coal by a bucket through a single scuttle, the other scuttle being encumbered with pumping gear.

The wet coal had then to be carried aft over the transverse armor and dumped into the empty bunker of the 3d and 4th boiler compartment in order that it might be used up quickly and thus escape spontaneous combustion.

The bow had settled a little more, altogether about 20-cm. since the day of grounding. The stern had come up about 50 cm. consequently, although it left the ship in better condition, the hull had lost buoyancy (about 300 tons) which would be difficult to restore owing to the position of the mass of conglomerate near frame 8 AV.

To offset in some measure, the emergence of the poop, I had placed in the tiller room and in the extreme after 76-mm. magazine the heaviest gear of gunner and torpedo gunner which was stowed forward and which could not conveniently be disembarked.

The Ercole arrived towing 2 cylinders. I sent her into port as the securing of the slings was difficult here in the open sea.

By night 110 tons of material had been disembarked making a total of 1478 tons.

ist December

During the night bunker 93 was practically emptied and 91 was one-third finished which contained somewhat over 24 tons of coal.

The arrangement of temporary pumps, in addition to those of the central, for pumping out the various transversal zones forward of frame 44 AV was completed. The installation consisted of one ioo-ton electrical centrifugal pump to draw from the 254- mm. handling room, and one 40-ton piston steam pump taken from one of the evaporators on board and arranged to draw from the 76-mm. magazine.

As I have above noted, of the two electrical piston io-ton pumps used for fresh water service, one was arranged for suction on the above mentioned magazine, and the other on the capstan compartment. A number of hand pumps were placed in the passageway.

We had thus 10 pumps including those of the “central” with a total capacity of 1500 tons, besides the 4 centrifugal pumps in the engine room, capacity 4000 tons and the bilge pumps of the engines.

The hole had now been completely obturated with plugs, outside of which were applied 3 regulation leak stopping mats. The divers required all day to complete this work so it was necessary to pump at night.

With the big turbines and the auxiliaries of the Titano we succeeded in lowering the water in the boiler compartment 60 cm. and then the suction force came into equilibrium with the external pressure.

We had now disembarked other armor plates, port after 190- mm. casemate, and the forward 254-mm. handling room gear.

We were obliged to cut some nuts and several bolts which did not give way to the oxo-hydrogen flame. In spite of the longitudinal transfer of the weights the stern continued to rise as a result of the general lightening of the ship and she could be felt working in the sand at the bow.

The after lines were hauled taut at low water and the apertures in the passageways and the outboard battery forward were maintained constantly closed or ready to be closed, and the boilers were primed and kept ready; with a view to profit by any occasion favorable to refloating, but it was decided not to attempt the same unless there were good chances of success, or unless the conditions became threatening to the safety of the ship. By night 124 tons of material had been disembarked, making a total of 1602 tons exclusive of 500 tons of water.

2D December

During the night bunker 93 was pumped out and shored up from the lower water tight door leading to the boiler room, over this door a false door of wood was applied from the inside and well shored up and sealed.

A hole was bored between 91 and 93 and another between this and the bunker immediately aft which would discharge the water coming from 91 into the second boiler compartment, where it could be pumped out by the engine bilge pumps. With this system of drainage the water also in 93 could be pumped out without the need of pumping it from the passageway and the extraction of coal became less slow.

The pontoon fitted with compressors was secured alongside to port.

The ship was heeled 2 degrees to port so as to undertake the stoppage of the hole in the bottom, thus permitting the divers to work better. They hoped to complete the obturation of the hole which extended beyond frame 30AV, and to work there had to commence by digging a hole in the sand beneath it. We had not heretofore had great faith in these results nor to free in any way the forward boiler compartment; but we had already got rid of a greater quantity of water than we had expected.

Already we had pumped out bunker 94 and were prepared to work also at bunker 92.

It was decided not to touch transversal bunker, No. 89, which being full of coal presented a resisting section between the forward boiler room and the spaces toward the bow, which spaces were now completely dry. The unfilled space in this bunker was filled with cork well compressed to diminish the amount of water that could come in when the bow went further down.

On shore the work of fitting the slings to one cylinder was finished and the work on the second commenced.

The first two brackets were brought on board, and the other two were promised successively at 40 hour intervals, so that by

Saturday it was hoped to have the 4th; which would in 40 hours more be in place. This made it desirable then that the lighters be ready by the 9th or 10th inst.

The preparation of these lighters had already been begun. It consisted in laying along the top a robust arming of two longitudinal stringers resting on the beams designed to support the wedge shaped blocks which would be placed under the brackets; these stringers were reinforced under the beams by vertical shores resting on the keelson and by oblique props or braces disposed either in the longitudinal or transversal plane, so that each bracket would direct its force on the top of a framework pyramid which would distribute the force over an extensive transversal zone of the pontoon structure. On account of lack of time the idea of decking over the pontoons with wood so as to be water tight was given up, although such was the well advised wish of the engineers ; but temporary partitions, not water tight, both longitudinal and vertical, about a couple of meters in height, were fitted in the inside of the lighters to cut up the space occupied by the water ballast, to check its tendency to rush back and forth in case of bad weather which would threaten the pontoon’s stability.

Already all the heavy plates had been removed and I sent into port the 150-ton crane which would be very useful in discharging the lighters.

By evening 20 tons of material had been disembarked and 50 tons of water pumped out. The weather was good but the barometer gave warning of losing its steady line.

3D December

The work of discharging the coal from bunker 93 was now entirely done. In the evening the work of extracting the coal from 92 was begun, in which locality we attempted to lower the level of water and maintain it low. Whenever a suction stopped up a bit the water rose and the men had to run for the small hole in the armored deck.

The first two brackets were now in place and the work of securing them was undertaken. They weighed over 4 tons each, and when completely in place with the internal cushion of leather, the plating counter weight, and the keys, each bracket represented a weight of about 5 tons. The brackets were 8 in number and

made a total weight of 40 tons placed at the extreme bow. We could counteract this by carrying aft all the bags and hammocks, also getting aft all the crew at the moment of refloating; but considering the fact that we had given up the hope of pumping the 440 tons of water out of the forward boiler compartment, I decided to employ the cylinders, and to proceed with placing them as soon as they were ready; for in case we succeeded in pumping said compartment, we could easily rid ourselves of them.

The ship moved very freely about its support forward, which seemed to be restricted to the space between frames 42 AV and 56AV—that is to say a space of about 13 meters—and the water did not rise and fall about the stern with the change in height of the sea with the tide.

Fifty tons of material were disembarked. Taking a complete inventory of the weights disembarked thus far, and taking count of the daily coal consumption, we concluded that 1750 tons had been disembarked and 80 tons of material taken on board.

4th December

While the work of clearing out bunker 92 was going on with many interruptions, bunker 94, which had coal in it, was also emptied and it was pumped out with the bilge pumps through the 2d boiler compartment. Towards evening we succeeded in sealing it water tight.

The divers had finished their work as far forward as they could go. They were certain they had passed beyond frame 30AV and hoped for success in the attempt at pumping which was made in the afternoon. The attempt, however, did not succeed. The water fell rapidly enough to the usual 55 or 60 cm., and then came into equilibrium with the outside and rose again even with the turbine at work, then after a moment fell again to the above noted limit below which we could not force it.

The pumping was continued for 6 hours, after which time, as the results continued negative, I had the pump stopped at 23 o’clock, and closed and shored up all the orifices communicating with the forward boiler compartment.

The divers tried to discover from the inside the leak in the forward boiler room, which we supposed consisted, as in compartment 88, of a laceration of a man hole produced by a kingston or by two reentering kingstons; but in vain.

The work of rigging up one of the lighters to take the brackets was finished. This rigging consisted of shores of 30x30 and 25 x 25 cm., arranged like a V reinforcing the beams on top of which were placed two longitudinal angle irons or stringers of steel 40x40 cm.

The scow was 35 meters long by 9.50 meters beam; these dimensions may give an idea of the seriousness of the work. The work of rigging up the second lighter was commenced. The Vulcano was able to handle the stringers with her cargo boom.

The question of getting rid of the lighters under the brackets once the refloatation was accomplished was also considered. Once the ship should be left free from external buoyant effort under the bow, it would assume a line of floatation which, with the forward boiler compartment full of water, would cause the bow to go down to about 7.90 meters; and the lower edge of the brackets would be almost at the water’s edge. The wooden lighters could be flooded and suspended for security by tackles, and if it was deemed desirable not to use them again it would be sufficient to put into force the cylinders, then cast off the lighters and later on let go the cylinders. Through the hawse pipe of the sheet anchor a strong bridle of 18-cm. steel hawser was run out for securing the 150-ton sheers in order that they might be used to assist in the operation of getting rid of the lighters, and also for its possible use during the refloatation should this prove necessary.

The sheers that had been secured to starboard and the floats that could be dispensed with were sent into port.

5th December

During the night as we were impatient to empty and uncover the watertight door in the boiler compartment of bunker 92, a drainage hole was made in the bulkhead between it and bunker 94 which had already been dried out. The drainage was premature and the violence of the water was such that the men were caught and hindered in placing the leak stopper (which fortunately they had ready) until it threatened to fill up again bunker 94.

While this was going on a dry squall of the scirocco threatened to drive ashore all the floats remaining alongside. Fortunately none were lost or damaged. Part of these craft were sent into port and part moored under the lee of the ship.In order to continue the work on the brackets a staging was rigged.

The work of rigging the second lighter for use under the brackets presented grave difficulty. All the workmen from shore suffered from seasickness or were hindered by the motion of floats and ceased to work. I therefore had the Ercole tow the lighter into port.

I had the fires spread and the engines got ready and while I hove in on the chain and the wire hawser of the 3d anchor, I backed, first the port engine, then the starboard both at full power, in the hope of moving the stern to starboard. We got in a length of chain to starboard, a half length to port and about 10 meters on the steel hawser.

Later the wind tended to veer to libeccio and the sea calmed down somewhat. Several plates of armor were disembarked, and the second pair of brackets was placed. The port one went easily to its place but the starboard one worried along to a late hour on account of the difficulty of managing it from the pontoon in the thrashed up sea.

6th December

Bunker 92 was finally emptied and the false watertight door was successfully applied to the opening, whose door leaked more than the one previously uncovered.

The drainage by way of bunker 94 was accomplished and the drying out of bunker 96 started.

The water remaining on board was in the neighborhood of 830 tons, more than one quarter less than the maximum quantity provided against at refloatation.

The water which came on board immediately after the ground* ing we calculated at about 1600 tons, of which 750 had been pumped out.

During the morning, assisting again with the engines, the moorings aft were again hove taut, this partly to ascertain which anchors had held fast and which came home for reference during the operation of floating off.

The chain from aft to port under the haul from the forward capstan did not give more than a few links; likewise the steel hawser resisted to full power on the after winch, a pull not less than 30 tons. The chain to starboard, (60 cm.) which was fast to a heavy backed up anchor, gave a half length of chain in addition to the length got in the day before. It was evident that this anchor did not have a good hold and I sent word to get ready. A 7-ton anchor backing it up with 2 lengths of chain ana a 4-ton anchor, securing all with 10 lengths of our chain (60 cm.).

The slings for the first pair of cylinders having been finished I had one of the cylinders towed alongside to port.

The third pair of brackets came on board, and the work of securing them began.

The wind veered to the west and blew rather fresh.

7th December

The water from bunker 96, which bunker was almost full of coal, was drained off and the work of getting out the coal commenced.

In the early hours of the morning there were violent rain squalls coming frequently from the west. Later it hailed so violently and in such large stones that the decks seemed covered with snow.

We laid out the anchor which had been prepared during the night; we did not succeed in getting the end of the chain on board during the whole day.

The ship moved without much strain about her support, but it appeared, especially in the change of sea, that she pounded on the keel. From the ranges it appeared that she had moved aft about 20 cm., this also appeared from the position of an iron tube which had been driven into the bottom opposite a mark on the bow. The ship had also moved slightly stern to starboard.

The squalls continued all day, always more violent; the^- wind had hauled a little to northward and blew boisterously, so that the second cylinder could not with prudence be brought to the starboard side where the sea was highest.

Towards evening the ship began to labor and pounded hard, whether with the bow or the keel, it was impossible to know.

We tried to haul further taut the moorings, and also tried to haul her athwartships, first to port then to starboard, but without bettering the conditions, which now gave us much anxiety.

We succeeded in placing the 4th pair of brackets.

It continued to rain hard.8th December

In the early hours of the morning the weather got somewhat better, and we got the second cylinder alongside to starboard. Much time was lost passing the fifth part from forward because of its carrying away 3 times. Towards evening we commenced passing the first sling for the port cylinder, leaving it slack in order to admit passing of the corresponding sling for the starboard cylinder. But it was necessary to interrupt the work on account of the heavy sea. With coal bags filled with cork, we tried to fend off the cylinders and keep them from doing damage as they pounded against the side.

The end of chain from the last anchor laid out was recovered and secured on board.

The wind came up again with violence from the northwest but the rain stopped, which gave relief to all, especially in the battery deck where, through the numerous coal scuttles which were left open for the leads of the gear, it rained in torrents.

9T11 December

Since yesterday the north wind had got stronger and stronger and about one o’clock blew with great violence and all through the night the ship was kept in torment. On the port side under the third bulkhead, pressure formed in a double bottom and an adjacent one showed signs of leaking and to starboard at the 4th bulkhead a kingston, which had already been shored up, forced its cover, without however crushing it, the leakage through which showed possibility of augmentation. By choking a strainer the drainage from a bunker was stopped and the infiltration accumulated in the well of the second boiler compartment. We shored up all the kingstons in the second boiler compartment, closed all its communications and tried out its pumping system.

Great difficulty also arose in the work of placing the brackets. The workmen were worn out, and the wind, the rain, and the sea added special difficulty to this naturally difficult work.

An attempt was made to secure the cylinders but the sea was rough and forbade any work by the divers until noon when it commenced to clear.

We had already recovered the moorings, and cast loose and veered the lengths hove in during the preceding days. One chain

had to be cut away because of the impossibility of easing it off. A summary of the state of the after moorings on which we depended to exert force during the hauling off was as follows:

1. A 7-ton anchor off the starboard quarter backed up by a 4-ton anchor, secured with 9 lengths of 60-cm. chain.
2. A 6-ton anchor off the starboard quarter, backed up (with 100 meters of 16-cm. wire hawser) by a 2-ton anchor and fitted with six and one-half lengths of 60-cm. chain.
3. A 6-ton anchor from the port chock aft laid out on the starboard quarter fitted with 7 lengths of 57-cm. chain. (The anchor had taken splendidly.) Theoretical tractive force about 90 tons.
4. A 6-ton anchor, with 4 lengths of chain and 100 meters of 18-cm. steel hawser. Horizontal tractive force, 12 tons.

Total possible horizontal tractive force on the after anchors about 210 tons. Force of the engines 30 tons. Total possible simultaneous tractive force 240.

Total practical presumable force allowing for friction 180 tons.

We had then for mooring and warping the ship

5. Two 2-ton hedges backed together with a 14-cm. steel hawser.
6. A 2-ton hedge with a plain hemp 24-cm. hawser.
7. An anchor from the San Giorgio with a warping line.
8. A 6-ton anchor with 11 lengths of 60-cm. chain.

At noon the wind showed signs of falling off in force.

Near 15 o’clock the sea and air were calm; the barometer rose decisively at a stead and constant rate.

The immersion of the bow was further augmented by 10 cm. (5.50 meters) ; it was impossible to wait longer without losing a great part of our work.

The two lighters were sent for and placed alongside between the frames 29 AV and 68AV.

The lighters being one third full, the ground swell, which was still very strong, caused several sections of the temporary diaphragms in the starboard lighter to carry away. These diaphragms had been arranged as already explained to subdivide the internal space so as to act as a brake for the water ballast as the lighters rolled.

Riggers, working now in the water, now clinging to a shore, replaced and shored up the diaphragms in half an hour.

We began the refilling of the lighter and as soon as the height of its rail permitted we, profiting by falling away of the swell, succeeded in placing it under its brackets.

The fenders were fitted at once, also the chafing gear along the rail so that even with a sea the lighters would not shift from their positions.

In order to maintain constant contact with the brackets and not subject them, at the same time, to a premature force consequent to a rising tide or an immersion of the bow, we pumped out or admitted water as was necessary.

In the meantime the slings for the starboard cylinder were passed, and the two cylinders were placed alongside. Water was then admitted to the port cylinder, which was already fitted with manivels for the compressed air. By midnight the starboard cylinder was sunk.

Fortunately the wind continued to diminish and with the turn of the tide the sea also went down.

10th December

At one hour after midnight we tautened up the first sling of the two cylinders. It took about two hours but we gained time on each succeeding pair and averaged altogether about an hour and a half to each pair. It was a tedious work, which had to be done along the side just above water, because of the fact that the very heavy securing stands to which were secured two eyes of steel 13-cm. hawser were not more than a meter and a half above the water’s edge.

We took eight turns of 12-cm. hawser around the securing stands and the coaling ports and hove them taut with light tackles whenever possible. I wished at all costs to be ready by 10.30, and hurried the work along, considering the work on the cylinders as supplementary and not absolutely essential.

At 7.30 the fifth sling of the port cylinder was secured, but we could not succeed in getting home the corresponding one to starboard, which appeared to be foul of the bottom, nor the 3d sling of the port cylinder for the same reason. The divers were exhausted for since 15 o’clock yesterday they had worked without ceasing, either under water, above water, or inside. I concluded that four slings each would be enough, and commenced to give the air to the cylinders. The force required of these cylinders was arrived at by taking into count the buoyancy given by the lighters, allowing these to give the maximum moment of rotation about a point at the middle of the hull. Granting that the lighters should give a maximum force of 300 tons each, the cylinders did not need to give more than 100 tons.

The cylinders emerged slowly: two more plates of the amidships armor which had been got ready during the night were disembarked; all the tools and material which apparently would not be used were disembarked; the bags and hammocks were carried to the extreme stern; the thwartships steel hawser to starboard and the after tackle to port were let go. The forward chain had been let go the evening before as it interfered with the starboard lighter’s coming alongside. The engines were warmed up.

The weather had turned perfect.

The port cylinder emerged horizontally and commenced to take; that to starboard remained inclined with the after end on the bottom, while the after sling came very taut.

The diver, sent to examine it, returned and reported that the cylinder touched lightly on the bottom and that the sling was fast in the mass of conglomerate which lay under 8 AV. These were moments of great anxiety. This mishap might have stopped for all day the work of refloating.

I had the moorings aft slacked off a bit and hove in with a winch on the thwartship line aft and to starboard. While I was assisting at this operation it was reported to me that the starboard cylinder had now come horizontal. The diver was again sent down and he reported that the sling had broken loose from the reef. The moorings were again hove taut.

It was 10.45! from the lighters whose shores groaned under the force, we Continued to pump. The bow gave signs of lifting.

The captain was on deck and understood that when the internal level of the lighters had reached a certain bench mark, he should signal with a blast of the bugle to heave around on the capstans, and as soon as these were in motion, he would go to the control on the quarter deck and start first the port engine then also the starboard one backing at full force.

I was at the extreme stern: it was 11.05 o’clock when the blast of the bugle was heard: all the capstans hove round; from aft the blast of the bugle was answered and the port screw began to turn violently.

LOCALf ESAURITI