p»^ 



The Raising of the United states battleship "Maine- in Havana Harbor 



lesc three official pliotographi 

 [lited States Government engii 

 )n work around the "Maine" ii 

 irteen years. The old battleship li 



ten early in May under the direction of the 

 give a comprehensive view of the construc- 

 vana harbor, where the wreck has lain about 

 s in about 39 feet of water. It has been built 



fferdam of 20 steel cylinders, each fifty feet in diameter 

 of interlocking steel ])iling, which is shown more in detail in the end picture on the 

 riglit-hand side. Each cylinder is filled to the top with clay, with drainage boxes 

 here and there to draw out the surplus water and compact the clay into a harder 

 mass. The ship had a length of 324 feet. The length of the major axis of the 

 elliptical wall is 399 feet and of the minor axis 219 feet. As the pumping continues 

 and the wreck becomes more and more visible, its sides will be braced against the 

 cofferdam by wooden piles, preventing all possibility of the wreck top- 

 pling over. There has not been the faintest symptom of a movement of 

 any part of the structure revealed by the most minute observation tests, 

 personally made by Captain Harley B. Ferguson of the United States En- 

 gineer Corps, 



Tl 



shows tlu 



antral illu. 



o the colossal cofferda 

 engineers and naval men all o 

 a feat has been attempted on 

 lith the work of pumping out the water \ 

 next day the water had been lowered five 

 for ten days to allow time for careful tests 

 ders. If the tests are satisfactory, pumpii 

 and an official inspection made of the bulk 

 ment will be represented at the investigatii 



the Spanish Legation. Lat 



vith 



This great work 

 r the world, as it is 

 large a scale by the 



to the stability of I 



ting the attention of 

 be the first time such 

 im method. On June 

 m began, and by the 



i cylii 



vill be 



led, the 





of Spa: 



s declined by the Spanish s 

 The afterdeck superstructure 

 portion of the roof of the 1 



ibahle that the Cuban govern- 

 id Spain may also ask to send rep- 

 no request has come to the War Department from 

 the United States Government invited two or more 

 present when the "Maine" was bared, but the offer 

 :retary of foreign affairs in the name of his sovereign. 

 now out of the water on the starboard side, and a 

 n-inch after-turret on the port side is above the water. 



This picture completes the i 

 The pumping already done re\ 

 mass of wreckage covered wit 

 civilians from boarding the ' 

 hunters are barred. The stet 

 of the salt water, and expei 

 The War Department plans t 

 ceremonies. Tlie suggestio 

 public exhibitic 



noramic view of tin.' wreck and surrounding caissons. 

 :ils the greater part of the afterdeck, showing a confused 



marine growth. Precautions have beun taken to prevent 

 -eck after the pumping has been linished. and all relic 



armor plates have plainly been weakened by the action 

 ; fear the hull will crumble when exiiosed to the air. 



sink the wreck in the .-\tlantic Ocean with appropriate 

 at it be placed in a museum, or otherwise arranged for 



i repugnance. Ev 

 j'lth favor, 

 "Maine," which weighs about ten tons 

 is rumored that one of the masts may be set up on Go 

 authorities have made preparations to receive all bodie 

 ered. They will be taken to Ci.banas fortress, where tl 

 and remain under military guard until the exploration 

 pleted. The bodies then will be removed to the collier 



erection of the ship's mast at Ariington 

 steel foremast of the old battleship 

 shipped to New York Ju 



Island. The Cuban 



s as fast as they are recov- 

 ey will be placed in coffins 

 )f the wreck has been com- 

 Leonidas for transfer north, 



