REMOVAL OF THE XORTH SEA MINE BARRAGE 



125 



THE RXPLOSION OF AN UPPER-LEVEE MINE ASTERN OF THE PATAPSCO 



The darker central portion of the upheaval which rises after the first white spouts of water 

 hreak the surface is discolored by the gases of the TXT. 



when nothing" further could he done, 

 grouped together on the stern, high out 

 of water, singing old-fashioned melodies 

 throughout the night. 



Then at last, after nineteen hours of 

 struggling, this cortege of ships suc- 

 ceeded in reaching the sheltered waters 

 of Tresness Bay with the Pelican still 

 afloat. The dogged determination and 

 skillful seamanship of Captain Buhner 

 alone had saved her. 



Such holes as could be stopped were 

 plugged, and the following day the ships 

 proceeded to Scapa Flow, where the Peli- 

 can was docked and sufficiently patched 

 to permit her being towed to Newcastle- 

 on-Tyne, where extensive repairs were 

 undertaken. 



The morning following the Pelican ac- 

 cident a curious mishap befell the Fla- 

 mingo. After the day's sweeping was 

 completed the vessels used to anchor near 

 the mine fields in order that all hands 

 might get as much rest as was possible in 

 the few short hours of darkness. The 

 deep water and the soft bottom of the 



open sea do not, however, make an ideal 

 harbor, and on this occasion the Flamingo 

 found herself at daybreak several miles 

 south of the spot where she had anchored 

 the night before. While weighing her 

 anchor, which was secured to the end of 

 her sweep-wire, her stern was virtually 

 lifted from the water by the shock of an 

 exploding mine. She had dragged during 

 the night until she was in another group 

 of mines. The damage done by the ex- 

 plosion necessitated docking before she 

 could resume her operations. 



AN OFFICER AND SIX MEX T SINK WITH 

 THE "bUEKELEv" 



On the 1 2th of July, two days after the 

 Flamingo was damaged, our most serious 

 accident occurred. Again it was due to 

 a mine fouling a kite. Before the trawler 

 Richard Bnlkelcy could take any steps to 

 remedy the situation, the mine exploded 

 and her hull collapsed under the terrific 

 concussion. 



Within seven minutes the vessel had 

 gone down. The other vessels in the 



