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SINKING OF THE HUSSAR. 667 



from the dock, and under the charge of a negro pilot, who, a 

 few days before, had safely carried a frigate through Hell 

 Gate, started on her way through that dangerous passage. 

 When she was almost through, when open water lay only a 

 few rods before her, she struck, drifted off, commenced to fill 

 rapidly, and while the question of backing her was being dis- 

 cussed, she struck again, and soon settled, and sliding from 

 the rocks, sank in ninety feet of water. The officers and crew 

 escaped, but the seventy prisoners, chained below to the gun 

 deck, sank with the vessel, without an attempt having been 

 made to save them. 



The vessel herself was a large one, carrying thirty-two guns, 

 and measuring two hundred and six feet in length by fifty, 

 eight in width. In 179-1 an expedition from England came 

 over to New York, and for t wo seasons attempted in vain to 

 raise the wreck by grappling, when they were forbidden to 

 work any longer by the Government of the United States. 

 In 1819 another attempt was made by an English company, 

 who prosecuted their work with a diving bell. The strength 

 of the current here made their efforts of no avail, and they 

 abandoned the attempt. Since then the possible chance of 

 the four million dollars has tempted various other companies 

 to try, and in turn they each abandoned the attempt in despair 

 of success. Within the past four years, however, a new com- 

 pany has been at work, using the newly -in vented submarine 

 armor, and during this time a sloop has been lying, dismantled 

 -•^it firmly anchored, about a hundred yards from the New 

 York side of the East Eiver, three-quarters of a mile above 

 Ward's Island. This is the spot where the Ilussar sank, with 

 her prow pointing north. 



The diver's suit consists of, first, a pair of thick rubber 

 leggings and boots combined. These end at the waist in an 

 iron band furnished with iron clamps. Straps of lead weigh- 

 ing together ninety pourds, and which are made to fit about 



