THE LUSITANIA.

Grey River Argus, 17 July 1922, Page 2

THE LUSITANIA.

SUCCESS IMPROBABLE. (By Captain A. A. Bostic, Third Officer of the Liner when she was Torpedoed.) In spite of the wonderful aenievcments of salvage companies during recent years, it is difiicul'- to believe that the Lusitania can ever be raised again to the surface. Although I was struggling in '.he. water for life at the time, 1 can still vividly recall the thrilling moment when she raised her stern into the air, majestic even in her death agony, and disappeared beneath the waves. I. am still of the conviction that she disappeared for ever. As time, goes on, so the stories of the great treasure in specie and jewels said to have formed a considerable part of the cargo of the leviathan seem to accumulate. As far as 1 know there is no truth in these rumours. I distinctly remember the specie room was practically empty. The passengers had already been warned before sailing that the ship was likely to be torpedoed, and would, in consequence, carry as few valuables as possible in the way of jew’cllcry. I saw a groat deal of Hie cargo coming on board, and there was nothing which would compensate a salvage company for a quarter of their labour and expense. Taking into consideration the fact j that her length was roughly three times i as great as the depth of water in j which she sank, and the acute angle ’ at# which she took the plunge, it is j obvious that her bow must have struck i the bottom before she was completely ; submerged, and that the impact must have been sufficient to strain every ■ rivet, if it did not break her entirely j in two. Her boilers must have turn- ! bled pell-mell into the bows, carrying ‘ all before them. I have little doubt i they -exploded, as there was a muffled > , roar, and immediately afterwards I , [was flung out of the water waist high. ! I In view of these facts, I cannot i feel confident that the ordinary methi ods employed by salvage companies for , raising vess-els could be successful. ’ Should, however, the herculean task : of bringing the Lusitania to the stir- : ■ face prove to be a success from the ; salvage point of view, one cannot con- ' ueive it possible that it could be such ’ from a commercial one, and one would I ‘think that the tr'mendous expenditure (required would be better invested in I a less speculative venture.