RAISING THE STEAMER BLACK SWAN.

West Coast Times, Issue 627, 27 September 1867, Page 2

RAISING THE STEAMER BLACK SWAN.

(VEOH THE MELBOURNE AEGTS.)

G radually the .submerged steamer Black Swan is being brought to the surface, and a very few weeks may find her onue more engaged in the intercolonial steam service. This is an unusual success ; for the Barwon lay stranded at Queenscliff many months, and it is now two years since the City of Launceston took up her positition at the bottom of the fairway, beyond Point Book. But in the matter of the Blark Swan thero has been energy, skill, and promptitude displayed. She was sunk just two months ago, shortly after sold for about Ll7O, and now she is within a day or two of being ou the slip. Messrs Gibbon and Scott, tli9 floating dock owners, took the contract for raising her for about L 2500, and they have been fchi'eo weeks at work. Their first attempt was to get cable chain under her fore and aft, and they succeeded in passing two three-inch and two one and a-half inch chains beneath her keel. "On Wednesday morning last tho first part of the job boing complete, two floating docks — old ship 3, one of 800 and the other of 1400 tons— fitted for the purpose, wero brought, one on each side, and to them the chains were made fast. The huge bridges of timber, composed of square solid masses of kaurie pine 2 feet 3 inches thick, and backed by colonial hardwood, wero thrown across from vessel to vessel, and the latter being sunk at low water almost to the water's edge, the cables were made fa3t to the bridges. By this time night was falling, but the weather was so calm that the opportunity could not bo lost,- so the steam pumps wcro set to work, and tho vessels rising as they wero lightened of water, aud also with the tide, the Black Swan was presently fairly off the ground. This was a great point gained, for as she lay she had worked a hole in the sand, and it was important that iv future operations sho should lie clear. To improve her position, three steamtugs, the Titan, the Black Eagle, and the Lioness, were fastened to the floating docks, which, bearing the Black Swau, then some seven feet; off the ground, were safely to;red 202 feet in-shore. Here the bottom was higher, and it was thought advisable to let her rest a few hour.?. Yesterday, however, she wa3 hauled up again, but not under such advantages circumstauces, for the wind had risen, and as the sunken stcamerl swung to tho bridges', she swayed with the swell, and every now and then the huge beams would crack with a sound like the discharge of a small cannon. At this the workmen would start not a little, for had the tackle broken their position would have been critical. Tiic steamer would have dropped to the bottom again, and the dock-vessels, rcliewd of their weight, would have swayed terrifically, and shaken everybody off their footing. No such thing happened, however, and in tho afternoon ifc became evident that another successful haul had been accomplished Tho Black Swau was indeed very near making another appearance*' In propria persona ; her funnel was nearly all out of water, her capstan not far from being so, and the arrangements of her decks were plainly visible through tho clear sea. The southerly wind still caused a swell, but this did not prejudice operations much ; aud when the steamer was hauled up as high as she would come, the steamer Titan took the doek3 in tow and brought them 300 feet nearer in-shore, between tho breakwater and railway-pier, and nearly abreast of the ship Australian. This was so cheering that on Thursday night a third haul was attempted ; and it is not improbablo that the submerged steamer is now on the bank. On Friday the floating docks were again filled, and another lift obtained ; and iv the course of tho afternoon, with the united assistance of the sbeamtugs Black Eagle, Reliance, and Titan, she was towed iv an additional distance of between three and four hundred feet. The wholo of her deck is now well above water, and the terrible gash in her starboard bow, caused by the collision, is visible. She appears to have been struck with great force, just between the fore rigging and the windlass, at about an angle of forty-five, and the damage caused by tho tearing away of her masts and bowsprit by the Australian, as that vessel was being berthed at tho breakwater, makes the wreck look all tho worse. A number of carcases of drowned sheep floated out yesterday as the vessel came above water, and the odour was the reverse of pleasant. If the weather is favorable, tho Black Swan will probably be high and dry on the bank to-day.