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Sunday, November 23, 2003
*Folly's fortunes shift with sands: Planned renourishment project brings old issues to surface
*Sullivan Island hires consultant to help with beach tree plan
*Hunley mystery outlasts excavation
-Charleston Post and Courier, 11-22-03
*Strand Plans: Visitors discuss The Boardwalk's future
-Daytona News Journal, 11-23-03
Story last updated at 8:38 a.m. Saturday, November 22, 2003
Why sub sank still baffles scientists
BY SCHUYLER KROPF
Of The Post and Courier Staff
What's left when a sunken submarine is finally cleared of tons of pudding-like mud, the bones of eight men and a collection of 3,000 artifacts?
A still unsolved mystery.
Three years after it was raised off Sullivan's Island, archaeologists continue to be baffled as to what caused the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley to sink.
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With the goo finally out, the Hunley team is ready to start the next phase: mapping and X-raying its insides, removing its internal mechanisms and trying to figure out what catastrophe befell the sub in its final moments nearly 140 years ago.
Although there are several theories, Hunley project manager Bob Neyland said the final answer probably won't come until all the critical data can be analyzed at once, years from now.
"A lot of things don't come together until you start writing up all the evidence," Neyland said, adding that there "is no smoking gun."
The X-ray of the sub is important because it will allow the scientists to see through all the levels of concretion covering both the sub's hull and its internal mechanics that may be covering up a defect that could have contributed -- even in a small, now undetectable way -- to the sinking.
As in previous digs in the sub, several new secrets about the Hunley and her crew were found in the past few weeks:
-- A repair kit to plug leaks. What was first thought to be a wooden chamber pot for the crew instead appears to be a caulking kit. It was aboard possibly in anticipation of the blast from ramming its 90-pound explosive into the Union blockade ship Housatonic. A chisel-shaped caulking iron was found nearby. A wrench, hammer and coil of rope were also found.
-- Ballast water could be moved from front to back. A pipe under the crew's feet allowed sea water to be moved back and forth between the fore and aft ballast tanks. The advantage? It meant the crew didn't have to exhaust themselves by pumping in more ballast water. Instead, they could manage the minimal amount they needed to dive, surface or keep the sub on an even keel. Archaeologists were able to get into the ballast tanks by removing outside hull panels.
-- Submarine integrity. None of the several large holes found in the sub appear to be from the time of the sinking but probably were a result of anchors being dragged over the sub afterward. The forward hatch is also slightly open and not fastened. Neyland said it may be because an anchor snagged it and forced it ajar. Sub commander George Dixon may also have left it open intentionally to act as a vent or to peer out.
With no obvious sign of disaster "we have to look for more subtle influences as to the reason for the sinking," Neyland said.
What is known for sure is that all eight crewmen died in their places in the sub: Dixon in front, and seven men behind him at working or rowing stations along the Hunley's internal propeller crank.
The Hunley became the world's first successful attack submarine on the night of Feb. 17, 1864, when it rammed its black powder charge into the Housatonic, sending the Yankee ship to the bottom in a powerful explosion. Although the sub is believed to have survived the attack, it never returned. It was found four miles offshore by a dive team funded by best-selling author Clive Cussler in 1995 and raised in 2000.
Most of the sub's innards -- including its crankshaft, crew bench seat, pumps, ballast ingots of various sizes and its depth gauge -- will also have to come out, Neyland said, so they can be conserved separately.
Conservation work has already begun on many of the other artifacts already found, including bones, buttons, Dixon's gold watch and the diamond jewelry he carried.
Hello, Mac got some Navy questions for you, hope you can help, thanks.
My name is Chad, from Texas.
I have some questions on the Austrian Navy, I am quite a Historical and Biblical person, I know some about Naval History but your knowledge on the subject far out reaches me. So I turn to you for some help. I have an idea, that the Austrian Naval fleet was once the most powerful in the
World, long before the British. The Austrian Naval period reaches back to the days of Venice an Austrian possession lost several times and regained. But the builders were Austrians. Napolean even gave back Venezia to Austria for it was originallt Austrian land, and they in exchange gave him Original Northern Italian Lands in the West of Austria. I also have found, that the Austrians invented the first Torpedo, and possibly the first submarine. It seems like their whole history, including the Danube, revolves around Water. I see on your site that the Austrian Frigate Novara circumnavigated the world from 1857-1859. This before the days of the American Civil War when they were
experimenting with the Monitor and the Merrimac. I have had the opportunity to see Venice and I would say that it is more on Water than the Coasts of the Netherlands, for Venice is sinking. I would ask you do you have more information on the Austrian Naval History in WWI and pre WWI even back to 1400. Any info would be a great help, or maybe you know of a book or a website.
You see I am researching the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and all points that the Austrians are the Tribe of
Zebulon. Genesis 49:13, Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the Sea; he shall be for a haven of ships. In the Old Testament of Zebulon we find that he is to be the Great Nation of Ships and Building on Water. And Naval Warfare and Trade on the Danube etc... Whereas the other Tribes are not difficult this one is harder to find info on. The prophecies also state that the Tribe of Joseph(the Anglo-Saxons) British would be good on the Sea only next to Zebulon. In Deuteronomy 33:18-19Hello, Mac got some Navy questions another prophecy is given for the Tribe of Zebulon(the Austrians) and the
Tribe of Issachar(the Hungarians), And he said of Zebulon, Rejoice, Zebulon, in thy going out; and Issachar in the tents. They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of
righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas(Oceans), and of treasures hid in the sand. Lots of Treasures come out of the Ocean and Sea depths, precious stones and pearls, minerals and abundance of other things. Well I hope to hear from you.
If you can tell of any more info. on the History of the Once Great Austian Navy. Your site has been a
great help. Would be greatful for any help. And do not think that I undermine the British Navy, they were to also be great but their history is not as rich on the Seas as the Austrians. But they are not far behind them.
Christian regards, Chad from Texas
7/18/2003
Hello Chad,
Nice to hear from you, I am afraid you flatter me when talking about Naval History.
I have only been able to find two books that relate to the Austrian Navy, and should hasten to add I have not seen a copy of either one.
They are: Sokol, Anthony, The Imperial and Royal Austro-Hungarian Navy, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 1968. This covers the story of the Austrian Navy from its earliest days to WW1.
and: Sondhaus, Lawrence, The Hapsburg Empire and the Sea. Austrian Naval Policy. 1797-1866, West Lafayette. Ind. Purdue University Press. 1989.
As both books were published in your country, you may be able to find copies.
When it comes to the Twelve Tribes of Israel,I am absolutely no use to you Chad.
You have an unusual and interesting topic to be researching. There can be no doubt the early Austrian Navy was in the forefront of weapons development, and they were out there navigating round the world.
I trust I may have been a little help, start with the NIP at Annapolis, they publish a lot of Naval History, but as the book in question was published back in 1968, it may be out of print.
Good luck,
Regards from Australia.
Mac.