Period salvage techniques?

[Daniel]

Coastie's thread on the Astrid started me thinking about how ships were salvaged back in GAoP. Like many landlubbers, I tend to think of a "lost" ship as sitting on the bottom of the sea without a trace remaining, forgetting that ships, like the Astrid, can be sitting on the rocks with not only their masts but substantial parts of their hulls above water. Such a ship might not be out of reach of 18th century recovery technology. We hear frequently of wrecker-pirates, who swarm out onto a wreck and strip her, or even lure a ship onto the rocks with false lights; how did they go about getting the loot?

The one contemporary source I know of about 18th century salvage is Johnson's passage about the 1715 Spanish plate fleet.

It was about two Years before, that the Spanish Galleons, or Plate Fleet, had been caſt away in the Gulf of Florida; and several Veſſels from the Havana, were at work, with diving Engines, to fiſh up the Silver that was on board the Galleons.

The Spaniards had recovered ſome Millions of Pieces of Eight, and had carried it all to the Havana; but they had at preſent about 350000 Pieces of Eight in Silver, then upon the Spot, and were daily taking up more. . . . the Money before ſpoken of, was left on Shore, depoſited in a Store-Houſe, under the Government of two Commissaries, and a Guard of about 60 soldiers.

So, they had "diving engines." What kind of engines might those be? Was this work for slaves, or free men? What could be salvaged besides coin? Are these wrecks partly showing above water, or completely submerged? Etc.

[Commodore Swab]

There is a good bit translated by Mr. Haskins dealing with the 1733 fleet that wrecked in the FL keys and was salvaged. If you would like to read his translations of the logs/letters involving the storm and salvage they can be found here

http://maritimearchaeology.org/Appendix.pdf

[Coastie04]

I'm no expert, but most ships would probably just have the cargo, cannons (if possible) and maybe some spars/rigging salvaged. Much of the time, the hull would be difficult and often not worth salvaging. Spars could be cut away and, along with whatever gear was still attached to them, towed to a harbor for use on a different boat. In some cases, ballast, spars, cargo, and anything else heavy might be removed (likely via use of low tide and/or divers and later possibly something such as a diving bell) and hopefully the wooden hull would float and be able to either be pumped out or careened somewhere safer for repairs. Another possibility would be lightering the ship, essentially tying a raft on either side of the boat in order to assist in staying afloat. There are also some accounts of boats found abandoned at sea, possibly dismasted or flooded (but not sinking due to a buoyant cargo) that are then towed back to port.

I did find this chat group with a little information: http://www.historicnavalfiction.net/t1523-salvaging-in-the-age-of-sail

Also, though not much information from Wikipedia, the Ark Royal was raised after sinking in 1636:

She remained in service until April 1636, when she was being moved from the River Medway to serve as the flagship of Sir John Penington. She struck her own anchor whilst under way and stove in her timbers, sinking in the river.^[4] She was raised at a cost greater than her original purchase price, but was found to be damaged beyond repair, and subsequently broken up in 1638.^[1]

[Jib]

When I sat in on a lecture given by Barry Clifford he mentioned "Moon Cussers". They attempted to salvage the Whydah off Cape Cod when she wrecked. He indicated that most of the Moon Cussers simply collected debris off the beach as it washed ashore. He also indicated that it was pretty abundant. Not just a few pieces of good rope or a coin or two. Enough to make one take a risk!

[flagman1776]

Read accounts of Vasa's salvage.