Mc Grath,

Sunken ships are raised by pumping them full of air. For this to be effective, the ship must be made as airtight as possible.

Therefore, you plug up the vents because they would certainly let air out. Then you patch the rents (tears) that may be in the hull. These tears are usually the initial cause of the sinking. Finally, you close all the hatches and portholes. Both portholes and hatches may have "doors" that can be swung shut over them and then locked down with a device referred to as a "dog." I'm truly a landlubber, but I think I have it right.

The ship is fatened intoa sort of sling made from cables. The sling is attached to a crane. A hose in run down to a hole in the bottom of the hull and air is pumped in ("we hit the pumps") and the crane begins to haul up the sling with the ship in it as the air makes the ship light enough for the crane to handle it ("and then took up the strain"). With luck it will "Rise Again."

Roger in Baltimore