With many thanks to Bev Edmonds for sending me that source material from "The Sphere, London, dated July 5, 1913.

Interesting and unique methods are being used by the Western Marine and Cornish Salvage Company to move the big steamer "Tripolitania" from the Loe sand bar in Cornwall, where she has been since Boxing Day. the undertaking is no light one, and the preliminary arrangements have taken several months. It is proposed to shift the vessel inch by inch down to the water level by means of hydraulic jacks. One of the illustrations shows these being placed in position, and in another view we see men at work scraping the sand from underneath the ship, and in another men digging a trench through which the vessel will slide on its way to the sea.

The "Tripolitania" as she struck the Rocks off Loe (Looe) Sand Bar on Boxing Day
She has withstood the rough weather is under her own steam.

Hydraulic jacks being placed in position for the purpose of shifting the vessel

On the decks of the Tripolitania

Salving by means of wire ropes.

Salving the Tripolitania - shovelling sand away from the sides of the vessel.

Forty men and forty spades digging at Loe Sand Bar.

Thanks to Ted Finch : From the Starke / Schell registers it is understood that the 3,654 g.t.�TRIPOLITANIA, built 1897 by R. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland, is reported as being��wrecked on 26th Dec.1912 near Porthleven, Cornwall whilst on�passage from�Genoa�to Barry in ballast.

^back to top^