Ships & Shipbuilding

Three Miles Down

Name: Three Miles Down
Author: Hamilton-Paterson, James
ISBN: 9780224042673

by Hamilton-Paterson, James

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Overview

Somewhere on the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean lie two casualties of the Second World War: a Japanese submarine, the I-52, and the liner SS Aurelia. Separated by almost a thousand miles and sunk more than a year apart, these two vessels have one thing in common - they were both carrying several tons of gold when they went down.In 1994, aboard the Russian research ship Akademik Keldysh, the treasure-seeking team Project Orca began a harrowing search for the sunken vessels and their riches. It was a mission that would take them nearly three-quarters of a mile deeper than the resting place of the Titanic, testing the human limits of deep-water exploration.In Three Miles Down, James Hamilton-Paterson, the ship's literary stowaway, captures the journey in intimate detail. He provides a rousing tale of deception, greed, human arrogance, and courage as the international crew combs the ocean's depths, seeking an untold fortune resting at the bottom of the earth.Yet with his own oceanographic knowledge and a poet's gift for language, Hamilton-Paterson turns this into more than a tale about a hunt for "filthy lucre." He vividly describes the fascinating panoply of life that exists in the deep ocean. Ultimately, his story finds its greatest power as the MIR submersible make a three-hour descent to the floor of the Atlantic and explores the lightless depths three miles below the surface, a place seen by fewer people than have been in space. Here we get the privileged view of a primordial world full of unexpected beauty and resonance: an eerie but awe-inspiring world of shadows, at once the grave of ships and the cradle of creation. (53/4 X 81/2, 308 pages)

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Editorials

Holly Morris

Moral questions swirl around the issue of salvage. At what point does grave digging become archeology? Is a wreck a tomb even if no bones can survive so deep in the ocean? Are salvage expeditions morally redeemed if they also support scientific research? —The New York Times Book Review

Library Journal

In 1995, a group of adventurers, investors, scientists, and salvage experts set out in search of two ships that had been sunk in the South Atlantic during World War II. One was the Japanese submarine 152, sunk en route from Japan to Germany by the U.S. Navy. The other was the S.S. Aurelia, sailing from Durban, South Africa, to Liverpool when she was downed by an Italian submarine. Both vessels lie at a depth of 15,000 to 20,000 feet, making salvage extremely difficult. They were rumored to be carrying gold bullion, but there has never been any conclusive proof. The 1995 search was unsuccessful, but in February 1999 the New York Times reported that the 152 had been found. Robots were sent down, but there was no treasureonly shoes from dead Japanese sailors. Hamilton-Patersons (Ghost of Manila, LJ 10/1/94) account should have been a fascinating history, but the inclusion of excessive minor details and trivia makes for a tedious read. Editing would have made this book more accessible. Not an essential purchase.Stanley Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, NY

Booknews

Hamilton-Paterson, author of several novels, tells of his adventure with an international crew of researchers, investors, and salvage experts searching for two WWII vessels in deep water off the west coast of Africa. Hamilton-Paterson was along for the ride as chronicler of the expedition, but soon became embroiled in personality conflicts, technical problems, and many unforeseen complications. Woven throughout his narrative is a look at marine and science technology, human accomplishments and limitations, and the wonders of the deep ocean. Lacks an index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)