Compare conversation and restoration techniques applied in two Australian

maritime archeological projects

Conservation: Saving or preserving to prevent further deterioration. Involves

preserving and stabilizing an artifact
Restoration: Restoring an artifact as close as possible to its original condition.

The below Maritime projects were not necessarily restored, and in most
conversation projects, restoration is not applied. This is because restoration
often damages the representation of an artifact, in which significant
engravings; markings and historical aspects of the artifact can become
removed. Usually, the wear and tear of an artifact will more accurately
reveal its history than an attempt to restore it.
1.

HMB Endeavour Canons SS Xantho Engine

Cooks Endeavour ran aground in 1770 on the
Great Barrier Reef
Six of ten iron cannons were cast overboard to
reduce weight and refloat the vessel
Canons discovered in 1969 beneath
concretions of two hundred years of coral
Recovered and treated by conservators and are
now on display in the Sydney National
Maritime Museum
Conservations / Restoration:
1. Canons are soaked in a sea water, 10%
formaline solution to remove and kill bacteria
2. Coral (calcium carbonate) is removed
mechanically with hammers
3. Canons soaked in a 2% NaOH solution to
passivate the surface of the iron
4. Canons are then electrolyzed in the NaOH
solution at a current density of 10A/m2. The
canon is made the cathode and mild steel is
made the anode.
The solution was replaced at regular intervals
until the concentration of chloride ions stabilized
at 20ppm
Paddle steam boat constructed in 1848
Sank in Port Gregory in 1872
Took over 10 years to stabilize, recover,
conserve and restore
The engine was the only example of a high
pressure mass-produced engine
Conservation / Restoration:
1. Aluminium sacrificial anodes attached to the
engine at the wreck site to slow corrosion of
the engine, allowing a correct, controlled
recovery (Engine weight of 7.5t meant that
recovering process would take an extended
period of time)
2. Engine recovered in 1985 and was transported
to the Maritime Museum of Western Australia
3. Engine lowered into a sodium carbonate /
sodium hydroxide solution to passivate the
iron surface. This occurred for nine years with
regular washing and electrolyte replacement
4. Engine periodically removed to mechanically
remove concretions using hammers (and a
pneumatic needle was required for harder
concretions)

5. Canon placed in a low concentration chromate
solution (8.7 x10-3M) to remove chlorides and
hydroxides, and to promote the passivation of
the iron with an iron oxide / chromic oxide
layer
6. Canon dried for two days at 120C and then
immersed in microcrystalline wax (as a
further protective layer) for five days, at
135C to ensure maximum penetration of wax
Note: Only the iron had undergone sever corrosion;
brass fittings only suffered minor corrosion. Also, the
cast iron surfaces were cathodically protected due to
high graphite levels in the cast iron. However, this
meant that the wrought iron became sacrificial anodes
and were completely oxidized away
5. A connecting rod of the engine was treated
with hydrogen furnace reduction in which iron
7. EDTA treatment applied to reverse the
damage done by the hydrolysis of metallic
chlorides (several months to complete)
Comparison: Points Of Similarity and Points of Contradiction
chlorides were reduced to iron metal with high
temperature hydrogen gas
6. An oxy-acetylene torch removed internal
concretion from the engine and some sections
had to be removed for soaking and electrolytic
treatment, for restorative purposes and to
remove chloride contamination
7. Vapour-phase inhibitors were added to protect
and conserve internal surfaces
8. All exposed surfaces were covered in a
microcrystalline wax for preservations
 2.
Whilst the Endeavour canons required electrolytic cleaning due to their poorly
corroded condition, the Vernon anchors did not. Additionally, the canons
required many stages and steps of treatment (stabilization, removal of
concretions, electrolysis and surface protection) whilst the anchors only
required to steps (removal of concretions and surface protection). This
demonstrates how differing artifacts, materials, times of exposure and oceanic
conditions require different, and possible more extensive, forms of treatment.

HMB Endeavour Engines Vernon Anchors

Cooks Endeavour ran aground in 1770 on
the Great Barrier Reef
Six of ten iron cannons were cast overboard
to reduce weight and refloat the vessel
Canons discovered in 1969 beneath
concretions of two hundred years of coral
Recovered and treated by conservators and
are now on display in the Sydney National
Maritime Museum
Constructed in 1839 as a reformatory for
wayward and orphaned boys
After their use on the Vernon, the anchors were
used for mooring on other vessels
During the 1980s it was suggested that the
Anchors be preserved as a memorial to deceased
sailors
Conservation / Restoration:

Conservations / Restoration: 1. Surface corrosion and remains of protective

1. Canons are soaked in a sea water, 10%
formaline solution to remove and kill
bacteria
2. Coral (calcium carbonate) is removed
mechanically with hammers
3. Canons soaked in a 2% NaOH solution to
passivate the surface of the iron
4. Canons are then electrolyzed in the NaOH
solution at a current density of 10A/m2. The
canon is made the cathode and mild steel is
made the anode.
The solution was replaced at regular
intervals until the concentration of chloride
ions stabilized at 20ppm
5. Canon placed in a low concentration
chromate solution (8.7 x10-3M) to remove
chlorides and hydroxides, and to promote the
passivation of the iron with an iron oxide /
chromic oxide layer
6. Canon dried for two days at 120C and then
immersed in microcrystalline wax (as a
further protective layer) for five days, at
135C to ensure maximum penetration of
wax
7. EDTA treatment applied to reverse the
damage done by the hydrolysis of metallic
chlorides (several months to complete)
paint removed by blasting (smoothing of rough
surfaces) with copper slag
2. Anchor desalinated using 0.5M sodium
hydroxide solution
3. Iron treated with zinc epoxy paint to prevent
further corrosion (cathodic protection and
passivation)
4. Timber components are saturated with zinc
napthenate solution as a biocide and to prevent
growth of damaging organisms
5. The anchors are currents on display in the
Western Australian National Maritime Museum,
and are supported with aluminium mesh
(cathodic protection)
Electrolytic cleaning was not applied to the
anchors because it required the removal of the
timber stocks (which would cause unnecessary
damage) and also because the cast iron was in
sufficiently good condition for preservation.