The sun., 1901-12-11
SUBMARINE BOAT SWAMPED.
FULTON OWED or HER OWN AC-
conn WHEN WATER CANE IN.
Forward Hatch LEFT Open while She Was
Undergoing Repairs the Bott ON
Of PecOnic Hay IN IL Feet Of Water
divers atwork Machinery UninJured

The submarine boat Fulton which was
successfully sent through water, over
water and under water at her trials re-
Gently, showed ON Monday afternoon
that she could do diving trick on her own
hook under proper conditions. Some one
left the forward hatch open while she was
undergoing repairs alongside the Holland
Torpedo Boat Compsny's pier at New Suf-
folk. L. l., and she promptly filled and
stayed "subbed" until last night
Capt. Frank T. Gable OF the Fulton was
visiting his wife, who Is very i'll in this city
when the accident happened. Men from
the company's shops were about TO make
some slight repairs to the exhaust valve.
which Is aft and well below. In order to
bring the stern out of water the crew. for
getting that the forward hatch was still
open. submerged the bow. The water
rushed in instantly, bringing the Fulton
so that she stood almost perpendicular,
nose down. Some one then suggested that
IL her stern were also sent under she would
probably come to the surface before she
filed enough to 60 to the bottom. They
tried that The water gurgled through
from stem TO stern, and she dropped to the
bottom, the water being twelve feet deep.
There was no one aboard at the time.
The crew couldn't realize just what
had happened. They had seen the Full
ton go down 80 many times only TO bob
up serenely again that they stood star
ing at the water half expecting her TO rise
again. But the Fulton remained sub
at the bottom of the Peconic Bay.
Word OF what had happened first reached
the companys New York offices. 100
Broadway Yesterday morning They % i'm
Conn. for divers. and in the afternoon
two pumps were get in operation on the
Fulton. The divers guaranteed 10 have
her pumped out, sealed and on the sur
face before the day was over.
Capt. Cable was almost broken hearted
when he heard Of the accident and hur-
ried down to New Suffolk. He expected
TO start the Fulton on a 455-mile trip to
Washington on Friday under her own
steam He proposed To run her on the
surface with her gasolene engine when
the weather was smooth. In rough seas
he intended to drop her to sufficient
depth 10 escape the motion, and operate
her with the motor dynamo with which
she is fitted Capt Gable expected TO
reach Washington some time on Sunday.
Now the trip will have TO I've postponed,
how long II will be impossible to say until
the extent OF the damage to the machin-
cry can he learned.
1T was all caused by pure carelessness.
a representative Of the company said, yes
saw All Of the crew have worked hard on
the Fulton and they all take a very great
interest in her. We have divers working
on her with two Of our pumps, and it will
be perfectly safe for you TO saw that we'll
have her up tonight. We've been guar
anteed that ! cant say now when well
start on our Washington trip. ] don't
anticipate much damage TO the engines,
"a they haven't been under long enough
for the salt water 70 get In much destructive
work. Wen probably get on some time
next week
The Fulton il 65 feet long and feet
deep. During recent tests In Pecon!c Bay
she demonstrated her ability 10 do every
thing asked Of her. Her Washington trip
IL 10 show what she can accomplish in a
long-distancp way. Capt. W. Baron Fer
sen, the Russian naval attarhf who was
present AZ the trials. has just written TO
The Holland company expressing his salts
faction NJ the F,Ilton's Performance
-Shc steers very WE'LL he writes. ma
nuuvres easily as well on the surface as
below. and excellently kcsrs her depth
when submerged There was not the slight
est sign Of close or sitting air although
twelve men were inClosed in her for thirty
fyc minutes and no change 81 air made.
Submarines 81 the Fulton type must here
after he reco gnized as a serious factor in
naval warfare