Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-23
DEATH IN THE DEEPS.
Submarines That Have Sunk In
Times of Peace.

From London Answers.
During scouting maneuvers Oft Spithead
in March, 1904, the steamship Berwick
Castle reported having struck something
shortly after having sighted the periscope
of submarine.
The officer i'm command Of the scouting
fotilla thought that probably dummy
torpedo had been fired at the vessel. and
no immediate notice was taken or the
matter Only on the return to harbor
was submarine A 1 found to be missing,
with her crew of eleven. Throughout the
night dragging and diving operations were
carried on: but not until the afternoon OF
the next day was she found. her con-
ming tower had been practically Wrenched
off, and her crow drowned like rats In
trap
Another terrible submarine disaster be-
fell the A in June, 1905. With men on
board to the number of eighteen, she was
exercising outside the breakWater at Dew
onport, when suddenly she dived. with
matches open. Only four men were saved.
One of the most prolific sources of dan
ger on board submarines is the chlorine
gas which Is Immediately generated II
sea water gets into the storage batteries.
A very small quantity of chlorine gas In
the air will render work impossible, by
causing violent coughing, and very little
more will Gauss suffOcation.
the A class were CARRYING on instruction.
al exercises in Stokes bay.
While A was below the surface some
water got into the accumulators. Before
the surface could be reached again an ex-
plosion occurred, and some of the gear
was thrown out of trim, with the result
that the vessel rose at an angle.
When the craft was seen to rise out or
the water, stern first, with her coming
tower still under, the tug Nettle rushed
to her assistance. and. attaching raw
ser. pulled her level.
Then the coming tower was opened,
and, amid the yellowish fumes of the
chlorine gas. the crew crawled out in a
half-suffocated condition.
Twice the GOODNESS and heroism OF her
officers have saved A 3 from terrible is
aSter.
In February. 1905, the frail craft WAS
struck by trading vessel when twenty
five feet under water. Lieut.. Fraser Or
tn, pumping out of the water that hal
got into the coming tower. Much to the
relief of all. the boat rose to the surface.
In July of last year, as part OF 1otilla
of seven submarines, the A left Ports
mouth. accompanied by the parent SHIP
Eolus Lieut.. Groves was in the con-
ming tower, with Lieut.. Warren. when he
noticed a strong smell of petrol gas. fol-
lowed by the movements or the vessel
becoming erratic. He signaled to the
answer The two officers then ventured
below, and found the engines going full
speed and the crew all lying apparently
lifeless "a.
Lieuts Groves and Warren tried agasA
and again to reach the engines, but were
driven back by the fumes. A petty Of
ficer who had been above with them. de-
Scended, but was stricken down. Then
the gallant officers enveloped their faces
i'm wet cloths. and Lieut.. Groves sue
ceeded in turning off the supply of petrol,
thus stopping the engines and the genera
ton of gas. He was found by the rescue
party. that arrived soon after. lying
stretched across the engines; but he had
saved his men and ship.
There were no white mice on board the
A 9 when this accident happened. al
though formerly every submarine carried
three of these little creatures. They were
allowed Is a week each for rations, and
the sum was entered in the navy pay
roll Their duty was to run about their
cages squeaking shrilly whenever they
detected the presence of noxious gases;
and many a disaster they have averted.
Recently they were replaced by an au-
tomato contrivance which serves the
same purpose.