The Washington herald., 1912-04-28
COMPRESSED AIR
PREVENTS SINKING
Capt. Charles C. Marsh Declares
New System Makes Ships
Unsinkable.

The only way that any ship can be
made unsuitable is by the use OF COM
pressed air in each water-tight compart-
ment." said Capt. Charles c. Marsh,
commanding the armored cruiser North
Carolina The North Carolina, upon
Capt. Marsh's urgent recommendation.
is being fitted out with the compressed
air system, and naval authorities now
have under consideration the PROPOSE
ton of having this system installed In
every other vessel OF the service. Capt.
Marsh arrived N Washington yesterday
for a weekend visit with his family,
Mrs. Marsh being a daughter of the late
Rear Admiral Bob" Evans.
The Titanic was believed to be un-
sinkable by her builders and accord
ingly by many of the passengers. some
OF whom undoubtedly lost their lives as
result OF this faith IN the ability OF
shipbuilders to provide an absolutely
safe means OF transportation for them
across the sea-" said Capt. Marsh.
The sad result has shaken the faith OF
the world in the absolute safety Of ocean
traffic. From what have been able
to learn o. the Titanic, l believe that the
vessel was as near perfection as snip
constructors could make IL. with the only
exception Of the use Of compressed air.
Had this air system been in use on the
Titanic. as II is now being installed on
the North Carolina, 1 think that that
ship would not have sunk and all of
those thousand or more lives would have
been spared"
Capt. Marsh pointed out in an inter-
view last night that the owners OF the
steamship Mount Temple, which was
one Of the vessels nearest the Titanic at
the time II struck the iceberg, the cap
tain OF which is now in Washington
testifying before the Senate investigat-
ing committee. are in a position to bear
out his statements as to the successful
application of compressed air in keep
ing ships afioat. This was first proven
on the Mount Temple herself. which
was sunk in the St. Lawrence River
a few years ago. After every custom
ary means OF salvage had been tried
without result. John Arbuckle. OF New
York. experimental with compressed air
and raised the ship.
Last summer permission was given
Capt Marsh to begin installation OF
compressed air on the North Carolina.
Owing TO the regular work OF the ship
at sea. the installation has been slow,
but since the target practice recently
the ship has gone. to the Portsmouth
yard, where the work will be rushed to
completion.
Capt. Marsh finds the compressed air
system comparatively inexpensive, and
suggests that merchant ships need not
apply II back farther than amidships.
since practically all collisions are against
the bow. 1t should be fitted throughout
warships, however, since a torpedo is
likely to enter at either end. When the
North Carolina is completely fitted out
it would be impossible for the vessel to
sink, unless a torpedo were fired into
considerably more than half OF the COM
partments, which is beyond the range OF
all likelihood. Even a mine, such as is
supposed to have caused the Maine dis
aster. might tear through into two or
three compartments. and the ship would
be saved unless the force OF the ex-
pIosion should set of one OF the maga-
zines. Such a contingency as that could
not be provided against by any means