The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-03
Struck by Gunboat, Brit
ish Vessel Goes to
Bottom. Of Sea.
N O CHAN CE TO
SAVE ANY OF MEN
Only Bare Official Report Avail
able, and Responsibility for Dis
aster Is Not Known-Acci-
dent Adds Another to Long
List Which Has Brought
Sorrow to England.

Portsmouth, England. February a.
Another of the unfortunate Glass a
submarines of the British navy, two of
which had sunk previously, and on
board two others of which various
members of their crews had been killed
or injured In explosions. went to the
bottom OF the sea to-day at the en-
trance to Spithead. with a loss Of four
teen iivcs-four lieutenants and ten
members OF the crew. Not one of the
ships company escaped.
The catastrophe was the result of
collision with the British gunboat
Hazard. which rent a hole in the side
of submarine A-3. The submarine was
engaged with iotilla of sister ships
in practicing evolutions, and was jusr
coming to the surface after a dive,
when the Hazard, proce edinE at a good
rate of speed, struck her.
The submarine filled and sank in
stantiy. Plenty OF assistance was
speedily a hand by means of wireless.
calls from the Hazard. but there was
no chance to save any of the men on
board the A-3.
Under admiralty regulations, only the
bare official report of the sinking oil
the submarine Is available, and 1t Is
not known yet where the blame If
there be blame, for the accident lies
None of those who witnessed the disas-
ter Will he permitted to speak of 1t
until after the official inquiry.
Located by SaIvagcrs.
Salyagers late this afternoon loca ted
the sunken submarine. lying OH the
sandy bottom off Spithead. some forty
feet down. Owing to the darkness,
however, they suspended operations
for the night, and tomorrow morning
VIII make an attampt to raise the lit
tie vessel.
The AS belonged to the early type
of submarine. which is practically OBJ
solete except for coast and harbor de-
Tense work.
King George and Emperor William
this evening sent kilograms of regree
and sympathy to the families Of tho
victims.
The loss OF the AS and her crew
adds another TO the long list OF SINH
lar accidents which have In recent
years thrown the British navy and ru-
ton into mourning.
The crew of the little vessel, which
is one OF the older class, was COM
posed of volunteers from the men Il
the feet. as Is the case with the COM
plcmcnts of all submarines The men,
in spite of the hazardous nature Of
the service, like the work and volun-
teer in large numbers to be detailed
to the submarine notillas.
Many submarines are stationed at
Portsmouth. from which port they con-
stantly go out for diving and tor
pedo practice in the roads. and a num-
Der of fatal accidents have occurred
in the vicinity.
Submarines Unfortunate.
Brltlsh submarines belonging to the
-" class have been singularly un-
fortunate. The "A-5" had six men
killed and twelve injured by an cX-
plosion at Queenstown, February Ie.
1905. The LAS" sank off Plymouth.
June S, 1905, when fourteen men out
of her crew of eighteen lost their
livcs.
The "A-4' sank during tho manoeu
vres 1t Portsmouth, November 1e of
the Same year. but the whole of her
crew We're rescued with considerable
dihculty. The AL" had seven of her
crew badly injured by an explosion
Angus; g. 1910.
This class OF boat is single screw
submersivc OF a modified Holland tyne.
with length of 100 feet and a beam
OF IL feet inches. Their displace-
ment is $50 tons. They are driven by
! sasolene motors when on the surface
OF the water and by electric motors
when submerged. They have a surface
speed OF twelve knots. and n sub
merged speed OF eight knots, The
motors develop 500 indicated horse
power on the surface, and I5O-horse-
| power when submerged. Their arma-
ment consists Of two torpedo tubes.