The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-03-26
SUBMARINE BOAT
CASKET FOR SAILORS
CONTINUED from page L.

ty-fiye men including warrant officers
and an effort was being made to Sc
cure the names Of these. A list was
lexpected shortly.
4 Secretary Daniels said if 1t proved
true that the Fla was lost, it would
be the first case of the kind in the
United States navy's history. He adj
ded that about ten years ago, an
American submarine met with an &C
/ cident while submerged in Newport
iharbor and was unable to ascend for
! four hours. The crew, however, fin
ally brought 1t to the surface by
using hand pumps.
Theory of Accident
| MARE ISLAND, Calf, March 26.-
That the submarine F4 struck sub
merged coral reef and was MORALLY
hurt, was the theory officials OF Mare
Island navy yard advanced this aft
iernoon. They have abandoned all
hope that the crew will be rescued
alive.
The F-4 was QUILTED here for the
trip to Honolulu.
The officers and crew of the lost
submarine were very we'll known hero
and all along the Pacific coast.
But Little Hope.
WASHINGTON, March 26-For the
first time In its history, the United
States navy probably has lost sub
marine. The FL lies under the
waters at the entrance of Honolulu
harbor, according to latest reports
received by the navy department.
Nineteen men, most of them trained
warrant officers and her commander,
Liuetenant Alfred Louis EIDE, are i'm
prisoned in the steel hull, which it is
feared may prove their final tomb.
Early. today naval officers were
hopeful that the "a would be raised,
either by the crew at the hand pumps
or by the submarine tender at Homo.
lulu. 1t was pointed out that the lit
tie craft was equipped with hooks to
which chains might be attached to lift
her; that she had a splendid sub
marine signalling apparatus and
marker buoy, which attached to the
outside and released by a half turn
of a wheel within, whirled to the sur
face and marked its position.
The first Official report, however
dashes the hopes Of all but the most
optimistic.
Commander Smith, in charge Of the
first submarine flotilla, cabled Secre-
tary Daniels that the mouth Of the
Honolulu harbor, where the F-4 had
disappeared, was covered with fue!
oil. The frail craft was operated by
OIL engines. Presence OF oil on the
surface Indicated that either the wat
er ballast tanks had failed to empty
and oil tanks were dumped to tighten
the boat, or that the vessel had been
smashed open and her oil had flowed
out.
The fact that the marker buoy had
not been seen and that the submarine
signalling apparatus had not been
heard, was admittedly ominous. Rear
Admiral Taylor, aide for construction.
said that If the crew were alive, it
was hard to understand why they had
not been located by one or the other
signalling systems. He said the
depth OF water off Honolulu where the
vessel sank was only thirty fathoms
(1s0 feet) and that one of the F class
OF submarines had once been sub
merged to depth of 2S3 feet He
added that he hoped for the best. but
that he was fearful OF the outcome.
Secretary Daniels cabled the COM
mander Of the Honolulu naval station
that no efforts were to be spared to
says the crew. All available men and
vessels at the Hawaiian station were
ordered employed IN the rescue work
While there was much speculation
as to what had taken place, officials
said 1t would be impossible to tell
until the submarine was hoisted to
the surface. 1t was recalled that
about ten years ago one of the earlier
types OF submarines became disabled
off Newport and sank to the bottom.
Her power pumps refused to work.
but the crew used the hand pumps
am finally brought her to the surface
after all on board had been given up
for lost.
This was the nearest approach to
the loss OF submarine In the his
tory OF the American navy
There have been minor casualties
through explosions on board and the
Ike. but they have never resulted IN
the loss of vessel.
The last list Of the crew Of the sub
marine F. was received by the navy
department March Z. 1t showed a
complement Of one command officer
and nineteen enlisted men. The same
officer was believed still in command.
Among the men, it was said there
might have been some changes. The
department cabled to Honolulu for a
corrected list. The March Z list was
az follows:
Lieutenant Alfred Louis EIDE, CON.
handing. Geo. T. Ashcroft, gunners'
mate, first class, home, Los Angeles.
Clark G. Buck, gunners' mate, second
class, home, Tacoma, Wash. Ernest
&c. Cauyfn. machinists' mate, second
class, home, New Orleans. Harley
Colweil. chief electrician, home, Seat
tie, Wash. Walter F. Covington, ma
ci1inists' mate, first class, home, RI
Worth, Texas. Geo. F. Deeth, elec-
trtcian, second class, home, Portland,
Oregon. AIiston H Grndie. chlel
electrician, home, San Francisco. &c
frat