The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-09-03

FORMER reports OF dlNerS, that they
suffered severely from lifting opera
tons, especially those of the scows.
An explosion Of the batteries also has
been conjectured as having been the
cause, but the chaos that prevails in
the middle compartment probably
would prevent ascertaining the truth
Of this until cleaning out of the sub
marine has progressed further.
Those who see the L>g rent in the
huh should not get the impression that
it was caused by an explosion, however.
II was due altogether to the tearing
of the chains, so far as is known nov
by anyone outside the fotilla,, and Ger
tainly in greatest meaAire, in any case.
A meeting Of the board was held at
the naval station yesterday afternoon.
1t, was short.
Ashcroft Was Gunner's Mate
Ashcroft was az gdnner's mate first
class, of the "a. de was thirty i've
years old, and enlisted in the navy
January 20, 1908 FIHis next of kin, as
carried in the records of the notilla.
was Mrs. Mary +. Ashcroft, his mother,
whose residence was given as 1911
Newton street, Los Angeles, Califor,
MIA. She was notified yesterday that
the body had been found and identi
fed positively. The same word was
sent to the navy department by Adj
miral Boush.
He also eabled the department that
the forward half of the battery, or
second, compartment, had"been clean,
ed out.
Natural decomposition of the bodies
aud falling apart Of the bones was
FASTENED by the severe shaking up the
submarine had during the early days
of operations, and especially by the
failing of battery plates from above.
Marine Life Also Element
Presence of marine life after the
big hole was torn in the boat forward
also undoubtedly was a factor Of con
siderable importance; so that, all in
all, the bodies ma be said to be heap
ed together inIscr Intimately, with
thigh bones, ribs AMI skulls lying in n
miscellaneous heap, mixed with bat
terry plates, furniture, engine fitting
and sand.
Naturally, the scene inside is grue
some, but not so gruesome as might
have been expected, for the decay of
the flesh had progressed to great
degree. 1t crumbles when touched, go
it was described by officers of the flo
tina.
/. All the batteries were in the middle
compartment, and there the most con.
fusion is SEGA. Hundreds of plates
fell, and they are in mass like jack
straws, as Lieutenant Comma naer Fur
or told of it, In the after cOmpaTt,
ment, where the Diesel engines Of the
submarine are, there was not so much
loose material to fall, but engine At,
tings have gone down and added to
the chaos. -
First Compartment Opened
The middle compartment was open.
ed by the great rent in the port bow,
THIS rent, made when the submarine
was torn from the scOws May 25, de.
Stroyed the partition separating the
middle compartment from the forward
one. ami the side of the hull was clos
cd in, much as the sides of paper
cylinder close when the paper is fold
cd. Through this steel an opening was
cut yesterday to the first compartment
by an Oxvacetylene flame, and view
of the interior of the compartment
was had.
There was great confusion here, too
COR. although there were not the bat
terry plates that dropped to the roo
of the middle compartment, there wer
hunks, desks and most Of the furniture
of the boat, and these were jumbleI
together. The forward compartment.
has not been cleaned out, and it prob
ably will be the last of all, for the
bodies are in the middle and after com
partments.
When the submarine turned on h"
9uperstructurr, the bodies of the mrr
cell to the top, now the bottom, aul
IL the severe shaking up of sever
weeks followed, eliminating in the ii,
astrols ending of May 25, the batter,