Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-28


bulkhead. In this connection it says:
"Slop tanks and lead lining Of bat
itery steel tanks found corroded. and
, therefore this corrosion resulted from
the chemical action of sulphurfc acid
upon impurities in the lead.
Battery steel tanks in general
found in excellent condition, and, there
| fore.
| The corrosion of certain rivets and
areas occurred prior to March %, 1915,
| the date of the disaster.
| Valves and rudders found operated
switches found thrown: engine room
door Intentionally closed; and. there
| fore.
The personnel were not asphyxiated
before the vessel; under normal condi-
tons. could have been brought to the
surface.
''Corroded rivet in port wall of for
ward battery steel tank, in wake Of
! frame No. 81. found to leak slightly
| under even a small head OF water-not
more than one foot to which this por-
ton Of tank could be subjected in dock.
and, therefore,
"on, the dive Of March IS. 1915. this
corroded rivet leaked considerably.
Explosion Occurs.
Due to Inevitable short circuit Of
heavy ground. caused by flooding Of
cells through slop tanks. In the pres
| ence of chlorine and free hydrogen Cor
in the presence Of free hydrogen alone.
| If In sufficient quantity electric arc
struck. and. therefore.
AN explosion occurred.
"A battery fire of limited extent &C.
CURED in the forward battery positive
cell. but that, nevertheless this bat
terry fire was not the primary cause Of
the disaster
Leak found in port wall Of forward
battery steel tank, probable leaks
around certain other corroded rivets in
both battery tanks, probable leak
through open torpedo tubes. otherwise
no positive evidence found as to where
Leakage occurred. and therefore,
The vessel began to leak through
of 900 feet was reached, and at such
rate that the weight of water COM
ing in was greater than the weight of
water being expelled from the ballast
tanks; and, Furthermore,
"Slop tanks found corroded; suction
pipe leading to bottom of forward bat
terry lead-lined tank found plugged
with marine glue. and, therefore,
THESE conditions were contributory
to the disaster"
Difficult to Control.
The report continues:
NO evidence found that the F-4 had
docking IN February, 1915, when ex-
perimental propellers were ftted-the
only known alteration made; and,
therefore, -}''r.s
THE experimental propellers SO SUBJ
stituted probably so affected the tnflu-
encs of the after diving rudders as to
make it difficult for the diving rudder
man to control the vessel; and, fur
thermore,
The poor diving qualities consequent
upon this change of propellers were the
secondary cause of the disaster.
Air valves found open on forward
main, middle main, auxiliary and after
main ballast tanks, and. therefore,
In the endeaver to check the ves-
Lsefs downward momentum, the inter-
val of time requisite for the expulsion
of sufficient quantities of water per-
mitted the vessel to reach crushing
depths"
/ Gives Cause for Disaster.
A statement issued here last night by
Henry r. Carse. president of the Elec-
trio Boat Company des gners Of the sub
marine F-4, attributed the loss of the
boat with her crew in Honolulu harbor
to the fact that ballast-tank air valves
had been left open. Corrosion of the
lead lining of the batteries and Of riv-
cts. found by the naval hoard of in
quiry to have been the primary cause
of the disaster, the statement said, in
dicated lack Of care, but could not have
been more than contributory cause.
OF the naval board criticism of the
diving qualities of the F-4 Mr.. Carse
said:
The propeilers on the F-4 were an
improved design on those used on pre-
vious boats. These propeIlers differed
only slightly. having increased area of
blades They were used on this boat
during her official acceptance trial, and
no evidence of poor diving qualities
were discovered then. or was any men,
| ton of poor diving qualities ever made
| in official reports after commissioning.
| 1t is impossible to see from technical
| point of view how such slight variation
| in propellers could affect the diving
| qualities of the boat in any way.
| " Air Valves Found Open.
| THE question of air valves having
been found open on the forward. mid
| die and aft main ballast tanks and the
| auxiliary ballast tank will account for
| the loss of the vessel When a sub
marine is properly handled these valves
are only open sufficiently long for the
air to escape from the ballast tank
when the ta2ks are being filled. Inn
me1diately aff - filing filing ths tanks the
|
closed it is impossible to blow the bal
! last from the tanks and allow the boat
| to rise to the surface. In case a boat is
careiessly trimmed and In case she
| should spring a leak. or have collision
with a reef or any submerged object,
she is doomed unless these valves are
closed.
In the foregoing remarks there is
no intention of rejecting on the un-
fortunate men who lost their lives in
the vessel, but the fact that these
valves were left open must not be over
looked"