Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-09-13
YET Tell
WHAT WAS CAUSE
Of Fl CALAMITY
Admiral C. ]. Bousch Says ln-
qIirY Board Has Secured all
Information Available

eve have secured all the informa:
tion available, and we cannot yet tell
what was the cause Of her not coming
up,'s said ear-Admiral Clifford ].
Boush, chairman of the naval board
of investigation appointed to deter.
mine the cause Of the F-4's sinking,
when shown printed news item to-
day from Washington telling in detail
OF the report made to the navy depart
ment by the first board Of inquiry, Of
which Rear Admiral Charles B. 4.
Moore was chairman.
This was the only word Of comment
which Rear Admiral Boush would
make regarding the results Of the
minute examination of the wrecked
submarines hull made by the board,
which went into session again short
ly before noon today
Our Intentions are to get the sub
marine on the drydock either this
evening or tomorrow morning. and
tow her over to Pearl Harbor, the
rearadmiral said shortly before the
board came together today. The boat
will not be fioated OF until the board
has, made q final survey Of the wreck,
which probably will be some time to-
day.
5 That the crew of the F-4 knew the
boat had defects before they went
aboard on the Hl.fated voyage, March
25, is pointed out in the report, 1t is
said. Letters written by members Of
the crew to their parents living In
Los Angeles, shortly before the disas-
ter, and afterwards published In the
Los Angeles Times, declared the sub
marine to be defective.
!. The Washington news item says:
Serious weaknesses common to all
four Of the nayy's r type Of submar-
ines are pointed out In the report Of
the board of inquiry which made an
Immediately after the
loss of the F4' with her crew Of "a
last March, I v.s1.ts p - sss{t !
$50 far as could be determined be-
fore the boat was raised, the board
found that every possible precaution
had been taken within the limitations
Of design. and the report pays tribute
10 the efficiency and courage Of the
men who lost their lives and who
we're aware of defects in the boat
Although the first board reported
hat it could draw no conclusion, the
that the crew might have
been killed by chlorine gas Is indf-
;ated in the finding that:
"'Sea water has at times seeped
nto the cells of the storage batter.
es of the boats of the Il class, eatis4i
ng the evolution of chlorine gas,
which is quickly destructive of life.
"'A comparatively small amount of
ea water can cause the liberation of
jufficient chlorine gas to asphyxiate |
he crew of a submarine, while In a |
condition. s--..r |
ga small quantity Of sea water,
he report observes, 'seeped INTO three |
# the cells of the forward storage
'attery in the FL, damaging the cells /
nd liberating quantities of chlorine
as. No fatalities or injuries to per-
ooneI followed as the boat was
aoored to the dock.' =
Referring to the batteries of F
oats, it is pointed out that faulty
permits the generation
( hydrogen, and that q hydrogen ex-
losion in the F-4 on March 6, 1915,
amaged the vessel"
Little was done with, the F-4 in dry
ock this morning. Several of the
ubmarine fiotilla men amused them
selves by climbing into the four exi