Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-10
OFFICIAL FINDINGS ON F. DISASTER MADE PUBLIC
navy BOARD ABSOLVE OFFICERS
AND MENOF ALL PERSONAL BLAME

, oil into vessel, and that, therefore,
This oil found its way through
open seams in the shell plating and
through the forward ventilator to the
surface.
II. Valves on one-hundred pound
emergency air lines 10 forward com
partment and engine-room found clos
ed, and that therefore,
No attempt was made to blow water
from these compartments.
"a. Engine-room door found dished
In same manner as engine-room bulk
head, and that, therefore,
This door must have been In the
closed position when the engine-room
bulkhead failed.
IL Under normal conditions. en-
gine-room door Is kept open, and that,
therefore,,
This door must have been closed by
intention when many Of the person.
mel sought refuge in the engine-room.
Fifteen Bodies IN Ennlne-rocm.
Is Fifteen bodies found in the en-
gine-rocm. and that. therefore,
II is probable that some members
of the personnel sought refuge 10 the
engine-room before its door was clos
ed.
l6. Many articles belonging in mid.
die compartment found In after end
Of engine-room. and that. fherefore,--
It Is probable that some of the az,
teen bodies found In the engine.room
were washed aft subsequent to the
~ ss sa s,nS st vs.l su.hnsse'
,s,,a ra ns hs,Is ss ,oa aa .Sas Is q
enslne-room puikheau' ana tnat there;
fofe'r
~ y proDapie tnat not al OF the
members q the personnel attempted,
pr were able, " reach the engine
room
10 AutoMa.lc Prov Ioun1 .ripped'
waves pn Qle-npqqred pound air mani
ioia found open switches found
sllown uI.,ns luooeIs ROUND operati
60, ana tnal, tnerefore.-
Syre iheLnDer ~ members OF sne
pstsonnei were awe. ana capable Of
ACTON TOT ~ ieast 2 snort time, after
tnf oceurrence Wplcn leo 10 the ais
ss.
Hutkneac pisheo.
~ Engine-room bulkhead found
naliy oisheqs conceNe slqe forward
aoQI- lrame founQ rpptnred ct top and
et lover corners; sulkhead plating
torn at these corners. and from up
per middle portion to bounding angle;
smell rlxeH found pulled through;
bounding angle displaced aft; and
that, fheretore.--
due 70 great pressure on the for.
ward side, the bplkhead failed sud
denly
~ kngipe,room bulkhead failed an
appreclaDie length OF time after occur
renee which led y disaster, and that,
lnerefQrer
Ihls time1nterval was probably suf-
Llcient for the vessel TO reach the
bottom.
Il Slight damage to shell plating
v wake Of bounding angle shell riv-
cts pulled through; bounding angle
displaced from It's normal position;
part o. the bulkhead plating failed in
and that therefore
The failure Of the engine-room bulk
mead was not caused by the salvage
DpeIatlons-
~. Valves and sea lines In engine
room excepting mufners and star
BOARD muIlier vaive-casting-torn off
apparently py salvage operations,
.oppQ 70 eoon CONDITION; some mem
1ers OF personnei sought refuge IN
engine.room conclusion l5); engine
room door intentionally closed ICON
III ana tnat, therefore-
Inc acclQe1t Wpifh was the pri-
mary cause Of the disaster OCCURRED
Onward OF the engine:room bulkhead.
s9rro9,en ef hatfery Fiafe&
- STOP tanks and lead lining OF
battery steel tanks found corroded,
mo that therefore
TINS corrosions resulted from the
chemical action OF suiphurie acid upor,
impurities N the lead.
"a suiphuric ACID found It's way
Infough perforated lead hned tanks
conclusion zSl, and that, therefore
fne c0rroded condition OF the rivets
lpd plating Of the battery steel tanks
resulted from the chemical action Of
sulphurlc acid.
%. Battery steel tanks IN general
IQund IN excellent condition, and that,