White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-31

Leak Caused Loss of FL.
A graphic story of the battle fol
life waged in vain 800 feet beneath
the surface of the sea by the twenty
one men who persisted in the nayy's
submarine F-4 last March at Homo
lulu is told in the FINAL report On the
loss of the vessel submitted by a
board of inquiry headed by Rear
Admiral Busch and made public at
Washington, Wednesday.
Examination of the wrecked hull
after 1t had been brought to the sur
face and placed in dry dock eonvinc-
ed the board that the disaster was
caused by a leak resulting from a
corroded battery lining and the fail
ure of the boat through poor diving
qualities to respond promptly to the
rudder change which should have re-
turned her to the surface.
Discarding the theory once add
vanced that chlorine gas brought
quick relief in death to the crew. the
board from signs within the rusted
and battered hulk pieces out it's re-
port a dramatic account of how the
doomed men strove desperately to
save themselves as their vessel sank
to the bottom. Fifteen met death in
the engine room, where they sought
refuge at the last, six died at their
posts in the flooded forward COM
partment.
All members of the ships COM
.pany are absolved from blame in this
tribute:
From facts established, We find
that the accident resulting in disas-
ter to the U. S. S. submarine F-4 on
March 25, 1915, was not due to care
lessness. negligence or inefficiency on
the part of the officers or men of the
vessel, and that, furthermore, the
personnel remained at their respec-
tive stations until all effective
means employed to avert the disas-
ter impending had failed and there
after sought refuge"
After a review of all the facts the
board states its conception of the
disaster as follows:
1.-The primary cause of the disas-
ter was the corroded condition of the
lead lining of the battery tank and,
In consequence Of certain rivets in
the port wall of the forward battery
steel tanks.
The secondary causes were:
"(a) The poor diving qualities
of the vessel; and tb), the conse-
quent failure of the vessel promptly
to respond to MEASURE taken to
bring her to the surface.
Unknown to the commanding Of
fcer, the vessel acquired some neg
tive b%uoyancy forward of the center
of gravity, through the leaky rivet in
the port wall of the forward battery
steel tank.
Water accumulated in the for
ward battery lead-lined tank, and
through corroded. slop tanks over
flowed into the battery cells-in con-
tact with sulphric acid in the cells
generating chlorine gas.
THE vessel developed a strong
tendency to dive.
Upon these limitations of danger
there followed:
"~Up-rudder, but due to the poor
diving qualities of the vessel, ag-
gravated by the additional quantity
of water taken in through the port
wall of the forward battery tank,
vessel did not respond. but, in fact.
continued to descend, and down.
ward momentum gained before pro-
pellers were stopped.
Automatic blow was tripped, and
blow valve on auxiliary tank opened.
I'm the endeavor to cheek the
downward momentum maneuvering
with p~ropellers probably took place.
"The appreciate length of time
requisite for air to build up in bal
last tanks for the expulsion of suf-
ficient quantities of water resulted
In vessel reaching crushing depth.