The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
BLAME GAS
Navy Yard Board said TO Have
Reached That Decision.

The board OF Investigation appointed
by Rear Admiral Nathaniel X. Usher.
commandaut of the New York Nav
Yard. to ascertain the facts OF the en-
Iilosion in the submarine E-2 on SatuI-
day completed its work late yesterday
and turned over A long report of the
case. Admiral Ushe said 1t would be
forwarded to the Navy Department at
Washington this morning. II Is under
stood that the boards findings do not
contradict the prevailing theory that the
explosion was due to an accumulation OF
hydrogen gas.
Officials OF the navy yard were con-
WINGED yesterday that the primary cause
Of the blast which killed four men was
the presence of hydrogen gas in the bat
terry compartment where workmcn were
engaged. The possibility of any other
cause was discounted entirely. 1t then
remained n question. which Will probably
be settled by the report of the investigat-
Ing board just completed. under what
circumstances the gas exploded and
whether carelessness on the part OF any
Of the men. a spark of one kline or an
other. or a temporary defect in the ma
chinery precipitated the blast.
Admiral Usher told a reporter for THE
Sur that az far as he was Informed the
boards findings, which at the time had
not been presented to him formally. did
not change the first theory advanced to
explain the disaster. Commander Frank
b. Upham. second III authority 10 Adj
miral Usher in the yard. made the hypo-
thetical suggestion that an electric com
mutator or fan spark or a workman
smoking might have set of the gas. Both
Admiral Usher and Commander Upham
again emphatically secuted the idea Of
outside violence,
The explanation of Miller Reese
Hutchison. Thomas A. Ed!son's engineer,
that the battery in the e. did not APP
near to have been injured at all and that
consequently no change in the battery
could be suggested as a result Of the ex-
plosion, was interesting to navy officials.
but not convincing, 1t was pointed out
tina there would he more resistance in
the direction OF the battery. 1t was also
asserted that the hydrogen might have
accumulated for some time previous to
the explosion. at IA recent charging OF
the battery. for instance.
Admiral Usher was pleased to state
that the three men in the naval hospital.
j.. L. Miles. Guy ii. Clark and John
lialsey, who were most seriously hurt,
were better yesterday. but the surgeons
could not say hat they were out OF
danger. The six in the Cumberland
tAIttl IoNpINab WI Aopdbl 'SoNSbs
All of them denied yesterday in re-
sponse to a question telephoned up 70
their nurse that any one In the sub.
marine was smoking.
Owing TO the condition Of the men In
the Cumberland street hospital Coroner
Wagner. who determined upon An In
quiry this week. said hat he would
postpone his investigation from to-mo'-
row to a week from Thursday. The
Coroner visited the six men in the Cum
berlsnd street hospital yesterday morn
ing and was much impressed,
They can scarcely speak," was hi
comment. II never saw such burns IN
ali my life, The men won't be able "a
talk to n jury for a couple of weeks. and
some Of them may have difficulty talk
Ing at all"
Guy Hamilton Clark. Jr.. ono OF the
vl'tims Of the explosion, died last might
at l0:l5 o'clock in the Naval Hospital
lie was a machlnist of the second elias,
aud enlisted In Buffalo several year.
& His next Df kin Is Guy Hamilton
Clark of Frankfort, ~. Y.
or the other victims now In the Naya
Hospital, Raymond Otto, an electrician
has been pronounced out of danger. /.
J.. Niles, 'hict electrician, II is now he
NeNed, may !eIoNer and there Al,