The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-21
ELS Y@ENTTLATING
WAS SOLELY WITHIN
System Used When Submerged
in Operation ut Time
Of Explosion.
HUTCHINSON Is CAUTIONED

The condition Of the ventilating sys-
tenn on the submarine E-2. which was
wrecked by an explosion Of hydrogen
gas or Saturday. occupied the attention
OF the court Of inquiry during most OF
yesterdays SESSION at the navy yard.
1t was disclosed that only inboard ven-
t~ilation. or a process OF diffusing gases
through the vessel such AS exists when
a submarine is submerged, was going
OH at the time.
The iaterior of the craft and the
condition OF the vcntilating apparatus
were described by LIEUT.. Rush s. Fay.
commander Of the submarine D-3. who
was appointed u member and recorder
OF the board on the day Of the acct
dent. Lieut.. Fay. youthful app airing
and alert. read from n little memoran-
dunn book facts which mevely hint"d
at the scene of destruction inside the
E-2 when he inspected her.
only ono vcntilating fan was going
when he went aboard. II was forcing
air under and IN through the spaces
in the cell compartment and then out
through a III tuhole, n method used gem
orally only during submcrsion. and in
teldtd 10 prevent the accumulation OF
gas in any one spot.
liz piOsiOn From Below.
There were evidences OF explosion at
the forward and after ends OF the aft Y
battery and At the forward end ~ the
forward battery. and the air pipes
above the battery flooring were
also d.nted. indicating that tho force
Of the explosion had been from below.
The engine wHs apparently uninjurcd,
which would not have been the casa. II
il believed, II the explosion had It's
origin there. Az contcnded At first by
officials Of the Edison company.
Although admitting that inboard Won
,ilatiou H. not customary when on tho
surface. and that &, IN not a. effective
as ou;hoard ventilation. Lieut.. Fay said
he knew the E-2 WAS undergoing tests
with the Edison battery and thought
tina was the reason for the inboard
system being used.
II also developed at tho inquiry. fol
lowing Lieut.. cookies statement OF the
day before that he had not been in
formed by any Edison officials Of tho
tendency ~ the cell to generate hydro.
gen gas when reversed. hat this par
,icular phenomenon is new TO naval Off
GERS connected with submarine work n
is not yet understood by them.
This fact was particularly interesting
in connection with the statement
Yesterday by Miller Reese Hutchinson.
chief engineer for Thomas A. Edison.
that he did not think the ventilation
was all that II shou.d have been.
Uutrbison IL Rebuked.
Mr.. Hutchinson made This remark in
explaining a statement by him appear
ing "A wspape for which he was
rebuked by Capt. William II. q. Billiard,
president Of the court. In the interview
Mr.. Hutchinson attributed the accident to
imp oper ventilation and intimated tina
the disaster was caused by carelessness
OF navy men, He verified most of the
statements in the interview and then
was cautioned by Capt. Billiard against
giving out state ments which might be
construed in the eyes of the public as
an attempt to PREJUDICE the case.
j. A. Spilman. naval constructor. said
that the plans Of the E-2 had been sub
mitted to l.. W. Norton. consulting en-
gineer Of the Edison company. who after
careful study approved Of the ventiiat-
ing system and consented to have the
batteries installed for testing.
In the afternoon the court went 10
the Cumberland Street Hospital and
questioned the civil employees who were
injured in the accident They all aid
that they merely saw a flash. before
becoming unconscious and that no one
ON board was smoking. had lighted a
match. or had used "A lighted torch.