The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-15
U. S. NAVY
SUBMARINE
BLOWS UP
Three Are Killed. Several May
Die From Burns.
Gas Explosion OF New Edison
Battery, Cause.
SIMILAR TO F-4 CATASTROPHE
Second Like Accident on Sub
mersibIe Craft.
Victims Dragged From Hull
With Clothes Afire.
Gas Explosion of New Edison
Battery, Cause.
SIMILAR TO F-4 CATASTROPHE
Second Like Accident on Sub
mersibIe Craft.
Victims Dragged From Hull
With Clothes Afire.

New York, Jan. 15.-Three men
were killed. three were fatally injured
and nine seriously burned by an eXplo-
sion on board the submarine E-2 in
dry dock at the Brooklyn navy yard
this afternoon.
A defective battery is believed to
have caused the explosion. The in
terror Of the submarine was found in
flames by the party which rushed to
the rescue Of the crew. on hearing the
boom. While several men worked
putting out the flames, others rushed
in ana began digging out the injured
The officer Of the day said that
while only one man is known to be
dead. he believed others of the nine
would die in d short time, they We're
SO badly burned.
Several Of the men were dragged
from the submarines interior with
their clothing in flames.
Testing Il Battery.
1t was reported that the engineers
in the navy yard were testing one OF
the new Edison batteries installed in
the craft at the time Of the explosion
These batteries were intended to OBJ
Viatc the danger to the crews of sub
marines from gas fumes Recently
submarines of the + class We're report
ed to have made successful trips with
the batteries in use.
Later reports that came from the
navy yard were that twelve men had
been taken out from me hold seriously
injured and twenty with lighter in
iuries They were removed to the
naval hospital in the yard.
Newspaper men ere barred from
the yard and il was with much diff
ficulty that the report of the eX Jlosion
could be confirmed through yard Of
ficials and all details concerning the
accident were refused.
ms ms in
1910 and displaced 43O tons. She was
capable of travelling Il knots on the
surface and ii knots when submerged.
The E-2 in September, 1914, had
narrow escape from an accident SINH
lar to that which befell the F-4 out
side Honolulu harbor.
Detected Gas.
While the submersible was engaged
in maneuVers Oft Brenton reef light
ship, Ensign Gillian detected chloric
gas when the vessel was submerged so
feet. He ran to the surface by using
the pumps instead of blowing out the
tanks When the submarine reached
the surface the coming tower was
quickly opened to give the crew fresh
air. Every one of the nineteen mem
bers of the crew. it is said, were more
or less affected by the gas some
bleeding from the nose and mouth. As
a result of the accident, Ensign Gillian
was under medical treatment at a ma
val hospital for several months.
The E-2 was the only vessel in the
world equipped with the Edison nick
eled batteries and she made her first
trip successfully with them on De-
oember 7. l@st With Lieutenant Chas-
NJ. Cooke. jr.. in command. the E.
made an extensive run on the surface,
then dived and maneuvered for sew
eral hours After these experiences.
the E-2 made a successful run sub
merged and the crew found no trace
of gas. The run proved, il was de-
clared on excellent authority. that the
new batteries gave better speed with
less fuel. The E-2 went into com
mission at Boston in the spring of
1912. The boat was built in the yards
of the Electric Boat company at Fore
River. Mass.
The E-2 with her sister ship. Ell,
were the first two naval vessels to he
equipped with the Deisel oil burning.
interior combustion engines nd they
were the first submarines to be equip
ped with wireless telegraphy appara-
tus.
The explosion occurred while the
submarines batteries were heing re-
charged. according to a statement
rrade at the naval hospital by one of
the injured men. It was caused by
hydrogen gas. he said:
Men working near the F-2 hoard a
terrific detonation and then saw a
great burst Of flame shoot from one
of the hatchways
Officers of the E-2 were Iieutena MT
Charles NJ Cooke. Jr.. of Arkansas
and Lieutenant w. S. Haas of Rhode
Island Cooke served five years on
the submarine tender Tonopah in
preparation for taking command OF
the E-2 and Haas Joined the boat a
few months after she was commits
SFOpad