Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-01-16

win not be learned until the official
inquiry Is reported. The E-s has been
in dry dock here since Dec. so. when
she came in to be cleaned up, She
il one OF the old style submarines. AS
the new Edison nickel storage battery
which the department hoped would OBJ /
viate such undersea boat disasters as
that OF the IA In Honolulu harbor !
last March, had Just been delivered to !
us, we decided to install n set OF them /,
in the E-s for tinal tryout.
we had tested these batteries and !
the Edison people had tested them in
every conceivable manner to be sure
they would stand up. and we were
satisfied they would but wanted to
make this final test to make assurance
doubly sure.
Not Caused by Chlorine Gas.
What we wanted was storage
battery which would not cause the
generation of chlorine gas when flood
ed with sea water. II was chlorine
gas from flooded batteries that caus-
ed the F-4 disaster, not by an explo-
sion but by asphyxiation by chlorine.
| II could not possibly have been chlor-
inc gas that caused the explosion on
the e. because the boat was in dry
dock and the batteries were out Of
reach of sea water All the openings
of the e. were free and do not think
enough gas could have been generated
TO cause an explosion of such force as
this one produced.
LAS to the men who were working
on the boat, have no reason to have
anything but the utmost confidence in
all OF them, True, there were outsid-
ors, non enlisted men, working on the
e., and among them August Kaplin,
John Schultz and others. Schultz and
another unidentified outside workman
are dead. These outside men have,
some times, to sps Il months proving
their fitness to work here and in get
ting call to work after they have
proved it. All outside workmen are
under civil service regulations. IL
they pass the examinations they have
to furnish recommendations from Ave
responsible persons who are carefully
looked up. After their standing is
established il is weeks, sometimes
months before they can work here.
once the particular work they were
employed for is completed, they are re-
leased. II they want to work here
again they have to take another civil
service examination and follow the
routine exactly as in the initial in
stance.
II am entirely at loss to know what
; actually caused the explosion aboard
the e.. According to street rules OF
the yard, there was presumed to have
been absolutely nothing combustible
ahAprA tho H.
amy other boat
Board of Inquiry.
Admiral Usher tonight appointed a
board OF inquiry TO investigate the
cause of the explosion, Lieutenant
, Commander Pope. Washington com
mander of the receiving ship Maine. is
senior officer of the board. TIL,
other members are Lieutenant Leigh
NJ. Stewart, commander of the de.
: stroyer Mccall, and Lieutenant Rusl
L, Fay, commander of the submarine
= DIS.
So deadly were the gases which
Il poured out of the E-2 that the ordi
nary gas mask could not be used b!
- rescuers. Regular divers helmets wer'
donned by the men who We're lowere'
!, into the hull. Electric blowers wer
y next placed in position and the pois
: onous gases cleared from the vessel
In the meantime, il had been floode'
to extinguish the flames. The waite
made work of rescue more difficult
y The injured were carried to the narroN
', ladders and half dragged to the sur
- face by ropes
q The board of inquiry will sit for tn
!, first time tomorrow. Its investigated
- win be secret and the finding will b
sent direct to Secretary of the Nav
Daniels,
The e. was not seriously damaged
" It was stated at the navy yard tonigh
- Tho work OF installing Edison batterie
- and other interior alteration will b
- halted 1t was announced, until tn
'S naval inquiry is completed,