The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-09-18
TRAPPED At BOTTOM OF SEA =. :.
. -: II. BRAVE CHILEAN CREW SAVED
Rescue OF e. Sailors Helpless in Sbma me- Without One Loss
- Thrilling Chapter Of Herosm In a Navy Already
=. Rich in Traditions Of Unfahering =
""..:~. - Devotion to Duty.

New York.-Felix Nieto Del Rio.
correspondent in New York of I'll
:Diario nustrado of Santiago, Chilli, re-
,Iates for the New York Herald the
following story Of the sinking Of the
submarine H-3 of the Gillian navy,
and it's remarkable rescue without
loss of life: - e.. =
In the beginning Of June mari
time accident occurred In the military
port of Talcnhuano, Chilli, which will
figure with honor in the history of
submarine navigation. The fact has
special interest for the experts of the
United States because the submarine
.H-S Of the Gillian war squadron was
constructed here by the Electric Boat
company. This submarine is one of
six which the British government had
ordered built during the war, but
which she turned over to Chill along
with so airplanes and hydroplanes Of
combat. England made this grant to
Chill after having taken over for her
own feet two superdreadnaughts of
$4,000 tons, as we'll as some destroyers
Of 1900 tons and other smaller vessels
which Chilli was having constructed.
sand which were used by England in
the war against Germany.
The submarine fleet left New E0n.t
don last year.. conveyed Blythe cruiser
''9hacabuco, under the command Of
Admiral Luis Gomez Carreno. At
charleston a furious tempest came up,
which lasted 70 hours, during which
time the submarines, defying all dan
ger, demonstrated their excellent con-
struction and the dexterity Of their
>Chilian crews. The transport Anga-
mos, auxiliary Of the fleet, was almost
lost in the storm. Having thus proved
the worth of the submarines, which at
all times remained In a compact group,
those in command understood that
they could continue the tHp to the
>coast of Chill with entire confidence.
The fleet touched at Havana. Kings
ton. Colon. Balboa, port in Ecuador;
africa, Chill, Valparaiso and Talca-
-huano, their final destination.
This formidable voyage Of many
thousand miles is in truth record
that adds another proud page to the
traditional competence and fearless
ness Of the Gillian sailors. who re-
:ceived their first naval instruction
from the famous English admiral.
Lord 7COchrane,- chief Of the Gillian
feet during the warszof independence.
This exploit rebounded In all the
scientific centers of submarine navi-
CATION. and: has been recorded as one
aof the; most interesting successful at
:tempts made In the world. The great
est span of continued travel was be-
tween Ecuador and Chill, which is:
about 1900 miles. = -
Ventiiating Pipe Broken.
At quarter to ten o'clock in the
morning of June 1 the submarines
started their customary exercises Of
,submersion inside the military port of
-Talcahuano. Suddenly the command
er; Capt: Del Solar, noticed that his
boat had become very heavy and did
not easily respond to the maneuvers.
He then saw that the ventilating pipe
in the battery Of the stern had broken
and that, besides water, strong fumes
ment. With due presence Of mind the
commander ordered that the compart-
ment be vacated, taking all the neces-
sary precautions so that the water
and gases might not enter the other,
sections Of the submarine. -
AS the danger was becoming immi-
nent, the telephone buoy was sent up,
to call for help. but there was no an
swer. Later It. was found that the
buoy had became entangled and had
never reached the surface of the wa
ter. No answer to their calls for help
proved to the crew that the situation
was desperate. Nevertheless, never
for moment did the discipline OF
these men weaken.
While efforts were being made to
get into communication with someone
above, the men Vcre trying to hermet-
ically calk the partitions, 1t having
been noted that the: fumes of the
already begun to filter through the
cracks. However, this compartment
was soon filled with the poisonous gas
and the men had to leave it to avoid
.asphyxiation. Orders were then given
to retire to the only chamber left, that
at the bow, where new and frightfll
tortures awaited them.
Just as soon as the officers and sail
ors had shut themselves up in the bow
the electric current was cut off, leav-
ing the submarine still submerged and