Evening star., 1925-09-28
Divers, However, Find One
Interior BuIkhead of Sunk
en- Submarine Intact; Res
CuerS' Signals Unanswered.
SLING SLIPS OFF IN FIRST
EFFORT TO LIFT VESSEL
Probable Flooding Of All Compart-
ments of Undersea Boat Would
Prevent Lifting Until Divers
Pump Out Water-Faint Hope
Is Held for "a.
By the Associated Press.

is Held Tor 81.
By the Associated Press.
NEW LONDON. Conn, September
2S.-Advices to the submarine base
here at noon were to the effect that
conditions of sea and weather at the
locality of the S-51 wreck were so bad
that rescue operations had to be sus-
pended for the time being.
The Century, 100-ton crane vessel,
was ordered to move to Block Harbor
and the Monach, the larger crane
vessel, was ordered TO a harbor at
Block Island and was starting there
under tow
After being sheltered from a heavy
sea in the lee of Block Island during
the early hours of the morning the
Monarch, in which naval authorities
pin their hopes to raise the S-51, was
started toward the scene of the dis
aster at z am, an early message to
the submarine base here stated.
Lift May Be Inadequate.
If the lifting power of the Monarch
and the Century is proved insufficient
to move the S-51 from the bottom Of
the ocean, other means TO accomplish
this will be taken Immediately. Naval
men pointed out that if all of the
compartments of the submarine had
been flooded, lift of 4S0 tons would
be necessary to move her. If two Of
the compartments are alright, now
ever, lift of $50 tons would be neces-
Sary.
If the huge derricks succeed in their
attempt to raise the undersea craft, it
is planned to bring her up stern first,
as it is thought that if any of the
men are still alive they are IN the two
rear compartments, the engine room
and the motor room.
Should the cranes, however, be un-
able to make any impression on the
wreck, it is planned to send a diver
through one of the torpedo tubes of
the submarine. He will close all the
compartments, all of the water will
be pumped out and the shell filled with
air. This would make it easier to
bring the craft to the surface.
Get No Response.
One message only was received at
the submarine base during the night
from the ring of naval vessels on
guard and at work during the hours
of darkness at the spot where the S51
went down.
That message, received shortly after
10 o'clock by wireless, informed the
anxious persons ashore of the futile
effort to hoist the S-51 by means of
q 100-ton crane, the Century. 1t also
dampened the hopes~of the naval men
that some of their comrades Of the sea
were still alive in the battered shell
of the undersea vessel.
The message, sent in by Rear Ad-
,i,-l1 p m a Tld n O
control force, stated that divers at
work outside the sunken submarine
had been unable to obtain a response
to their efforts to communicate with
the men inside. Six Navy divers were
at work at the scene of the wreck yes
terday and last pight working in re-
lays. They succeeded in getting a line
under the stern of the submarine, and
a 10O-ton lift was brought to bear on
the undersea vessel by the crane, the
Century.
Efforts Are Futile.
The crane was drawn down to the
waters edge when the cable tight
ened and the Century almost cap
sized under the pressure. The crane,
however, made no impression on the
SOL, believed to be embedded in a
bank of sand at the bottom of the
became gusty, rain fell and there was
q stiff on-shore breeze. This made
rescue work more difficult for the
boats standing by at the scene of the
crash. While the rain stopped later
In the night the wind continued,
whipping up great white caps.
A short time after the receipt of
the wireless message from Rear Ad-
miral Christy, the Chewink, a mine
.zl- L., Il
London yesterday with main and sup
plies for the rescue force, docked at
the base.
From the men aboard it was learned
that no pontoons had been put down
in an attempt to raise the submarine
in that manner. The Swamping of
one end of the Century as the sling
tightened when the hoisting was start
ed. was described by the Chewink
crew.
In commenting on the possibility
that some of the S-51 crew may be
alive, naval men pointed to the eX-
perience of the SIS, when men were
rescued alive after being under water
81 hours. 1t is admitted, however,
that there was little hope of saving
the S-51 victims, as they have been
under water much longer than were
the men on the SIS. The rescue of
the SD men was chleny due TO freSh
air being pumped into the compart-
ments where the members of the
crew were located. Fresh air has
been pumped into the S-51, but the
rescuers are unable to learn whether
this has done any good.
Naval officials at the base have re-
ceived many inquiries from friends
and relatives of the victims of tho
S-51 disaster, and all have been an
swered by expressions of hope. The
Navy. it was pointed out, has been
working from the first on the as
sumption that the men on the sub
marine, at least some of them, are
alive.
Officials at the submarine base said
today that the number on the sub
marine must be 33, as Walter E. Har-
mon, a member of the crew, had
been located at his home in New