Evening star., 1925-09-30
All Operations Suspended
After Sings Had Been
Placed for Hoist.
VIOLATION OF SEA RULE
BY CITY OF ROME FOUND
Hull Shows Submarine Was Struck
on Port Side by Vessel
0vertaking Her. -
By the Associated Press.

unfaVorable weather conditions, Rear
Admiral H. III. Chrtsty reported In q
message today TO the submarine base
hero.
Tho message from Admiral Christy,
who is In charge of tho feet work
ang over the spot where tho S-51 went
down last Friday night after being
rammed by the steamship City Of
Rome, said: Present weather condi-
tions S.5l make operations i'm
possible"
This was the first word to come
from the rescue fleet since late last
night. with the exception of a brief
weather report transmitted by the sub.
marine mother ship Camden. The
weather report had indicated that div
ing operations at least could be re
sumed early today.
Derrick Ships Return.
Plans to make another attempt to
raise the submarine by the two giant
cranes, Monarch and Century, had
been thwsrted when the numbering
craft were forced to return to New.
port early today after a midnight at
tempt to join the rescue fleet.
The cranes were being held in readi-
ness, however. to proceed at once II
conditions moderated sufficiently to
permit.
Rear Admiral Christy has refused
to give up hope that some OF the
men who went down with the ship are
still alive and his feeling is shared by
Capt. E. J. King. commander Of the
submarine base. Many OF the other
officers sorrowfully admit, however.
that they can see little chance of any
survivors being found. particularly
with the elements delaying the rescue
work still farther.
Forty deep-sea divers are aboard
tho boats Of the rescue fleet anxious
to aid in the effort to reach the sunk.
en- submarine before all hope Is aban.
doned. Several trips were made to
the ocean floor yesterday. Two bodies
were brought to the surface on early
trips and later the divers cleared
away debris and took other steps to
enable them to continue the search
OF the hull more expeditiously.
Air Pumped Into S-5l.
The submarine $50. whose sister
used to pump air into the S-51 and
at the same time for divers rehearsals
Before going below the underwater
workers are made familiar with all
parts Of the submersible and given
an opportunity to try out the va.
rious openings with their diving suits
on to determine whether these pas
sages can be safely negotiated below
The message from Admiral Christy
announcing suspension Of operations
caused no great surprise to naval Of
ficers, Notwithstanding an early mes
sage from the mother ship Camden
had indicated that weather conditions
had improved considerably dvernigh,
and that the wind and sea were abat
ing.
Capt King explained that while
conditions were not what would be
considered rough weather" by naval
ships, the Chittenden, the vessel from
which the divers make their descent
feels even a moderate swell. After the
blow Of last night there was likely tc
be a very marked swell today. he said
and this probably was why IT had not
been possible to send men over the
side.
The plan for today had been to at
tempt lifting operations with the huge
derricks at dawn. Failing in this. div
ing operations were to have been re
| sumed.
SlinEs for Hoist Ready.
Operations of divers yesterday ir
closing the coming tower hatch an6
forcing air into the submarine had
raised hopes that the cranes would be
able to bring her to the surface
Slings had been placed about the stern
of the sunken vessel and all prepara
tions had been made to begin work
with the expected arrival Of the der
ricks at dawn.
The sea had been almost CLASSY
smooth during the afternoon. but q
northeast wind sprang up early in the
evening, and the message from the
rescue fleet said its velocity had reach
ed almost Is miles an hour and tina,
white caps were being kicked up.
Six trips to the ocena floor were
made by divers yesterday. They go'
no further than the battery room
Now they will probably endeavor te
work through the wreckage in the for
ward part of the battery room to thu
torpedo compartment bulkhead to de
termine whether the door leading into
cured or just closed. The door Sc
cured would mean that the forwart
compartment, in which several of tn.
men had their hunks, is still alright
automobiles of several members o.
the crew are at the base. The car,
were parked by their drivers befor,
starting on the availability run, which
was to have been but overnight.
City Of Rome Blamed.
Lieut.. Comdr. r. F. Jones, physician
attached to the Submarine Division
Q, who has made study OF LIVING
conditions aboard undersea craft, 4
spending much of his time with th'
families Of the men on the S-51, en-
deavoring to keep up the spirits O
| many who refuse to abandon hope.
The work Of the divers has estab
| lished that there was a violation o
the rules Of the sea bv the City o
Rome in the collision, in the opinion
of Capt. E. j. King. commander o
| the submarine base.
A dent In the hull OF the S.51. h,
said, showed that she was struck OF
| the port side by a vessel overtakinj
her. International rules provide, h.
| added, that every vessel overtakinl
another vessel shall keep out Of tn,
. wey"of the overtAken vessel a.
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