New Britain herald., 1925-10-17
$S. CITY OF ROME
 RECALLED MESSAGE
Operator TeStifes Effort Was
 Made to Cancel First One

Boston, Oct, IT uPl-~Ine Steamer City of Rome tried to cancel her first message relative to the ramming of the submarine S-51 and the loss of S3 lives off Block Island on Septem- Der 25, Whitcomb P. Ouric. radio operator for the Tropical Radio company, testified here today before the naval inquiry board investigating the disaster.
 The witness, who intercepted the first message sent out by the City of Rome following the disaster, testi- fled he immediately notified the Bos- ton navy yard operator that the S-51 was in distress.
 The commandant of the navy yard, he testified, radioed through his station. to the City of Rome, and added:
 Have you rammed s-51? Give exact position and details" This message. Ourie said. was sent out by the navy yard operator at e:4o a. m. daylight saving time, on September 26.
 Ourie said that the City of Rome's reply to the navy's message was:
 Have rammed S-51 at 10:24 p. m. Saved D. Kile, A. Geier and M. Lora. Nothing else could be found. Pro- ceedlng to Boston. Expect to arrive 2 p. m."
 The witness said that the first message from the City of Rome at 2:0s a. m. daylight time. read:
 we rammed and sank s-51 off Block Island"
 This message was signed "KQZ''
 the City of Rome's call, he added.
 Ourie testified that some time be-
 tween 2:0S a. m. and a. m. soon
 after the navy yard radioed the
 steamer, the City of Rome sent him
 this message:
 Cancel first message. Captain
 piehl has no information to give
 you"
 The witness said that all the messages sent to and from the steamer were on the 60 meter wave
 length, the commercial and distress call wave.
 Diver Testified
 James w. Ingram, a navy diver of 10 years experience. testified tha the City of Rome cut a seven foo hole in the submarines port side. He was the first diver to descenc to the submarine following the dis aster and that his first move wher he reached the wreck was to inspec the deck hatches. All of them, ex 3 ceptins the coming tower hatch were closed, he said. He addet that during this inspection h. |, stamped on the submarines decl f and made as much noise as he coul' t to attract the attention of thos - alive inside if theer were any. N ; replies was were made, he said.
 Explaining how the crash occur f red, Ingraham said: 6 My examination of the hull ( Q the submarine showed me that tn 0 S-51 and the City of Rome wer r steaming along the same cours' g The statemer running faster tha d the submarine. The S-51 started [ s swing starhoard and before she wa
 well started, the City of Rome swun Il hard starboard and struck her IS skipping blow"
 fl Ingram's other testimony relate Il to his diving work on the S-51 dul
 ing the rescue operations. On Sep
 25, he testified, he made two 13t j. foot dives to the submarine withi an hour. He did not have tin Il enough to so through the require Is decomposition steps and as Q resu Is was stricken with divers bends." " This affliction Is a paralysis of Il t muscles due to the differences b 'e tween the air pressure inside Il le body and the outside atmosphere. y William C. Wilson, another naN st diver, and the last witness of Il ef day, corroborated much of Ingram 10 testimony.
 so He was unable to voice an opiniC ot as to how the collision occurred, r. said, because he had not inspect ot the hole made by the steamer in | mt submarines port side. He did se Id he said, buckled plate on the sta
 board side which he though resu d, ed when the vessels crashed. T C. inquiry was then adjourned un mt Monday at 1O:30 a. m.