Evening star., 1925-10-16
SAYS CITY Of ROME
| CUT RESCUE SHORT
Survivor of S-51 Declares
Hunt for Crew Lasted
But 20 Minutes.
By the Associated Press.

BOSTON, October 16.-"I don't
give a damn about the ship. but
am sorry for the boys" Capt. John
H. Diehl, commander of the City of
Rome, said to Michael Lira, the first
of the three S-51 survivors to be
taken aboard the steamer, the latter
testified today before the naval board
Of inquiry when questioned about his
conversations with the Rome's Off
GERS. ..-
Lira said that the crew Of the City
Of Rome's lifeboat almost swamped
the craft when they picked him out
of the water after the submarine
sank. The witness said that the life
boats search for survivors lasted only
20 minutes.
Only three of the SO members of
the crew Of S-51. who were asleep
when she was rammed by the City
of Rome off Block Island on Septem-
Der rs, got out before she sank.
Asleep When Struck.
kile. an engineman. first-class, said
he was asleep when the steamer
struck the submarine He thought
the submarine had grounded
He said that a piece of cork, part
Of bulkhead lining, woke him, and
he leapei from his bunk into water
up to his knees. His first move was
to attempt to lock the watertight door
leading from the battery room, where
he slept, to the forward torpedo room.
Before he could release the dogs"
which locked it open, he said, the
water poured in. Then he ran to the
other end of the battery room and
tried to lock the door leading into the
central operating control compart-
ment, without succeeding.
He said he then climbed to the
bridge through the coming tower
hatch and was swept over the port
side In Is seconds. He was the last
to leave the submarine, he said, and
only two others preceded him.
When thrown into the water, which
he said was not cold, Helmsman Wise
bridge when she was rammed, was
swimming beside him. They were
then about 80 yards from the steamer.
Within a few seconds Wiseman dis
appeared and he later heard him call
for help. The sound seemed to come
from point 100 yards away, Kile
said.
He testified that he was partly
clothed and that he remained swim
ming and floating for As minutes be-
fore a life boat from the City of Rome
picked him up.
While he was in the water. he said
he saw no life preservers or search.
light playing from the steamer. The
submarines lights, he said, were
burning when he left the battery
room to mount to the bridge.
Two hours before, he testified. he
was relieved from his engine room
watch and went to the bridge to
smoke cigarette before turning in.
AT that time, he said. he noticed the
submarines stern light burning. He
did not look at the lights forward.
% Chief Torpedoman James w. Fra.
ser. a naval diver Of nine years ex-
pertence. testified he dove twice to the
sunken submarine during the rescue
operations. He said he found the sub
marines vertical rudder in a hard
right position. indicating that her bow
was pointed right when she sank.
When he was released and ordered
to return to duty on the mine LAYER
Falcon, Capt. Orton Jackson, presi-
dent OF the naval board, instructed
him to request that a thorough search
be made for the S-51's rough log. This
document, the court believes, was on
the bridge when the submarine sank.
II 1t Is recovered, much valuable in
formation concerning the submarines
movements on the fatal night will be
available.