New Britain herald., 1925-10-28
CAPT. DIEHL TELLS
OF INCIDENT AS
ship RAMMED Sub
Saw White Light Ahead--M-
dered Helmsman to Alter
Course TO Allow Room

OTHERS TESTIFY RED
LIGHTS SHOWED SUDDENLY
Evidence Submitted by Officers And
Men OF City OF Rome Indicates
That Running Lights of S-51 Were
Not Seen Until Just Before Fatal
Crash, Although White Light Was
Visible For Long Time Before.
Boston, Oct. 28 P}-Captain John
Fl. Diehl of Everett, Mass, master
of the steamer City of Rome today
related to the naval board of in
quiry his story of the collision which
sank the submarine S-51 with the
loss Of S3 lives off Block Island on
the night of Sept. 25.
| >OihihS iioiIl Ills lSlllCu CdbIll,
Captain Diehl said, he saw white
light to starboard when he entered
the pilot house. The third officer,
in reply to a question, told him he
thought 'it was tow going west"
AS his eyes became accustomed to
the darkness he saw the light be-
coming brighter. He used his glasses
in an effort to see the craft. He or
dered the helmsman to swing to
starboard ito give her room to get
BY"
Acted Quickly
Suddenly, he said, red light
flashed, he ordered her aport and
grabbed the engine room telegraph
and whistle together. His hand
slipped from the whistle. But a mo-
ment later several short blasts were
blown. Shortly afterward the crash
occurred. The engines, he said, were
ordered reversed about 80 seconds
before the collision.
Captain Diehl read from the log
the entries concerning the search
for survivors. after the collision at
1924. until the three survivors were
brought to the ship at 11:20, and
until the City of Rome finally con-
tinued on its way at 11:45.
Rockies ON Watch
When Captain Diehl had ascer-
tanned the condition Of the three
survivors after they had been
brought in by the lifeboat, he ques-
asked what was the matter with his
vessel in trying to cross the steam
er's bows without any light and re-
ceiVed the reply: "He didn't know"
He was asleep and that there was
supposed to be three rockies on
watch"
Captain Diehl said that when he
asked what was meant by "rookies"
he was told young student officers
learning how to run a submarine" "
He said he radioed the Savannah
line after the rescue, at 1910, and
learned where the submarine came
! from, at 12:45 a. m.
Captain Diohl said he believed he
had observed all of the laws Of the
road; that he only left the scene
, when he felt that there was no fur
thcr hope of rescue, and that he
would have stayed longer If he felt
it could have done any good. He
denied a quotation to the effect that
"he didn't give a damn for the ship,
but was sorry for the boys"
II felt sorry for the boys" he
said. THE boat would very easily
be replaced"
Suddenly Flashes Red
!, The sudden flashing OF the red
: light aboard the submarine S-51
Just before she was sunk In COLI
sion with the steamer City OF Rome
indicated to Lookout William A
: Adamson that the submarine hat
changed her course or had beer
fixing her lights" Adamson admit
ted that hecould not see the outline
of the undersea boat until after tht
crash.
For twenty minutes previous h
e had seen a white light. He indicated
r with models that he felt the sub
: marine suddenly swung to the righ
= before the crash.
0 A student officer was on the con
ming tower at the time OF the acci
n dent, Adamson was informed by TIVE
i of the men picked up, he told tn,
= board.
= Carl Hanson, quartermaster o
n the City Of Rome, was acting a
d helmsman on the watch when tn,
a collision occurred. He had left tn
k wheel temporarily, having turned I
g over to Third Mat Dryer at tn
= time, he testified.
Felt the Impact
He described two long and severa
o short whistle blasts and told Of run
ming to the pilot house and feelinI
II the impact OF the collision. AS h
q came he saw what appeared TO b
II white mast light and a red ligh
y lower down. He thought the sub
II marine 'circling in" on the star
+ board.
" He was told sto call all hand:
II then went TO the lifeboat and helpe
& lower it. He helped prepare othe
lifeboats and went below to see
l. the ship was safe. He thought tha
l. there was little possibility of ther
d being any other survivors after tn
ship had cruised around the spo
l. for an hour and a half.
l. Lights Flash on.
re Three of the ships officers an
t. two of the ships engineers yesteI
e day told of the collision. 1t was sal
Ie in the testimony yesterday that on
Vt white light was visible to the Cit
is of Rome some twenty minutes bt
g fore the crash. that Just before th
collision a red light flashed out, an
Is that whistles were sounded and er