Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-10
j. s. PROSECUTION
IN S-51 RAMM|NG
ASKED BY WILBUR
Criminal and Civil Action
AGAINST Line and Ship
Officers Is Indicated.
CITY OF ROME BLAMED
ENTIRELY IN DISASTER
Naval Court Finds Capt. Dlehl
Negligent Before and
After Accident.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
The report of the naval court of in
ouirv into the sinking on September
% of of the submarine S-51 off Block
Island by the steamer City of Rome
of the Savannah Line. was turned
over to the Department of Justice by
Secretary Wilbur yesterday for legal
action.
The court found that the submarine
Was rammed and sunk by the steamer
with the loss of 33 officers and men
on a clear, moonlight night. under
circumstances which required The
steamer to keep out of the way. Its
findings of fact were made public by
the Navy Department last night. but
its recommendations were withheld
because of the reference of the entire
case to the Department of Justice.
In the latter department, is was
said the report arrived too late in the
day TO be read. but it is understood
either criminal or civil actions. or
both. are contemplated against the
Ocean Steamship Co, of Savannah.
Ga, owner of the City of Rome, and
officers of the steamer
Capt. John H Diehl, who was can
tain of the stee mer, and Third Mate
Timothy l.. Dreyer, We're placed on
trial at Boston last week before the
Board of Federal Steamboat Inspec.
tors on charges of inattention to duty
in violation of the international rules
for prevention of collisions, and it is
understood that the Attorney General
assigned a district attorney to watch
that proceeding for the Department of
Justice.
The naval report declared the S-51
was sunk at 1924 o'clock at night,
arter its white light had been visible
to and observed by the City of Rome
from distance of or miles The
steamer, it was added, failed to pro-
vide and maintain an adequate look
out.
The submarine was on a surface
availa biity engine run at the time,
and all of its officers were fully quail
fled to stand a deck watch" the re-
port said.
Searchlight Failed.
Within minute after the collision
the S-51 sank. the report stated. while
the city of Rome put out only one
lifehoat, which picked up three sur
vivors The steamers searchlight
was sa id 10 have been out of commits
sion. so little artificial light was avail
able in the search. and an hour a nd
twenty minutes after the collision she
proceeded on her way to Boston with
out marking the spot. and sending
no message of the disaster until after
midnight.
sThe night was clear, with stars
and moon shining" the report con-
rinued. Between 1902 pm. and
1916 pm. Carroll Hanson, quarter
master. at the wheel on the City of
Rome. left the pilot house, with Third
Officer Dreyer's permission, to go be-
low, and Third officer Dreyer, then
alone in the pilot house, performed
the dual duties of officer of the watch
and helmsman until after the collision.
capt. Diehl was not in the pilot house
when Hanson went below.
AT 1908 pm, William Adamson,
the lookout on the City of Rome,
sighted a bright white light four
points on her starboard bow, which
he Immediately reported to Ihlrd
officer Dreyer. then on watch IN the
pilot house. This report was acknoWi-
edged by Dreyer.
This light, which later deVelopeo
to he on the S-51, was estimated by
Adamson to be about five miles off
when first sighted. Capt. Diehl estl-
mated five or six miles when he first
saw the light Third Officer Dreyer
saw this light about 80 seconds before
It was reported to him by Adamson,
the lookout.
Tho light, when sighted, bore four
points on the starboard bow OF the
City of Rome and this bearing re-
mained constant until the COLLISION
occurred.
NO danger of collision was deemed
TO exist. and nothing was done TO
avoid collision by the officer OF the
watch of the City of Rome between
the time the white light was sighted
four points on the starboard bow at
1903 d m. and the instant Immediately
preceding the blowing of the hrst
whistle signal-which was about 10:23
p.m.-notwithstandi the fact that
during this interval Of 20 minutes the
white light had been visible at all
times. the bearing of the light had
not changed. the light had increased
i'm intensity. and the distance OF the
light had decreased from five or SIX
miles to five or six hundred feet.
The respective courses of the CITY
of Rome and of the S-51 places this
collision under the classification OF
crossing vessels covered by the Rules
of the Road The S-51 was on the
starboard side of the City OF Rome
continued on Page ), Column A.