Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-19
The Seas Toll.

The sea continues to take its toll OF
those who navigate it below the sur
face. Another submarine has been
sunk in collision and now lies on the
ocean floor off Cape Cod with forty
three men. Six Of them, it is believed,
have survived the shock and thrush
of the waters and are awaiting rescue,
sending pitiful messages of inquiry
to the divers by code with blows upon
the steel sheath of the ship. Every
possible effort Is being made to res
cue them, but at this season of the
year conditions are unpropitious and
the salvage work is attended with the
greatest difficulty. While hope re-
mains for these six men. it cannot be
a high one and it will indeed be
marvel Of good fortune If they are
brought alive to the surface. Yet, as
in all other cases Of submarine dis
aster, no pains will be spared to this
end.
It would seem from all accounts of
the catastrophe that the collision was
unavoidable. The Coast Guard ship
Paulding, former naval destroyer,
was returning to Provincetown from
patrol duty. Suddenly, without warn
ing, the structure of submarine ap-
peared directly in the course. There
was no time to swing and almost in
stantly after the undersea craft was
sighted the two ships were in collision,
the Paulding being struck amidships
while the submarine, fatally injured,
sank Immediately. The Paulding her
self was so badly hurt that she barely
made port.
Perhaps it will never be known why
the S-4, which was on trial trip.
CHANGED to be brought to the surface
in the course Of the Paulding, for her
navigator has probably persisted. APP
parently no blame attaches to the sur
face craft. She had no warning of the
presence OF the S-4 IN nearby waters
and could not avert the collision when
the submarine was sighted a few
fathoms off the bow as it was emerg-
ing from the depths.
A little more than two years ago
another American submarine. the Ssh,
was rammed by the steamer City of
Rome off Block Island. at night. and
thirty.four men were lost. In that
case the submarine was running on
the surface and her lights were not
adequately noted by the liners COM
mander, who was afterward tried for
the collision. but was acquitted of
blame. This latest collision occurred
IA daylight. Had the submersible
been running awash she would have
been seen in plenty of time to avert
collision.
Many submarine accidents have
been due to failures of mechanism
which have caused the craft to sink
and I'LL. In one or two cases the
trapped crews have persisted from suf
location. During the war there were.
of course many losses incident to d.
rect conflict The ocean floor, particu-
larry around the coast of England and
France, is strewn with the wrecks Of
these undersea craft. Theirs was the
fortune Of war. But the loss Of SUBJ
surface ship in peace time seems need
less. It liz to be regarded as proof
that navigation below the surface is
not yet brought to the point Of GER
tainty and safety Of surface sailing.
Still, it must always be remembered
that collisions are continually occur
ring between surface ships with loss
of life. This, tragedy simply adds to
the price that is paid to that most
ravenous of all the elements. the sea.
for mans use of 1t.