Evening star., 1928-02-22

fittings, safety devices and equipment
and recommend such changes in or
notifications Of submarines. tenders
and rescue vessels as may be deemed
advisable.
"Rear Admiral Frank H. Brumby,
u. s, NJ, has been In command OF the
control force, including all submarines
in the Atlantic, since August l. 1927,
and was in command of forces en-
ployed in rescue operations on the S-4
from December 10, 1927, until such
operations were discontinued. Rear
Admiral Frank II. Brunby's testimony
before this court showed that he had
not the familiarity with the essential
details Of construction OF submarines
and the knowledge Of rescue vessels and
the knowledge of actual work being car
ried on by his subordinates necessary
to direct 4ntelligently the important OPP
erations of which he was in charge.
While the plans he approved. conceived
by an expert staff of which Capt. King
was the senior, were logical, intelligent
and were diligently executed with good
Judgment and the greatest possible ex-
pedition, yet Rear Admiral Brumby
failed to contribute that superior and
intelligent guidance, force and sound
Judgment expected from an officer OF
his length OF service, experience and
position. The court therefore recon-
mends that Rear Admiral Frank H.
Brumby. u. S. NJ, be detached from the
command Of the control force"
Responsibility Held Divided.
After placing on the record what 1t
found as fact, the report of the court,
which was made public in full. ex-
pressed it's opinion that the accident
was due both to the failure on the part
of the SD to take proper action after
the Paulding had changed course to
steer clear of the latter vessel and the
failure on the part Of the Paulding's s
crew to sight and recognize the S-4 IN
time to take action to clear her. The
court could not find whether the lack
OF prompt action of the S-4 was due
to lack Of vigilance on the part OF the
captain or to the quality OF his obser-
vations, but blames the failure OF the
Paulding to see the sub in time. to the
lack Of a single man whose sole duty
was to maintain a lookout. Under the
weather conditions. in the opinion of
the court, the Paulding could have and
should have sighted the periscopes in
ample time to avoid the collision.
The court says the action OF the
Paulding's commander after sighting
the periscope was proper and correct,
and says that standardization trials
over the Provincetown course offered no
unusual condition or hazard, and re-
marks that the display Of the warning
flag by a tender was neither desirable
nor necessary. It comments also that
the legend on the pilot chart relating
to submarine warning flags may be
misleading.
It says that the 80 men in the engine
and motor rooms were unconscious be-
fore ] 80 pm. December Is and thai
they probably died by asphyxiatior
from carbon dioxide. 1t Endorsed al
activities for rescue and salvage taker
by the various agencies following tne
disaster. and adds that no known de-
wees or equipment employed IN rescue
operations, either in the Navy or owned
by commercial organizations, could have
saved the lives of those on board the
S-4. Everything was done to save the
lives of those on board the sunker
craft, the board also finds. but rescue
under the prevailing weather conditions
was beyond human power.
AS to the uch-discussed supply oi
soda lime. which might have cleared
the air the sub OF carbon dioxide
eXuded from the lungs Of the entombed
men, the court said:
Though the court is not able to de-
termine with certainty whether or not
soda lime was used by the crew Of the
S-4. such use would not have saved any
life. but might has prolonged the lives
OF some for few hours. The allow
ance list Of the S-4 provides for SO
pounds of soda lime per man. and 1t Is
available for issue at the Navy Yard
Porthmouth. from which yard the S-4
departed but two days before the coll
lision Because Of its strong corrosive
effect. and the difficulty Of slowing II
on submarines, mostly for emergencies
the value Of such large quantities Is
considered by many submarine officers
to be outweighed By its Objectionable
features.