Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-09

Details Of the circumstances under
which the disaster took place or how
| badly the submarine was smashed when
she went down were lacking in the
first announcements by the admiralty.
1t is believed that todays disaster
occurred while the various flotillas,
which have been taking part in COM
bined exercises of the Irish coast, were
returning to Portland or Portsmouth
Ocean salvage experts expressed the
opinion that if the weather remains fine
it should be possible to locate the
wreck, but that the great depth at
which it is lying would make diving
operations very difficult.
There is possibility that the new
italian diving apparatus, which enables
divers to work safely far under the sur
face and which is being used in an ef-
fort to raise the liner Egypt, of Fin
isterre, will be utilized in an attempt
to Salve the HAT.
In 27O Feet of Water.
1t appeared. however, that the HAT
sank in about 270 feet of water, or
nearly three times that in which the
| American submarine S-4 sank in 1927,
and considerably deeper than that to
which the Ssh sank in 1925. Salvage
operations at such depth would be
exceedingly difficult.
The admiralty statement said that
the HAT sank after a collision with the
Liz this morning about % miles to
the northward of Smalrs Lighthouse
and about 20 miles due west from
FiShguard.
Beyond the details of the two men
rescued from the stricken ship and the
two aboard the Liz involved, one be-
ing missing and the other critically
injured, the admiralty had no further
details.
ARRANGEMENTS were being made with
all dispatch to attempt salvage of the
Hat, despite the depth of the water in
which it sank
The Liz has six torpedo tubes, in
addition to extensive other armament.
refrigerating machinery for storage bat
teries, directional hydroplanes and
three periscopes. Its length IS 229 1eet
and its displacement $50 tons.
1t was the second of the IL" series.
Three sister ships have been lost
the L-24 rammed of Portland January,
1924: the LILO a war loss and the L-9.
which foundered off Hongkong in 1928.
This last finally was Salvaged.
The submarine HAT also was built
under the war emergency program. 1t
was smaller than the Liz, with a dis
, placement of 440 tons and length OF
164Ia feet. 1t carried four torpedo
tubes.
The sister ship the H-29, sank in
dock at Devonport in August, 1926, and
consequently was placed on the disposal
list.
The worst postwar British subma-
; rine disaster recorded took place IN
1925, when the HI was sunk of Star
Point with the loss of 68 lives.
Other Disasters.
other disasters included the disap-
pearance of the KS in 1921 off the
Sicily Isles while at diving practice,
with the loss of 81 lives. In 1922 the
HAP was rammed by a destroyer on
! Europa Point, near Gibraltar. and 20
men were killed. In 1924 the L-24 was
sunk during maneuvers off Portland
and 43 were killed.
The HAT in December, 1926, collided
with the L-32 during submarine exer-
cises off Portland On that occasion
both ships returned safely to ,harbor.
reporting to the naval authorities that
it was only a bump.
The naval ball planned tonight at
the town hall of Torquay has been can
celed by the commander of the Allan
tic fleet, who acted when the news of
the submarine disaster reached him.
The latest navy list showed the fol-
lowing chief officers aboard the Hat;
Lieutenant in command, r. j.. Gard
ner; Lieu T. w Moir. Sub-Lieut. of
the Royal r{avy Reserve K. G. Cronin.
A dispatch from Brixham said the
battleship Rodney left Torbay this
! afternoon for Fishguard to assist in the
attempt to save the Hat. The Rod
ney's officers were hastily recalled from
the Naval College at Dartmouth.
! where they were attending cricket
game. The destroyer Vivien also left
Torbay.
Rear Admiral H. E. Grace, command
ing submarines, left Portsmouth this
afternoon for the scene Of the Hat dis
aster in the destroyer Tilbury, which
carried special diving gear. Meanwhile
] two seaplanes searched the North Penn
brokeshire coast between Strumble and
| Cardigan Head for any survivors.