Evening star., 1939-06-02
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BIRKENHEAD, England, June O.
Rescue crews rushed preparations
today to cut holes in the tail of the
submarine Thet.s III a race against
time to save 80 men still trapped
in the craft and nearing exhaustion
Of their air supply.
Four of the ga men aboard when
the sleek new submarine dived into
the mud l30 feet deep in the Irish
Sea yesterday had come to the sur
face strapped in oxygen rescue
masks.
But admiralty officials expressed
belief that the Davis lung" escape
had been abandoned to preserve the
waning air supply for those still
awaiting rescue.
Is Feet Above Water.
The fore part of the Thetis, lying
nose down with all but l8 of her 265
feet under water, was flooded and
her occupants were believed to be
weakening gradually as the air de-
Perforated in their cramped quarters
Latest reports, however. said all
still were alive and had sufficient air
to last until about midnight t6 pm,
E. S. t..
Observers returning from the
scene late today said the stern of
the Thetis no longer was visible
from the air even though it was al
most low tide.
Whether this meant the subma-
rine had slipped or turned was not
known Immediately.
Steel cylinders filled with COM
pressed air had been lashed to her
stern.
Rescue Effort Speeded.
Rescue efforts were speeded up on
the outside. Naval experts hoped to
cut the holes in the subs tail above
water at low tide early this evening,
to release the foul air and to permit
fresh air to be pumped in. 1t was
hoped that eventually one hole could
be enlarged and the men released
through it. Admiralty officials were
confident all would be saved
Workmen already had scrambled
up the submarines slippery exposed
slopes investigating the possibility
OF cutting the tail with acetylene
torches.
"a Aboard in Accident.
The number still imprisoned was
placed at 80 when the admiralty
announced this Afternoon that four
naval officers not previously listed
were aboard, making a total of "a
persons in the submarine at the
time of the accident.
In addition to the four officers
and the So officers and men of the
Thetls' crew, it said, there were
26 men from Cammell Laird. Ltd,
her builders, three employees of
VlckerS-ArmStrongs. Ltd, engine
manufacturers; one pilot and two
civilian caterers.
Admiralty experts explained that
the Davis escape system probably
had been suspended because each
time it is used it lessons the amount
of air in the submarine and also
lets in small amount of water.
Divers established communica-
ton with the men inside by tapping
on the hull during the afternoon and
were told all wer alive. Experts,
however, reasoned that the men
slowly were weakening from gradual
deterioration of the air.
Sighted by Destroyer.
With widespread search in prog
ress throughout last night naval
experts were mystified by failure to
find the submarine until the Brit
ish destroyer Brazen sighted her
tail after daybreak today.
The submarine grounded during
q test run when she submerged in
Liverpool Bay yesterday. War;
planes warships and salvage YES
sells started the search when she did
not reappear on the surface three
hours later.
The destroyer Brazen first sighted
the Thetis' stern at 800 am. t2:2O
tSee SUBMARINE. Page A-3D