The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-26

after section of the submarine.
 At 1928 D. m. (EDT) the rescue ship Falcon radioed:
 "Diver going down to attach per manent descending line to deck gum"
 The divers descent was the first step toward actual salvage. Divers will use the descending line in go- ing down to clear the Squalus' deck of antennae and other gear that might hinder raising operations.
 All evidence indicated that the main air induction valve had failed to close when the SqualuS dived, and had let in enough water to swamp the after half of the ship. But Ma chinist's Mate Alfred G. Prien, the man at the controls and the one who, among the B survivors was in best position to know, insisted that when the Squalus tilted backward at a 45-degree angle and plunged stern first toward the bottom, T was still looking at the control board and could see that all the lights were on and this meant to me that all the valves were closed"
 Officers Confer All Night
 Ranking officers of the Ports mouth Navy Yard conferred most of the night on methods of salvage, but none could offer any theory as to the couSe of the disaster.
 A diver from the salvage ship Falcon reached the after Torpedo room of the Squalus last night, 58 hours after the $5,000000 under sea fighter went oown, and found it flooded to the very hatch. It was the last hope for the 26 men. If any had survived, they would have been in that compartment, farthest in the flooded section from the opa valve. Until the diver telephoned to the Falcons deck, there had still been faint glimmer of hope. That mo- ment was the denouement. The divers came up and operations were called off for the night
 Admiral Calls Officers
 Rear Admiral Cyrus w. Cole, in charge of operations at the scene. went ashore from the cruiser Brook lyn in coast guard patrol boat, summoned all available officers to headquarters at the navy yard here, and began hearing their sugges- tions for salvage.
 Coles first act was to order 26 collins sent to the yard.
 Capt. William Amsden. acting commandant Of the yard, said: "If all goes well, the Squalus may be raised in few days, but one slip and it might be six months"
 In session with Cole were Capt. Richard E. Edwards, Capt. H. R. Greenlee, Comdr. c. B. Momsen, Comdr. A. R. McCann, Comdr. J. I. Hale, Leut. Comdr. A. J. Mckee. Lieut.. Comdr. F. A. TuSler and Lieut. Comdr. L. E. Sackett.
 The nature of their discussions wns not disclosed but the plan gen. orally discussed had been to send down divers to the SqualuS with hose lines to be attached to valves on the outside of the submarine fer that purpose. Air pumped down these lines would force water from tte flooded chambers and enable the Squalus to rise of its own buoyancy, or with the aid of pontoonS, 10 of which have been lowed here from the Brooklyn navy yard.
 Plans Go to Capital
 Whatever plan the conferees de- cided on will have to be submitted to the Board of Naval Operations at Washington for approval. "The plans will be sent down there today" Amsden said. T don't know when they will be approved" :"
 Asked whether any attempt would be made to remove the 26 bodies before salvage, he replied, T imagine we will remove any bodies which interfere with salvage operations" :" He implied that combination of "blowing" the water from the ship and pontoons would be tried. The pontoons are 13 feet in diameter and B feet long. Each has a lift . ing force of 30 tons, when filled with compressed air. They have been used successfully in raising the submarines S-4 and S-51.
 The conferees here had techni- cal advice from Commander Mom- sen, inventor of the ''Momsen lung" ] which the submarine survivors had planned to use as a last resort and of Commander McCann, inventor of the diving bell which, employed for the first time in a disaster, brought up the B survivors from the Squalus.
 Raising Must be Slow
 Amsden said thatt he raising of the Squalus would have to be done , very gradually.
 . 'aThe expulsion of water from the flooded sections must be done slow ly, c quick raising might result in ! loss of the ship" he said. Water must be vented out of the ship and air pressure increased very gradually. It is a most delicate operation, prin- cipally one of maintaining the prop CT balance of pressures within and outside the ship"
 Rescued Join Families
 Most of the B survivors were being released today from the Navy hospital here and reunited with their families, whom they had left on boarding their ship at 6 a. m. Tuesday for a training run of few hours, that was to have included an hours dive.
 The navy's immediate plans for them were uncertain. There will be formal inquiry but it must wait until the salvaging is done.
 For the families of the 26 who won't come back, fellow seamen were taking up collections and at tempting to assuage their grief. The navy department has twice sent messages of coincidence to the fam- flies, the first time with the state ment that their loved ones were "un- accounted for and believed dead" the second time announcing that no hope remained.
 The pine box collins were piled in an unused hospital building on their arrival from Boston early to- day.
 Chum vs Chum Tragedy
 axsnann, ffa daad WaQ Seaman