FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16397, 17 December 1918, Page 9

FIGHT FOR LIFE.

IN A SUNKEN SUBMARINE.

One of tho most remarkable experiences of the war is that of a British atoker petty ofiicor who escaped from, one of oar submarines which tank some time ag° ' n homo waters from an accidental cause (says the London "Daily Chronicle"). Although tho petty officer was fighting for his lifo, he showed wonderful example of indomitable wmrACC and perseverance and of refusal knowledge defeat. Alone, in almost complete darkness, r itJi the gradually rising water, receiving electric shocks, ana towards the ena suffering from the cffccts of chlorine gas a badl y crushed hand, yet in spite of continual disappointments he worked on for nearly two hours, keep- • y s head to the last, and at the soventh attempt at opening the hatch succeeded in escaping. It was about 10.30 in the morning when the mishap to the submarine occurred, and it at once became apparent. that sho was taking in a great deal of water. Tho stoker petty officer's first impulse was to close the lower connin" tower hatch, but this ho could not doT as some men had been ordered ,id the' conning tower, so ho wont aft {Jo seo if all t^ lo nion-wcre out of the encinc room. _ He met one man coming forward and ordered him to put-on;a lifebelt and "keep his head till he had a chance of fretting "P thc conning tower hatch. Haying satisfied himself there was no ona left aft, he made his wav to the conning tower hatch with the intention ot closing it. but before lie reached it water was poaring in in a mighty v«lume and that meant that his chance of clos'ing tho hatch was perfectly hopeless. TWO HOURS IN POISONED AIR. "With tho weight of water, the boat began to dip forward, and his only hope of escaping drowning was to shut himself in tho engine-room But, before ho closed tho doors he shouted a"ain to see if there was anyone who /as still alive. Getting no answer, ho reluctantly closed the doors against the rising water. At this time the engino-room was in complete darkness, save for the glimmer from ono pilot lamp. T>o effect of tho tali water on the electric batteries was to gonerato chlorine gas, and tho air was becoming overpowering. The wator had short-circuited the elcctnc current so that practically everything bo touched gave him a shock. Moreover, the room was oppressively hot. Ho tried to think oi a means of escape and oonceived the idea of opening tho hatch and floating To the surface, but on trying to open the hatch lie found that tho tremendous pressure of tho water outside prevented hint moving it. He had always accepted the theory that tho pressure inside a sunken air-locked vessel could bo greater than tho pressure outside. So, to increase tho pressure inside ho opened a valve and admitted more water., When he considered tho pressure was sufficient to blow him out he opened the hatch, but it instantly closed to again as he had insufficient pressure. With his shoulder, and exerting all Jus strength, ho lifted tho hatch, but again, with tho weight of tho water, it slammed "to, crushing his fingers. With difficulty he released them, and once more opened tlie valvo ana admitted water until the engine-room was flooded right up to. tho coaming of the hatch. The air in this confined space ivas under tremendous prossure, greater than that of the water outside, so he was ablo to open tho hatch and rise rapidly to tho snrfaco, vhcro ho was picked up by a destroyer.