SINKING OF SUBMARINE A3.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1912, Page 7

SINKING OF SUBMARINE A3.

* FURTHER DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY. A FATAL MANOEUVRE. By Telegraph.— Press Association.-^Copyright. LONDON, 3rd February. Warships' tugs carried on sweeping operations, despite snow squalls, ' and located the eunken submarine A3, which was sunk through a collision with H.M.S. Hazard off the Isle of Wight, in seven fathoms of water, close to the spot where the submarine Al came to grief in 1904. Divers will descend at daybreak. A strong current makes salvage work difficult. 6 The Hazard was steaming at the rate of ten knots, and the submarine was attacking her. The Hazard observed the A3 dive 2000 yards away, and she was not seen again, though the collision was felt. The submarine probably intended to cross the Hazard's course and attack her from the other side. Instead of getting clean under the bigger ship her conning tower struck the Hazard's side, and a blow from the gunboat's propeller gave her the coup de grace. The A class submarine i 6 not furnished with the chemical respiration helmets to the newer submarines, and in any case the inrush of water would have overwhelmed the crew before they could have donned the helmets. The fatal manoeuvre is a common one', and submarines carry out similar exercises five days a week, often making twenty attacks. The reason so many officers were on board was that they were undergoing an instructional course. Lieutenant Omand, who was married only two months ago, had replaced the commanding officer, who was absent on leave. Lieutenants Donald Campbell, Ernest Thornton, and Leonard Richardson are the other officers. CONDOLENCES. LONDON, 4th February. The Kaiser and President Fallieres have telegraphed expressions of sympathy with those afllicted by the A3 disaster.