SUBMARINE DRAMA

Evening Star, Issue 17515, 22 November 1920, Page 6

SUBMARINE DRAMA

THRILLING RESCUE AFTER 36 HOURS. Submarine S5, of the U.S. Navy, figured in u. dramatic sea episodes through becoming partially Hooded white making a sudden dive about 55 miles south-east of Cape Henlopen, at tho entrance to Delaware Bay. She came to a standstill, almost completely submerged, in ' a vertical position, her nose pointing straight to tho bottom. Some few teet of her stern remained above water, and this was sighted by the army transport Uoneral Goothals, which immediately flashed a. wmeless appeal to the .Navy Department for assistance. The first news of tho submarine's predicament was obtained by an amateur wireless operator in New York who picked up the ■Goothal's mesaago ami communicated with local newspapers. The tttessage requested the immediate despatch. <«d&3troyers an d materials for cuttingthrough the Euhiaariiie's hull. The craft at tkt tkna had been disabled 35 hours, and doubt was expressed as to whether the orew were aSy©, hecaase, although latest models of undor-wator ships are-capable of remaimag submerged for threa daya with safcety, tho peculiar position .of SS had cauaed much oi her air euppiy to-escape. Without delay destroyers and other vessels were rushed to tho rescue. The-General Goethals J ?v m ° iU J whilo secrmed a telephone buoy a.vI m submarine released, and from the depths there came this appeal : SubmarinefaS has been submerged 35 boms. Air is nmnmgr snort. The machinery ia damaged. i*ad help - Communication, wV maintained through the. medinm of this telephone, which is etui m the experimental The apparatus coasts 0 f a. buoy attached to tho sido of the eubmariae, which can he released from the inside. When it reaches Wie surface a gong rings, which can bo heard torn a long distance, whilst at night time hj fissheß an electric fight. The telephone 13.easily removable from inside the buoy. During the evening a message from the stated "We must have more h£V a , f ter much maaajuvring, tho General Goethals succeeded in gefctine » precarious hold on the stern, and rafeedlW sufficiently to enable a small hole to bo cut in her hull and a supply of fresh air pumped I i \^ r iim me * nB tt **« Possible to keep the crew of four officers and 30 men alive until rescue work could bo commenced Destroyers reached the scene of tho mishap early in the morning, and landed men on tho submarine's hull equipped with acetylene torches, with which a hole was disabled boat. The entire ere*? were then safely rescued Some of the men were much exhausted and suffering from shock, but no one was fenously injured. Prospects are entertained of salving the submarine, which had been lately commissioned, and was understood to be on her maiden trip from Boston ISavy Yard to Baltimore, where she was to be exhibited in » campaign for naval recruits.