IN A SUNKEN SUBMARINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15551, 7 March 1914, Page 5 (Supplement)

IN A SUNKEN SUBMARINE.

CHANCES OF ESCAPE.

The recent loss of the British submarine A 7 has led to the raising of the question how long can life be supported in a disabled submarine? When the French submarine Faifadet, was lost in 1905 it transpired that eight out of the 12 aboard lived for 32 hours. They replied to the signals of the rescue parties for all this length of time. A great silence followed, and when the submarine was raised all were dead.

The chances of a submarine crew de-1 pends so much on the type of submarine j and the extent of the damage suffered by the craft. Poisonous petrol fumes cause almost instantaneous death. Severe damage leads to an inrush of water, which may lead to drowning within 10 minutes. Granting that a suomarine of an obsolescent type is undamaged although unable to secure the necessary buoyancy to rise to the surface the lives of all hands can be prolonged for several hours. This has been proved by a long , series of experiments. I The period of dreadful suspense when life hangs in the balance in a sunken submarine has only been vividly described by one naval officer, the late Lieut.-Com-mander • Saktiraa Tsutomu, of the Japanese Navy. When waiting for inevitable death . with his gallant comrades in Hiroshima Bay in 1910, he jotted down his thoughts on paper: "Although we are departing in pursuance of our duty to the State (he wrote in a notebook that was subsequently found), the only regret we have is due to anxiety lest the men of the world may misunderstand the matter and that thereby a blow may be given to the future development of submarines. "Gentlemen, we hope you will be increasingly diligent without misunderstanding the nature of the accident, and that you will dcvqte your whole strength to investigate everything and so ensure the future development of submarines. If this is done wo shall have no regret. "At about 10 ,a.m. the boat sank, and under this offensive gas we endeavoured to expel the water. The switchboard being under water, the electric light gave out. Offensive gas developed and respiration became difficult. As the vessel becamo submerged we expelled the water from the mam tank. The light, having gone out, the gauge cannot be seen, but we know the water is expelled from the main tank. We cannot use the electric current entirely- The electric fluid is overflowing, but no ' salt water has entered, and chlorine gas has not developed. We only rely upon the pump now.

The above has been writen at 11.45 under the conning-tower. We are. soj.ked by the water. Our clothes are —we feel cold. The water pump stopped, and did not work after twelve o'clock.

"Officers arid men of submarines must be appointed from the most distinguished among the distinguished, or there will be annoyance in cases like this. Happily, all members of the crew have discharged their duties well, and I feel satisfied." Then followed a list of compliments ■vfliich he desired should be made to distinguished Japanese, and before completing the list he wrote : —• "Atmospheric pressure is increasing, and I feel as if my ear-drums are breaking. "12.30 o'clock.Respiration is extraordinarily difficult. I am breathing gasoline. I am intoxicated with gasoline. T feel pain. It is 12.40 o'clock." With which the dying officer's message ends abruptly.