MISHAP TO SUBMARINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18867, 15 November 1924, Page 9

MISHAP TO SUBMARINE

AN UNLUCKY VESSEL. PREVIOUS TRAGEDY RECALLED. LONDON. Nov. 5. The submarine K22, while going out for manoeuvres, struck Portland breakwater, and her nose became embedded in the rocks. In this position she remain aground for 10 hours until towed off by a cruiser. The K22, which was formerly the Kl3, foundered in the Firth of Clyde during her trials in 1918. Of the 72 men then comprising her crew, 30 were drowned, while the other 42 were rescued after 56 hours through ft hole cut in the vessel's how when it had been raised above the water. This rescue was regarded as one of the finest salvage operations ever performed The K22 belong to a class of eight boats which figured on the 1916-7 emergency war programme, and which still hold the distinction of being the largest and taste.st underwater craft in the world. The need for ocean-going submarines, which could cruise with the fleet, led to the production of• this class, in which the ordinary oil engines were replaced by steamBrivon turbines with a Diesel engine as auxiliary surface power. In order to improve their sea-going qualities, the bows were built up into a high clipper stem. There are two funnels, which are hinged and lowered into wells, covered by watertight hatches, before diving. It was owing to these hatches being left open that the K22. theu the Kl3, foundered when diving on her trials'. After this accident she was renumbered.