SUBMARINE A1.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 15

SUBMARINE Al.

tFironi Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 25. During a recent visit to Portsmouth Dockyard I was shown an evil-looking, o,'uJSty shell of steel which floated, half-submerged, in the sitill waters of the dock. “One of the submarines,” proudly explained the young naval officer wiio was acc-uig as my guide, and forthwith he proceeded to describe with evident entnusiusm the mechanism, of the little -craft, its methods of diving and of discharging the deadly torpedoes. Sailor-like, the officer said nothing of the dangers attending submarine work, beyond the hint conveyed in the casual remark that competition for duty in the submarines was very keen. One came away thinking more of the little vessel’s destructive powers than of its frailty. One didn’t realise that its walls of steel, just seven-sixteenth's of an inch in thickness, were liable in collision with another craft to be cracked like- a hollow egg-shell. The loss of Submarine Al, nun down and sunk with all bands last Saturday by a liner, was a tragic reminder of the risks that are clieerfuily faced by the crews of each and all of these strange craft. Submarine Al was lying in the fairway off the Nab lightship at Portsmouth, awaiting the coming of one of the battleships which constituted the attacking force in the naval manoeuvres. Invisible save for the top of her periscope, an object no larger than a bucket, she was struck by the Berwick Castle, bound for Hamburg. All that the liner felt was a slight shock suggesting the impact of a torpedo, but 'the helpiesb 'little submarine sank to the bottom with her frail hull -stove in. All this week the divers have been, fighting, with the waves in the attempt to raise the wire ok ami recover the bodies of the hapless crew, but so far the rough sea and the strength of the under-currents have baffled their daring efforts. The work will go on, however, until the submarine is raised. For 'the officers and crew battened down witliin the hollow shell there could be no escape, hut the death they had challenged in the execution of their hazardous duty would doubtless ooihe with a merciful swiftness. The terrible disaster caused a profound sensation, and aroused the deepest sympathy of King and commoner alike. But behind all personal regrets remains tne inspiration which SuiJoim Fisher, the Commander-in-chief at Portsmotuib, admirably voices: “Practical]!- ” he says, “outr gallant comrades died in action. Their lives are not thrown away if we consider their splendid example of cheerful and enthusiastic performance of a duty involving all the visits of war.” Two d ! ays after the accident the laconic order was issued: “The submarine flotilla will resume their exerei&es bo-mor-row.” And l you may be quite sure there was no lack of eager volunteers.