NEVER TO BE KNOWN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 31, 13 March 1914, Page 7

NEVER TO BE KNOWN.

fate OF THE A 7. "i ; ; ■ y: AN UNLUCKY CLASS. "Times" and "Sydney Sun" Services. (Beeeived March 13, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 12. The Et. Hon. Winston Churchill, questioned in the House of Commons, said that n6 diver had penetrated the sunken submarine A 7, and the cause of her loss would never be known.

The A Class of submarines, which originally consisted of the fatal number 13, a*e regarded as unlucky by the Navy. The following are the records of some previous submarine disasters: — 1904 (March 18).—Al (British) run down by the s.s. Berwick Castle off the Nab lightship. Lives lost, 11. 1904 ( June 29).—Delfine (Russian) sunk at Cronstadt Dock. Lives lost, 23. 1905 (February 16).—A5 (British) > explosion of gasolent in Queenstown Harbour. Lives lost, 6. 1905 (June 8). —A 8 (British), sunk whilst manoeuvring in Plymouth "Sound (Cawsend Bay). Lives lost, 15. 1905 (July 6).—Farfadet (French), . .sunk off Tunis. Lives lost, 14. 1907 (June 11).—A4, a leakage of petrol whilst the A 4 was at Portsmouth caused an explosion which - threw Lieut. Hart among the working machinery with fatal results. 1908 (March). —Ventors (French), whilst manoeuvring at. Cherbourg, suddenly plunged, and struck the rocks at a depth of 10 fathoms. The hull Was extensively damaged, •her propellers useless, but the coolness displayed by the officers and crew enabled all to make a miraculous escape. 1908 (July).—AQ (British). Through a leakage of gasolene' the whole of the crew, who were below at the time, were found unconscious by the officers in the conning tower; No loss of life. 1909 (April 2.6).—Foca (Italian), damaged by explosion. Lives lost, 9. 1909 (June 12). —Kambala (Russian), sunk in collision. Lives lost, 3. / 1909 (July 14).—C1l (British), run down by the s.s. Eddystone. Lives lost, 13.* 1910 (April 16).—N0. 6 (Japanese), sunk in Hiroshima Bay. Lives lost, 15. 1910 (May 26).—Pluviose (French), run down byj;he s.s. Pas de Calais. Lives lost, 27. 1910 (May).—Aß (British), whilst - manoeuvring at Plymouth, dived to a depth of 200 ft, and only rose to the surface after considerably labour, lasting for an hour. No loss of life. . - 1910 (August 6).—Al (British),.""An explosion of petrol whilst at the Portsmouth Dock severely burnt the erew of two officers and five men; the coxswain had his leg broken. 1911 (January ,17)*.—U3, (German), sunk at Kiel. ' 1911 (September).—Al (British), whilst employed in experimental lifting tests at Portsmouth, was carried out of her course and lost. There was no crew on board at the time. 1912 (February 2).—A3 (British), sunk through collision with H.M.S. Hazard close to the spot where the Al came to grief in 1904,., x The A3 was afterwards .raised, towed > to sea, and the battleship St. Vincent, at 2000 yds range, sank her at the third shot. Lives lost, 14. 1912 (June 8). —Vendemiarie (French), sunk through collision with, the French warship Saint Louis. Lives lost, 26*. 1912 (October 3).—82 (British), sunk through collision with the Ham-burg-America liner Amerika (22,622 tons). Lives lost, 15. 1913 (December).—Cl 4 (British), sunk about 20 miles off Plymouth through collision with a dredge. i The crew were all saved. 1914 (January IY).—A7 (British), sunk in Whiiesand Bay, west of Plymouth Sound, owing to defective pump's. . Lives lost, 11.