HEAVY SHIPS DAMAGED BUT STILL OPERABLE

Chronicle (Levin), 3 July 1946, Page 5

HEAVY SHIPS DAMAGED BUT STILL OPERABLE

Press Assn.

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. , • _ BIKINI, July 2. A close bmocular inspection. of the target ships showed that probablv no vessel escaped damage, but this in inost cases appeai'cd to be ama 11, consisting uiainly oi' bent masts and wrecked superstriictui'es. Mr. Forrestal, Reeretary of the Xavy, in a broadcast from the Mount M cKinlev, said there would still be navies in the future. Ameriean soapower would reinain the most powerful despite the ' k^^oiuic age. The heavy ships at Bikini suffered relatively nnimportant damage and apparently are still operable. Alr. Fovi'estal, rel'erring to comments drawn from carly observations, said it was too early to be speeifie. Dr. Ernest Pollard, nuclear physieist at Yale University, told the press in Arneriea that the Bikini test was 80 per eent. dramatic and 20 per eent. science. The overhead explosion was not the way to sink a battleship. The etTects*of the bomb as dropped eould liave been summarised authoritatively without experiment. The goats aboard the Pennsylvania survived the bomb blast and were seen standing eontentedly munching hay. " They had been especially trained in nonehafanee at Fornell University where they were taught to ignore sudden noise and motion. Scientists wanted to learn if the bomb would shake tlieir composure.

Admiral Blandy admitted last night that the damage done "by the Bikini bomb was less spectacular and less injurious than that inflicted on the Ameriean fleet at Pearl Harbour, says the special Australian correspondent of the Associated Press (Mr. E. W. McAlpine) . Admiral Blandy made the statement aboard the Appalachian, anchored in Bikini lagoon, 12 hours after the drop and with the aircraftcarrier Independence still glowing in the darkness a niiie away. Admiral Blandy deiinitely denied that the test was an attempt to simulate an attack 011 a fleet, as the ships were speciaily placed to get specific information, and it could not be regarded in any sense as an attack. Admiral .Snllbcrg \\:is oi' Ihe ojiinion tlial ihe l>la>l |ire-.-'nif* aci-ouul od I'or mosl oi' ihe damagi'. Onlv M'oondarv damage was rnu-u'd by ihe fin-s, whiidi were slarled by Ihe iuslantaiieous llash oi' lieat. Si'ieutists ninv agree lliat Ihe Bikini bomb e|aa!ied Nagasaki 's, and e\]dain tlial ulieii llie iioiub bnrsl the air al the water 's snrl'aee was swept aside, crealiiig raiiliei! air, nliii'h was cooler tlian Ihe snriotimliiig air. This phenoltietinii, in Itirn, i-irateu a deiise I'og, whieh billowed iij) i 1 1 an e\jdosive (doud. The shai'i. oi' eloin! o\ cr Bikini was jnire while, eont iast ing with the dirlydooking bniwn eloud in X e\v Xlvxico, iliro-hima and Xagasaki. lieeau.se tho.-e e:-.|do^ions wero over land, dust, dirl and dcbris ro m* with tlie smoke. .Major-Ci'eueial ('urtis henley, ihe Knper I'oi tii--s i-..n.ma mlet dnring Ihe atomic b.n.iliing oi dapan, observed the Bikini diop liom ihe ommand piane and said Ihe boiub did not appear as powerful as iiic Xagasaki bomb. (ieneral l.em.'iy -ael: * 'Sliips ari not a good targel i'or an atomir bomb.'' -Mosl oi the opeiat e.n -!:ips are now bnek al arndior in saie areas of the lagoon, inil liieir persoinnd are eager to board the target sinps I'or the lina! insjieet ion of damage and inst niinents. A drone routrol pilot. Lieiitenant Bright, said ihe atomic eloin! had a peculiar odonr. l.ieut enant Briglit was alde to detee] fhe smeil, beeause llis guide piane weiti within si\ miles of the elond, instead of ten, as prearranged. LxciqM foi the odonr, Lieiitenant Bright deeiared tlial he was disappointed. He saw no llash and i'cdt no slioek oi- heat. Lieiitenant Bright sent liis navy drone into tiie elond at 15.0(10 feet l.en miii'ites after the bomb was dropped. The i ed-coloured drone eanie oul snow w hile be ause it'Was eovered witli ice, but tlie jre melted before the drone landed. Admiral Biamly diselosed tliut 0110 pilot less di niu plunged into the sea before the hauiti was dropjied. All ihe otlier drone- returned to tlieir bases. The •eoiiimaiidef said tlie- drone w as lost beeaiise tlie automalie pilot faiied, presumablv beiiig ail'eetid by the conditions al ihe L's.lilinft. altitude.