SUBMARINE PERILS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 566, 22 July 1909, Page 5

SUBMARINE PERILS.

RECENT DISASTER. NO SAFETY HELMETS SUPPLIED. OFFICIAL REASON. ' ,(Bt, Telegraph.—l'roae Aseoclatlon.-OonyrlehVl London, July 20. Tho crows of submarine C 11—[which was sunk recently by tho steamer Eddystone, twelve being drowned—and of 'submarine Cl7—which at the same time was badly damaged by collision iwth submarino Cl 6 —wero not provided Tuth safety helmets ' (the object of which lifo-saving device is | to enable, a submarine's orew to survive in . the event of tho craft foundering). i

In the House of Commons Mr. A. sH. Leo (formerly Unionist Civil Lord of tho Admiralty) questioned the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. M'Konna, on tho mattor. Tho First Lord stated that it was impossible to supply all tho submarines with helmets before. Novembor.

Mr. Loe stated that the helmets wore promised in May, 1903.

WHAT THE HELMET DOES. AIR CAN BE BREATHED OVER AND OVER. In 1907 a submarine helmet was invented by Commander J. S. Hall (Inspecting Commander of Submarines) and Statt-Surgeon Oswald llees (of H.M.S. Mercury). It is claimed that tho helmet -vs 111 enable the crow of a submarine to escape from the vessel even though it bo filled with water or poisonous gases. i Problems—and the Solution.

Examinations of wrecked submarines after salvage show that-, the conditions prevailing' in tho submarine when a large quantity of wator entors arc such that if life is to be preserved three definite problems must be. solved:— (1) Saving the crew from tho effects of noxious fumes generated by the ealt water which gained access to tho) electrical storage batteries. (2) Saving the creir from, drowning while in the submarine. ' (3) Enabling the crew to escape from tho N boat and ascend to tho surface. As regards No. 1 and No. 2, it is claimed that the now helmet enables tho same air to be breathed by tho wearer o\er and over again; and that A man could thus live in tho most poisonoas fumes for an hour and, twenty minutes. - < ' As regards No. 3, it Was stated that' special arrangements were being provided ia submarines for enabling the crews to open tho hatch of the conning toner under all conditions, so that they could come to the surface, whore the patent dress would act as a lifebuoy until they were picked up. "Oxylithe." A London paper , publishes the following description of the submarine safety helmot and of a'n experimental test: "In appearance tho new invention is" like ii diving helmet, made of light metal, with a canvas jacket. It neighs only about 101b., and can be attached in a few seconds,

"The air breathed by tho nearer is used over and over,again. The poisonous carbonic acid gas of the respired air is absorbed by a special substance called 'otylitlie/ which also restores to tho air the requisite amount of oxygen and renders it fit again for breathing. "A practical demonstration of tho apparatus was given at the works of Messrs Sielw, Gorman, and Co., Limited, submarine engineers to the British Admiralty A, Test. "The firm have an enormous experimental tank, into which Chief Petty Officer Knee, of the Royal Navy, descended, equipped with the now life-saVing device. The. effect of the, apparatus is to bring tho,person,,wearing it, , to the surface, and, consequently, Hines had to wear heavyi, weightsi. sou that .he.- could • climb donn the ladder to tho floor of the tank., "There wore glass windows in the tank, through which Hiues could be seen walking about with as little discomfort as.tif he ,uere on land. All- this time, of course, ho was obtaining no fresh supplies of air from outside, tho headgear itself giving him all the necessary oxygen. ' . "Suddenly Hines released the woights from his body'and, ( as would bo tho case were ho escaping from the conning tower of a 6ubmaune, he Tose swiftly to tho surface, where the dress acted as a lifcbuoy.' , > i , I ■ Not a Secret. ' , One of the grejlt advantages claimed for the device is that submarine crews can practise with it in tho boat and under water. j v Cbramander Hall said he-was not in favour of keeping the patent a secret. "There is no reason, fie added, "why foreign Governments should not uso it. Alter all, it is not an affair of war—although its moral effect on the crew of a siibnianne will bo enormous." Chlorine gas, which generates immediatelj sea water gets into the submarine batteries, he stated, was fatal in very 6mall quantities. Even apart from being actually dangerous to life, the smallest trace in the air will cause so much coughing that work is impossible just when it is most needed to get rid of the water in the boat, and perhaps to get her to the surface.