The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1914. THE DANGEROUS SUBMARINE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 20, 23 January 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1914. THE DANGEROUS SUBMARINE.

The recent loss of the British submarine during naval manoeuvres again draws attention to the fact that this branch of the Royal Naval Service is taking a heavy toll of life, for during the past ten years nine somewhat similar mishaps have occurred to submarines, which have either sunk or exploded, and in every case with loss of life. For some time there lias been a demand for the scrapping of the old-fashioned and out-of-dace

I “A” type of submarine to which this | most recent death-trap belonged, because modern submarine science is so young, and has made such great advances, that an out-of-date ship has comparatively little' value. The “A typo is ten years old, and in the meantime submarines have increased in size from 200 to SCO tons, and in many respects have been made safer. ,At least so great engineers assert. | It is a notable fact that most of the (lisasters to British submarines have I been caused by collision. Even I counting explosions, mishaps caused | by internal defects, it is stated, have J boon rare. When it is remembered [bow dangerous the work is. and how I frequently the vessels are put through exercises in which the whole ( if the crew risk their lives, quite apart from danger oi collision, this (is creditable to the builders. The melancholy list ot disasters, it is Ipointed out, lias bad no effect on the number of offers to serve in the most dangerous branch of the Service. The men who volunteer for this work know much better than anv landsman what it involves, but officers and men alike are proud indeed to be selected for submarine work, and consider themselves lucky in gaining a place in this dangerdefying arm of the Service. This latest disaster ought, however, to j ‘awaken the authorities to the need of abandoning the “A” class altogether. . .