SUBMARINES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10056, 30 May 1910, Page 5

SUBMARINES.

I PLUVJOSH DISASTER. KING GEORGE'S SYMPATHY. A DIVER'S STORY. Received May 26, 5 p.m. LONDON, May 28. King George has sent to the President of France, M. Fallieres, a message of sympathy in connection with the disaster to the submersiDle ! Pluvioae, sunk in the Channel through a collision with the steamer Pas de Calais. of the steamer Paa de Calais states that he saw the periscope of the submarine five yards ! ahead, and reversed his vessel's en- | gines and altered her course without I avail. The movements of the Pluvicse I showed that her crew was endeavouring to get the vessel on a level keel. One diver who went down affirms that he heard knocking, and he believes the crew ia within the watertight compartment, in which there is air sufficient for thirty hours.

FRENCH MINISTER'S STATEMENT. AWAITING ARRIVAL OF TUGS. Received May 29, 5 p.m. PA MS, May 28. Since the'disastera to the French vessels Farfadet and Lutin French submarines have been fitted with buckles. It is suggested that the Pas de Calais should have immediately attached a hawser to the buckle and prevented the Pluviose sinking. Admiral de Lapeyrere, Minister lor Marine, has personally investigated the disaster. He states that the Pluviose rose to the surface owing to tha commander's supreme but fruitless effort to right the vessel, which wa3 falling rapidly. It was impassible f_>r the crew to be now aLve. A strong current running parallel to the coast earned the submarine within the mail steamers' daily track. The currents are stiil impeding the work of the divers. Moreover, the Calais tugs are not powerful enough to be effective, and the arrival of tuga fiom Cherbourg is being awaited. FAILURE TO LOCATE THE WRECK. Received May z9, 6.5 p.m. PARIS, .May 28. Divers in their latest descents failed to locate the Pluvoise, owing to the strong current?. THE SINKING OF A JAPANESE SUBMARINE. Received May 29, 5.5 p.m. PARIS, May 28. The newspapers are publishing the full text from Japanese newspapers of a letter written by the lieutenant of the Japanesa submarine which Bank during manoeuvres recently. (The Japanese submarine was lost while manoeuvring off Hiroshima. She dived and failed to rise. She was located some hours later, and was promptly raised, but the crew, consisting of three offijera and eleven men, were dead. A touchirg sequel was providtd by a document discovered in the refloated vessel. It was written by the lieutenant commandingl, and gave details of the accident. The lieutenant described the cause, and the futile steps taken to cnideavourto rahe the submarin", and expressed regret at the losing of the boat and trie lives of its officers and crew, who3e heroism was worthy of the highest praise. At the conclusion the writer stated that he had reached such a stage oi asphyxiation that he was breathing with the greatest difficulty. He prayed Ihe Mikado to succour the families of the officers and men who perished.) ESCAPE, Unite?. Press Association- By Electric Telegraph Copyright, Received May 29, 5 p.m. PARIS, May 28, An emphatic denial has been given to the statement that tho crew of the submarine Pluviose, which sank with all hands, answered the knocking on the steamer's suirs, or tnat calls for help were heard. The submarinn Circe, when off Toulon, in rising to the surface, narrowly escaped being cut in halvi es by the guardship of Admiral Trehouart.