SWEPT FROM THE CONKING TOWER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10057, 31 May 1910, Page 3

SWEPT FROM THE CONKING TOWER.

While submarine C 37 was battling against tempestuous seas off the Lizard, Lieutenant Alfred B. Prowse, her young commanding officer, was washed out of the conning towei and drowned, without an attempt at res cue being possible. The C 37 and C3B are two of England's latest submarines, excelled only by vesels of the experimental D class, and were being convoyed from Barrow-in-Furness, where they were built, to Portsmouth, their first station, escorted by the gunboat Sharpshooter. The vesels made a fair passage down the Irish Sea [acd St. George's Channel; but when they turned the Lizard and started to go up the lish Channel they met the full force of a citing cold north-easterly gale. It was decided to keep going; but it was very uncomfortable aboard, and quantities of water continually reached the interiors of the little craft through the conning towers. The vessels were steaming on the surface, and their petrol engines were giving them about 10 knots speed. Sleep was impossible in such a gale, though the vessels behaved well and kept steady. Lieutenant Prowse remained injthe conning tower for hours together, and it is believed the loss of his life was largely due to physical weakness caused by long hours of duty during a trying period, with only short snatches of sleep in the daytime. At two a.m. on the Saturday, with a strong gale still blowing asd high seas running, he wss in the conning, tower with two bluejackets, one of whom was at the wheel. Suddenly a huge sea swept over the glistening side of the vessel, encountering no resistance until it reached the steering platform upon which the three men stood. The protecting canvas was torn clean away, and Lieutenant Prowse, who was badly situated, lost his hold and went overboard like a flash. The other men hung on] to the wheel and stanchions, and saved themselves. Clad as he was in oilskins, and wearing heavy boots, and weary with his long vigil, Lieutenant Prowse's doom was sealed from the time he lost his hold. He no doubt sank like a stone. Signal was made to C3B and to the attendant gunboat that there was a man overboard, and for half an huur the spot was carefully searched, the Sharpshooter using fier searchlights; but nothing was seen of the lieutenant. Portsmouth was reached at halfpast one in the afternoon, the Com-mander-in-Chief beina: at o jce informed of the sad affair. Tne steering platform of submarines of the C class is only 4ft or sft above the waterline, and in a high sea.existence there ia always precarious. In rough weather those on the platform are constantly drenched.