1939-06-06 — Page 26

2

Tuesday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

HUSHED COMMONS HEARS OF DRAMA IN STRICKEN SUBMARINE THETIS

Men Were Overpowered By Flood of Water

LONDON, June 5.

SOME INDICATION of the horror of the situation in the submarine Thetis when the forward torpedo tube door burst open and hundreds of tons of water com- menced to flood the compartment was given in a state- ment issued last night by Mr. R. S. Johnson, Managing Director of Cammel Laird & Co., builders of the

submarine.

Unknown to the men in the! sea with nobody to receive them." forward compartment, the tor--United Press. pedo tube was already flooded.

When they opened the rear nor

of the torpedo tube, the water torc into the submarine in a surge re- miniscent of nozzle:

that from a glant

Everything Done

LONDON, June 3. Mr. Johnson said that the crew were only able to shut the door partially. Thus the two forward

It completely sweat the men off compartments were flooded. their feet.

the

thai

Special to "Telegraph”...

(Copyright, Telecommunications Ordinance, By “United

Press" Association).

LONDON, June 5.

June 6, 1939.

Public Inquiry

LONDON, June 5.

IT IS understood that the form of inquiry now under the con- sideration of the Government to investigate the loss of the Thetis will be on the same lines as the Inquiry into the R101 disaster, which was conducted by a dis- tinguished lawyer, assisted by

THE FINEST TRADITIONS of the Senior Service had been upheld by the technical, assessors. officers and men in the submarine Thetis.

This was the keynote of a dramatic state- ment made to a hushed House of Commons by the Premier, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, regarding the disaster that claimed ninety-nine lives on Saturday.

A full public inquiry would be instituted, said Mr. Chamberlain.

He denied, however, that the high number of people aboard the Thetis-103, as compared with the normal They made superhuman efforts to something further might have been complement of 55—had contributed in any way to the fight through the surging powerful done to save the men, Mr. Johnson disaster. jet of water to the door in order to insisted that the Admiralty had done close it, but their allempis unavalling.

were everything possible to save life. Th TORPEDO TUBE OPEN

Then they attempted to close the watertight door separeting the two forward compartments. Again their efforts were unavailing and, finally, they were forced to retreat minidships, shutting off the two flooded forward comppriments,

was the only thing anyone cared about.

"As far as can be ascertained," said the Premier,"

working.

An endeavour was made to lift the stern of submarine higher with Д

A formal decision will be taken by the Cabinet on June 7.

In the meantime, it is stated that donatious to the Lord Mayor's Fund for the relatives of the lost crew have been proinised by Their Majcstles the and Queen, Queen Mary, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Connaught, Princess Royal and Lord Häre-

wood.

King

Wires are already arriving at the Mansion House from the heads of civic authorities, who are opening funds to support the Lord Mayor's appeal.--Reuter.

JAPANESE

AIR RAIDS Planes Strike At Kiangsi Hinterland

Mr. Johnson described the difcuttles of the rescue work as the vessel sank as a result Later two more men came to the "terrible." The currents were very

surface and, as soon as possible, a of the flooding of two diver from the Vigliant went down, strong and the divers were forced into an almost horizontal position. forward compartments but he had the greatest difficulty in

Asked why a hole was not cut In Mr. Johnson quoted one of the four the protruding tail, Mr. Johnson de- through one of the forward

SHANGJAO, June 5. survivors as saying that all the menclared that this would only have en- torpedo tubes."

JAPANESE bombing activitica aboard the doomed stup planned to dangered the ship. He added that

Mr. Chamberlain inform-view to cutting a hole above the were extended to eastern Kiang- | use their Davis Escape Apparatus. they could have cut a hole, but they

would have been unable to get any-ed the House that, in some to have attempted to cut a hole in three enemy bombers visited water as soon as conditions allowed. si last Saturday afternoon, when "Something, however, went wrong," Mr. Johnson said tragically.

as yet unexplained manner, the conditions then obtaining would Shangjao and dropped a number Three men died whilst attempting to escape.

the rear door of the tube

of missiles at Fenglintu cross- had been left open.

ing, demolishing many houses.

Hauled Back-To Dic Another man had actually lert the submarine when his apparatus

He was literally seized:

failed him.

one through.

Air Line Failed Asked why an air line was not con- nected to the submarine, Mr. John "Apparently the men in the deginred that the divers could not

forward compartment could close get near the connections.

neither the door of the torpedo. tube nor the forward watertight door.

Mr. Johnson stated that one of the by the men still inside the vessel survivors told him that he did not think he could have lived another and was drawn hack-alive! later met his death with the resist an hour if he had stayed in the

submarine. of the crew.

"The four survivors risked their

Crummel Lairds would pay the

"The main ballast tanks were emptied with the intention of

lives to get to the surface in order over a period and the company would surface.

men's dependants the men's wages bringing the vessel to the

to bring help to their comrades,

"They did not know at the time look after the people.

At. the

present, continued Mr. that surface vessels were overhead.

Johnson, attempts were being made "I was a brave thing to do to raise the ship slowly and she They came up with the knowledge would gradually be towed short dis- that they might arrive in the open tances above the seabed and beached. Mr. Johnson advanced the opinion that the submarine was now full of, water.

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"But she took charge and dived to the bottom."

At first, said the Premier, the Thetis sunk gradually on even keel to the bed of the ocean. an

Buoys Unobserved "The impact as she struck bottom He revealed that when the first two threw the men of their feci.

Un- rescued men came up through the happily, it also destroyed the under- escape hatch, four others tried to water signalling apparatus. follow, but for some reason as yet "Marker buoys, which enit smoke unknown, they were taken back into signats when they reach the surface, the submarine. They were dead.-were soon afterwards released. But Router,

they were not observed.

"Afterwards, iwo men caine to the surface by means of the Bavis Escape Apparatus in order to direct rescue operations."

Negotiations With Reich Commons Questions

Are Parried

LONDON. June 6. MR, R. A. BUTLER was close- ly questioned in the House of Commons to-day on the Anglo- German naval treaty.

men was

have incurred severe risks of which would

have been jus Later, a fresh effort was made to unsuccessful, as the Thetis was be- again coming less buoyant.

the stern, but this was

Earlier in the day, the Japanese

planes atacked Kweichin, 45 miles west of Shangloo on the Cheklang- It was believed that three men Klangsi rallway, outside the north were killed when trying to escape gate. Several lengths of rails were with the first party and were taken torn.-Central News. back into the submarine.

No further escapes could be made by the Davis apparatus,

buoy

Suitch Also Bombod SIAN, June 5-A lone Japanese plane visited the town of Sufteh In Shortly before low water, wire was north Shansi yesterday and dropped pinced round the Thetis, but it three bombs. A checkup after the ped, cutting away the indicator departure of the raider showed that Hite damage was done. Central The submarine was re-located after News. some hours, and by this time deep-

Ningpo Bombed again carried out. sea divers from Scapa Flow had arrived, and diving operations were were wounded and a score of houses Ningpo, June 5. Two civilians

levelled to the ground last Saturday' morning whe nive Japanese planes made a fresh air atack on Ningpo, [dumping twenty one bombs-Central

•

All Hope Abandoned

By this time it was clear that there News, was no further possibility of saving life, and they proceeded with the

Progress Of War LONDON, June 5-Giving an ac- task of salvaging the vessel.

The Premier added that it was count of the recent happenings in while adjusting the

the House of Commons to-day, Mr. R. A. marine after diving trim of the sub-Chinn during question-time in of the forward compartment occurred. Butler said that some lighting had

The main ballast tanks were

were been proceeding in Central China in Immediately emptied by compressed

ressed the Han River area, but the generat nir with the intention of bringing line held by both sides remains the the Thetis to the surface, but she

that the flooding

and the

on the

by the Japanese,

Regarding the British officers held Mr. Butler said that he understood the Chinese secretary to the Embassy and the British military liaison officer were returning to Pelping and were ex- intest news. pected there yesterday with the

"I need not tell the House," said Mr. Chamberlain amidst cheers, -"that this was-a-very-gailant thing

continued to dive, Look-an-angle The general situation in the Inter-. of 35 degrees, and hit the boilemational Settlement in Shanghal re- to do. "One of these

mains substantially unchanged. two

at 130 feet.

There had been no reduction in the Captain Oram. With great gallantry

Mr. Chamberlain said that Commel number of landing he look upon himself, before he knew Lairds were making provision for the Kulangsu.. Negotiations for a settle

parties at that the submarine had been located dependants of their staff,

ment there continue, British and by surface craft, to escape from the Lord Mayor of London, in accordance America queue, and Br Thetis under conditions which were with the feelings of the country, had Island. realsed to be most dangerous."opened a public subscription.

The Premier expressed on behalf United Press. -

LONDON, June 5-The sinking of of the Government profound sorrow the submarine, was caused by the at the loss of so many valuable lives. flooding of the two forward compart-

Public Inquiry inents through the bow torpedo tubes, He was nsked whether the one of which had become open, or Answering questions whether the British Government was considering Way

open

when the submarine negotiaung a further naval agree the

submerged,

Mr. Chamberlain told Public Inquiry would awolt House.

salvaging of the Thetis, the Premier ment as suggested by Herr Hitler.

Mr. Butler said he could

The submarine's signalling op replied that it would be opened as not add anything to previous answers, but paratus

destroyed, preventing early as possible, but it would be when asked whether an announce her from communicating with surface quite impossible to bring it to a

ships. ment could be expected quickly, Mr. Butler replied:

Marker buoys and smoke signals "Certainly the matter is reaching a stage where some had been released, but were not im- nouncement may be made in the mediately observed, | near future.”—Reuter,

European Lady Passes Away

was

An effort was made to lift the stern more from the water, with a view to making a hole in it, but the attempt was unsuccessful,

He believed that three men were killed trying to escape with the frat and were withdrawn into the party submarine.

umu

the

the

satisfactory conclusion until submarine was salvaged, and con- ditions

inside of it ascertained. He added that exceptionally strong spring tides mude diving operations except In Blackwater. impossible Divers taking part in operations had the greatest difficulty in working-Reuter.

Europo's Sympathy

:

The Premier, in the course of his LONDON, June 5-Messages of Mrs. Florence May Payne, wife of narrative of the salvage operations, condolenes on the loss of the Thetis Mr. G. A. Payne, of the Naval Dock- said that wire was passed round the have been received from Signer yard, passed away at the Matilda submarine and a "came?" placed in Mussolini, the King of Italy, and the Hospital last night after a short ill-position, but the submarine silpped King of the Belgians-Reuter,

the wire and had to be re-located.

ness.

Sho

It was not possible to say how soon

taken ill suddenly the submarine could be raised, Saturday and entered the Hospital

1409

that afternoon.

Mrs. Payne, who was 52 years of age, was born in Portsmouth, She had a wide circle of friends, with whom she was very popular.

Public Inquiry

A full public Inquiry would be made, promised Mr. Chamberlain, The Premier expressed the pro- found sorrow of the Government

and the Houses of Parliament at. the loss of so many valuable lives, *** —and expressed deep sympathy with

the relatives.

Her son, Mr. George R. Payne, is a partner in the Arm of Messrs. Payne and Company.------

The funeral will pass the Monu- ment at 5 p.m. to-day.

Arabs Dynamite Main Highway

į

Mr. Chamberlain said that with a view to facilitating escapo for the personnel, all possible measures were taken by the crew to lighten the sub- marine, and the stern came to the surface.

After the rescue, ship. Brazen had located the submarine and indicated its presence by sound signals, two survivors came to the surface by means of the Davis escape apparatum. who with great gallantry, took upon One of these was Captain Oram,

himself, before he knew, the sub- In the course of a aubsequent In-marine had been sighted, to escape Įvestigation, pollee found 280 pounds from the Theils under conditions

JERUSALEM, June 5. The highway between Jerusa. lem and Jericho was dynamited to-day.

of explosives and several uniforms which were realised to be most

of Arab irregulara in the village, of

of dangerous

Bilet Hartlyn.bnd" The Arab newspaper "El Dilhad" has been banned for two weeks for

operations.

order to - direct,

All Woro Alivo Captain Oram reported that pr

printing an article denouncing the conditions in the submarine wero bes

WATCH FOR THE MIDNIGHT STARS!

MARY ASTOR SCINTILLATES IN "MIDNIGHT”

secret policy and activities of the coming bad, although all aboard were TERITY NELERATUREN JURIDINITION Jewish Agency. -Trans-Ocean,

Ull alive,

The whole matter has been taken up with the Japanese military authorliles and

the Government. Reuter."

Kian Air Raid

Kian, June 0. Japanese aircraft staged two air southwest of Nanchang, yesterday. roids over Kian, about 125 miles Five machines participated in the Arat zaid, the outskirts. In the second raid, six dropping four missiles in planes dumped over 30 explosives in the heart of the town, wounding more than 10 civilians and wrecking a number of houses.

A village near Talho, south of Klan, was also bombed by the raiders.

Central News.

Shaching Raided

Kinhwa, June 6, Shaching, well-known wine producing town on the south bank of Hangchow Bay in north Cheklang. was.ralded by five Japanese bombers yesterday. Altogether 14 bombs were dropped in the city, wounding one civilian and levelling more than 30 houses-Central News,

Chinese Olympic Player Killed

CHUNGKING, June 5.-Paul Fu, the well own Manchurian pole vaulter who represented China at the Olympic Games in Berlin In 1936, is reported to have been killed in an air battle over Kwellin, the capital of the province of Kwangsl.

Paul Fu joined the Chinese alr- force as a pilot shortly after the | outbreak of the hostilities,--Trans-.

Ocean.

WASHINGTON, June "Boss" Tom Prendergast the Kansas Cily. politician who in now serving a sen tance for income tax invasion, has had a "rather serious heart attack" sirico hò entered Leavenworth Penl-

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