1926 January 26: British freight steamer Antinoe lost in storm in mid-Atlantic; crew rescued by the President Roosevelt, which lost 2 of her lifeboat men in the venture. March 22: Brazilian steamer Pas de Carvalh took fire and blew up on Solimoes River, near Manaos; 38. April 11: Oil tanker Gulf of Venezuela sunk by explosion at Port Arthur, Tex.; 33. April 27: Passenger steamer Chichibu grounded in storm off Horomushiro, Japan; 230. August 28: Passenger steamboat Buryvestnik smashed into a river pier near Cronstadt, Russia, and sank; 300. September 20: Steamship, sunk in storm off Sundarbans, India; 170. October 16: Troop ship blown up in Yangtse River, at Kiukiang, China; 1,200. October 20: British navy sloop Valerian sunk in storm south of Bermuda; 84. In this storm over 50 lives were lost in sunken vessels on the Cuban coast. In the previous storm, September 18, over 75 lives were lost among the shipping on the Florida coast. December 20: Oil tug Linseed King overturned in Hudson River at New York City; 45. December 24: French

bark Eugene Schneider, in storm off Portland, England; 24. 1927-January 11: Steamer John Tracy, off Cape Cod, Mass.; 27. May 26: Steamship Negros, carrying native students, near Romblon off Philippine coast; 108. August 1: Explosion on Japanese mine layer Tokiwz, ship not sunk; 38. August 25: Japanese destroyer Warabi sunk and destroyer Ashi crushed in collisions with cruisers Jiutsu and Naka, in night maneuvers off Bungo straits; 129. October 25: Italian steamship Principessa Mafalda blew up and sank off Porto Seguro, Brazil; 314. November 15: British Indian steamer Tukaram sank in storm off Bombay; 128. December 17: U.S. submarine S-4 sunk off Provincetown, Mass., in collision with Coast Guard destroyer Paulding; 40. 1928-May 7: U.S. Army dredge Navesink sunk in collision in New York Harbor; 18. July 7: Chilean transport Angames, wrecked in storm in Bay of Arauco; 291. July 17: French Indo-China steamer Cap Lay foundered at mouth of Songtambo River, 40. August 6: Italian submarine F-14 sunk in collision with destroyer in Adriatic Sea; 31. October 3: French submarine Ondine down in collision with Greek steamer, off Portugal; 43. October 14: American molasses tanker David C. Reid, sunk in storm near Azores; 45. November 12: British steamer Vestris, New York for Barbados and South America, sunk in gale 240 miles off Virginia Capes; 110, of whom 67 were passengers. Danish steel 5-mast cadet auxiliary sailing ship Kobenhavn (Copenhagen) on tour of world, left Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 14, 1928, bound for Australia; never heard from; over 200. 1929 January 2: Steamship Malakoff (formerly the Pannonia, in Mediterranean: 40. January 21: Chinese steamer Hongchong (formerly the Sandakan) off East China; 40. February 3: German steamer Deister in Douro River; 26. April 22: Japanese steamer Toyo Kuni Maru, crashed on Rocky Cape Erino; 103. July 9 British submarine H-47, hull torn open in collision with sister submarine L-12, sunk in 300 feet of water; 21. July 16: Chilean transport Abato sunk by storm off coast near Topocalma; 48. July 17: Russian passenger steamer Volga struck by floating World War mine in the Black Sea; 31. August 4: Joseph III, excursion steamer, sunk in collision with the Knocke; 50. August 18: Spanish steamer Ogono sunk in collision with British tug Kings Cross off mouth of River Humber, North Sea; 16. August 30: Coasting steamer San Juan sunk in collision with Standard Oil tanker S. C. T. Dodd, off Santa Cruz, Calif.; 70. September 7: Coasting steamer Kuru upset in gale in Gulf of Finalnd; 100, mostly children. October 7: Norwegian steamer Haakon VII, hit rock in storm and sank near Floroe; 44. October 24: Car ferry boat Milwaukee, bound from Montreal for Chicago, foundered in storm on Lake Michigan; 52. December 21: Chinese steamer Lee Cheong sank in storm on way from Swabue for Hong Kong; 300 natives, including many women and children.

1930-April 2: Ferry boat capsized near Tobata; 110. June 10: Oil tanker Pinthis sunk in Massachusetts Bay in collision with coast steamer, Fairfax; 50. August 11: Chinese launch blown up on Sikiang; 70. August 13: Chinese steamers collided off Shantung Peninsula; 79. September 18-October 4: Dutch steamer Tigris left Alexandria for Antwerp, never heard of; 33. 1931-January 20: Russian steamer Javaria sunk in storm in Black Sea; 50. February 9: French steamer Porthos sunk in snow storm off Kobe, Japan; 50. March 11: Chinese steamer exploded in Yangste River; 300. April 1: Collision of French immigrant steamer Florida and British aircraft carrier Glorious off Malaga, Spain; 40. May 22: Russian submarine No. 9 sunk in Gulf of Finland; 35. June 9: British submarine Poseidon sunk in collision with Chinese merchant steamer Yuta off northeast coast of Shantung Province, China; 20. June 14: French excursion steamer upset in gale off St. Nazaire; 450

1932 January 26: British submarine M-2 sunk off Portland Bill, England; 60. May 16: French passenger motorship Georges Philippar burned and sunk in Arabian Sea; 41. July 7: New French submarine Promethee off Cherbourg; 62. September 9: Steamboat Observation, carrying workmen to Riker's Island, blown to bits by explosion of boiler in the East River, New York City; over 40.

Research memorandum accidents to submarines

Data from various sources-Office of Naval Intelligence records, United States Naval Institute proceedings, construction and repair records, etc.]

United States... Explosion of hydrogen gas over top Apr. 29, 1902

Hunley......

Confederate...

Nordenfelt...
Triton.....

Russia
France

Fulton.....

Adder and Moc

do..

of batteries, ignited by spark. Stranded while being towed...

Collision, saved by drop keel

Collision with tug boat due to im-
proper sighting instrument.

Great Britain... Explosion of battery gas while
moored at docks of Vickers, Sons
& Maxim.

1903...

1993

1903.

Feb. 11, 1903

Gasoline explosion while returning Mar. 6, 1903
to port after trial.

Ashore at Watch Hill, R.I., while
being towed.

Lost reserve buoyancy and sank to
125 feet, crew brought the vessel to
surface. Cause, leaky valves and
limited reserve buoyancy.
Sank to depth of 40 feet but brought
to surface before reaching bottom,
Leaky valves and limited reserve
buoyancy.
Gasoline explosion..

Sunk by S.S. Berwick Castle off
Nab. Lightship, while running
submerged, faulty periscope.
Foundered at Cronstadt by wash
from passing steamer.
Gasoline explosion, crew absent....
Sank due to open ventilator; went to
bottom, 90 feet. Saved by own

crew.

Gasoline explosion.

While moored alongside the Hazard,

an explosion of gasoline vapor, induced by sparking of main motor. A second explosion followed within one-half hour injuring rescuers. Sunk suddenly while running on surface off Plymouth Breakwater, sunk before hatches could be closed. Later an explosion occurred, possibly battery gas.

While exercising in the lake of July 6, 1905
Biserta, the conning tower hatch

14

was found leaking due to im-
proper closing. On attempting
to close it was completely opened.
Crew answered signals for 32 hours
after sinking.

Battery gas explosion induced by Sept. 16, 1905
electric spark.

Great Britain... Sunk in Portsmouth Harbor after

2

Oct. 16, 1905

gasoline explosion.

Bonite...

France..

A-8...

Collided while submerged with battleship lena, saved by drop keel. Great Britain... Struck on conning tower by a

Jan.

5, 1906 Feb. 13, 1906

Esturgeon..

France....

steamer while exercising. Sunk at dock at Sargon..

Aug. 13, 1906

While exercising in the harbor of
Biserta, the Lutin reappeared from
her fourth dive of the day, down
by the stern. Slowly sank in 120
feet of water. Structural weak-
ness developed from static pres-
sure of previous dives.

Sunk during absence of crew on ac

count of carelessness in mooring.
Explosion of battery gas.
Collided with S.S. Coath, restricted
vision of sighting instrument. Not
sunk.

Gasoline explosion at Portsmouth.
Sank in dock at Toulon from admis-
sion of water while ballast tanks
were being filled. Confusion of
orders.

Filled with water in dock during July 5, 1907
tightness tests. Presumably

.do.

a

valve was left open.

United States...
France.

Battery gas explosion.

Oct.

Collided under water. Bonite in-
jured.

-, 1907 Nov. 22, 1907

1908

do... United States.

Russia...

Dragon or
Drakken.
Stingray (C-2).. United States...
Foca....
Italy..

Collision, not seriously damaged..
Gasoline fire alongside vessel (man
drowned).
Gasoline explosion..

Battery gas explosion..
Explosion of benzine vapor probably
ignited by short circuít. Batteries
were being charged. Boat sunk.
Total loss.

Rammed by battleship Restiblav
while running on surface. Cut in
halves and sunk.

Rammed by mail steamer Pasde
Calais as submarine was rising
from a dive. Sunk immediately.
Sunk while being towed.
Gasoline explosion..
Rammed U.S.S. Castine during div-
ing practice. Castine beached to
prevent sinking.

Gasoline explosion...

Sunk in Kiel Harbor due to imper

fect closing of the after-ventilat-
ing pipe.

Rammed by gunboat Hazard off
Isle of White while running sub-
merged. Sunk 11 fathoms of
water, later raised.
C- struck port side of E-2 while
making landing at New York
yard. Tide caused loss of control.
E-2 frame bent, leaked.
Broke surface ahead of battleship
St. Louis during maneuvers off
Cape De La Hague. Sunk in 350
feet of water, probably cut in half.
Great Britain... While running on surface at night off
Dover, was rammed and sunk by
liner Amerika. Probably cut in
two.

Vendemiaire... France..

B-2.

Minoga.....

Russia...

Took sudden plunge while maneu-
vering off Libau. Raised by lift-
ing chains after 9 hours on bottom.
Crew unconscious. Defective or
unproperly closed ventilator
caused accident.

May 26, 1910

25

25

Mar. 1, 1910
June 23, 1910
July 11, 1910

June 7, 1910

Jan. 18, 1911

3

Mar. 2, 1918

14

May 9, 1912

Great Britain... Explosion in engine room, fuel oil in
crank pit, boat not badly dam-
aged.

Newton..

France.

E-5..

Foucault.

C-14..

France.
Great Britain..

No. 5.
A-7.

Holland..

Great Britain.

G-1

United States...

C-2.

In a 6-hour submerged run an explo-
sion of oil occurred.

Running on surface in squadron,
rammed by lighter and sunk.
Sunk at Scheldt Quay..

Failed to come to surface after sub-
merged run in Whitesand Bay,
off Plymouth; cause unknown.
Wreck located in 150 feet of water
by oil slick and sweeping. Sal-
vage abandoned due to exposed
position.

Fire in living compartment from
accumulation of battery gas. No
explosion.

Great Britain... Arose under parent ship Hebe whose
propellers damaged the conning
tower. Coolness of crew saved
vessel.

F-4..

E-2..

Australia.

.do..

E-30.

Gustave Zede.. France..

Calypso rammed by Circe while
both were cruising on the surface.
during exercises, due to damaged
rudder on the Calypso. Calypso
sunk in 500 feet of water off Cape
Lardier.

Did not recover from dive. Cause
unknown.

United States... Failed to return from submerged run
out of Honolulu Harbor. Located
by oil slick and sweeping in 306
feet of water. Raised by lifting
derricks, and later by pontoons.
Explosion at Navy Yard, New York,
of hydrogen gas generated from
Edison batteries ignited by spark.
Great Britain... Explosion in battery compartment
due to carelessness in opening elec-
tric switch.
Battery gas explosion during charg- Sept. 1, 1916
ing operation while moored at
quay wall at Cherbourg. Inter-
ior wrecked.
Sunk in collision with merchantman
off Copenhagen. Raised and
5 of 6 members of crew saved.
Commanding officer was found
drowned in conning tower.
Gasoline explosion while en route
from Kobe to Kure.
Grounded near Eureka, Calif.:
hauled over land to Humboldt
Bay, and relaunched.

Dykkeren.... Danish.

Japan..
United States...

Great Britain... Sunk on final trial dive due to fail-
ure to close boiler room air inlets.
Gasoline vapor explosion in engine
room, due to open pet cocks.
Sunk at dock.

United States...

C-1 struck C-4 while submerged, C-1
periscopes broke, C-4 rudder dam-
aged.

No. 4. H-3.

K-13..

A-7.

D-2..

C-1 and C-4.

do..
do..

1919

United States..

Mar. -, 1918

Ran ashore near Ancona later hauled
off.
Rammed and sunk by F-3 during Dec. 17, 1917
fog in 50 to 100 fathoms of water.
Collision during maneuver.
Explosion battery gas. Sparking
vent motor

Sunk. Misunderstood orders while
running submerged.

own crew.

0-16 and R-15. United States... Collided while running submerged

Dec. 14, 1918

off Cristobal Harbor. R-15 did
not remain in assigned zone. Per-
iscopes and superstructure of
R-15 damaged. Ö-16 undamaged.

G-2..

do..

Sunk at moorings at New London. July 30, 1919
Flooded through open hatch

3

when vessel settled due to leaks
developed in bombing experi-
ments.

Explosion, battery gas improper Aug. 2, 1919
ventilation. No damage to ves-
sel or personnel.

Stranded on coast of Lower Cali-
fornia. Sunk in 50 feet of water
after being pulled off. Total loss.
Collision during maneuver.
Sunk during crash dive off Delaware
Capes, due to improper closing of
induction valve. Bow on bot-
tom stern up. Crew released by
passing steamer General Goethals
by drilling holes in stern.
Fire on a submarine fitting out at
the Nitsu Dishi Works.
Collision while maneuvering off
Majorca.

Japan....

Great Britain...

do..

Sunk at moorings due to water enter-
ing hawse pipes.

Mar. 12, 1920

2

June 17, 1920
Sept. 1, 1920

Sept. 1, 1920

51

Dec., 1920

1921

Fire, starting in galley due to defec- July 19, 1921
tive wiring, spread to adjoining
torpedo room. The boat was
flooded to check fire. Interior prac-
tically burned out.

Sunk at moorings alongside tender
Camden. Torpedo man opened
inner door of torpedo tube while
outer door was open. Interlocks
and tricocks failed.

Sunk at wharf in fitting out basin at
Den Helder. One of the sea cocks
found open.

Explosion in battery compartment.
Cause unknown.

United States... Sunk on builder's trial in Long Is-
land Sound due to open m. b. man-
hole cover while diving. Bow
raised by crew's efforts who ex-
caped through torpedo tube.

Great Britain... Broke surface under bows of de-
stroyer Versatile, during a dummy
attack off Europa Point in the
Straits of Gibraltar. Sunk in 500
fathoms of water.

United States... Foundered en route to Portsmouth

Sept. 26, 1921

2

Oct.

-, 1921

Nov. 9, 1921

2

Dec. 7, 1921

Feb. 25, 1922

26

U-111

man.

No. 34. No. 26.

S-38.

Japan..
do..
United States..

L-9.
Great Britain..
R-8 and R-11... United States...
No. 70..

0-5.

1 Several.

Aug. 31, 1922

from Norfolk.
Explosion, probably by hydrogen...
Collided with S.S. Ryosei Maru off
Hiroshima.

Motor room flooded due to inexpe-
rienced man removing bonnet of
after trimming tank sea valve.
Towed to shoal water and pumped
out.
Sunk at Hong Kong during typhoon.
In collision while passing in Pearl
Harbor due to mistaken signals.
Sunk due to mishandling during
submerged cruise trial off Kariya,
Osaka Bay. Hatches and vent
valves opened prematurely.
United States... Rammed and sunk by S.S. Aban-
gares, Limon Bay, Panama.

Japan...