§ MR. MACPHERSON (Preston)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what means, if any, animal or mechanical, existed on board Submarine No 9 for the detection of the escape of petrol gas; and whether he will state what methods the Admiralty propose taking to prevent the recurrence of such mishaps as that which took place on Submarine No. 9 off Folkestone on Tuesday 9th July.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.In the case of the recent accident in Submarine A. 9 owing to a mechanical defect, a large quantity of exhaust gases escaped into the boat. The effect was sudden; and the occurence of defects of this kind, though happily rare, are almost impossible to guard against. Engines have so much improved since submarine boats were first built, that such an escape of petrol gas as white mice would serve to register, is no longer 1739 to be feared. There is no remedy for such an accident as occurred in A. 9, the effect of carbon monoxide on the men being so rapid.