§ 25. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is in a position to announce any improvement in the methods of rescuing the crews of, and salving, submarines sunk as the result of accident?
Mr. ALEXANDERI am glad to be able to inform my hon. and gallant Friend that very satisfactory trials have just been completed of an apparatus which should afford each individual member of a crew a fair chance of escape from a sunken submarine and of reaching the surface. The apparatus is known as the Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus, designed by Messrs. Siebel, Gorman, Limited, and is similar in principle to the American "Lung." Arrangements are being made to purchase sufficient sets to equip all officers and men in submarines and to provide facilities for training them in its use. With the advent of this apparatus, the salvage of the submarine has become of lesser importance, as it may be no longer necessary for the saving of life. The problem is, however, being still further studied, and experiments have been carried out with a submarine at Portsmouth and will continue as necessary.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIs the inventor of this apparatus English?
Mr. ALEXANDERI do not happen to have made inquiry on that point; I was much more concerned about getting the apparatus.