(Continued from page 7) marine, the Admirality maintained that the men, unless trapped, could escape from the underwater craft by using their Davis-lungs.
The Thetis, as is the case with every British submarine, is fitted with two special escape hatches and the men, by relying on their Davis apparatus, which is a "lung" consisting of a life belt and oxygen mask and tank, could escape safely.
Before the announcement that several men had been saved from the submarine, Mr. German Davis, son of Sir Robert Davis, inventor of the escape equipment, told the press that there was no reason for alarm until 24 hours after the disappearance of the submarine.
He recalled that several of the crew were rescued from the British submarine Poseidon in the China waters off Weihaiwei in 1931, "There may not be any serious trouble," he added hopefully.
"There may be simply a technical mishap which the officers and crew are trying to rectify. They would not abandon ship while there was hope of bringing her to the surface under her own power," he said in explaining a possible reason why the men had not used their lungs to come The Thetis is commanded by Lieut.- Commander G. H. Bolus. The 30- year-old commander is married and nas a small son.
He previously commanded the Shark and other submarines and is considered a submarine expert.
The latest British submarine cost £3,500,000 to build and is similar in construction to the American submarine Squalus which is being salvaged off Portsmouth, N.H.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.