Questions asked in the House of Commons reflect quite naturally the country's concern at the failure to raise the submarine Thetis in spite of statements that salvage of the vessel would be effected in the near future. After hope had been abandoned for the vessel, it was stated that the vessel would be raised a few days later, but ten days have elapsed and the Prime Minister had nothing better to offer to questioners than the statement that salvage operations would be recommenced in two or three weeks' time. The magnitude of the disaster to a new submarine manned by a full crew and carrying some of the country's leading submarine designers and experts must influence the authorities to redouble their efforts because until the vessel is raised it is not likely that an accurate ment of the causes of its wreck will be obtained. Taking into consideration the sentimental suggestion of the families of the victims that it be allowed to remain on the ocean bed as a tomb for the men it trapped, it cannot be said that the escape of Captain Oram and the few others will provide that authoritative evidence necessary for a court of enquiry to pass a substantive judgment, and the longer the submarine remains down the more difficult it will be to raise it. There has been considerable speculation and surmise on the disaster which should be ignored in view of the appointment of a court of enquiry, but as the country has demanded that the vessel be raised to set all doubts at rest that demand should be satisfied ås far as possible. The Prime Minister has announced that three assessors will assist Justice Buckhill at the enquiry. They are Captain G. C. Menzies, submarine specialist, formerly in command of H.M.S. Regulus, one of the vessels in the Fourth Submarine Flotilla im China: Captair A. H. Ryley, one of the elder brethren of Trinity Hou: and Professor T. B. Abell, Professor of Naval Architecture at Liverpsci University. Professor Abell, who is a member of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors ano was Assistant Director of Designs at the Admiralty, is brother of Sir Westcott Abell, formerly Chief Ship Surveyor of Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.