54 APPLICATION OF BUOYANCY BOXES TO THE STEAMSHIP 



The Lucia was torpedoed about 5 p.m. October 17th, about 1,250 miles off the Atlantic 

 Coast on her way to the Mediterranean. , 



At the time of the attack the Lucia was in company with four or five other vessels, but 

 the fleet was not convoyed. 



According to the evidence of the captain and other officers, the ship was struck in the 

 engine-room compartment just forward of the after engine-room bulkhead on the port side, 

 so low down that the double bottom was undoubtedly destroyed, also the drainage connec- 

 tions for double bottom and other watertight compartments. 



The explosion was so low that no damage appeared to the plating on the outside of 

 the hull, even when the ship rolled. 



At the time of the attack the Lucia was drawing 27 feet 6 inches forward and 28 feet 

 6 inches aft, so it will be seen that the torpedo, instead of striking as is usual not more than 

 10 feet below the water line, actually struck more than 20 feet. The engine-room and hold 

 No. 5, the next compartment aft, flooded immediately, and soundings showed water entering 

 holds Nos. 5 and 6. 



The ship floated with a slight list to port during the night of the I7th, and the next 

 day until 3.20 in the afternoon, or for something more than twenty-two hours. 



The captain and gun-crew stood aboard until shortly before the sinking and stated that 

 they were ready to fire the gun and resist submarine attack on the surface until that time. 

 Nothing, however, was seen of the submarine before or after firing the torpedo. 



About noon on the 18th the sea commenced to rise, and the wash of the sea dislodged 

 and loosened the deck cargo of motor trucks. The drive of these trucks finally struck the 

 hatch aft hold No. 6, which finally filled from the deck. The ship then settled aft, stand- 

 ing almost vertical, before she finally went down. 



While the writer has received a copy of the manifest showing the loading, sufficient 

 time has not intervened to allow a careful study of the distribution and weights of the cargo 

 which consisted of: — Steel billets, 1,500 tons; copper, 1,060 tons; shrapnel, 1,220 tons; sub- 

 sistence, 2,200 tons; hay, 1,200 tons; fresh water, 890 tons; coal, 1,088 tons; making a total 

 of 9,158 tons. 



It will be understood, as set forth in the paper, that the displacement of the double bot- 

 tom had been depended upon for reserve buoyancy. This was partially eliminated by the 

 unusual amount of fresh water carried, and the remainder by the destruction of the pump 

 connections to the double bottom. The destruction of these connections also admitted water 

 to all other compartments aft through the drainage connections, thus eliminating any buoy- 

 ancy ordinarily maintained by watertight compartments. 



Altogether it is to be noted that the torpedo in this instance made a perfect hit. It is 

 hardly conceivable that it could be so precisely located by the hand of chance or coincidence. 



At the time of the fitting out of the Lucia, ships were being torpedoed at only a mod- 

 erate distance from the coast, and mainly in the English Channel and approaches thereto. 

 Had the Lucia been torpedoed anywhere within 100 miles of the coast she would in all 

 probability have been safe. Attention should also be called to the fact that other vessels 

 torpedoed in the engine-room, destroying their bulkheads, have gone down in from eight 

 to ten minutes. 



It is to be regretted that four men were killed by the explosion, otherwise the crew 

 escaped without injury. 



While the result of this practical test of the Lucia is not all that was hoped for, it is, 



