Los Angeles Times: New Theory Offered in Hunley Sinking

[url]http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-confederate-submarine1027oct27.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dnation%2Dheadlines[/url]

New Theory Offered in Hunley Sinking
By BRUCE SMITH
Associated Press Writer

October 27 2001, 3:19 AM PDT

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Scientists excavating the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley
found an open bulkhead at the rear of the sub, leading to another possible
explanation for historic submarine's sinking.

The Hunley foundered off Charleston in February 1864 after ramming explosives
into the Union blockade ship Housatonic and becoming the first submarine to sink
an enemy warship.

Immediately following the attack, the Hunley signaled to shore with a blue
lantern, according to both Union and Confederate accounts.

"That at least leads me to conclude that the Hunley had circumstances under
control and something more than likely happened after that," said State Sen.
Glenn McConnell, the chairman of the South Carolina Hunley Commission.

The new theory, after the discovery of the 10-inch opening at the top of the
bulkhead, is that water from the ballast tank _ which holds water to keep the
vessel buoyant -- rushed through the open bulkhead and flooded the inside of the
submarine when it was shaken during battle.

"It does present the possibility that if the boat is rocked significantly, water
could have come out of the flood tank into the crew compartment," McConnell
said.

When the Hunley sank, Union lookouts reported it was last seen about five
ship-lengths in front of the USS Canandaigua, which rushed to the Housatonic's
rescue.

That ship might have grazed the Hunley. Or the Hunley might have been rocked by
the concussion when the hot boiler of the sinking Housatonic contacted the cold
ocean water, McConnell said.

Another theory is that the glass in the front conning tower shattered during
battle, allowing water to flood in.

The Hunley was raised last year and brought to a conservation center at the old
Charleston Naval Base. Scientists began removing sediment, remains of the
nine-man crew and artifacts earlier this year.

Scientists also have excavated the silt that's collected beneath the tower, but
it may be a week or two before they can analyze the material.

___

On the Net:

[url]http://www.hunley.org[/url]
Copyright 2001 Associated Press