Aluminium powder

[Cliff Mark Barry]

Does anyone know the name of the Cunard Official who sent the confidential memo back to the Admiralty after it requested what ammunition was onboard the Lusitania. It was requested by the Admiralty. The date was 1st June 1915. And was recieved by them on the 2nd- it looks like a Mr A Mcclelland but signature is obscure

thanks

Cliff
the

 

[Omar Khokhar]

I would like to hear your opinions on Paddy O`sullivan`s Aluminium powder theory as the cause of the second explosion on the Lusitania. To me it is a very interesting theory and seems alot more probable than Ballard`s weak coal dust theory and the munitions exploding suggestion.

Eric Sauder considers paddy to be one of the finest Lusitania experts.

As a reminder the theory is as follows, we know that Lusitania carried (if my memory is correct) 42 tons of aluminium powder. Paddy conducted an experiment with just one teaspoon of the powder. When aluminium powder is disturbed it produces a cloud, and when brought into contact with a flame or a spark it produces a very violent explosion. According to paddy O`sullivan when aluminium powder explodes it produces a large amount of white dust which rises into the air and Lusitania`s survivors reported such dust above lusitania`s wireless mast. After this violent explosion aluminium powder continues to produce smaller secondary explosions which produces a rumbling sound, many survivors reported such a sound.

Also the aluminium powder was stored in cargo hatch no 2. Above this was the baggage room. No one survived from the baggage room but there were survivors from the boiler rooms.

 

[kevin lea]

i have read the same account regarding aluminium powder,the consignment was destined for the munitions factory at Woolwich and i agree that the powder was jarred loose after the U20s torpedo hit with the subsequent internal fire causing the violent detonation of the aluminium powder and air mixture.

 

[Brian R Peterson]

Hi All!

I have also heard of the aluminum powder theory and it does make more sense that this caused the end the Lusi, but perhaps in a rush to conceal the fact that the ship was indeed carrying illegal munitions the "coal dust" theory was thrown up as a smoke screen to cloud public scrutiny of the disaster and to help further vilify the Germans.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Jesse D O'Neill]

The aluminum powder theory is not new, it was also suggested in book written in the mid 60's, im not sure of the tile, Mr. sauder probably knows what book i know of. while the theory is nice, i think it wouldve had the same effect as simpson's gun cotton theory and blew the bow off the ship, so im sticking to steam pipe explosion as the cause of the 2nd explosion.

 

[kevin lea]

Well all i can say is that you really need to witness the effects first hand of an aluminium dust/air mixture explode inside an old can(it will easily melt away a rusty can).As a chemist i have gone into this theory even more indepth.If we assume that the Iron fabric of the hold itself is old,let us assume that possibly the walls and bottom of the hull was heavily oxidized(lusitania by this time had made over 100 crossings i believe!);the THERMITE REACTION may have kicked in if the temperature from fires from the torpedo explosion was sufficiently high enough.Aluminium reacts violently with iron oxide producing huge amounts of heat and molten iron!.The iron fabric of the hold would have literally melted away.The thermite reaction,once started is impossible to stop,any water around would have been vapourised immediatly.