The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-12
BIowing Up of a Turkisn ship.


The following particulars are given by cores
pondent of the Morning Herald:
CoNsTANTINoPLE, October 25. - The Neiri
Skevket ship of the line of 100 guns, bearing the
flag of the Grand Admiral was totally destroyed by
an explosion of its powder magazine on the 23d
inst The explosion occurred in the arsenal al
about ten minutes past 10, A. NJ and was heard at
great distance 1t is surmsed, by well-intormed
persons of the Admiralty, that the disaster was
owing to acrident Others again give it out as the
determined act of a sailor who was punished ioF
misdemeanor, and detained in the hold OF the ship
The most reasonable rumor, and on which 1 place
most reliance, is that owing to negligence, several
capisters of the powder conveyed to the magazines
on shore were in bad condition, and quantity OF
this combustibe spilled. 1t is possible that
the lower deck was not swept and that some dull
mariner empued the contents OF his pipe on the
floor where the powder formed train to the mag
azne, causing an instant explosion, which was so
powerful that il divided the ship into two parts, and
blew up the upper deck with the guns and rigging
twenty-five feet into the air.
This part fell sideways into the sea, and dsap-
peared in a few minutes The lower deck was
then observed to catch fire and burn with intense
violence for seven minutes, when the ship gradual,
sank. Immediately after the explosion, hundreds
of kaks and embarkations repaired to the scene OF
disaster, and many mutllated remains, showing
but little resemblance to human beings, picked
up. OF the ITO taken to the temporary ambulance
the sufferers were in such dreadful condition that
no hope whatever entertained of their recovery
One poor fellow, a lieutenant, was picked nearly
drowned, fearfully burnt, and with spike through
his shoulder He died in six minutes after having
been conveyed to the ambulance. A gallant Arme.
MAN porter had both his legs cut Off and still cour
ageonsy dictated letter to his mother, informing
her of his sad state.
No official list of the loss of men and officers has
yet appeared, but it is ascerained beyond all doubt
that many of the most gallant officers of the Turk
ish navy are lost We have to deplOre the death
of six captains who were on board the Admiral
ship in conference point OF etiquette, also
the Aid-de-camp of the Grand Admiral, of ii lieu
tenants, who were invited to examination of sew
eral pupils of the academy, and of % scholars o
the first class
The list of casualties is supposed to be as follows
| commodore Vice Admiral MahmOud Pacha y !
superior officer, Captain Pacha's aide de-Camp c
captains, including the commander of the Ner
Sbevket; 81 lieutenants; 80 sub-OffiCeFs % mid.
shpmen, including the scholars OF the academy
$40 sailors and marines, 20 wOrkmen sent for re-
pairs; As mammals employed to raise the anchors
rs sailors belonging TO the other ships, and in at
tendance on their officers 50 visitors; IA passen-
gers in kaiks which sunk while passing near the
ship at the time Of the explosion Italian broker,
Total, 979
Deducting from this total the wounded aud
saved, there remain upward Of 300 lives lost. The
number of wounded has not Yet been accurately
other vessels, but they have been so far kept se
cret. Had the explosion taken place two days be.
fore, the disaster would have been lnCaCulab,e
owing to the vicinity of the docks and timbs
yards, and TO the other men-of-war which mus
inevitably have been burned The wreck s com
pete, The whole port is covered with fragment
of masts, bulwarks and timber, belonging to tn
Nsiri Shevket. The shock was felt all over III
city In the suburbs of kassim Pacha, DjOnba'i
and Fanan not a pane of glass was whole, an,
even at Pera, which is at considerable distance
glass was broken and the effect similar TO a
shock of earthquake The first ministers who ar
rived at the scene of desolation were Suleymai
Pacha, Mehemet Pacha, and Mchemet Ali Pacha
The first, who is the greatest admiral, was so al
fected at the occurrence, that he swoOned seveTa
times. 1t was agreed that Mehemet Ali Pacha
who is the Sultan's broherin law, should inform
his Highness of the sad disaster, who immediatell
ordered SUM of 6l000 to be distributed anon
the widows, as also that pensions should be settle
on the nearest relatives of the deceased.
The complement of the Neirl Skevket was n
men, and but one hundred have answered the mus
ter. The ship itself was built and launched at Ia
nit, in the month of June 1882, and had most mag
nificent fittings. 1t among the ships delivere
over to Mehmet Ali Pacha by Ahmet Ferar PachJ
during the Sultan's brOther-in-law, Mehmet A
Pacha's administration of the Admiralty. Sh
was placed in the dock, and underwent thoroug
repairs, and ever since she has borne the grand
miral's flag She a fast sailer, served as
model to the Nusretie and others built recent
The guns were of bronze, and the ornament
gildings were prOfuse and of such magniiCe
character that it was fixed upon to convey the ST.
tan to Varna some years back.
The choicest men and officers Of the fleet We
on board this ship, but what is more to be deplort
is, that the 9th the Sultan to visit the he
in its present moorings in the Arsenal, and nur
Der of pupils of the first class were to have bee
admitted as midshipmen. The poor fellows hay
been lost. Several of these Young men had bet
some short time on board of the British fleet, al
had practised naval tactics under the most learnt
mariners. The officers were all well-educatt
men, and to replace them will require some time.
LYING IN BED Forty YEARS. - Considerab
above forty years ago, yeoman of the neighbo
hood of Keghley, England, got entangled in II
meshes of the tender passion and suffered disa
Pointment Having taken to bed at that time,
has kept it ever since; neither threats nor entreat
ever once induced him to leave it. His health
uninjured; he eats well is conscious of all that
being done around him; and, enjoying a sny
competency, he resolves to end his DAYS where
has SO goriously immured himself for nearly half
century.
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