The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-17
Thirty-Nine Men Meet Death
on a German Warship.
OFFICERS WERE EXPERIMENTING
With the Object of Improving New
Ironclad-Further Details of the
Horror Reported In The News OF
Yesterday.

KEEL, Feb. IA terrible accident 90
CURED on board the German ironclad
Brandenburg yesterday near Stoller-
grund, three miles from the Buella light
house at the entrance to Kiel bay.
The big vessel for some time past has
been in Kialer Fohrd, one of the best
havens in Europe and the chief war
harbor Of Germany, undergoing various
experiments. Yesterday was selected for
n forced draught trial. To get the iron
clad in first-class condition for the test, 40
officers we're sent aboard from the i'm
perial dockyard
While IL of these artiicers were in the
engine room tremendous explosion took
place. The main steampipe of the star
board engine had burst. Far above the
noise of the escaping steam were heard
the heart-rending cries of the injured and
dying. Panic temporarily spread among
the crew, but after a short hesitation ev-
cry effort was put forth to rescue the un-
fortunate men in the engine room.
It was then found thar of the artificers
all but one had been killed. The man
who escaped owed his preservation from
the fate OF his comrades to the fact that
at the moment of the explosion he was
standing on a ladder near the top of the
room. His companions were all on the
floor of the room.
Thirty-Nine Killed.
When the steam had cleared away and
the panic had subsided, further search
was made for dead and injured. 1t was
then discovered that 80 men in all had
been killed and nine injured. This list
includes the 10 dead artificers. Thirty
seven of them were killed instantly. Two
of the wounded sted shortly after receiv-
ing their injuries.
Four steamers were promptly dis
patched from Kiel to the scene of tile
disaster. They carried number OF
physicians and surgeons and large
quantity OF medical supplies. The guard
ship Pelican, with Prince Henry OF
Prussia on board, also put off instantly TO
the Brandenburg's aid.
The dead and wounded were carried
from the Brandenburg TO the steamer and
conveyed to kiel. The injured were taken
to the hospital. 1t is believed that all the
injured will recover.
The details of the accident are very
hard to obtain. II is said as soon as the
explosion happened all hands were sum-
moned on deck, and the pumps we're
rugged. Ii was not then know what the
accident ammounted to, and fears were
entertained that the Brandenburg was i'm
danger of sinking.
All day long the most intense excite
meDt has prevailed in Kiel. Most of the
dead and injured lived here or in the
neighborhood, and many of them were
men of families
The wharves were crowded from the
time the steamers left for the scene of the
explosion until they returned with their
victims. As the dead and ,nded were
borne from the vessels Go TIA - ore, the air
resounded with the cries Of the bereaved.
while those who had not lost any friends
or relatives uncovered their heads
Not the First of It's Kind.
Kiel is not unused to such scenes OF suf-
fering and death. In August 1893, an nc
cident similar in its dreadful features to
the present one took place while the Ger
man vessel Baden was engaged in gun
practice at Friederichsort, near Kiel, a
shell from some unexplained cause ex-
ploding prematurely, killing two lieuten-
ants and seven men.
Shipbuilding is one of the chief indus
tries OF Kiel, and its great navy yard is
one OF the chief features of the city.
Kiel IL the Baltic headquarters OF the
German navy. The haven on which it is
located runs into Kiel bay, whose waters
flow into the Baltic sea.
About the Brandenburg.
WASHINGTON, Feb IL - The German
battleship Brandenburg is one of group
of four vessels built on the same general
plan. The others are the Kurfurt, the
Frederick Wilhelm, the Weissenburg and
the Worth.
They resemble in general plan our own
battleships, the Indiana and Massachu-
sets but are more nearly the size of the
Iowa, their tonnage being l0,300, length
354ft. Ain, beam 64ft.. and draft aft 1iu.
The vessels are not high powered craft,
the engines being constructed for speed
of 10 knots, at $500 horse power They
have heavy barbettes covered with IL "a
inches armor, citadel with ID 80 inches
of armor, and an armor belt.
The Brandenburg was launched in
1891, and WAS on her trial trip at the time
OF the disaster. Naval experts have al
ways regarded such accidents az most
difficult to guard against The great
pipes, necessary 10 carry the enormous
quantity of steam required 20 develop
$500 horse power in the engines. are
usually made OF copper. and the highest
mechanical skill IL used TO make them
safe from explosion
Nevertheless, owing TO the unknown
strains developed in the great lengths OF
this piping. with its numerous bends and
joints. when the steam pressure is run up
20 high figures, IL Is almost impossible In
advance Of actual trial TO foretell how the
pipes will act
II is recalled here that several men lost
their lives on the United States cruiser
Concord a year or two ago by n precisely
similar accident After much speculs-
tion and discussion by engineers at the
time, the conclusion reached hy the ma
jority was that the accident was caused
by the development Of what is known M
water hammer which means that
considerable quantity Of condensed water
is suddenly hurled through the pipes with
irresistible force, tearing out the nearest
bend or resisting angle. IL is thought
that the Brandenburg accident may find
> similar explanation.