The Redwood gazette., 1902-09-03
HOW THE KAICHI BLEW UP.

! gives further particulars OF the
destruction of the Chinese cru
sier Kaichi at Marking on
! June %. He says:
1--WE arrived with this ship
on Sunday at Marking and an
chored two cables length away
and on the port quarter Of the
Kaichi at 1925 P. M. We had
just given our ship her cable
and while | was looking at the
Kaichi suddenly her port side
blew out, then Immediately
the whole poop, main and miz-
zen masts were shattered, in
fact the whole of the after part
of the vessel from the main
mast was blown to pieces.
This was followed Immediate
ly by volumes of smoke and
flames as high as the mast
head, and a terrific report fol
| lowed. The conclusion was
great, and men, spars, deck,
boats, cabin filings, doors, fur
niture and effects were blown
into the air several hundred
feet, with numerous shells ex-
ploding on our BEEN and dan
gerously near some fishing
boats. The Kaichi sank at
once, even before some of the
debris came down. We were
enveloped in smoke and de-
bris, so much so. that the Cap
tain gave orders to the men to
run for shelter. .-...
"When the smoke cleared
away a little there was moth
ing to be seen but a large mass
Of floating wreckage, with only
two men to be seen. One OF
the Atago's boats saved one of
these men, sailor, who was
blown out of port on the for
ward lower deck, The other
man was a carpenter, whom |
have not seen; a native life
boat saved him. The United
States man -of-war Helena was
anc>l,ored about three-quarters
of a mia #, and all her boats
were irn1hediately sent to as
sist, but there were no lives to
save. \ quantity of stuff fell
on our deck, and among it was
the log book Of the unfortun-
ate vessel. On the hulk
Quashing portion Of a man
the trunk-fell on the roof and
a number of pieces of human
bodies we're seen floating on
the wreckage. All the glass,
lamps and some of the crock
erv were broken on board the
Quashing; they felt it badly,
as they were lying off the port
beam of the crusier.
The first portion of the yes
sci that was blown out was, a
piece Of the main deck with
beam attachee to some angle
iron, weighing about three
hundred weight. This and q
piece of iron plate were blown
off shore some 500 yards dis
tant from the wreck. Anothe,
piece was reported to be much
further away. A quantity o.
glass was broken at the Gus.
tom House. which was three
quarters of a mile away, anC
the shock was felt at the Brit
ish Consulate, over six mile:
off. Two sampans that were
alongside of the cruiser at the
, time were destroyed and tht
occupants were killed. Fo
three hours the ram and iib
boom were showing out of thu
water twenty feet. She wa:
anchored in twenty-five faith
oms of water, so half of th'
vessel must have been com
, pletely blown away, and th'
forward half was standing OF
end perpendicularly till 3:3'
2. NJ. when it tumbled over.
THE number of lives lost i
estimated at about 14O to 15C
+ The Captain had just landed
and three officers were il
Shanghai. leaving four officer
on board. Some of the mel
were on shore on leave. Tn
doubtedly it was the nagazin
! that blew up.
Upon inquiry | learn tha
she had four tons of gunpow
der on board. The Captain(Li
seeing US come in when h
landed, left word that his me
were to return the salute of th
Atago, so surmise they wer
in the act of getting the neces