Evening star., 1904-04-14
TWO MORE SEAMEN DIE
EXPERTS SAY THE DISASTER WAS
RESULT OF BLoWBAcK.
One Seaman Reported Yet Kissing
Believed Firing Was Toe Rapid
Mo Turret Survivors.

PENSACOLA, Fla, April 1.-Two more
ordinary seamen who were injured in the
terrible explosion on board the battleship
Missouri at target practice yesterday are
dead. One died about midnight, and the
other this morning, after terrible suffering.
There is also one man of the turret crew
missing. 1t is the opinion that he was
either blown overheard or escaped from
the turret and jumped overheard, crazy
from pain and the excitement that pre-
vailed on the ship.
Expert turret officers on she vessels In
port say the. explosion was the result OF
blowbaek, known as the wind blowing
the flames back from the muzzle OF the
gun, and through the open breech. thus
igniting the powder charge being hoisted
Captain CowIes and Lieutenant Hammer.
the ordnance officer, had taken extra pre-
cautions against such an accident, and for
three days no firing with the large pieces
was done on account of the wind being
from off shore.
Yesterday morning the wind shifted and
the officers deemed 1t safe to commence
firing. Lieutenant Hammer had remained
in the turret until the first string of shots
had been fired in rapid succession. He
thought that 1t was safe to allow the con-
tinuation at rapid firing, and left the tur-
board on this matter. Only three shots OF
the second string had been fired when the
explosion occurred.
Some Fire Remained in Barrel.
So rapidly was the gun being fred that
it is thought some of the, fire remained in
the barrel, and that the powder being
hoisted ignited. Omcers of the vessel diff
fer in their opinion as to the cause of the
explosion. but it is probable that the exact
cause will never be known, as there were
no survivors among the turref crew.
The board of inquiry which convened yes.
terday afternoon, is still In session and Will
not come to a finding for several days.
Impressive ceremonies were conducted over
the graves of the twenty-six seamen thas
afternoon at the national cemetery at the
navy yard.
The Missouri moved down the harbor this
morning to q point near the yard and at
noon the twenty-six bodies were brought
ashore. At 2 o'clock the funeral procession
moved to the cemetery where hundreds OF
officers and blnejackets were present and
the remains were inferred. The bodies OF
the Ave dead officers are being held here
awaiting advices as to burial or shipment
home
Pathetic Feature at Baltimore.
Special Dispatch to The Evening star.
BALTIMORE, Md, April IA pathetic
feature Of the death of Lieut.. VIM. c.
Davidson, blown to pieces on the Missouri
yesterday, came to light today.
Just about the time that he was sent
into eternity his wife was purchasing a
ticket to Pensacola and Intended joining
him there today. Mrs. DAVIDSON resides at
1908 McCullOh street, and was formerly
Miss Seloux. Her father Is employed in
Washington as translator. The remains Of
the lieutenant will be brenght here for
burial, his family coming on from his old
home in Indiana
Special Dispatch TO The Evening star.
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, April 1.-Superin-
tendent Brownson of the Naval Academy
telegraphed the commanding oflcer OF the
battle ship Missouri extending the SYM
pathy of the officers and u1en ut this sta
ton, with those Of the battle ship. The
Missouri accident was the main topic Of
conversation among the officers and their
families at the Naval Academy today. Con-
siderable anxiety was felt by the family OF
Commander VIM. F. Halsey, whose son was
aboard the Missouri
Sympathy From England.
LONDON. April l4.--Lord Seiborne. first
lord Of the admiralty, sent a representative
to the United States embassy today to ex-
press sympathy in behalf OF the admiralty
with the United States government on the
accident on board the battle ship Missouri
yesterday.
Captain Prince Louis Of Battenberg. in
his capacity as director Of naval fntelli-
gence. also telegraphed to the United States
naval attache, Captain Charles H. Stockton,
as follows:
1--WE are deeply distressed and grieved at
the terrible accident on the Missouri and
the loss Of so many gallant brother sea-
men,"