The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-15

| Pensacola, Fla, April l4.-IhaI lne
newest battleship of the navy, the Mis-
souri,, had a narrow escape from both
being blown to pieces by the explosion
of a magazine and also being beach
ed, came to light to-day.
Capt. William S. Cowles prevented
the latter when the vessel was within
25O yards of the beach by giving or
ders that the ships course be changed.
Chief Gunner's Mate Monson saved
the ship and the lives of over 600 men
by jumping into the open magazine
and closing the door behind him. 1t
is stated, though not by officers of the
! Missouri, that when the officers heard
! the explosion in the turret and saw
the fire tapping through the top, they
realized the hot magazine would next
! explode and headed the ship for the
beach, intending to beach her, if pos
sible, before the explosion. Capt.
Cowles quickly stopped the plan and
put the ship back to sea.
When the first explosion occurred in
the turret the men in the handling
room knew in an instant what had oc-
CURED. The big magazine door was
open and standing against it were four
charges of powder. Without a mo-
ment's hesitation Gunner's Mate Mon
son showed these aside and jumped in
TO the magazine, pulled the door
closed after him.
The magazine was totally flooded
with water, and when the men opened
the door, they found Monson barely
alive. water having reached his neck.
Damage to ship Great.
The damage to the battleship is
| much greater than was at first stated.
In addition to the large amount of
ammunition ruined by the magazine
being flooded. which will amount to
thousands of dollars, the after turret
is also badly injured, the top being
burned away and all brass work melt
ed inside. The hoist is a charred mass
and the mechanism of the guns con-
| pletely ruined. The estimated damage
caused by the exposition will reach
| $500
The total list of dead now number
thirty-two, one man having expired
last night and two men to-day. 1t
is hardly probable that other deaths
will occur. o. b. Moe, apprentice
second class, ]. F. Knight, seaman,
and j. T. Donnelly, ordinary seaman,
were added to the death list.
The funerals of seventeen of the sea-
men took place this afternoon, and
each ship of the fleet was represent
ed fully 5000 men being present, while
thousands from the city were in at
tendance, every place of business be-
ing closed for the afternoon and flags
over the buildings placed at half
mast.
Bodies Sent Home.
The bodies of the officers and eight
of the seamen we're sent to their for
mer homes tonight, and the others
are being held to await advices from
relatives. Three of the bodies inferred
this afternoon will be disinterred and
shipped to their relatives. The Mis-
souri, will not conclude her target prac-
tioe, but will go to New York to be
docked as soon as the court of in
quiry makes it's findings.
One man of the turret crew is miss
ing. It 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 the vessels
in port say the explosion was the re-
suit Of a blow back, due to the wind
blowing the flames back from the muz-
zle of the gun and through the open
breech, thus igniting the powder charge
being hoisted. Capt. Cowles and Lieut.
Hammer, the ordnance officer, had TAX
en- extra precautions against such an
accident, and for three days no firing
with the large pieces was done on ac-
| count Of the wind being from off
shore Yesterday morning the wind
shifted and the officers deemed it safe
| to commence firing.
Had Gone 20 Consult Expert.
Lieut.. Hammer had remained in the
| turret until the first string of shots
had been fired in rapid succession. He
thought that it was safe to allow the
continuation of rapid firing and left
the turret to consult with the target
expert on board on this matter. Only
three shots Of the second string had
been fred when the explosion occur
red.
So rapidly was the gun being fired
that it is thought that some Of the
fire remained in the barrel and that the
powder being hoisted ignited. Officers
Of the vessel differ in their opinion as
to the cause of the explosion, but
. n Is nrnha hla that the nract calIsa