Evening star., 1904-05-03
PRAISE, NOT BLAME
Court Of Inquiry on the
Missouri's Disaster.
MANY HEROIC DEEDS
EXPLOSION WAS NOT CAUSED BY
ANYoNE's NEGLECT.
Due to "Flare Back" From Recently
Fired Gun Matters That
Should Be Investigated.
MANY HEROIC DEEDS

Fired Gun - MaLCerS InaC
Should Be Investigated.
Judge Darling, acting Secretary of the
Navy, today made public the findings of
the court of inquiry in the case of the re-
cent explosion on the United States steamer
Missouri as follows:
The court finds that at or about II clock
ante meridian, of April 13, 1904, while firing
at target of Pensacola, Fla, an accident
occurred in the after twelve-inch turret
and the after twelve-inch handling room
of the United States ship Missouri, which
resulted in the DEATH either Immediately or
within twenty-four hours afterward, of
the following named persons, namely: Lieut..
w. c. Davidson, Lieut. E. A. Wiechert, (of
the United States snip Cleveland, Second
Lieut.. ]. P. v. Gridley, United States Ma
rine Corps, Midshipman w. E. T. Neumann,
Midshipman Thomas Ward, jr, J. K Peder-
sen, boatswain's mate, first class: w Bon
gard, ordinary seaman; K. J. Kivlen, sea-
man: j. Gedr1s, ordinary seaman; F. T.
Rowlands. electrician, second class; III. B.
Franks coxswain; John P. Starr, ordinary
seaman; j. c. Num-, seaman; c. H. Meyer,
seaman; j. w. Cole, ordinary seaman: w
L. Shlpman, private United States Marine
Corps; A. Smith, gunner's mate first class:
r. j. Braun, chief gun captain; J. c. Hardy,
apprentice, second class; P r. Oastler an
prentlce' second class; j. E. Knight ordi-
nary seaman; j. Bloxopoous coxswain: C.
Rice. seaman; j. F. Kennedy ordinary sea-
man n. Scherbarth, ordinary seaman; NJ
Soder, seaman; r. H. Allison, ordinary sea-
man; man; II. Z. robin, ordinary seaman; ]. ].
Mulligan, landsman: j. NJ. Roche. ordinary
seaman; j. I. j. Donnelly, ordinary sea-
man ". b. Moe, apprentice second class
and III. r. Elliott, master-at-arms second
by burns.
Caused by "FIare-Back."
Ihat the cause of said accident was the
unexpected ignition of the two sections of
the charge of smokeless powder then in tho
gun, by what is termed throughout the
proceedings bareback flame result
ing from the ignition, in some manner not
YET known, of residual gases attendant
upon the combustion of the srnokeIesa
powder now in use. That the flame from,
these sections 1gnited the two other sections
then In the ammunition car and that "a
shower OF burning powder grains from
these sections in the turret was projected
down the open trunk which connects the
turret with the twelve-inch handling room
isn1tlng there eight other sections of smoke.
less powder 1.-TWO charges), which had heen.
takeh out or the magazines and were in
that place. "
That said accident in said vessel was
on the occasion named, in no respect dine
to fault or negligence on the part of any of
the officers or members of the crew of said
vessel
The court further finds that, while eyerv
officer and man in said vessel did his whole
outy, ana In circumstances probably the
most trying that can come to men afioat
the 1olloWing named officers and men
n na 1Iar
mead OF extraordinary herosm namely:
Acting Gunner r. E. Cox; NJ Mousseon
chler gunners mate, and c. S. Schepke
gunner's mate, first class and the following
namely: Capt. w. S. Cowles, Lieutenant
Commander ]. NJ. Orchard, Lieut. Cleland
Davis Lieut.. w. P. Scott, Lieut.. Ralph
Earle, Lieut.. A. W. Marshall, Ensign e. G.
Hammer (of the United States ship Cleve-
land), Midshipman A. G. Caffee; M Hig-
gins, chief boatswains mate; G. Crofton
chief machinist: H. E. Elliott, master-at-
arms, second class died from the effects of
the poisonous gases inhaled in the work of
rescue); c. Brewster, gun captain, first
class; c. Holm, seaman; S. c. Burgess,
ships filter, first class; w. Gibbons, cox
swain; B. johnson, gunner's. mate, first
class; ]. NJ. McDade, ordinary seaman, and
w. s. Wells, ordinary seaman. That there
were others who deserve special commenda-
court is unable to establish their identity.
I'm the opinion of the court no further
proceedings are necessary"
Admiral Barker's Comment.
Rear Admiral Barker. commanding the
North Atlantic feet, In reviewing the re-
port Of the court, said:
Upon a careful perusal Of the proceed
ings. it appears that the navy has a smoke
less powder, the properties of which have
not been fully understood. either by those
using it on board our ships or by those who
make and issue 1t for service.
Rapid firing has brought to light some
of these hitherto unknown dimly per-
ceived properties, but an exhaustive inves-
tigation in laboratory and in experimental
firing on shore is still needed.
Until the present record target prac-
tice was held, it was believed to be safe to
fire to leeward. though somewhat dangerous
to fire to windward. on account of so-called
flare backs or back flames. 1t has now
been demonstrated that 1t is dangerous
to fire rapidly to leeward as well as to
windward.
Doubtless improvements can and will
be made, rendering 1t safe to fire even fas-
ter than we do at present. but until then
1t would seem that the limit of quick firing
has been reached, for 1t is now considered
absolutely necessary to wait for certain
time after firing each shot from guns
of large caliber before beginning to reload,
though the mechanical speed Of loading
may perhaps be increased after once 1t is
safe to begin the operation
powder in the handling room was not SO
great as was stated to the board of inquest
there having been but TO pounds instead
Of 1900.
"Oficers and men are doing their best to
make good record. The subject of blow
backs or back flames had been discussed
by every officer in the fleet before the Mis-
souri, began her practice and her officers
were naturally on the lookout for this phe-
nomenon, but as two runs had been made
without it's appearance. they thought 1t
perfectly safe-particularly as the firing
was to leeward.
According to the testimony before the
court Ave shots had been fired on the third
run in three minutes and twenty-four sec
onds-at which rate eight shots might
have been fired in the whole rum and per-
haps a record equal to the best been
made; but the unexpected happened.
',rhe disaster was appalling but 1t de-
ve1oped heroes. History records no more
heroic act than that sof Monsoon, who
crawled through hole into the burning
magazine to put out the flames.
THE conduct of the captain. officers and
crew was superb, showing excellent dis
cipline and marked personal courage.