The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-13
A|KASA WRECK
POSSIBLY WORK
OF MA[CONTENTS
Intinated That Fire and
Explosion Were Not
Accidental.
RESCUERS WENT TODOOM
Fire-Fighters, According to
Orders. Stood by the
Magazine
RESCUERS WENT TODOOM

TOKYO, Sept. 1s-The catastrophe at
Sasebo. costing 500 lives and the battle
ship AIikasa. pride of the Japanese navy
and flagship of Admiral Togo. coming
so closely after the riots in Tokyo as
the result of the popular dissatisfaction
with the terms of peace. IS thought by
many persons here to afford grounds for
suspicion that the fire and explosion
were not accidental.
II the malcontents had desired TO
manifest their displeasure in any such
fiendish way they would have hit upon
some such vessel as the Mikasa- II
stood for all that was great liz the jap
anese navy and took the leading part in
the battle of the Sea OF japan
Carrying down with her every one OF
the men on board. which included fire.
men from shore and detachments from
other war vessels in the harbor that had
sent assistance. the battIeship sank at
2:30 o'clock yesterday morning
Togo Not on Board.
Vice Admiral Togo was not aboard at
the time.
Tongues of flame began to creep up
around the mainnast shortly after mid
night. but the fire must have been burn
ing then for long time. The watch
on deck sounded the alarm. and the
fire brigade was called TO quarters.
officers and crew took in the serious
ness of the situation at a glance, and
set to work with mad energy to save
the ship. BY that time the fire was
blazing so brightly that 1T attracted the
attention of the other warships. and Of
the fire companies on shore
| Boats We're put off. and in a few mo-
the harf.nr hack uirh them
going 70 the rescue II il had not been
for this fact the fatalities would not
have been nearly so great, for many
| OF the crew were on shore leave The
| fre-fghting parties swarmed over the
sides of the MikaSa and united their
efforts with those of the crew; but in
spite of everything they could oo' the
/ flames gained steadily.
| Travelling in the direction of the wind.
| they crept toward the after magazine
Then the desperateness Of the japanese
| courage manifested Itself
Stand by the magazine, shouted the
| officer in charge. Keep the FIRE away
from there or go down with the ship.
Explosion Shakes Town.
| 1t was evident that the chance Of
| preventing an explosion was so slight
| as to be hardly worth considering. yet
the men never flinched- They seemed
| to be utterly Indifferent to their peril
and TO think only of the Mikasa-
At go o'clock the flames won their
| victory There was mighty roar
| that shook every window in the town OF
| SasebO and agitated the quiet Waeers
| of the harbor as though there had peen
an earthquake An immense pun OF
! smoke, that appeared 10 be riding on
| flames, shot up into the heavens anu anu
by its light bodies. legs arms, ana
! heads could be seen flying in the air
! mammoth hole was torn in the yes
sells bottom on the port side, ana the
water poured IN like cataract
| For n few seconds the MtkaSa Ireu1-
bled like 4 wounded animal, then sne
listed to port. stuck her nose INTO me
There was no opportunity for rescue
| work No one had survived TO De res
cued The majority OF the men on
board had been in the immediate vicin-
ity of the magazine, and the explosso..
had killed them Those VINO were mo-
! down bv the suction. II is believed that
! many bodies will be found In the holC
sucked in through the hole in the bot
tom.
Official Announcement
The navy department made the ofh-
cial announcement CT the loss this after
noon. Ii places the number killed and
drowned At 59S including the men rom
other ships who went TO the rescue NC
cause is assigned for the hre- II HaS
been suggested that defective electro
wires might have been 70 Dianei ee'
| this thetOry meets with little creSehce
An investigation has been ordered, a. iI nf
, until that time the government VII
j make no further statement
1t is believed that the MikaSa can % o.
| -aised and repaired for she lies III snaf
low water The disaster has cast
g gloom everywhere, for as Togo rag
. Shin tnc NIikasa had become endeared q
fbe hearts of the Japanese. This feelins
al depression is mitigateG TO some eX
tent b. the fact that the admiral es
capped When the news was conveys e
- hin, as was so deeply affected tha
srnaak