The Washington herald., 1907-07-20

That fast firing was the primary cause
OF the accident aboard the battle ship
Georgia, off Provincetown, last Monday,
which resulted in the death of ten officers
and men and injury 10 as many more. is
apparent from the conclusions Of the
board Of inquiry which investigated the
disaster.
Late yesterday afternoon Acting Secre-
tary Newberry received a dispatch from
Rear Admiral Thomas, commanding the
second division Of the Atlantic fleet, to
which the Georgia is attached, giving
synopsis OF the findings OF the board as
TO the cause of the catastrophe The
department has been awaiting anxious!y
the result OF the boards work. and Mr..
Newberry asked Admiral Thomas TO wire
him the conclusions as soon as they were
reached. The full report is expected to
reach the department this afternoon but
It Is not likely that 1t Will be made public
in Its entirety until Monday. as Mr.,
Newberry will leave Washington to-day
after the close Of the department at
noon. and go 10 Watch Hill, R. L
Causes Gases TO Explode.
According 20 statements which have
been previously made by those aboard the
Georgia. the men in the turret were max
ing a record, and the firing was exceed
ingly fast 1t appears from the findings
Of the board that the air-blast. which
blows the gases from the gun after the
shot is fired. was shut of too quickly,
and that q light wind which was blowing
into the muzzle Of the gun caused a
"hare-back," which ignited the powder,
1t IS explained that the air-blast starts
automatically when the gun is fired, but
IS turned of by hand by one Of the crew,
and. in the anxiety 10 load and fire again
without the loss Of Il seconds time, the
air-blest, apparently, was turned OF TOO
soon.
Conclusions of the Board,
The conclusions Of the board, as wired
70 Acting Secretary New5erry, are as fol-
lows:
lal The charge Was not ignited by blown electn-
chi fuse or short circuit by an electric spark
frcm any electrical device IN the turret.
lbl Tie charge vas not ignited by percussional
or fricti;ual spark
lcl The charge was not ignited by q spark or en-
dtr falling INTO the tu-et from the outside.
On Tbs charge was not ignitCd as q p,alt Of any
condition due ., the deterioration q the powder.
The last finding of the board is the one
IN which il arrives at the conclusion as to
a bareback
The finding is understood to have been
unanimous.
Acting Secretary NewberTy received the
following telegram from Max Mitchell,
president Of the Federation Of Jewish Or
gan.zations:
The Federation q Jewish Organizations Of SlasSl-
ciusctts is deeply griercd al the loss q life and
The suffering caused by the catasroTbc the bait
lie ship GeOria. and hereby expresses its heartfelt
Sympathy
Bryce DepIOres Accident.
Ambassador Bryce sent the following
message Of coincidence 10 the Navy De
partment from lntervale. \. H:
Pray accept expression Of deep sympathy over sad
loss Of valuable lives United States ship Georgia.
The following is the condition Of the
Georgia's injured, as reported yesterday
by Rear Admiral Snow:
'Meese, condition extremely critical.
very slight Improvement noticed; Gilbert
critical but hopeful; Bush. FOBe. Malek,
and James Patrick Thomas still serious.
but improving; Schlapp Tagland. and
RCsenberger doing very well"