Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-03-15
SCORES KILLED ON
FRENCH WARSHlPS.
Powder Magazine on the lena Blows Up
Set Off by Compressed Air
Torpedo.

TOULON. France. March ia
powder magazine on board the French
battleship lena blew up today while the
vessel was in the MsseisSy dock, owing
to the explosion of a compressed air tor
pedO. Late reports say fifty We're killed,
100 seriously and POO slightly wounded.
Many of the crew of the lena saved
their lives by climbing down ladders and
reaching the quays, whence they ned 10
places of safety or to the telegraph OF
fees in TOulOn in order to notify their
relatives of their safety. Recurrent eX-
blossoms completed the destruction OF the
ship.
The population of Toulon is terribly
excited. Entrance to the arsenal has
been forbidden to all but men i'll uniform
The injured men and officers are DelhS
transported to the hospitals.
Crew Was Hearing Lecture.
\ signal man of the lena, named
Giudicelli. who escaped, says that
large number of the crew of the battle
ship were gathered in the forepart of the
ship, listening to lecture by an officer
when the first explosion occurred. Most
Of these were able to escape.
Among the dead is Ensign Rousse and
Rear Admiral Manceron was injured.
Late in the day the magazines of the
lena which had not exploded We're
hoCttI anu III ItlL NllEL CAplOSlOAo WIZ
feared.
The Lena was undergoing an inspec-
ton of her machinery when the eXplO-
sion occurred. The conclusion set fire
to the after powder magazine, blowing
up the whole after part of the vessel.
Scene on Battleship Terrible
Squads Of workmen and sailors APP
preached the scene Of the disaster at the
peril of their lives. They could dimIy OBJ
serve through dense smoke human re-
mains flying constantly in the air, follow
ing further explosions on the doomed
vessel, which presented Il terrifying spec
tacle.
Suddenly blackened forms. with bag
gard eyes, rushed madly through the
lines Of spectators. not knowing where
they were fleeing.
Panic Among Arsenal Laborers.
The magazines of the lena were COM
pletely filled with explosives and the re-
current detonations indicated that they
were all on fire.
y she'll weighing 20 pounds was hurled
a quarter of Il mile before striking and
sinking into the ground.
\ complete panic prevailed among the
employees of the arsenal who were re-
turning to work from lunch. An officer
peremptOrIIy called out save your
selves" and all the workmen and others
made rush Tor the nearest exit from
the arsenal.
Minister of Marine Thomson has
started for Toulou i'll order to personally
inquire into the cause of the disaster to
the lena and supervise the care of the
wounded. The advices of the marine
ministry say that many vessels near the
lena have been damaged.
Crew of 631 on Board.
The lena tor jena was turret ship
of 1861 tons displacement and 5000
horsepower. She was built at Brest i'll
1901. The vessel had an armored belt
from to 1874 inches of steel mounted
four Pinch guns, eight 6.4-inch guns.
eight 3.9-inch, sixteen 1.S-inch and about
twenty smaller rapid fire guns Her
speed was estimated at over Is knots
and her crew, all on board. consisted Of
631 officers and men. The lena was
the flagship of Rear Admiral Manceron.
Capt +. B. {. Nertier. was the chief of
staff and her commander was Capt. Adj
gard.