Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12
WARSH|P BLOWN UP
AND HUNDREDS DIE
Terrible Naval Disaster in
French Dockyard.
THREE HUNDRED INJURED
Started by Explosion of Compressed
Air Torpedo.
PANIC AMONG THE WoRKMEN
Shells Flying Through the Yard Carry
Widespread Destruction
With Them.
'ANIC AMONG THE W0RKMEN


in French naval history occurred in
the dockyard at Toulon today. when
the battleship lena blew up at an
Choir. The explosion was started
by compressed air torpedo, which,
exploding, set off the magazine of
the warship. She was filled with ex-
plosives. Two hundred are thought
to be dead and 800 injured.
TOULON, France, March PA powder
magazine on board the battleship lena ex-
ploded today owing, it is reported to the
explosion of a compressed air torpedo on
the vessel. 1t is stated that the casualties
no details are obtainable.
The lena was in the Missiessy dock at
the time of the disaster.
Rear Admiral Maceron is among the
wounded and included in the killed is En-
sign Rouse.
There were about $50 officers and men
on board the lena at the time OF the
disaster but many of them jumped into
the water The authorities here believe
that the victims number over 2Co.
Magazine Explodes.
Further explosions on the lena occur
every moment, and debris is flying over
the dock yard for a distance of 800 yards.
The windows of the workshops around
the scene of the explosion are all broken.
The electric wires flash in the fuses,
and then break down, all about the
Missessy dock.
A she'll weighing twenty pounds was
hurled a quarter of a mile before strik-
ing and sinking into the ground.
A complete panic prevails among the
employees of the arsenal WHO were re-
turning to work from lunch when the
powder magazine of the lena blew up.
and many of them made rush toward =
the Missiessy dock, whence clouds OF
thick smoke were arising. No one SEEM
ed to know what had happened until
some one shouted:
!: THE lena has blown up" -
. An officer then peremptorily called out
Save yourselves" and all the workmen
and others made a rush for the nearest
exit from the arsenal.
Sceue Oh CdruaSe.
Squads of workmen and sailors APP
preached the scene of the disaster at the
peril Of their lives and as they neared the :
Iena's dock they could dimly observe
through dense smoke, human remains fly
ing constantly in the air, following further
explosions on the doomed vessel. which
presented terrifying spectacle and caused
the arsenal employees to wiring their. hands
with horror.
Suddenly blackened forms, with haggard
eyes rushed madly through the lines or
spectators. not knowing where they were
fleeing.
The officials declare that the magazines
of the lena were completely filed with
.plosives, and that the recurrent detonations
indicate that they are all on fire. =.
AS this bulletin is filed the explosions are :.
becoming more frequent
The extent of the loss of life has not yet
been ascertained. r.
The lena was undergoing inspection
of her machinery in the first basin of the
Missiessy dock when the explosion oc-
Cured The conclusion caused by the ex-
plosion of compressed air torpedo, set fire
to the after powder magazine, blowing the
whole after part of the vessel up. The
number of victims is not yet definitely
known, but the casualties are heavy.
The lena was flying the flag of Rear Adj
miral Manceron, commanding one or the
divisions of the Mediterranean squadron.
The commander of the vessel was Capt.
Adigard
The News in Paris.
PARIS, March 12.--Only meager details
of the explosions on board the lena have :,
reached the ministry of marine up to the :
present 1t Is stated, however, that the
warship has been flooded. The advices of
the marine ministry say that many vessels
near the lena have been damaged
THOUSANDS FOR CHARITY.