Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-20
yrHE OFFICIAL REPORT.

xNa9t,ington, July ia telegram ne
cpH at the navy department this
ltnoon from Admiral Thomas, COM
landing the second division of the
Xfiantfc fleet, gives the conclusions Of
He board of examination which i.lves-
~kfgated the cause of the accid'flt on
The battleship Georgia earlier I'm the
week by which 10 men have lost their
fDyea The board finds that the charge
/ Ofpowder was ignited by Il u clay flare
1aek, which was apparently caused by
he shutting OF the blast too soon
fifth a light wind blowing into the
nuzzle of the gun. The FIRST section
vf the charge in the sec o'nd leaders,
Farms was first isnited. The conclu-
[asaons in the board are surr married. I'M
y acr five different paragraphs as fol-
flows: f-
"a A-The charge was MT ignited by a
Hblcwn electrical fuse ST short cir
cult, nor by an electric spark from
Eahy electrical device In the turrct.
B-The charge was not ignited by
provisional or FRACTIONAL shock
C-The charge was not ignitcd by a
spark or cinder falli' lg into the turret
from outside.
D-The charge W. s not iGnited as a
result of any conGttion due to deterio-
ration of the pow. Ter
Paragraph f. gi-yes the conclusion of
the hoard that II IL charge was ignited
by delay Hare back.
f'll report by mail is expected at
the sfavy depar tment soon.
Washington. July BY a process OF
( elin'ins.ti ton the, naval board which has,
2sen inyesti eating the accident whereby
- Hltn In. the turret of the battleslIp
e0rgfa lost their lives has arrived at
kconclusion that delay ed flare back
FUSED ithif catastrophe. In one sense the
efdiet - received with distinct SENSE
relief by naval officers. because it
lows ttatsthey had no new element of
&ger 40 contend with. a-
NskS delayed flare back" Is caused by
E44 on Too soon the, blast zof COM
treNS1 air which Is supposed TO expelt
from the bore OF the gun the unburnt
kasqB and fragments of smoulderins
vpeYder covering Which might be left
ngn the last discharge.
After the telriule accident in the Mis-
Mfs turret three years ago, resulting
tbs loss of over 20 lives the experts
&vms decided that The accident was
Paused by the ignition of the new charge
ply fhc tplburnt gases and smOuldering
esrtf1dge cloth of the preceding charge,
She ordnance buieau caused to be fitted
20 the breech of-each of the great guns
Hn air blast apparatus to eXpell by COM
pressed air any gas or cloth that Nigh,
4enain In the bore of the gun. So far this
mas worked well and there have been no
Hare backs since the device was in
stalled.
In the case of the Georgia's S-inch gun
the breech of the gun was thrown open
and the air blast turned in at a pres
sure Of II" pounds to the square inch.
This is sufficient for all ordinary purposes
with the important qualification that it
should he continued long enough to drive
the last remnant of gas or cloth from
the gun bore
IN this case the gases or smoulderjnc
ns (Which, Is not known We're not
Rryen probably more than half way ia
ne mnzzle OF the gun when the air blast
as turned OF. The Georgia was steam
~ ~ knots into the wind, which blew
Fo the muzzle of the gun. The unex-
led gases or cloth were driven back by
breeze into the breech OF the gun and
~ upon the powder charge which was
XM about to be inserted. The explosion
| nkh followed was inevitable.
xhe cause OF the accident. therefore.
~ without doubt be set down to the
ambition of the Eunners to make n record
practice in point OF speed. Had the air
osst been kept on for a second longer in
an probability the accident would have