The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-03-14
DISASTER On VARSHIP
Magazines on French Battleship Ex-
plode With Frightiul Result.
MANY KILLED; HUNDREDS HURT
EXPLOSION Came Without Warming
Throwing Crew into Panie-Many
Were Blown TO Pieces and Others

Throwing Crew into Panie-many
Were Blown to Pieces and Others
Horribly Injured.
Toulon March ia terrible disas-
ter occurred here. The powder maya
zines on board the French battleship
lena blew up. and as result Captain
Adieard the commander OF the battle
ship: Captain Vertier. chief of stan OF
the Mediterranean squadron. and from
20 to 50 bluejackets are dead. many
being blown to pieces. while Rear
Admiral Manceren and hundreds or
other men are suffering from injuries
some of them horrible in their extent.
Naval circles are aghast, and the pub
lie is stunned by the appalling catas-
trophe.
The entire after part OF the lena
was blown to pieces. The bodies OF the
victims were hurled through the air
by a succession OF explosions. and the
panic.stricken wOrkmen at the arsenal
fed from the vicinity Of the dry dock
for their lives. Scores OF men who
were on board the lena jumped either
overheard or onto the stone quays
and sustained serious injuries.
The primary cause of the accident
was the explosion OF torpedo What
caused the explosion is not known.
The crew was in It's full strength. be-
ing composed of the rear admiral, =
other officers and $50 men. The maya
zines had been replenished recently
and contained many tons OF both
smokeless and black powder. as well
as a number of charges for torpedoes.
The explosion came without warn
ing The first shock was extremely
violent and shook the vessel fore and
aft IL was followed instantly by other
shocks The crew were thrown into a
condition OF panic. They rushed wild
| " hither and thither about the deck
The men forward who had been attend
ing a lecture clambered over the bull
warks and jumped down, some OF them
into the dock and others to the stone
quay. Many of the men who Jumped
sustained fatal injuries.
The hundreds OF men below decR
were in a fearful position. They were
enshrouded in binding smoke, and
while they CROPPED their way toward the
exits they became the prey of suffocat-
ing fumes which caused many OF them
TO fall unconscious.
In the meantime the detonations had
become more frequent, and the entire
after part of the lena, which was virtu-
ally blown to pieces. caught fire. Shells
and charges of explosives in the maya
zines continued to explode and masses
of metal were hurled into the air to
fall everywhere about the docks and
the arsenal. Those flying missiles de-
molished the torpedo shed. the engine
works and the pump house near by and
constituted a most serious menace &c
the lives of those who made their way
toward the battleship 10 begin the work
of rescue.
The lower decks of the lena were
Uttered with the fragments OF shatter'
ed and torn bodies. while the surround
ing water was dotted with human fras-
ments.
Captain Vertier occupied a cabin neal
the after turret over the magazine. I'm
mediately after the explosion he tried
to get out, but the door Of his cabir
was blocked with debris and the only
means of exit was impossible The
flames then broke out and Captain Yer
Ter died a horrible death. After thu
fire had been extinguished the rescuer'
found his incinerated body. as well as
the terribly burned bodies Of severa
other officers who had been caught II
the after cabin.