New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-14
OVER A HUNDRED DEAD.
ROLLCALL OF THE IENA.
Eight Officers AmOng Missing
Scenes litter Explosion.

ON~'N~" ~ aSt1 kyIOotOUs
Toulon, March 1S-I1he efforts to recover the
bodies OF those killed by the explosion on board
ere French battleship lena here yesterday. which
have been conducted with energy for twenty
four hours have not yet resulted in definitely
fixing the number OF casualties. After the last
rolloaIl tonight eight officers and one hundred
and ten men were stIll unaccounted for. There
is little doubt that all these missing men
persisted
The rollcall was applied only TO the crew Of
ths lena, but, as it is believed that some twelve
5Y fifteen arsenal hands were engaged on board
che batileship at the time OF the explosion II is
feared that the total number OF dead viii reach
one hundred and twenty. The naval hospital
here was instructed tonight TO prepare space
Cor one hundred and twenty bodies.
The Minister Of Marine. NJ Thomson made
seoond visit TO the lena late this afternoon after
Che drydock had been emptied. and made
careful examination OF the battleship. The in
terror steel plsnking and the partitions of the
battleship show signs of having been subjected
90 enormous pressure. In many places they are
bulged out or indented. The gap in the side OF
the vessel acted as a safety valve for the vast
volume Of gas generated by the burning powder
All day long weeping mothers. wives and other
relatives OF the missing men thronged the APP
proaches 70 the hospitals, eagerly scanning the
Eiretchers which were brought in.
FIFTY BODIES RECOVERED.
Fifty bodies were recovered to-day. but only
twelve of them could be recognized. At o'clock
this evening hope was revived by a rumor that
several men had been brought out alive, but it
proved TO be untrue.
After the roll call II. Thomson reviewed the
survivors and addressed to them a few words of
sympathy. after which the men who are en-
gagged IN searching the vessel returned to their
task. st which they VIII work all night
TWO Of the wounded men died IN the hospital
this evening and there are five others who are
not expected 20 live until morning
The Prince OF the Asturias. a brother-in-law OF
King Alfonso Of Spain. has arrived here to con-
vey the condolences of his majesty TO the French
navy. and TO visit Rear Admiral Afanceron. who
was wounded, The rear admiral attended King
Alfonso his ma5esty's visit TO France.
The Minister of Marine who was accompa-
nied by his staff. Immediately on HIS arrival
here consulted with the Port Admiral and went
10 the scene Of the disaster. All around the
Aissiessy drydock were strewn pieces Of shells,
and the storesheds and other buildings in the
vicinity were pierced IN many places. Cordons
Of troops were drawn up the Guays in the
neighborhood OF the hulk Of the lena, where
relay parties were engaged in searching for the
the unsubmerged portions Of the remains Of the
batleship.
THE DAMAGE TO THE VESSEL
The afterpart OF the vessel is completely de-
stroyed, the plates being unriveted everywhere
aft The officers cabins are in ruins One OF
the officers who ESCAPED said that Admiral Man
ooron owed his life to the fact that the port
holes OF his cabin were open. permitting the SUI
locating gases TO escape.
This afternoon the docBvard authorities be-
gan pumping out the drydock IN which the lena
was flooded. The opinion prevailed among the
officials that, while it was possible to repair
the battleship. she would never again be 1T 10
form part Of an active squadron.
Describing his experiences yesterday an engi-
neer said he had just left the engine room Of the
lena, where several Of his comrades were. when
the explosion occurred. 1t was followed by a
panic among the sailors and stokers. Some Of
them slid down ropes the timber supports Of
tho vessel, and thus reached the bottom Of the
dock while others jumped from the decks and
instantly killed.
CHASTITY HEAP or BODIES
a correspondent boarded the lena while the
search for bodies was going on The fighting
tops Of the vessel were bent over. there was an
enormous breach anidships and on the port
side was hole about eighteen feet long and
twelve feet high. Amid shattered steel plates.
twisted rails and displaced stanchions the cor
respondent saw a heap OF burned flesh. bones
and twisted limbs, all that remained Of thirty
bodies which were taken from the after turret
and were being sewn up in sheets and canvas
On one trunk was a watch, which still go
ing. II was absolutely impossible TO identify
any Of the dead in the heap.
At times the fumes from the interior of the
vessel were so strong that the searchers for the
dead were driven back on deck and eventually
they had 10 postpone until tonight any further
efforts TO reach the magazine between decks or
the engine room. The suffOcating enanations
from the powder increased I'm intensity 8 the
f7eEr r-1r IN