Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-13
The French battIeshiip lena
Blown Up at TouIon.
Admiral kaTnceTOn and Hun
dreds Of Sailors Injured.
SIS Officers and Men On Board
.-.HearIy All Hurt.

IOClOn, -hdrch IA lc?flDle expo
sion occurred here this afternoon. The
powder magazines On board the French
battleship lena blew up at 1.35 O'Clock
and as q result Capt. Adigard the
commander Of the battleship Capt.
Verter, chief OF staff of the Mediter-
ranean squadron, and from 20 to 50
bluejackets arc dead, while Rear Adj
mira. Manccron and hundreds Of 9TH
er men ara suffering from horrible in
juries.
Naval circles are aGhaSt at the eX-
tent Of The catastrophe ana the people
are stunned by tho appalling details OF
this accident, coming 50 soon after ;hn
loss Of the French submarine boat LII
tin, in which Is men met fearful
death Tho entire after part OF The
lena was practically blown to pieces.
The bodies Of the victims were hurl-
ed through the air by the succession of
explosions and the panic-striCken
workmen at the arsenal fed from tn"
vicinity Of the dry deck for their lives.
Scores Of the men on board the lena
jumped either overheard or onto the
stone Quays and sustained serious in
juries.
The primary cause Of the accident
was the explosion of a torpedo, Why
this instrument exploded is not known.
but the powder magazines Of the lena
were set on fire ana their contents
in exploding, practically destroyed
what was considered one of the finest
vessels in the French navy.
The lena had just undergone a final
inspection Of her hull and machinery.
the latter having been completely over
hauled preparatory to joining the
squadron tomorrow. TIL" crew was in
its full strength. being composed of thu
rear admiral, 81 other officers and $50
men. The magazines had been rcplen-
fShed recently and contained many
tons of both SmokcleSs and black pow
der rs well as a number of charges for
tOrpedocs.
The crew Of the lena had finished
their midday meal only n short time
before the explosion and had dispersed
to various parts of the vessel. Most Of
the men We're engaged in Jrk connect
ed with the approaching departure Of
the warship, but quite 4 large party
had been detailed to attend a lecture
that was being given forward.
The explosion came without warn
ing. The first shock was extremely vi
client and SHOOK the vessel fore an
aft. 1t was at once followed by other
shocks. The crew were thrown into a
condition OF terror-Stricken panic. They
rushed wildly hither ana thither about
the deck. The men forward, who had
been attending the lecture clamberoi
over the bulwarkS and jumped down.
some OF thorn onto the dock ana others
into the stone quay. Many of the men
who jumped sustained fatal injuries
The hundreds OF men below deck were
In fearful position. They were on
shrouded in binding smoke ard. while
they CROPPED their way towards the OK
it, they became the prey Of suffocating
fumes which caused many of them t.
fall unconscious whore they stood.
In the meantime the explosions had
become more frequent. ana the entire
after part Of the lena which was viz
fually blown 10 pieces caught fire
Shells end charges of explosives in the
magazines continued to explode and
masses Of metal wore hurled into The
air To fail everywhere about the docks
and the arsenal These nvirg missiles
demolished the torpedo shed the en-
CINE works and pump house nearby aad
constituted most serious menace to
the lives of those who made their way
toward the Inflated battleshin to be-
danger many heroic efforts were made
to render assistance but for the most
part in vain. The lena was atlamc from
bursting projactilcs ana the fire pre-
vented approach.
1t is declared that for 50 minutes the
authorities werc unable to discover the
keys With which to open the locks to
food the drydock and sUhmcrcc the
ship. hut when thoy did finally open
the lock the water rushed in onto the
ship and the explosions came to an end
Thus amidst masses of dense smoke
the search for the dead and wounded
commenced. The lower decks Of the
lena were Uttered with the fragments
of shattered ana torn bodies. while the
surrounding water water was dotted
With human fragments dripping blood
1t will be impossible to ascertain the
exact number of killed and wounded
until tomorrow. when 4 roll call will b.
held, as many of the men were com
pletcly blown to pieces. while others
were moderated.
Many OF those who oscar ped with their
lives suffered most severe injuries ana
becoming temporarily insane rushed
around the vicinity of the dry dock un-
til they fell exhausted.
The arsenal authorities organized an
ambulance service without loss OF time.
and soon long procession of injured
men were on their way to the hospit
ais A quartermaster gave an account
of his experience. His face was black
ened. his hair and beard had been
burned off, his uniform was in rags and
he had sustained 4 number of minor
injuries.
IT was on the bridge and just about
to call the afternoon roll" he said.
"when the explosion occurred. I had no
idea what had happened 1 felt myself
: hurled into the air. and few seconds
later I found myself lying on the quay.
managed to rise and run for my life.
I had no idea where 1 was going
An orderly of Rear Admiral Nance
ron, bruised and bloodstained. gave the
following recital of his experiences:
Rear Admiral Mancerons quarters