The Washington herald., 1907-07-18
no MORE VICTIMS DIE
But GeOrgia'S Wounded Are
Still in Grave Danger.
Battle Ship Returns TO Boston and
iured Men as Can Talk Are Taken
by Board of Investigation Which
VIII Probe the CatastrOphe-Ad-
miraI Thomas OmcisI Report.


one man as a hero in this instance; every
man IN the turret was hero"
Rear Admiral Brownson. chief Of the
Bureau " Navigation. yesterday made
this statement regarding the explosion on
the battle ship Georgia, in discussing the
Presidents request 10 Acting Secretary
OF the Navy Newberry for the name OF
the man VINO Is said 10 have distinguished
himself by closing the shutter TO the am
munitiOn hoist, thereby preventing, it was
understood, the destruction Of the ship
and her entire crew.
The President has been informed that
the department has not been advised q
such an incident. and that the shutter Of
the ammunition hoist works aut0matic-
ally.
Official Report Received.
The Navy Department yesterday re-
eeived the mail report Of Rear Admiral
Thomas. commanding the second division
Of the Atlantic feet, telling Of the acei-
dent and the appointment Of a board 10
investigate the matter. Il was written
on board his flagship, the Virginia.
July Is. 1907.
Sir: /. regret 10 report that a bad
accident occurred on board the L. 5. 5.
Georgia this forenoon about 10 o'clock
while the ship was engaged in record
target practice. probably the last day Of
such practice, it being expected that the
same would be completed .AIs evening.
80 The accident is presumed 10 be due
10 the Ignition Of both secuons OF an
eight-inch charge in the ammunition
hoist. just removed from the. ammunition
car, right gun, superposed/ r turret.
the shell remaining in the a. Cause Of
ignition not yet determiT -
'3. Upon being informed Of the acci-
dent, 1 Immediately directed that medical
officers be sent from the Virginia, New
Jersey. and Dolphin TO assist the medical
officers OF the Georgia.
q. The unanimous and urgent opinion
of lhe. several medical osIiesrs was that
the 81 should be sem a. he tVy yard
Boston the ea.a asest practice ie hour
FOR the trF 1sTer Ct the injured officers
and men 20 tae naval hospital. thu7-svoid-
ing a double transfer. as would De the
case if sent by the Dolphin. and the IA
cilitieS on board the battle ship for at
tending the wounded being so much
greater than those on the gunbOat
selects Investigating Board.
IS. I ordered a board Of investigation,
composed Of the following officers. 10
meet on board the Georgia as soon as
practicable: Capt Seaton Schroeder, SEN
ior member; Capt. ". ". Kimban, men,
Der, Lieut. Commander N. L Bristol,
member; Lieut. K. G. Castleman, re-
corder.
IS. The board convened on board the
Georgia at fl:50 a. m, approved the rec
ommendatiOn of the medical officers that
the ship should be sent al once 10 B0s-
ton; then adjourned TO meet again to-
morrow. when the Georgia returns 10
Boston.
=. 1 directed the following medical Of
ficers 10 accompany the snip 10 Boston
in order 20 assist IN the care Of the in
jured:
Asst. Surg. J. P. Haynes, from the
Virginia; Asst Surg. NJ II. Ames. from
the New Jersey. also that Lieut. COM
mander II. L. Bristol. the fleet ordnance
officer; Lieut.. Commander T. 3. Upham.
the ordnance officer of the New jersey,
and serving as chief umpire on board the
Georgia. and Chief Gunner ". H. F.
SchlutteT, the electrical gunner OF the
New Jersey. accompany the ship 70 the
Boston yard, for the purpose OF making d
close examination OF the after turreI and
az electrical circuits and connections
within the same, preparatory 20 submit
ting the result of such examination before
the board of investigation Tomorrow"
The admiral then gives a list Of injured
ConfrmatOry Of the previous dispatches.
Many letters telegrams, and cable
grams have been received at the Navy
Department, expressing the condolences
Of public and private persons. These in
ciudc cablegrams from Admiral Won
Terpitz. representing the German navy;
the French minister of marine, n. Thom-
son, representing the French navy, and
others Of prominence.
A dispatch 70 the Navy Department
from Rear Admiral Snow, concerning
the condition Of the Georgia. injured at
the Chelsea Hospital said:
Condition of Midshipman Cruise. gen
eral outlook more favorable, but heart
failure feared Bush still critical; Fone
critical. more hopeful. James Patrick
Thomas critical, but some hope; Maiek
critical. but hopeful; Schlapp doing we'll
Meese probably fatal Tagland critical,
but hopeful. Rosenberger on way TO re-
covery Gilbert still critical. Eich re-
covering. HanseH recovering"
Injured Men Hold Own.
Boston, July 1L-Up 70 10 o'clock to-
night no more Of the injured men OF the
battle ship Georgia had died. The re-
port from the hospital at that hour was
that all the injured being treated there
were holding their own and were doing
as we'll as could be expected.
NIdshipmaa Cruise. whose burns are
considered more serious than any OF the
others. Is bearing up bravely against
great odds, and the hospital reports that
his chances OF recovery are slightly
more favorable. The condition of Sea
men James p. Thomas and John L.
Malek, while extremely critical, are not
so hopeless as last night
The body Of George Miller is the only
one now at the hospital which has not
been clai'Aed by relatives. His enlistment
papers ave the name OF George Charles.
80 Se'gel street, Brooklyn, as a friend.
There is an impression that the man did
not give his correct name at enlistment
The Georgia arrived here from the tar
Z -.r-4