New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-16
4 SHOCK TO W4SHINGTON.
Fear Of Some Nee Danger in Battle
ship TWrets.
[Frcm The tribune Bureau.

LFrcm Tribune Bureaul
Washington. July 1J-The news of the explo-
sion on the battleship Georgia caused the ut
most concern at the Navy Department. not only
because officers and men were killed and wound
ed. but because the reports thus far received
seem to indicate that there is some new source
of danger the men in turrets which foresight
and ingenuity have thus far been unable to
eliminate.
Naval officers disposed to regard the
theory suggested in the dispatches from Boston
that the powder was ignited by a spark from the
smokestack as untenable. They are at a loss to
conceive how it could have been possible for a
spark 10 have penetrated the turret and the am
munition hoist where the ignition appears to
have occurred
1t is suggested that more plausible explanation
is that some particle blew back from the gun
when the breechblock was opened after the pre-
vous discharge. and yet this seems unlikely. as
after the last naval accident of this character.
when a charge of smokeless power was ignted
in the turret of the battleship Missouri her
gun being loaded. a special investigation
made. followed by the installation of a de-
vice for blowing the bore of the gun clear be-
Gore Withdrawing the breech plug, and another
Tor expelling all gases and tho placing OF an au-
tomato shutter the ammunition hoist.
1t is declared that periodical inspection OF the
powder in the magazines, including the taking
OF the temperature, diSpOseS OF any suggestion
thdt the powder itself was not in good condition
when placed in the hoist 1t is recalled that the
men, in order 10 see. have been known to tie
back the automatic shutter over the ammuni-
ton hoist and this may have been done and
have led to the accident. Such occurrence
was recently discovered the battleship Ohio
It is also asserted that some recent expert
ments have been made with form of powder
bag which is supposed TO be completely con-
sumed with the discharge of the gun. and II is
4,a+ ho1 OIL d Of tc
purpose and a fragment left TO ignite the
powder in the hoist. although this should
have been prevented by the presence Of the
shutter. The fact is that all the information re-
ceived thus far leaves naval officers here in a
state of perplexity.
In many respects this disaster seems to re-
semble that the Missouri. when her COM
mander Captain COwes. was officially COM
mended for bravery. This occurred in the fore
noon Of April 10. 1904. while the ship was en-
gagged at record target practice near Guanta-
namo. The accident caused by the ignition
of a charge Of smOkeless powder while the gun
being loaded. There explosion. but
the burning Of about hundred pounds Of pow
der filed the handling room. turret and inter
vening spaces with suffocatng, burning gases
All persons in the turret-four officers and four
teen men-lost their lives. All those stationed
in the handling room and magaZines-one officer
and eleven men-died from burns or suffocatIon.
The Navy Department received a number Of
messages reporting the explosion Instructions
We're Immediately teegraphed by Acting Score
tary Newberry, directing the hospital authorities
TO do everything possible 70 for the victims
Of the disaster properly, and a telegram
sent TO the ships officers expressing confidence
Tonight the department received this tele-
gram from Admiral Snow, commandant Of the
Boston Navy Yard: Two officers and thirteen
men injured in accident the Georgia are now
at naval hospital. Chelsea. Surgeon in charge
will report on condition Of each as pos
sible. Relatives Of the six who died have been
notified"
Admiral Brownson. chief OF the bureau Of
navigation summed up the common belief Of
the navy when he said that he was shocked and
surprised for he believed that the department
had adopted every precaution possible and that
/ ignition in such cases was impossible.
1t is understood at the Navy Department that
the Georgia had just completed her preliminary
target practice and was entering the record
practice She had already made some remarka-
! BILE scores and had given general satisfaction.
The vessel is Of the second division OF the
Atlantic feet The ships were what is known
BaTnstable Range, Provincetown, Just
inside Of Cape Cod and about fifty miles from
Boston. where there is little shipping to be ex-
posed to danger.
The Navy Department officials expressed
fidence tonight that the dispatch OF the Georgia
with the Atlantic fleet it's projected cruise to
! the Pacific will not be cancelled
Lieutenant Caspar Goodrich a of Rear
Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich He born in
Italy and entered the navy on September Z,
1897, having been appointed 10 the Naval Acad-
envy from Connecticut few years before. He
commissioned ensign June Z, 1903,
and a lieutenant three years later In 1905,
when his father commander in chief OF the
Pacific squadron, consisting Of the Boston, the
MarbIehead, the Princeton and the Chicago, En-
sign Goodrich aid 70 his father on the Chi
cago. He was ordered to the Georgia last year.
Midshpman Faulkner Goldthwaite was born in
Calvert, Tex, May "a, 1888, and entered the
naval service q midshipman from Kentucky
on June 8, 1903. After serving the full four
years course at the Naval Academy he was or
dered to the Georgia March !, 1907.
Midshipman James Thomas Cruise was APP
pointed from Nebraska. He entered the service
on July "a, 1898 He had been attached to the
Georgia since last October.
Admiral Brownson said tonight that the Navy
Department had not Informed President Roose-
welt of the explosion on the battleshp Georgia.
The delay he said, had been caused by the con-
Trajectory official reports from Boston Now
that correct list OF the dead and injured has
been received at the department, report will
be teIegraphed 20 the President tomorrow
morning.