Connecticut western news., 1907-03-14
EIGHTY SEAMEN SLAIN
BattIeship Jena Blows Up In the
 Harbor of TouIOn.
OVERTHREE HUNDRED INJURED

One of the Finest Vessels In the French Navy Destroyed by the Unexplained
 Explosion of Torpcdo.- Terrible
 Scenes Follow Disaster.
 Toulon, France, March 13.-The bat l tleship Jena, one of the biggest and l best vessels in the French navy. was blown up at a dock in the naval arsenal here. Probably eighty per sons were killed and 300 or more in- 1 jured. Among the dead is Captain ] Vertier, chief of staff of the Mediter- ranean squadron. Rear Admiral Man ceron. commander of the squadron, was mortally wounded.
 | 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 Jena were set on fire, and their contents ill exploding practically destroyed the ves- sel. The Jena had just undergone q final inspection of her hull and ma chinery, the latter having been com pletely oyerhauled preparatory to join ing the squadron today
 The crew was ill its full strength. being composed of the rear admiral, twentyfour other officers and 630 men. The magazines had been replenished recently and contained many tons of both smokcleSS and black powder as well as number of expi live charges for torpedoes.
 Explosion Game Without Warning
 The c-olosion came without warn ing. The first shock was extremely violent and shook the vessel fore and aft. It was at once followed by other shocks. The sailors were thrown into condition of terror stricken panic They rushed wildly hither and thither about the deck. Many who jumped to the dock sustained fatal injuries.
 The hundreds of men below deck were in q fearful position. They ,were enshrouded in blinding smoke and while they groped their way toward the exits they became the prey of sui locating fumes. which caused many Of them to fall unconscious where they stood.
 In the meantime the detonations had become more frequent. and the entire after part of the Jena, which was vir- tually blown to pieces, caught on fire. Shells and charges of explosives in the magazines continued to explode. and masses of metal were hurled into the air to fall everywhere about the docks and the arsenal. These flying missiles demolished the torpedo shed, the en- zine works and the pump house near by and constituted most serious menace to the lives of those who made their way toward the ill fated battle ship to begin the work of rescue.
 Terrible Scenes Follow Disaster.
 In spite of the danger many heroic efforts were made to render assistance, but for the most part in vain. The Jena was af1ame from bursting projec tiles, and the fire prevented approach.
 It is declared that for thirty minutes the authorities were unable to discover the keys with which to open the locks to flood the, dry dock and submerge the ship, but when they did finally open
 
 Jena, and the explosions came to an end.
 Then amid masses of dense smoke the search for the dead and wounded was commenced. The lower decks of the Jena were filtered with the frag- ments of shattered and torn bodies. while the surrounding water was dot ted with human fragments dripping with blood. Many of the men were completely blown to pieces, while oth- CTS were incinerated.
 Many of those who escaped with their lives suffered most severe inju- ries and, becoming temporarily insane, rushed frantically around the vicinity of the dry dock until they fell ex- hausted.
 Five Heroes.
 l The maritime prefect has drawn at tention to an act of conspicuous hero | ism parfornp1 by five sailors of yari-