The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-13
Extent of Casualties is
 Unknown.
DEATH LIST WILL REACH
 AT LEAST FIFTY SOULS
Scene of Horror Beyond Description
 Around TouIon Docks.
compressed Air Torpedo Was Primary Cause of Disaster, and After Dis- charge, Air Was Thiek With
 Pieces sf Human Bodies.

e
 Touion, March 12.---A terrible disas- ter occurred here this afternoon. The powder magazines on board the French battleship lena blew up at 1.S5 and as a result Captain Adigard, comman- der of the battleship: Captain Vertier, chief of the stan of the Mediterranean squadron, and from seventy to eighty bluejackets are dead, while Rear Ad- miral Manceron and hundreds of other men are suffering from injuries. some of them horrible in their extent.
 Naval circles are aghast and the pub lie is stunned by the appalling cafas- trophe, coming so soon after the loss of the French submarine Lutins in which sixteen men met death. The en- tire after part of the Lena was blown to pieces. The bodies of tho victims were hurled through the air by sue cession of explosions and panic stricken . workmen at the arsenal fled from the vicinity of the dry dock for their lives. Scores of those on board jumped over- board on the stone Quays and sustained serious injuries.
 The primary cause of the accident was the explosion of 6 torpedo What caused the explosion is not known, but the powder magazines of the lena were set on fire and their contents in ex- pIoding practically destroyed what was considered one of the best 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 Co joining the squadron tomorrow. The crew was In its full strength, being composed of the Roar Admiral, twenty-four other officers and eaO men. The magaxine had been replenished recently and con fained many toms of both sfno<eless n nd 4rfMfl n Der of cherges fer torpedoes-
 Had Just Finished Meal.
 The cfew had finished their midday meal only short time baf0Fe fhs ex@i piosion and had dispeFged tp vaFadaa. parts of the vessels Most of the men were engaged in work connected with the approaching departure of the ship. but quite a large party had been de1. tailed to attend q lecture that was be-. ing given forward.
 The explosion came without warning The first shock was extremely violent and shook the vessel fore and aft. It was followed instantly by other shocks. They rushed wildly about the deck The men forward, who had been att tending the lecture, clambered over the bulwarks and jumped down. some to the deck and others to the stone quay, many sustaining fatal injuries.
 AHO 1QHufSu& OE Hcu 0HtOW ueCK were in a fearful position. They were encircled by smoke and while they groped their way to the exits, they became the prey of suffocating fumes which caused many of them to fall un- conscious
 In the meantime the detonations had become more frequent and the entire after part of the ship was virtually blown to pieces and caught fire. Shells and charges of explosives in the mag azines continued to explode and masses of metal were hurled into the air, to fall everywhere about the decks and the arsenal.
 Demolished Torpedo Sized.
 These flying missiles demolished the torpedo shed. the engine works and pump house nearby, and constituted a most serious menace to the lives of those who made their way towards the battleship to begin work of rescue. In spite of the danger, many heroic ef- forts were made to render assistance but for the most part in vain; the lena was ahame from bursting projectiles 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 docks and submerge the ship. but when they did finally open the locks the water rushed in and the G0t amidst masses of dense smoke the search for the dead and wounded was commenced. The lower decks were filtered with fragments of shattered and torn bodies, while the surrounding walls was~dotted with human frag- nents
 It will be impossible to ascertain the exact number of killed and wound- ed until tomorrow when a roll can will be held, as many of the men are completely blown to pieces while oth- CTS were incinerated.
 Many of those who escaped with their lives suffered most severe injuries and becoming temporarily insane rushed frantically around until they fell ex- hausted.
 Captain yertirer occupied a cabin near the after turret over the maga- : zines. Immediately after the explo- sion he tried to get out but the door of his cabin was blocked with debris and the only means of exit was irn- passable.
 Captain's Horrible Death.
 The flames then broke out and Cap tain Vertirer died a horrible death After the fire had been extinguished the rescuers found his incinerated body as well as the terribly burnt bodies of several other officers who had been caught in the after cabin. Two mid shipmen were killed outright and the others attached to the lena have not been accounted for.
 Until late hour this afternoon a crowd of anxious persons besieged the offices of the Maritime Prefect. seek ing the names of the victims. Finally the officials persuaded these people to disperse, telling them there was no chance of learning the names of the killed and injured before tomorrow.
 Lieutenant Tiercelin, one of the wounded survivors Is of the opinion that everybody who was below at the time of the explosion, undoubtedly were asphyxiated by the fumes arising from the explosion, particularly from the combustion of powder.
 There are this evening a total of 150 wounded men being cared for in the hospitals or in their own homes. but in addition a number of people in the town were