The Grenada sentinel., 1907-07-20
NAVY DEPARTMENT HAS NOT
FOUND A PLAUSIBLE Ex-
PLSNATlON.
MIGHT Be SMOULDERING SCOT
Board Is Inclined to Give Credence to
the Theory Advanced by Some OF
the Officers of the
Georgia.


from any carelessness or lack of pre-
caution on the part of the personnel
of the ship. A short time ago thor
ough inspection was made Of every
detail of the Georgia's ordnance by
Commander Schofield, one of the most
expert OF the ordnance officers of the
navy. This inspection included every
one of the guns, the details of the
turret mechanfEm, the workings of the
ammunition hoist (Which in the case
of the superimposed turrets of the
Georgia are rather more complicated
than in the ordinary type), and, finally
and most important, the handling of
the guns and mechanism and ammuni-
tic by the sailors. 1t was found that
the ships company was very efficient
at all points, and 1t was certain that
they were following closely the firing
regulations in every essential detail.
Think 1t Was SmouIdering SCOT.
In The absence of any Other plausi-
BILE explanation, the officials here are
disposed to give consideration to the
theory advanced by some of the Geor-
gia's officers when they came ashore
at Boston, that the powder charge of
the eight-inch gun was fired accident
ally by clot of SCOT, which came float
ing down. smouldering, from the ships
smokestack and settled b ychance
into the open scuttle on top Of the
t,,rrot oliohtipo dirootIv ON Tho 6f+,
pound bag of smokeless powder in the
arms of tina loader at the breech of the
gun. 1t Is pointed out that the bag
inclosing the powder is made of thin
serge stuff, which is rather infiamma-
ble In fact, 1t is necessary that it
should be soft in order to be entirely
consumed in the bore of the gun after
the charge is fired, otherwise burning
bits of cloth might accidentally ex-
plode the next charge of powder intro
duced before the bleech of the gun
could be closed. Such accidents have
occurred in the past, so the bags are
purposely made thin and infiammable.
In the case of ammunition used in bat
tie, the bagging is frequently made of
silk, with view to securing still
greater strength and perfect combus-
tion of the envelope after a firing. 1t
is proposed to carry the principle still
further, and the ordnance bureau is
experimenting with a method of i'm
pregnating the cloth with collodion to
make it at once waterproof and highly
inflammable.
Had the Turret ScuttIe Open.
In answer to an inquiry as to
whether it is customary to have the
scuttle on top of the turret open while
target practice is going on. it was said
at the department that this almost is
a necessity owing to the high tempera-
ture in the turret while the guns are
consuming rapidly great quantities of
smokeless powder, with its enormous
heat-generating power. The opening
also affords an easy means of commu-
nication for orders. And a further
consideration is the beneficial effect
upon the nerves of the gunners of the
knowledge that an avenue of escape is
always open to them In case of an acci-
dent in the turret. 1t is said to be
curious illustration of the irony Of
fate that the men apparently perished
In the Georgia's turret through the
very means adopted by them TO secure
their safety.
When asked what additional precau-
ton could be suggested, as the result
Of this last accident, the officials of
the department confessed themselves
at loss at present. They stated that
there was nothing to do but await the
findings of the board of examination
which had been convened, and with
the data then in hand, to endeavor to
frame some change in methods that
will eliminate this last source of dan
ger.
The following telegram from Presi-
dent Roosevelt at Oyster Bay regard
ing the accident of the battleship
Georgia was received at the navy de-
partment I:
81 am inexpressibly shocked and
grieyed at the dreadful accident on
the Georgia and the death of the gal
liant officers and men, wish full par
ticulars at the earliest possible date.
Let me know the condition of the
wounded men. Repeat this to the
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