New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-17
CAUSE STILL UNCERTAIN.
Cinder Theory Thought Plausible
Mem Not Considered to Blame.

Washington July Let is said at the Navy
Department that ii is extremely improbable
that the accident aboard the Georgia resulted
from any carelessness or lack of precaution on
the part OF the men The ship. A short time
ago a thorough inspection made of every
detail Of the Georgia's ordnance by Commander
Scholeld 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
mechanism. the workings Of the ammunition
hosts (Which. because of the superposed turrets
OF the Georgia, are rather more complicated
than the ordinary type, and. finally and most
important the handling Of the guns and mech
anism and ammunition by the sailors 1t was
found that the ships company was efficient at
all points, and it certain that they were
following closely the firing regulations in every
essential detail
In the absence of any other plausible explana-
ton, the officials here are disposed TO give con-
sderation the theory advanced by some of
the Georgia's officers when they came ashore
at Boston, that the powder was fired accidental
" by a Clot Of SCOT which came floating down
srnouldering from the funnel and settled by
chance into the open scuttle top OF the turret,
alighting on the powder. 1t is pointed out that
the bag holding the powder Is OF thin serge,
which is rather infiammable In fact, IL is
necessary that il should be so. in order to be
entirely consumed in the bore of the gun after
the charge is fired Otherwise bits OF burning
cloth might accidentally explode the next charge
Of powder before the breech could be closed
Such accidents have occurred in the past, so the
bags are purposeIy made thin and iniiammable.
In case Of ammunition used in battle. the bag
ging is frequently made of silk with view TO
securing still greater strength and perfect com
bustion Of the envelope after firing 1t is pro-
posed TO carry the principle still further, and the
ordnance bureau is experimenting with a method
Of tnlpregnating the cloth with collodion TO
make it at once waterproof and highly infiam-
mabIe
In answer to an inquiry as 10 whether it is
customary TO have the scuttle top Of the tur-
ret open while target practice is going on. II
was said at the department that this is almost
necessity owing TO the high temperature III
the turret during rapid firing. The opening also
gives an easy means for the communication OF
orders 4 further consideration is the beneficial
effect upon the nerves of the gunners OF know
ing that a way Of escape is always open III case
of an accident Thus the men may have per-
ished in the Georgias turret through the means
adopted bv them to secure their safety.
When asked what additional precaution could
be suggested as the result Of this last accident
the officials Of the department confessed them
selves at a loss at present; they said that theTe
was nothing TO Go but await the findings OF the
hoard of examination which had been convened
and with the data then in hand to endeaNor 10
frame some change in methods that would euual-
nate this last source Of danger Inc report -
expected to come by wireless telegraph from
Admiral Thomas commanding the second dlVi-
sion Of the battleshp feet, as soon as the board
work Is completed
Some comment is likely to be caused by the
action of the Navy Department in ordering the
,-aoroia 10 return to the range and resume her
+oroe+ rra ctce as soon as the victims OF the &C
ci6ert had been removed from the ship at the
BOSTON Navy Yard. The explanation is that
there is extreme danger Of a general demoraIlza-
ZION OF a crew of a ship which has had such an
accident If the men are permitted TO brood over
tr before undertaking again TO handle the big
guns The almost inevitable result is loss or
s.nerve' such as acrobats suffer when they have
sustained q fail. and the only means of avoid
ing this is TO renew Immediately the attempts
10 ACCOMPLISH the particular thing which led to
The accident So in the case of the Georgia 1t
was fell 70 be absolutely necessary 10 get the
,,en again into the turrets and at their work of
handling the big guns, treating this disaster as
inst such an incident as might occur in the heat
OF action with foe
The Navy Department has been advised that
the Georgia returned to the practice grounds.
near Provincetown, at 10 o'clock last night. She
will resume her target practice tomorrow.
II Il generally expected at the Navy Depart
mont that the board Of examination will be made
M OF the commanders Of the ships composing
the second division Of the batteship feet and
Of the Louisiana, which was engaged with the
other vessels at the time In this case the
hoard would consist Of Captains Schroeder Of
the Virginia Wainwright Of the Louisiana
KfrnbaU Of the New Jersey, McCrea of the
Georgia and Bowman Of the Rhode Island.
There IS a possibility, however, that Captain Nc
Crea may prefer not TO sit a member of the
hoard in view Of the fact that the accident oc-
Cured his ship