New-York tribune., 1908-05-01
JAPANESE VESSEL SUNK
OYER TWO HUNDRED DIE.
Explosion on Cruiser MatsusMnia-
Oydmds S Son Probable Lost.

~
Toxic. April 5o.-Admiral Yoshimatsu. COM
mander of the training squadron. reports that
an explosion occurred in the stern magazine
OF the cruiser Matsushima at 4.oS o'clock this
morning. while anchoring at Makang. a harbor
OF the Pescadores Islands. The Matsushima inn
mediately sank until only the bridge was visi-
BILE
Efforts at rescue by boats from the cruisers
Hashidate and the Itsukushima continued until
a m. and 141 men. including some officers,
were saved The majority of the officers were
crowned and. at the time of the admirars
port the cadets numbered hfty-eight out of a
complement of three hundred
The sons Of Baron Chinda Westminster of
'he Foreign Office, and of Field Marshal Prince
oFama are among the cadets who. it is feared.
are lost Captains Name Yoshimor and va
shiTo are also among the missing The cause of
the explosion is unknown.
Washington April sO.-Baron Takahira the
japanese Ambassador. upon seeing to-day the
dispatch from Toxic telling of the loss of life
by the explosion on the cruiser Matsushima,
pressed deep regret.
dispatch 10 Commander Taniguchi. the
naval attache of the japanese Embassy. from
Toxic saws that those saved included three Of
fcers. twenty-four cadets. seven non-commis-
stoned officers and 141 Of the crew. Commander
the lost vessel was $50 men and that her
cruise she had about fifty cadets aboard. max
ing total OF AS. His cable dispatch. he said.
indicated that about rs were saved. which
would make the loss of officers and men about
2=o With their usual caution and conservatism
the naval officials at Toxic evidently obtain
ing all the information possible before giving
out any full report of the disaster No report
Of the explosion reached the Navy Department
ArOp attaCh6
Toxic. It is understood here that the cruiser
was in a school ship.
Speculation among naval experts leads to the
conclusion that the explosion occurred in the
main ma gazine and was caused by defective
electric wire. electric fuse or deterioration In
the stock CT smokeless powder. affected by heat.
Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry to-
day sent the following cable dispatch to the
American naval attache Toxic, who is direct
ed 10 present il to the japanese officials:
Express 10 the Minister of Marine deep sorrow
and sympathy OF department and American
navy at terrible accident on board Matsushllna
IN which many gallant Japanese officers and
men are reported TO have lost their lives
The Pescadores Islands the scene OF the catas-
.rophe are low island group between Formosa
and China They belonged TO China until 1926.
when they were ceded Japan They are known
officially the Hokoto Islands, and are sometimes
called the Pheng-hu-
70 the japanese navy. She was Of 42S' tons dis
n'acep1en- and Of type which has not been fol-
lowed since her construction. Her complement was
80 men. The peculiarly Of the Matsushlma was
her armament which consisted Of one 12'2-inch gun
mounted on her poop deck, twelve 4-inch guns ana
= tarterv Of smaller calibre and four aboVe-Water
-ornedo tubes Size was built in 1880, being de-
signed and constructed at La Seyne. France her
ereed VAS 167 knots. Her principal historic rec
ord CONSISTS ~ her part the war between Japan
.,6 china zber she was the flagship Of Admira
Ito in the battle Of the Yalu River. TWO sister
sbins we're built the Itsukushima, in 1890 and the
F=ashidate. 1891.
The Aats,shina also took part in the Russo
Iapaneee War. She instrumental IN NoVein
her Of 1qn4 in sending Russian torpedo boats
that were attempting 10 escape from Port Arthur
70 the bottom. These Russian vessels were uElnt
n carry out DUPLICATES Of 4 dispatch from Gen
e-ei Sroeseei There were some badly wounded oftl
Gers on board the boats. who preferred TO rlSt
their lives AT rather than meet certain deatf
in the unsanitary hospitals Of Port Arthur The
Russian boats sooner clear OF Port AT
-hl,r than they were sighted by the enemy. wh'
- once closed in on them. The first Russian tor
uedo boat was sunk by the cruiser kasuga afte
? fight lasting half hour. The Matsusiina sani
Arthur receiving herself an ineffective blow from
2 torpedo. The third Russian ship was sunk bl
TAO Iapsncse g1lnhoats after hard chase Of fou
hours The Natsushima also took part IN th'
PattIe Of the Sea Of Japan in 1905