New-York tribune., 1910-09-10
MAY GIVE UP OIL FUEL SEE REFORM DSREGARDED'
Accident to North Dakota Will
Be Studied Carefully.
VICTIMS WERE DROWNED?
Flooding Saved the Ship-Lieu-
tenant Commander Not In
jured, as Reported.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau

IFrorn The Tribune Bureau
Washington, Sept. s.--The accident to the
battleship North Dakota may have an I'M
nortant bearing on the attitude Of the
Navy Department toward the use of OH
fuel for naval ships, as it is comparatively
an innovation with the American navy
Only the most recently constructed ships,
the North Dakota and the Delaware of the
hattleship class, and several torpedo boat
destroyers, are equipped with oil burning
anraratus There have been accidents with
oil before, but none, so far as can be ascer-
tanned. similar to the one which occurred
on the North Dakota IL is not likely that
ordinary fuel oil would explode. For this
reason engineering officers are disincined
10 express an opinion until more details
regarding the accident are received at the
department
on April . of this year boiler exploded
on the cruiser Maryland. off Monterey Bay
CAL killing one man and injuring several
Last February a boiler tube in the oe-
stroyer Hopkins exploded in San Diego
Rav. killing two and badly manning iiNe
mon. in the case of the Hopkins, 1t was
freely charged that the trouble was que ~
rivalry and bitter feeling between Iactioii0
al the Mare Island Navy Aaro' Nheie
shortly before that time boiler tubes in one
Of
stuffed with trash The North Dakota was
t,,,iI+ b,- the Fore River ShipbuildinG COM
many hui the work was done under the
closa fnsnection of Navy Department Oh
ffcials.
Rear Admiral Schroeder reported to-day
that the injured were all expected TO re-
cover. there having been no change in their
condition He added TO the list announced
Yesterday the name Of W. j McCauley,
whose next of kin is Mary McNulty, or
Coal Pit avenue, Danbury, Conn., The
Navy Department stated that the name OF
Lieutenant Commander Orin c. Murfn,
published IN some lists Of injured, was OBJ
tanned through error. Murfin was not hurt,
according to the official reports. the total
number Of the injured being nine.
In q dispatch TO the Navy Department
to-day Admiral Schroeder gave no further
information. having been unable TO ina
any new evidence that would lead to an
EXPLANATION OF the cause. Officials OF the
Navy Department admit that they are non
rIussed, and none was willing even TO ad-
vance a theory as TO the immediate cause
Of the accident
II was stated here that the temporary
loss of four Of her fourteen boilers is the
principal damage sustained by the North
Dakota
Newport News, Va, Sent. e-According
70 men landing at Old Point from the bat
tIeships. the three men who met death
aboard the North Dakota yesterday were
net killed by the explosion OF oil, as at
first reported but were drowned when fire
room No was flooded TO prevent the
spread Of the flames and the explosion of
the magazine located Just over the fire
The bodies were recovered when the COM
partment was pumped out
The board Of inquiry, appointed after the
accident yesterday by Rear Admiral Seaton
Schroeder, commander in chief Of the At
lantic feet, this morning began its in
vestigation Of the disaster Its report viii
he forwarded through the regular official
channels TO the Navy Department.
officers OF the North Dakota and Of the
feet generally are exceedingly retiCent
about the accident, and Admiral Schroeder
viii not talk in advance Of the investiga-
ton but il is the belief Of the men on the
ship that the three men who are dead were
drowned in the flooding Of the 1reroom; 1t
Is thought that they We're helpless. perhaps
unconscious, from their burns before the
inrushing water drowned them
There seems no doubt that the immedi-
zte flooding of the freroom was the only
means Of averting the total destruction
os the great ship and the annihilation Of
its hundreds Of men, The proximity Of the
Ere 10 a magazine stored with powerful
explosives made imperative the instan-
taneous extinguishment Of the flames
The board Of inquiry consists Of Captain
Cone and Lieutenant Commander Price, Of
TIE Delaware. and Lieutenant Commander
Proctor, Of the Connecticut.
Heroism Shown by Crew.
That the fatalities were so few Is due 70
tho heroism Of many Of the crew. who, it
is said fought their way into the flames 10
drag out their injured shipmates-
The North Dakota is still in Hampton
Roads. where the ship is being cleaned and
CLEARED following yesterdays fire and eX-
pfssion The water in the frerOom, the
~ooFirc Of which l. believed TO have cost
.th-ea lives in the saving Of several hundred
others has been pumped ont The ship
probably VIII be detached from the feet
and ordered 10 the Norfolk Navy Yard for
repairs
Tire whole feet is scheduled to begin
heavy battle practice tomorrow on the
southern Grin grounds. off the Virginia
.ar.S.
Tho inferred rom :ho North Dakota viii
ap placed 5u The United states Naval Hos
r.ta. ~ Portsmouth this afternoon. the
transfer So D.. made from -Hc hospital snip
Sal-es. Noao r tie injured has died. the
-r-..r Er.-n ..-i from accident remain