Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-26

places the number OF missing from the
Liberte at $50. To these must be add
ed 100 men from the other ships who
were killed. Several small boats.
had gone from the warship to
the aid Of the Liberte when the Anal
explosion occurred. Twenty men were
killed and fifty injured on board the
Democratic and there were fatalities
on the Verite and Republique. The
latter was damaged and was locked.
The Liberte was anchored In the
roadstead, where she has been since
the review Of the fleet by President
Fallieres on September 4.
7 Many Save Selves Before Explosion.
The disaster came with little warn.
ing. The fire was discovered about
O'Clock and a signal sounded through.
out the vessel, summoning the crew to
fire quarters.
Smoke poured from the Warship and
attracted the attention OF the other
ships OF the squadron. which hurriedly
dispatched men and fire apparatus to
their aid.
within the Liberte and many seanlen
flung themselves overheard.
Cries OF Save yourselves: fire Is
near magazines" could be heard
ringing across the water In the still
ness OF the clear morning. From every
side scores of sailors leaped over
board, and swan frantically for safety.
Scarcely more than 100 had plunged
into the water before the series Of de.
donations eliminated in terrific ex-
plosion that seemed to tear out the
side OF the great steel vessel, which
swayed over to one side and sank
swiftly.
In moment dead bodies and debris
were floating about In the disturbed
waters The seamen who escaped were
struggling desperately, and small boats
were picking up as many as they could
reach.
As,the battleship went down several
|of her guns discharged requiem ga.
lutte.
$50 Aboard Inflated Boat
The Liberte had q complement OF
700 men. or these 140 were away on
shore leave, so $50 were aboard when
the fire broke out.
The rumble of the explosion was
heard throughout the city and i'm.
mense crowds Of people gathered at
the wharf
The ministry of marine at Paris has
received the following telegram from
Vice Admiral Aubert, commanding the
fleet at Toulon. The explosion oc-
cured at $3.50 o'clock. The ship sunk,
Portions of the structure are stand,
I ing above the water.
The ministry of marine issued this
note:
"The last report OF the general in.
spector showed the Liberte to be in 8
completely satisfactory condition and
Especially regarding the precautions
taken in caring the magazines.
Verite and the flagship Justice. repre-.
scented the French government at the
Hudson-Fulton celebration at New
York two years ago.
| Men on Other Vessels injured,
| Nearly every vessel on the squadron
lost some men from the parties sent
to the aid Of the burning battleshtp
The Verite was mOored nearby, and
eight of her men we're wounded by fly
ling fragments blown from the Lberte
lor by pieces Of bursting shells.
| The decks OF the verite were GOV.
cred with men who were watching the
frightful spectacle and who became
targets for the falling debris. The Lib.
erte was broken In two by the VIC.
lence of the force of the explosion She
sank in forty feet OF water.
With the last convulsion OF the
mighty sea fighter. men and wreckage
were tossed high in the air and show
er Of human limbs, bits OF flesh, artt.
cles Of clothing, pieces of amor plate
and splinters Of wood fell upon thu
decks Of the Verite and upon the wide
| circle OF the men OF war and small
boats standing by.
Accurate estimates of the dead and
injured were still unavailable late this
afternoon. They may not greatly ex-
coed two hundred. Many OF the men
who threw themselves into the sea
were picked up by small boats and
taken to the other ships of the squad.
ron or taken ashore.
Commander Jaures, a brother Of the
sccialict deputy. was not on board.
Stunning Blow to French Public.
Paris, Sept. 25.-The news Of tho
| explosion OF the magazines OF the bat
ltleship Liberte came as stunning
blow to the French public and to naval
Iofficials. 1t is the climax OF long
series Of disasters, which have marked
the history Of the French navy sinca
the blowing up to the battleship lena,
on March 8, 1907. The accounts Of the
disaster as received here during the
morning hours varied widely.
The most authentic dispatches stat.
ed that the sinking came nearly two
hours after the discovery OF fire In the
forward hold Another account says
that the ship broke in half from the
force of the explosions and sank TWEEN
I ty minutes later.
According to this version, the bat
Itleship afterwards reappeared at the
surface for time, a grim carcass Of
iron surrounded by a tangled mass a
wreckage.
| Estimates OF the number Of dead vary
| from $50 to 500.
Description Of eoat.