Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-09-25
BATTLE SHIP
IS BLOWN UP
Frightful Naval Disaster In
Crowded Harbor of
Toulon, France
nllrn ENID AllNnQEn KILLED
OVER -FOUR HUNDRED KILLED
Havoc on Board of Other Yes.
sells That Were Lying at
Anchor Nearby.

Anchor Nearby.
(By Special Leased Wire to New Mexicanl
Toulos. Sept. 25.-An appalling ma
val disaster attended with enormous
loss of life occurred at daylight to-
day when the battleship Liberte blew
up in this harbor. The latest esti-
mate this afternoon places the num-
ber of missing from the Liberte at
$50.
To these must be added 100 men
from the other ships who were killed.
Several small boats which had gone
from the other warships to the aid
of the Liberte sank when the final
explosion occurred.
Twenty. men were killed and fifty
injured on board the Democrat and
there were fatalities on the Repub-
lie.
The latter was damaged and was
obliged to dock hastily.
Two Hundred Escape.
The carnage in the explosion was
worse than could ever have occurred
in an actual naval engagement.
Bodies Hurled into Air.
The first crash came when the crew
was for the most part dispersed in
various sections of the vessel. They
were without warning of their dan
ger. Several bodies were hurled in
to the air, accompanied by great frag-
ments of frame work, armour, burst
ing shells, and the binding and suf-
locating smoke of the powder.
The crew was panic stricken and
rushed wildly about, cropping through
the binding smoke, in which many fell
unconscious from suffocation.
There were many vessels in the har-
Dor at the time, including a number
of warships, which have been maneuv-
erirg here since the first of the month.
The first explosion brought quick
response from the nearby men-of-war,
and from the shore. Dozens of boats
put off and picked up survivors and
| floating bodies.
The battleship Liberte was built
about five years ago and was sister
ship of the Verite, which met with mis-
| fortune at the maneuvers few days
ago, going on the roc44s and suffering
considerable damage before being pull
led off -.
| The Liberte was about $1,000 tons
displacement and carried four 12inch
guns and ten 8-inch guns. She had a
horsepower of $4,000 and a speed Of
| IS knots.
Fire Reached Magazines.
There we're three tremendous ex-
plosions in quick succession, after
the fire reached the magazines. One
hundred men saved themselves by
jumping and others would have es-
capped but for the discipline which
held them at their posts. At the first
explosion the men below. suddenly
awakened, tumbled from their berths
and rushing to the side of the vessel
were throwing themselves overheard
when an order calling them to the
pumps was issued.
Warship Torn to Pieces.
/ The first alarm of fire was sounded
shortly after 5 o'clock a. m. This was
followed by four successive explosions
Of increasing intensity and the fire
neared the powder magazines, when
at 5:35 deafening explosion literally
tore the great warship to pieces and
sent her to the bottom mass Of twist
ed Wreckage.
4 suffocating Smoke.
I The force Of the explosion was SO
great that huge assures were opened
in the steel armor and framework OF
fthe warship. A piece Of armor plate
was hurled against the cruiser Repub
liqae with great force, damaging her
/! plates. Scores Of bodie swere hurled
i high into the air with huge fragment,
}, Of frame work, armour bursting shells
and the suffocating smoke from the
exploded magazines.
A Requiem Salute.
i On the first explosion the men rush
, Led from their quarters and q ahundred
or more sought safety In plungins
!, overheard. But the great body O.
men, officers and the crew remained
on ship and were hurled high in thu
air or into the water as the culminat
4 ing explosion tore the ship into frag
ments. One report says the ship brok
into two In the middle as she sank
{ Another report says that before sh.
! took her final plunge several Of he
guns discharged requiem salute.
Plunged Overheard.
From every side, scores Of SAILOR
leaped overheard and swan franticall!
! for safety but scarcely more than
; hundred had plunged into the waite
: before the series of detonations cul
: minated in a terrific explosions tina
{ seemed to tear out the side Of tn
Z great steel vessel, which swayed owe
Eto one side and sank swiftly.
= IA moment dead bodies and debri
! were floating about ii the disturbe
: water that splashed around the uppe
s works: n d wide circle around th
s spot where the craft had floated .
s proudly minutes before, the seamel
8 who escaped death, were strugglin
81 desperately and mail boats were picl
8 Efing up - many as they could reacl
N The Liberia hAh xn.nnlamanf =