The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-09-26
Ei4e Hundred French Sailsls Vet Death
IN Awful Explosion on
BATTLESHEP lIBERTE
After Series 81 Terrific Detonstions
the Fine Nrelship Sinks to the = Bot ; t
tom-Bodle.i HURLED High in the 10!
Air IN areas Clouds Of Dense ae Rlaek <
smoke. y

4 dispatch from Toulon, France,
saws death to more than half the crew
OF 7s3 oficcT, and men Of the battle
Ship Liberte. counted one Of the fin
est vessels ial The French navy. fol
lowed fire and explosions which G
wrecked the great ship Monday. IS
The, FIRE was discovered at 5
o'clock. 1t first did not appear to be
serious but lgomehoW 1t gained q
quick advantage over the squad OF
sailors sent to extinguish it and sud-
denly without warming it reached the
magazines which had not been food
ed on account Of the apparently
tritiing nature Of the blaze,
The force Of the explosions was
terrific. They shook the vessel fore
and aft, eacll one seemingly stronger
than that proceeding. opening up
great assures In the armor and frame
work osthe vessel.
The vessel Immediately became a
mass of fire and smoke and soon al
most demolinhed by the terrific deto-
nations, sanl;;to the bottom OF Tou-
Ion harbor.
At an early hour unofficial esti-
mates Of the, number of dead ran as
high as 500. Estimates by naval
men varied widely but there was no
doubt that the loss of life was more
than $50. Scores Of seamen died
in their ;berths. A few dozen saved
themselves by Jumping overheard.
Many Of ,thbs0s injured leaped into
tie water aid were drowned before
the boats gathered in the roadsted
could reach them. Two hundred Of
the crew escaped death owing to the
factStha they, were ashore on leave.
Commander Janres, q brother Of the
socialist deputy was not on board.
The carna ye in the explosions was
worse than could ever have occurred
In an actual nsYai engagement. the
irst crash came when the crew was
for. the most. part dispersed in yari- t
GUS sections Of the vessel: They were
without warning Of their danger.
Scores OF bodles were hurled high
into the air accompanied by great
fragments Df framework, armor,
bursting sheds and the blinding, suf-S,
locating smpke Of the powder.
Msnn beloHf who had not vet been
awakened Il srs killed in their sleep.
others, awaikened by the gexplo sion,.
started to jump overheard and we're
caught by the second detonation. The
crew was pllnlc-stricken and rushed
wildly about, cropping in the smoke
in which many fell unconscious.
There were many vessels in the
harbor at the time, including num-
her of warsh;es which have been
maneuverina there since the ttrst OF
the month The first explosion
brought as.Guick response from the
nearby mer-of-war and from the
shore. Dozens of boats put on and
pickd up survivors and floating bod
les. Th5re were three explosions IN
quick, succession after the ire reach
ed the magazines.
One hundred saved themselves by
jumping and others would have es-
capped, but for the discipline Whlch
held them at their posts. At the
first explosion the men below sud
denly ava tened. tumbled from their
berths, and rushing to the sides OF
the vessel were throwing themselves
overheard wilen an order calling them
to their stations rang out and held
to their death those who had not
already escaped.