Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-25
liberte Destroyed by Appalling
Disaster in the Harbor
of TouIon.
MANY OF THOSE KILLED
HAD GONE TO GIVE AID
Fire Regarded as Unimportant When
First Discovered.
REACHES POWDER MAGAZINES
Four Separate Explosions, the Last
of Which Leaves Vessel Tam
gled Mass of Wreckage-Goes
to the Bottom.
REACHES POWDER MAGAZINES

IoOLON, france, september
25.-An appalling naval disaster.
attended with enormous loss of
life. occurred at daylight this
morning when the battleship
Liberte blew up in this harbor.
The death loss is variously esti-
mated from 200 up to $50, or
more. The killed include officers
and men of the Liberte and also
a large number of those from
nearby warships.
The first alarm of fire was
sounded shortly after s o'clock
am. This was followed by four
successive explosions of increas-
ing intensity as the fire neared
the powder magazines, when, at
5:35, deafening explosion liter
ally tore the great warship to
pieces and sent her to the bottom
mass of twisted wreckage.
Sister Vessel Damaged.
The force of the explosion was
SO great that huge assures were
opened in the steel armor and
framework of the warship. A
piece OF armorplate was hurled
against the cruiser Republique
with great force, damaging her
plates. Scores of bodies were
hurled high into the air with huge
fragments of framework, armor,
bursting shells and the suffocat-
ing smoke from the exploded
magazines.
On the first explosion the men
rushed from their quarters, and a
hundred or more sought safety in
plunging overheard. But the
great body of men, officers and
crew, remained on the ship and
were hurled high in air or into
the water as the eliminating ex-
plosion tore the ship into frag-
ments.
Ship Broke in Two.
One report says the ship broke
in two in the middle as she sank.
Another gives a dramatic detail
before she took her final plunge,
when several of her guns dis
charged a requiem salute.
Accurate estimates of the dead
and injured were still unavailable
late this afternoon. They NAV
not greatly exceed 200. although
many estimate eighty higher.
The preliminary explosions gave
warning and many of the men
threw themselves into the sea
and were picked up by small
boats and taken to the other ships
of the squadron or ashore.
Died in Their Berths.
+, scores or the Seamen died In their
berths. A few dozens saved themselves
| by jumping overheard Many OF those
| injured leaped into the water and were
| drowned before the boats from the other
ships In the roadstead could reach them,
Two hundred OF the crew escaped death
| owing to the fact that they were ashore
on leave. Commander Jaures. a brother
Of the socialist deputy. was not on board
~
worse than could ever have occurred in
crash came when the crew was for the
most part dispersed In various sections Of
the vessel. They were without warning
of their danger. Scores of bodies were
hurled high into the air. accompanied by
great fragments. of framework armor
bursting shells and the binding, suffo-
eating smoke OF the powder
Men below, who had not yet been awak-
ened. were killed in their sleep. Others
awakened by tho explosion. started to
jump overheard and were caught by the
second detonation.
The crew was panic stricken. and
rushed wildly about, cropping through the
binding SMOKE in which many fell un-
conscious from suffocatiOn.
Went to the Rescue.
There were many vessels in the harbor
at the time, including q number of war
ships. which have been maneuvering here
since the first Of the month. The first
explosion brought q quick response from
the nearby men-of-war and from the
shore. Dozens Of boats put of and picked
up survivors and floating bodies.
There were three tremendous explosions
In quick succession after the fire reached
the magazines. One hundred men saved
themselves by jumping. and others would
have escaped but for the discipline which
h>ld them af their posts, At the firSt eX.
pIoeion the men below suddenly awakened
tumbled from their berths. and rushing
to the sides OF the vessel were throwing
themselves overheard when an order call
ing them to their stations rang out and
held TO their death those who had not
already escaped
Tha IIberte was anchored in the road
stoad. where she has been since the 70.