The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-25
Fire Originating from Short
Circuit of Electric Wires
Spread to the Ammunition
Hold of Ship.
FIVE DECORATIONS
SPLIT UP THE SHIP
Dead French Sailors Met
Their Fate at Their Posts,
Fighting to the End to-
Check Spread of Flames.
(National News Associationl

tNational News Associationl
TOULON, France. Sept. 25.-In the
most terrific naval battle in many
years, Ave hundred and sixty-eight'
French sailors perished in a series Of
explosions which sank the battleship
"Liberte" in the harbor here today.
them probably fatally.
Fire, originating from short cir.
cult of electric wires, ignited the am
munition hold. causing three heavy
and two lesser detonations. which
broke the vessel in two. The dead per.
ished at their posts. martyrs to dis
cipline and duty, fighting the fire in
hopeless endeavor to save the warship.
Many sailors on the decks of 9TH
er warships in the harbor were injur-
ed by flying debris from the "Liberte."
A hole was torn in the hull of the bat
tleship "Republique" by flying pieces
of steel Tugs and other vessels desir-
ing to 60 to the rescue of the ''Ldber-
/ te'' were restrained as an explosion
| following the Are appeared inevitable.
The .4Liberte" was launched In 1907,
costing nearly nine million dollars.
The full complement OF men and ON
GERS was SO0 Many were rescued at
ter being precipitated into the water
and clinging to floating debris. with
which the harbor was filled Others
mortally wounded, clung to wreckage
until overcome and then sank to tho
bottom of the sea.
A Deaperate Eioht
The work of fighting the advance OF
the stubborn fire was pushed desper-
ately Even officers took their turns at
the hose nozzles. working side by side
with the men.
The interior of the ship became q
seething volcano as the first explosion.
and volume Of fire swept in all d.
rections. Time and again the meh risk
ed their lives. rushing through the,
sheet of flame to carry projectiles
from the gun rooms. From the gr4at
cannon, which had been loaded for tho,
morning salutes were hastily unloaded
ed
| About an hour later two terrific de-
donations followed each other in quick
succession. The vast man of war ap-
rarently rose clean out of the water
and her great steel plates fell away
| like flames. There was a mighty catar.
act of water az the ship broke and the
great steel hull fell apart
| Almost instantaneously the two
| halves sank beneath the water leaving
the surface of the bay boiling>like q
cauldron. The water was dotted with
wreckage of every description. Hun
dreds of men could be seen climbing
to the debris.
Shook Entire City.
| Some OF the sailors who had been
mortally wounded in the explosions
clung desperately to the wreckage un-
til their strength gave out and they
sank to the bottom. The first explosion
shook the city and thousands OF per-
sons gathered upon the harbor front.
Knowing the great danger OF ventur-
ing near the great warship tugs and
other vessels which would willingly
have gone to the assistance OF tho
man-of-war were held at bay
Standing aloof the crews OF the wait
ing fleet could see the sailors on board
the Liberto working with the frenzy
Iof desperation to quench the devour-
ing flames. They could see smoke pour
| ing up through the superstructure Of
the blackened craft.
! A naval battle could not have fur
nished more spectacular field for
bravery. Officers and crew risked their
Hives in trying to save the warship
from annihilation. The force of the ex-
Iplosion had wrecked many of the stand
pipes through which the fire depart
ment force had TO depend on for their
water supply. notwithstanding this
handicap, the crew brought into use
levery available means of fighting the
onrush OF the blaze and never gave up
hope
] The pearl gray wall sides OF the big
engine of war were blackened by the
first explosion and the plates were
riven by the initial shock.