The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-26
LIST OF DEAD WILL
REACH At LEAST
400 men
Details Of French Warship Dis
aster Yesterday
FRENCH NAVY SUFFERS
This 10 the Ninth Serious Disaster
French Navy Has Had Within
Few Years

Toulon, France, Sept. 26.-The
death list resulting from the explos.
ion of the magazine on board the
French battleship, Liberte, yesterday
Will be greater than was at first re-
ported. The official estimate is now
given as between 300 and 400 dead or
missing.
The explosion which wiped out one
OF frances newest and most powerful
battleships occurred at $50 o'clock in
the morning 1t was preceded by and
was the result Of an outbreak of fire.
The flames spread rapidly, despite all
EFFORTS to master them, and reached
the magazine before there was time
to Hood them The magazine explod-
ed with tremendous violence, spread
Ing death and destruction In every
direction. While the naval authorities
estimate the killed at 300. 1t is feared
that this figure will be exceeded. 1t
VIII be necessary to go through the
ships muster-rolls. task of some
days, before a full list of the victims
can be prepared. A number OF men
have already been extrlcated alive
from the Enthusiastically torn and twist
ed debris which was once the Liberte
and hope is strong that there are 9th
ers within the broken hulk who can
be reached
From what cause or when the fire
broke out has not been definitely es.
tablished, but 1t Is believed 1t had
smoldered several hours. OF the YES.
sers full complement of 742, Capt.
Jaures, brother OF the socialist leader
and the second officer In command
were both ashore on leave, as well as
40 officers and men. The command
OF the ship devolved on the senior
lieutenant, who persisted. The fire
was first discovered at a. m and the
bugles Immediately sounded the
alarm. The crew rushed to quarters
and desperately fought the spreading
names. but 1t was soon evident that
the fire had gained Roadway. Signals
OF distress were flashed to the other
ships and these dispatched steam pin.
ances and launches at full speed to
assist In the work OF extinguishing
the flames and rescuing the men. But
their efforts were of little avail. The
position OF the fire made 1t impossible
TO Hood the magazines; nevertheless.
EFFORTS to do so were made. Finally
the commanding officer realizing that
the ship was doomed, ordered the
bugler to sound the "sauve qui peut"
(let him save himself who cam, and
shouted to the men to Jump for their
lives.
At b.35 o'clock occurred the first ex-
plosion. 1t was followed by three
others at one-minute intervals. Then
came the final explosion, the terrific
reverberation of which shattered the
windows OF the whole city, and was
heard for radius of many miles
The Liberte was rent asunder; her
bows were thrown high in the air, and
then the vessel slowly settled. In
10 minutes nothing Of her was visible
but the top works Those still on
deck were hurled skyward amid q
shower Of iron and steel. The
boats OF the rescuers were sunk and
serious damage was done to the Re
puhlique, which lay at anchor close
by. Two of her decks were stove In
and one OF the Liberties armor plates
was hurled against her port side anC
demolished the cabin of an absent en-
sign. For few minutes after tn,
last explosion heavy cloud Of siacl
smoke lowered over the harbor
When II shifted, horrible spectacl,
met the eye of the people of Toulon
who. awakened by the first explosions
had hurried to the shore. The batter
ed upper works of the battleship wer,
protruding from formless wreckag,
among which struggled the seamen o
the rescuing boats which had beef
sunk by the flying debris or sucke,
down In the maelstrom.
The work of rescue was quickly be
gun. An ambulance station was in
stalled in the arsenal and Admira
Marin-Darbel. maritime project, wen
out to the wreck and superintende,
the work OF extrcating those i'm
prisoned under the shattered stee
One OF the survivors. a warrant off
Ger, who came out OF the hurrican
OF fire with only slight cut on tn
forehead, said last night OF the dlsai
ter; The fire broke out In the ger
eral store, among cans OF oil, turper
tine and paint and other milan
mables. In spite OF every effort IN
flames reached the coal bunkers, an
after that II was difficult to proven
them gaining the powder magazin,
II was about $50 o'clock and daw
was breaking before the danger seen
ed TO be realized. Assistance wa
then being sent TO us from the Dol
and three other warships lying in IN
harbor. Just when the whole ship
crew seemed TO have reached III
boats In safety. there was a terrif
explosion. The Liberte was hurle
over on her SIDE and the fore par
where the full force OF the exploslo
was felt. lurched forward heavily viii
an appalling crash. Cries resoundt
ON all sides. The greater part of Il
ships boats, with the rescuers an
the men from the Liberte, instant
sank, How escaped from this frigl
full calamity | do not know. Fro
that moment all was conscious
was being carried aaboard the Repu
liQue. where was taken care {
When | had somewhat recovered n
l. senses. they told me what had ha
pened.
q. After the explosion, an enormo