The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-09-29
BIG BATTLESH!P
BLOWN TO PIECES
Between $50 and 400 Officers
and Men Killed.
MANY RESCUERs PERISH
Great French Sea Fighter Torn Asun-
der and Sunk OF Tooion--O ther
Ships Damae d BY
Flying Steel.

Toulon, France. THE battleship
Liberte was torn apart and totally
destroyed by an explosion Of her
magazines Monday. Between 350
and 400 officers and men were kill
ed. The battleship Republique was
badly damaged and the battleships
Democrats AID verite also suffered
severely from the masses of twisted
iron and armor plate that were hurl-
ed upon their decks
This is the greatest disaster that
has ever fallen upon the French
Navy, and in magnitude is almost
without precedent in the annals OF
the worlds fighting ships. The grief
which prostrates the feet and nation
is made the more intense by the
memory Of the recent review here.
notable display of Frances naval
greatness, in which the doomed ship
was one of the finest figures.
The explosion which wiped out one
of Frances newest and most power
full battleships occurred at 5.53
O'Clock in the morning. 1t was pre-
coded and was the result of an out
break of fire. The flames spread
rapidly in spite of all efforts to mas
ter them and reached the magazines
before there was time to food them.
The magazines exploded with tremen-
dous violence, sowing death and de-
struction in every direction.
Death List Four Hundred.
The naval authorities estimate the
killed at between $50 and 400. 1t
will 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
already have been extricated alive
from the Enthusiastically torn and twist
ed mass of wreckage which once was
the Liberte, and the hope is strong
that there are others within the
broken hulk who can be reached.
OF the vessels full complement Of
TAI, Captain Jaurez, brother of the
Socialist leader, and the second ON
Ger in command, were both ashore
ON leave, as well as 140 officers and
men. The command of the ship de-
volyed on the senior lieutenant, who
persisted
The fire was first discovered at
A. M, and the bugles Immediately
sounded the alarm The crew rush
ed to quarters and fought desperately
the spreading flames, but it was evil
dent that the fire had obtained firm
hold Signals of distress were flash
ed to the other ships and these dis
patched steam pinnaces and launches
at full speed to assist in the work
of extinguishing the flames and
rescuing the men. But their serv-
ices were of little avail.
Every Man For Himself.
The position of the fire made ita
impossible to food the magazines;
nevertheless efforts to do so were
made, and finally the commanding
officers, realizing that the ship was
domed, ordered the hugler to sound
the sauve qui peut (let him save him
self who CAM and shouted to the
men to jump for their lives. AT 6.35
the first explosion occurred. 1t was
followed by three others at one-min-
ute intervals. Then came the Anal
terrific defamation which shattered
the windows of the entire city and
was heard for aradius of many miles.
The Liberte was rent asunder; her
bows were thrown high in the air,
and then the vessel slowly settled
down and in 10 minutes nothing was
visible but the top works.