The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-09-29
HUNDREDS PERISH
ON FRENCH WARSHIP
LIBERTE PROVES COFFIN Fob
BETWEEN $50 AND 400.
Magazines Explode as Fires Reach
Them-Discharged Powder Shat
ters Vessel.

Toulon, France, Sept. 25.-Betweer
$50 and 400 officers and men were
killed today when the battleship Lib
erte was torn apart and totally de-
stroyed by an explosion of her maga-
zines.
The battleship Republilue was
badly damaged and the battleshlps
Democratique and Verite also suffered
severly from the masses of twisted
iron and armor plate that we're buried
upon their. decks.
This is the greatest disaster thai
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 pros
trates the feet and nation is made
more intense by the memory of the
recent review here, a notable display
of Frances naval greatness, in Which
the doomed ship was one of the fin
est; figures.
The explosion which wiped out one
of Frances newest and most powerful
battleships occurred at 5.53 o'clock IN
the morning. It was preceded and
was the result of an outbreak of fire
Flames Reach Powder.
The flames spread rapidly in spite
of all efforts to master them and
reached the magazines before there
was time to flood them. The maga-
zines exploded with tremendous vic
lence, sowing death and destruction
in every direction. Iare tonight naval
authorities estimate the dead at from
$50 to 400. It will be necessary to sc
through the ships muster rolls, a
task of some days, before full list
of the victims can oe prepared. A
number of men already have been ex-
tricated alive from the fantastically
torn and twisted mass. Of wreckage
which once was the Liberte, and it
is probable that there are others with
in the broken hull which can not be
reached.
Cause Not Known. -.
Exactly from what cause or when
the fire broke out has not been estab-
lished, but it is believed that it had
smouldered for several hours. OF the
vessels full complement Of 742, Capt
Jaures, brother of the Socialist lead
or, and the second officer in|command,
we're both ashore on leave, as well as
140 officers and men. The command
of the ship de7olved on the senior
lieutenant, who perished.
The fire was first discovered at 4 a.
m. and the bugles Immediately sound
ed the alarm. The crew rushed to
quarters and desperately fought the
spreading flames, butlit soon was eVl-
dent that the fire had obtained a firm
hold. Signals of distress were flashed
to the other ships and these despatch
ed steam pinacles and launches to full
speed to assist in the work of ex-
tfnguishing the flames and rescuing
the men. But their services were o1
little avail.
sSauve .Qui Peut."
The position of the IRE made it iIn-
possible to food the magazines; nev'
ertheless efforts to 90 so were made
and finally the commanding officer
realizing that the ship was doomed
ordered the bugler to sound the "Sauve
oui peut'' ("Saye himself who CAM
and shouted to the men to jump fol
their lives.
Then came the final terrific detona
WHICH oAdCSClO IA0 ~
the entire city and was heard for 9
radius of many miles. The Lberts
was rent asunder, her bow was
thrown high in the air and then slow
~ settled down and in 10 minutes
nothing was visible but the top works
Those men on deck when the ex'
plosion came were hurled skyWarc
amid a, shower Of iron and steel. The
boats of the rescuers were sunk ant
serious damage was done to the Re
publique, which lay at anchor close
by. Two of her decks were stove II
and one of the Liberties armor plates
was hurled against her port side ane
demolished the cabin Of an absent en-
sign. For a few minutes after the
final explosion an intense black cloue
of smoke hovered over the harbor.
Reveals Awful Sight.
When it shifted, horrible spectacle
..4 +bo o,,oe of tho ,aon1e Of TOulOn