Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-09-30
235 We're Killed When Fire
Reaches Magazine.
HARBOR STREWN WITH BODIES
Scores Of the Crew Of the Liberte Per
ish. Many In Their 5erths-Many
Others Escape by Leapins Into the
Sea.

up on the deck of the battleship Suf-
fren. in the harbor at Toulon. France,
to answer the roll call OF the crew
Of the Inflated Liberte. which was de
stroyed by explosion and fire twenty
four hours earlier.
The survivors of the disaster. with
the exception OF those in the hospital.
are temporarily quartered on the Suf'
fren. When the name OF an absent one
was called some one of his comrades
responded dead" "hospitaled" or
missing"
An Official staement. giving the cas-.
ualties in the loss OF the Liberte,
places the dead at 235 and the injured
at SS. with one man missing.
The preliminary explosions gave the
men warning and many of them threw
themselves into the sea and were
picked up by small boats and taken
to the other ships Of the squadron or
ashore.
Several small boats which had gone
from the other warships to the aid Of
the Liberte sank when the final ex.
plosion occurred. Twenty men were
killed and fifty injured on board the
Democratic and there were fatalities
on the Verite and Republique.
The Republique was damaged BY a
flying piece of the Liberties armor
and was Obliged TO dock hastily.
The dead from the Liberte include
many officers as we'll as men. She had
q complement OF ia men, but 140 Of
these, as well as Commander Jaures,
were ashore at the time OF the explo-
sion.
The first alarm of fire was followed
by four successive explosions of in
creasing intensity as the fire neared
the powder magazines. when deafen.
Ing explosion literally tore the great
warship to pieces and sent her to the
bottom mass of twisted wreckage.
The force of the explosion was so
great that huge assures we're opened
In the steel armor and framework of
was hurled against the cruiser Re.
publique with great force, damaging
her plates and causing her to dock
hurriedly.
Scores of bodies were hurled high
into the air. with huge fragments of
framework. armor. bursting shells and
the suffocating smoke from the ex.
ploded magazines.
On the first explosion the men rush.
ed from their quarters and from 100
to 200 sought safety In plunging over
board. But the great body of men.
officers and crew, remained on the
ship, held by the discipline that had
called them to quarters. and were
hurled high in air or into the water as
the eliminating explosion tore the
ship into fragments.
When the fire was discovered II did
not appear to be serious. but It gained
quick advantage over the squad OF
sailors sent TO extinguish It. Suddenly
without warning. the flames reached
the magazines, which had not been
flooded on account of the apparently
trifling nature OF the blaze
The force of the explosions were ter.
rife. They shook the vessel fore and
aft. each one seemingly stronger than
that preceding. opening up great fis-
sures in the armor and framework OF
the vessel.
The vessel Immediately became a
mass OF fire and smoke. and soon al.
most demolished by the terrific deton.
atoms. sank to the bottom OF Toulon
harbor.
Scores OF the seamen died In their
berths. Many OF those injured leaped
in to the water and drowned before
the boats from the other ships In the
roadstead could reach them.
The carnage in the explosions was
worse than could ever have occurred
In an actual naval engagement. The
first crash came when the crew was
for the most part dispersed in various
sections OF the vessel. They we're with.
out warning OF their danger.
Men below, who had not been awak.
ened. were killed In their sleep. 9th.
srs. awakened by the explosion, start.
ed TO jump overheard and were caught
by the second defamation.
From every side scores OF sailors
AE0RNu anu cWdIit ifuUttfdllY
for safety. but scarcely more than 100
had plunged into the water before the
series OF detonations eliminated In
the terrific explosion that seemed to
tear out the side of the great steel
vessel. which swayed over to one side
and swiftly sank.
Within q few minutes bodies and
wreckage were floating about In the
disturbed waters that splashed around
the upper works. In wide circle
around the spot where the craft had
noated so proudly few minutes be-
fore the seamen who escaped death
were struggling desperately and small
boats were picking them up as fast as
they could be reached.
Nearly every vessel OF the squadron
lost some men from the parties sent
20 the aid OF the Liberte. The Verite. a
sister ship. was moored nearest. be
ing about 225 yards from the burning