Imperial Valley press., 1914-11-27


Only IA of her crew were saved. It
lis announced officially that the ex-
lplosion was interior and originated in
the ships magazine.
The disaster is the most appalling
the British navy has suffered in the
war. 1t is even more of shock than
the loss of the Aboukir, Cressy and
Hogue at the hands of single sub
marine in the North sea, for the Bull
wark was destroyed from within
destroyed utterly and instantly. The
men aboard her had not fighting
chance for their lives.
The band was playing aboard the
Bulwark. Near her were anchored
several other ships. The morning was
calm and but for the presence of the
hattleship swinging at her anchor
chains there was nothing to suggest
anything but peace. Alongside the
Bulwark was lighter. From it were
being loaded over the side of the 49,
000-ton battleship fresh ammunition
stores for her 12-inch and 6-inch
guns.
Suddenly terrific exposition oc-
Cured in the bowels of the ship. A
great cloud of smoke arose, envelop-
ing the Bulwark and shutting her
from sight. A great white flash of
fire streaked through the black veil;
the smoke cloud thickened and rolled
outward and upward.
The great black curtain spread and
as it spread it began to lift. When
the spot which had been the Bulwark's
berth finally was visible maelstrom
of turbulent waters was all that
marked the anchorage. That and the
debris that Uttered the surface of the
stream. The Bulwark was gone with
all on board except the few mangled
and struggling forms in the water.
She sunk in three minutes from the
time of the explosion.
A vice admiral and a rear admiral
of the royal navy, who were at Sheer
ness and investigated Immediately,
reported it was their conviction that
it was an internal magazine explo-
sion that rent the ship asunder. Win
ston Spencer Churchill, first lord Of
the admiralty, so announced to the
House of Commons, where he official
ly reported the disaster yesterday aft
ernoon.
There was no upheaval of water
such as accompanies the detonation
of a mine or the blowing up of Il
torpedo. The bottom was blown out
of the ship; she was broken, warped
and bent. There was nothing left of
her to float and she went to the bot
tom.
1t was like the Arabian Nights tale
of the geneii and the bottle-a puff
of smoke and it was gone
The Midway river rises in Surrey
county and flows through Kent in a
northeasterly direction. At Chatham,
just south of east and distant about
twenty miles from the outskirts of
London the rivers mouth spreads in
to navigable delta. This extends for
10 miles to Sheerncss, on the Kent
ish coast, where the Midway empties
into the Thames. Across the Thames,
six miles from Sheerness and from
Bulwarks anchorage, lies Essex.
The explosion was so violent that
debris from the battleship was scat
tered over the coal field in Essex eoun-
ty, littering the towns and country
side. At Southend on Sea, on the Es-
sex coast, the concussion of the ex
plosion was plainly felt and was lik-
ened by the inhabitants to severe
earthquake. Buildings in the vicin-
ity of Sheerness were shaken to their
Dense clouds of smoke
floated over the Thames estuary. In
several ships anchored near the Bull
wark sailors were knocked senseless
by the conclusion. Persons along the
shore we're found prone, stricken in
sensible by the furious blast. Scores (
were deafened and hundreds of win
6ows were shattered.
The announcement by Mr.. Churchill !
in the House of Commons follows:
"'The Bulwark was blown up at 7:53
a. m. today. Vice and rear admirals
present reported that they were con !
WINGED it was an internal magazine
explosion which sunk the ship. An
inquiry will be held tomorrow, which
may throw more light on the occur
renee.
ssrrho lnee ri tha ,bin ,lnoe uof aen- |!