The Washington times., 1918-04-21
TOTAL Of Sc
ENMISS|NG
FROM SHIPS.
NAVY ADMITS
Continued from First PageD

Continued from First PageD
about midnight, April Il. 1t was an in
ternAl one. American destroyers in
the vicinity saved most OF the thirty
four members OF the crew that escaped
with their lives
The conduct OF the destroyer crews.
Sims reported, was most gallant"
The explosion wRs from the inside,
the reports said.
The Florence II. was in the mer-
chant service, and was formerly Of
the Luckenbach Steamship Company,
engaged in Coastwise trade.
Leaving or Entering Port.
The fact that the survivors Of the
vessel were picked up by American
destroyers indicates that when the
explosion occurred she was either
entering OF leaving the French port
under convoy.
From the fact that Admiral Sims de-
clEres that the explosion was Of an
internal character. officials here be-
neye that ammunition on board the
vessel was set off. The vessel, Il
was stated, had been engaged for
some time in transporting ammuni-
tion.
One theory is that the vessel was In
dock at the time, and that a case OF
ammunition, being raised from the
matches, exploded when a cable broke.
and the case was hurled back into
the ships hold.
Bomb May Have Been Cause.
Still another belief is that a bomb
might have been concealed in with
the cargo, and that the Florence H.,
like, perhaps. the collier Cyclops, was
the victim OF German spies. Not much
credence is placed in this theory how
ever, because OF the length Of time
the vessel had probably been out
from an American port
From the great number OF the crew
unaccounted for, officials take It for
granted that the explosion was of an
extremely violent character. and oc-
CURED while the vessel was being un-
loaded and all were at work
The Florence H. was a vessel Of
h,JOO tons, built Of steel and was
constructed for a French concern at
Detroit last fall. 1t was commander
ed early last summer and taken over
by the United States Shipping Board. |
Under the GoEernmenrs shipping
plans vessels owned by the Govern
--N-N ~ 0kNA 60 " PAANdL1 CNu- |
Germs. The Florence II. was char |
tered TO the Luckenbach line under |
this arrangement for the one trip.
Officials OF the Shipping Board are
without any information as to the /
names OF the members OF the officers
or members OF the crew, but this in
formation is promised later by the
Nevy Department.
List Of Survivors
A partial list Of the survivors OF
the armed guard on the steamship
Florence II. has been received by the
Navy Department, as follows.
AIOyHiuH Joseph EnEeIhardt.
seaman. second class. New York
City.
Leonard Graham johnson, sea-
man, second class. New York
City.
LeOnIdRH Lafayette LITosay,
seaman, second class. South Rich
mond. Va.
John w. Rogers, seaman Csig-
nalmanl, enlisted at New Haven.
Conn.
Ray Hampton Smith. cleo
trician. third class, Hyde Park,
Mass.
Horace Campbell Woodwork.
electrician. third class. Hyde
Park. Mass
LivOssy, Rogers. Smith and Wood
worth were slightly burned In the
explosion, but their injuries are not
serious.
There were twenty-five men in the
armed guard.
According to the first dispatches.
Il was known that thirty-four mem
bers Of the merchant crew and armed
guard had been rescued. The names
OF other survivors will be made pub
lie as soon as they are received