THE LIBERTE'S END.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1243, 27 September 1911, Page 5

THE LIBERTE'S END.

BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER. APPALLING TRAGEDY. OTHER WARSHIPS DAMAGED. By Telctraph—Press Association—Copyright London, September 25. The disaster to the battleship Liberto occurred at Toulon, not at Marseilles, as stated yesterday. It was duo to neglect to (loud tlio ammunition hold after an outbreak of fiTo which at first was not regarded as serious. The bulk of the crew was asleep when the first explosion occurred. The' men, awakened by tho report, went to their stations. ■ Three hundred men are missing from the Liberto and one hundred from other ships and rescue parties. The battleship Kepublique, 14,635 tons, had a large hole made in her, caused by flying debris. She lost fifty men. Tho Democratic and Verite, also battleships of 14,635 tons displacement, were badly damaged, losing twenty killed aud fifty injured. The Eepublique was hurriedly docked. Little danger was at Srst apprehended, then the firo gained ground, and reaohed the fore ammunition hold. An explosion followed. Wrapped in Flame. One hundred men on deck jumped overboard; the rest of tho crew, awakened, rushed on deck, and were about to jump overboard when they were ordered to their stations. Four osptosions followed the first in quick succession. The vessel forward became wrapped in a sheet of flame, rising to a considerable height. With the fifth explosion the vessel sank like a stone. Mon were hurled into the air, and were dead when, they reached the water. When the smoke cleared away part of the null was soen still above tho water, surrounded by a' tangled mass of spars and wreckage. Many of those injured were clinging to tho wreckage, and assistance from other warships was promptly sent. Commander Jaurcs, a brother of tho Socialist Parliamentary loader, was absent on furlough, Captain Joubert being in command. Smok3 from tho burning battleship enveloped the roadstead.

VESSEL LIFTED BODILY. KEEL TWISTS LIKE A RAG. DESTRUCTION DEALT ALL HOUND. (Eec' September 26, 10.35 p.m.) Paris, September 26. The second battleship squadron, consisting of tho Patrie, Liberte, Democratic, Justice, Vorite, and Rcpublique, had been anchored at Toulon since, tho manoouvres in order to givo their crews manoeuvre leave. Tho Liborto'g full complement was 30 officers and 700 men, bnt 140 were on leave. Those wero waiting on a jetty to return aboard, and witnessed .the catastrophe. The Liberte signalled that' fire had broken out forward and' thai the efforts to extinguish it were unavailing. Muffled Explosions. At 5.30 a.m. iivo muffled explosions followed one another at • short intervals. Then came three others, each louder than the one before. Tho other warships of the squadron dispatched boats to tho assistance of the Liberte. In the meantimo scores of tho Liberto's men jumped into the 'sea. Many of these, hearing tho bugles sound • "to quarters" returned. The Ship Blows Up. Just before G a.m. a clone! of smokeand a pillar of firo roso mast-high, and with a terrific detonation the ship blew up. Tho bows roso out of tho water and tho keel was seen to twist like a piece of rag. The Liberte then sank amidst the waves sho had thrown up all round, carrying down the bulk of her crew. The mast was torn out by tho force of the explosion, hurled into the air, and planted upright in tho water. A Shapeless Mass. The vessel now lies a shapeless, halfsnnken mass in forty feet of water. Only the upper works and the after-bridge are visible. A number of boats' crews, before the smoke cleared, boarded tho glowing wreck in search of their comrades, several of whom were rescued under masses of twisted ironwork. An officer was hauled from under an awning with a boathook, but he liad succumbed. I j Many of the survivors were dazed, an'l their narratives disjointed. Bodies Hurled High. A witness on shore states that qo tvii? bodies momentarily quivering high in the air and then drop into the sea. Houses in Toulon were rocked, and windows smashed throughout the town. The explosion sent fragments of armourplate, shells, and gun-mountings far and wide, dealing death and destruction on all sides. Boats Sucked Under. Many boats were swamped or drawn under by the suction, and their occupants drowned. The battleship Eepublique's after-turret was hit, and several of her plates ripped, causing her to take a heavy list to starboard. Ono of the Liberte's armour-plates alighted on the Eepublique's port-quarter, crushing the cabin of an officer, who was fortunately' absent on leave.