A NAVAL DISASTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1558, 14 September 1905, Page 2

A NAVAL DISASTER.

JAPANESE FLAGSHIP ON FIRE.

BUNK BY AN EXPLOSION.

ENORMOUS LOSS OF LIFE.

By telegraph. Press Ass’n, Copyright Becoivod 9 21 p.tn., Sopt. 18. Tokio. Sopt. 12.

Tho battleship Mikasa, unohorod at Sasebo, caught fire at midnight and sank at 280 ou Monday morning. Whilo efforts wore being made to extinguish tho flames, &u explosion oocurrod aft of the magazine, blowing a bole in the port side below tho water lin-. The casualties were 699, including rescuers from other ships, Admiral Togo was not aboard. Tho disaster created a profound sensation and gloom among all olasses in Japan. Tho firo originated at tho baso of tho Mikasa'o mainmast, and is boliovod to have boon due to an ovorohargo of eleotrioity. Tho magazine oxplodod within an hour. Thore is some prospoot of raising tho vessel and repairing her, inasmuch as sho sank in shallow water. The battleships Shikisbima and Asabi, tho torpedo gunboat Batsu, the destroyers Murakamo and Kasurni, and four auxiliary oruisorß eont parties to assidt tho orew.

FURTHER DETAILS. FIVE KILLED AND 261 MISSING By telegraph, Press Ass’n, Copyright Rooeivod 9.45 p.m., Sept 18. London, Sept 13. The Times’ Tokio correspondent states that five are known to have been killed, 251 are missing, and 843 were wounded. The Telegraph states that the fire ooourred at 20 minutes past midnight. The officers’ casualties were one killed, five missing, and 11 wounded. , The danger of a final explosion was not apprehended, otherwise more would have been Baved.