THE DOTEEEL DISASTER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 177, 27 July 1881, Page 4

THE DOTEEEL DISASTER.

STATEMENT OF THE COMMANDER.

Commander Evans, of her Majesty's late Bhip Doterel, who arrived in London on 28th May, has presented to the Admiralty an official report on the loss of bis veßeel, in which he cays that, whikt he was in his bath, about 10 a.m. on 26th April, he beard a report as if a gun had gone off. He then says:— " I immediately went into the lorecabin on the starboard fiide,and on looking forward saw that the Bhip'a side wss burst open in the Btarboard gangway, and|that the tipper deck ih that ptst waejforced up, twißted, aßd2Jwwnohe4

about, and the water-rushing in, the ship at once heeling over to starboard. A short time after the first explosion (about twenty or thirty seconds, as far aa I can judge) there was another and much more violent explosion, shaking the ship heavily, and which I am convinced was the explosion of the fore magezine. Everything now became darkened with smoke and debris, and I felt that th 6 ship was sinking rapidly. ; On turning round I saw the sentry getting oat of the embrasure port. I then told my steward, who was close to me, to jump oat. . I then got . oat myself, jumped into the water, and caught hold of some wreckage. I think I must have been sucked down by the ship, as I do not recollect anything more until I noticed that the ship had disappeared, the water was covered with wreckage, and a few men clinging to it, and boats coming to our rescue. I do not think it could have been more than three minutes iroin the first explosion j until the ship sank. The explosion was bo sudden and destructive that it was quite impossible to lower any boats j even had there been anyone to do bo. The few that escaped, being abaft the mainmast, saved themselves by jump- [ ing overboard. I fancy the greater number must have been killed by the ! explosion and falling debris, as I did not hear a cry or groan. As regards the first explosior), which occurred in the Btarboard gaDgway, I think it may have been caused by the bursting of the boiler, as before we could condens e good water it was necessary to brine the boiler well, on account of the mineral oil used in the cylinder, the ship having surface condensers, and it is possible that the water may have been allowed to get too low in the j boiler, the crowns of the furnaces exposed, and on cold water being pumped , in the boiler burst* If this was not the case, I think it possible the coals in the starboard bunker may have become j heated and generated gas or have caused spontaneous combustion. If j neither of these circumstances occurred, I am then at a loss to account for the first explosion, as there were no combustibles stored in ._ the .starboard^ gangway, and there is little or no doubly that the shell-room, Nordenfelfr, Gat--; Hag) and gun.cotton magazine?, didnot explode, all of which were abaft" the mainmast." Aa usual in such circumstances, a court-martial will take place immediately, and Commander Evans is meanwhile under arresfc at Portsmouth. -