SAILOR'S FATAL CIGARETTE.

Otaki Mail, 14 September 1923, Page 4

SAILOR'S FATAL CIGARETTE.

FOUBTEL.N LIVF.a VXb-A.TBOd'P-tiiip. i The story of the Jos, oi' a troopship and ii lives through a carelessly I dropped cigarette ;s being unfolded belore a mrvul couri-martiai at TouI lon, which i n iiKjutriiig into Ihe dos-, I (ruction ol the transport Viuh Long \ j in the Sea oi Marmora-last Decern- > ber. Frigate Captain Framond, commander oi the Vhib Long, is called upon to answer for the loss ol his _ ■ ship, while tw ? o sailors, Adolplie Beit I and Antoiue Lovighi, are charged t with homicide In iniprudence. Ac-1 - cording- to the case for-the proseeu-' lion, Bert and Lovighi were smoking j j in a cabin in which were seven rolls | of films ready for packing into eases | when they Heard someone approach- [ ing. and "thinking it was an officer going the rounds, they hurriedly j I dropped their cigarettes, as smoking I was forbidden in thai pan of the ship. I i Ben. in his haste, had dropped his j cigarette on to one of £ie nlt:i.». whtcli i immediately flared up. while Lovighi. in trying 'to extinguish it knocked j ii off the table, so ilini it came In ronI tact with other Alms. j The fire spread_ rapidly all over the ! blnzinc celluloid. ' \ViO, ; m pite the efforts ol the ship's firemen, that Ihe hmtev were gradually di n-eii brick from the stern and centre ol ' the vessel, and the order was given to j take to the hoot*. Bert's cigarette had cost France a fine troopship and 1 fourteen lives, including those ol a j women and three children. The death-roll would have neon j much heavier had it not been for the j umelv help given by an American I torpedo deslrovev and the British I destroyer >''>'• * which nmm ,1 ■ > de: *eene'of liw disaster, in response to a wireless appeal. Ber! had acknowledged his responsibility for causing tfie" out break, and expressed his deep ! re"rel at the consequence of ins <-'sreVrd of the ship's rule.'. The officer in"ehnr*e of the prosecution, having I reganl [n Bert's Stood character and ' his braverv during tiie fire, has npI pealed ill ids behalf for clemency.