THE END OF THE BULWARK

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 76, 28 November 1914, Page 4

THE END OF THE BULWARK

EXPLOSION HEARD FOE 14 MILES. NOT A VESTIGE OP VESSEL REMAINS. CREW KILLED WHIT E AT BREAKFAST. Press Association —Copyright, Revo ivy J. Nov. 27. 17 5 p.m. LONDON. Nov. 27. The “ Daily Chronicle ’ ’ says most of the Bulwark’s crew were breakfasting below. Eye witneses state that a long muffled roar was heard for fourteen miles. A terrific flash was seen in Wales, the ship momentarily resembling a fireworks display. A great white cloud arose similar to a cordite explosion. Apparently the forward magazine blew up. When the smoke cleared not a vestige of the vessel remained. At the time of the explosion tire Bulwark was signalling another ship The signalling officer watched the smoke clear and was astouned to see nothing Workmen on shore counted vessels at moorings not crediting that one had entirely gone. Officer and men in the other ships rushed to the decks half stunned and rescue boats put off in all directions. The vessel is visible in three sections at low water. The mast and funnels have gone. A chest of drawers was found* in a marsh half a mile away. All glass and crockery in the vessels near by were shattered. The general opinion at Chatham is that the bottom of the vessel was blown out. DETAILS OF THE DISASTER A HORRIBLE AFFAIR. LONDON, Nov. 27 A number of men were drilling on dock at the moment of the disaster. A sailor on a vessel near by states that two heavy reports followed a flash of fire and the whole ship seemed to heave and then drop in fragments. Another eye-witness affirms that there were two explosions, one fore and the other aft. He believes they were simulta neons explosions. Tlie concussion shook Southend pier, and was felt by hundreds of civilian Germans interned in ships at Southend Roads.

It was thought by people ashore that it was a Zeppelin raid. Then there was a suspicion that an aeroplane had bombarded the gasworks, until they found the aeroplane was British. Three minutes after the explosion, only a whirling sea. white with foam, and specked with caps, wreckage and kit-bags, marked the spot.

Fourteen of the crew were sent to hospital at Gillingham, suffering from concussion and fractured limbs. Four are critical. No officers were saved. Very few were actually aboard.

Few other craft were moving in the Medway at the time. One boat was protected from the direct efforts of the concussion by a river bank and headland, yet was flung out of the water. When she righted, she picked up a bluejacket. The latter stated that he was sitting on a grating when the explosion threw him high in the air. He turned somersault after somersault in the river. He was little hurt and writable to swim until picked up. He suggested that the Sheerness disaster was due to the fall of a twelve-inch lyddite shell into the Bulwark’s magazine.

Lord diaries Beresford who once conianded the Bulwark, states that the magazines were in a,very safe position protected by every modern device to keep the amunition at the right temperature. Even a shell might -have been dropped in the shellroom without exploding the magazine. ■ Sir. Hiram Maxim said that the faulty manufacture of guncotton was impossible under modern conditions of manufacture. There might have been accidental fulminating powder present to set the cordite off. • Hundreds of the crew were Portsmouth men and there were pathetic scenes at the barracks, where griefstricken women came. THE LAST OF THE EMDEN CAPTAIN MULLER'S STORY. GERMAN CASUALTIES TOTAL 111. AMSTERDAM ( November 27. Captain von Muller, of the Emden, cabled to Berlin: “ Our marksmanship, at first was good, but soon the Sydney’s heavy gun s ‘ gained the upper hand inflicting heavy less - We ran short of ammunition and were obliged to cease firing. Though our steering gear was damaged we trier] to get within torpedo range, but failed. Our funnels, were destroyed greatly influencing the speed of the Emden and I therefore ful’speeded on to the reef Six officers, four warrant officers, and ninety three mein-were killed and one noncommissioned officer and seven men seriously wounded.” RAIDING SUBMARINE AT WORK TWO BRITISH VESSELS SUNK. (Received 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, November 2V. j A German submarine sunk the British steamer Malachite* near Havre, The crew was landed at Southampton. The steamer Prime was also sunk off Cape Antifer and the crew landed at Tecamp.