TERRIBLE GUN BOAT EXPLOSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7900, 16 August 1905, Page 3

TERRIBLE GUN BOAT EXPLOSION.

1 FEARFUL SPECTACLE. SAILORS KILLED IN THEIR SLEEP. RESCUERS' SICKENING TASK. (Received Aug. 15, 10.43 p.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. 15. The Canadian mail brings a few particulars of the explosion on the United States gunboat Bennington al San Diego. Suddenly there was a dcep-tontd intonation like a distant explosion of dynamite, and the vessel seemed to reel and shake from stem to stem. A dim cUud of white steam shot skyward, and the entire upper deck appeared to lift and then settle back with a crash. The vessel was about to sail for Panama, and steam being up poured out of the ventilating funnels through every apperture that gave an opening from the lower region of the ship.

It was some time before the rescuers could venture below. Twice bands of brave workers were forced to abandon their sickening task and come above, owing to the flow of water that filled the engine and boiler rooms. ' The rescuers encountered a terrible spectacle beneath the main deck, in the forward part of the vessel, where the crew's quarters were located. Here the greatest loss of life occurred. Many of the crew were in their quarters, some swinging comfortably .n their hammocks. j

Dead and injured were taken out o! this section almost to the number of two score. When the roll was called 136 were unaccounted for. It is believed that part of a furnace fell against a boiler, which exploded, and forced aft, and probably other boilers exploded immediately afterwards.

The steam pipes were wrecked liberating the steam, and every man in the engine-room at the time must iave met his death.