The squadron, composed of the Alexandra, the ingehip of the Commandersin-det (Admiral Sir Geoffrey Hornby), the Achilles, the Monarch, the Pallas, and the Thunderer, were engaged in target practice at about 50'miles from Ismid. he ships were spread miles apart to prevent accident, but were in sight of each other during the evolutions.
When two out of the tive huge ships had ished their practice and were steam rejoin the flagship, a group of the other shi practising appeared in the distance to be clustering together. Upon nearing them the cause was discovered to be that the Thunderer had met with a serious accident, It appeared that she had safely fired off an electric board. side from her magnificent guns of 35 and 38 tons respectively, and was proceeding with independent firing, when one of the guns her foremost turret blew to pieces just before the trunnions. Most providentially, there were only nin: persons in all in the turret—a lieutenant and eight men.
Alas! of these poor fellows no less than killed instantly and one other Unfortunately, outside the turret, on what called the *{battery-deck," two others were Killed by this necident, and no leas than 38 others were wounded, some most severely. The chip was filled with euffucating smoke, all the lights were blown out in the room and stoke-hole, but fortunately no further harm was done. The results of the accident were, providentially, small, when it is considered that large pieces of gun metal, iron ngs, &e., were blown in every direction.
ip was actually supposed to have caught fire by those on board, as well as by the pectaters at fortunately it was not #0, although smoking fragments of clothing and other inflammable material were blown everywhere, egen down into the shell crew were on the alert and behaved like brave recut. Immediately ater the accident, the Englishmen, There and then they went to the fire-stations and also flooded the shell-room, thereby preventing " further It is marvellous how comparatively lit turret in which this monster gun injured, and it would do good to the sanguine art of poor Cowper Coles who was drowned captain, if he could be cognizant of the success in this instance of hie cherished "turret system." It appears that the turret of the Thunderer revolves notwithstanding the frightful nature of the shock it received, and that actually the remaining gun could la averyshort time have been worked and fought, and another crew would and could very soon have commenced to fight it, had th been in action, The fleet generally are very low spirits about the accident, Thera seems to be little doubt that the fault did not lie with anyone on board the Zhunderer; but this will no doubt be confirmed or not, as the orna may be, by the Court of Inquiry now sit ting under the presidency of Captain H. Beamish, C.B., of the Pallas, aided by the able assistance of Capt Tryon, C.B., of the Monrch, and Fitz-Ro; of the Alexandra, will probably be a difficult fter to' obtain all the evidence that is required in such an important inquiry, as so many have perisl in the accident who were in the turret, including Lieutenant A, Coker, R.N., in charge of it, and Lieutenant Daniel, R.MLA., who was' working outside, Ramoura as to the cause of the acci-lent are naturally abroad—as to the mechanism used with the gun, ite elevation, &.; but it will be wise to pay little heed to reports and to wait patiently till the Court, of Inquiry hae thrown some ight upon the matter from the evidence which will come before it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.