Peace Time: March 17, 2003

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Last week, two people in China were killed when they found some 120 year old German torpedoes and sought to take them apart for scrap. One of the torpedoes still had explosives in it, and the men disassembling the torpedo set off the explosion. Police seized and safely destroyed three other similar torpedoes without casualties. The torpedo came from an 1880s battle between Chinese and French ships, which the French won and left several Chinese warships sunk near the coast. China did not have as many bombs and shells hitting the ground as European nations did during World War II. And what is dug up tends to be eagerly taken apart for useful parts. China is a poor country, so working with ancient ammunition is just another risky way to make some money.

 

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