Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-25
nue. cutters and the naval collier Leb-

nue. cutters and the naval collier Leb-
| anon.
The call for help which the Repub-
lie had sent into space was first record.
ed at tie Charlestown navy yard at
| O'Clock Saturday forenoon. 1t said.
To Revenue Cutter Gresham, Boston.
1.-The steamer Republic in distress
and sinking; latitude 40,17, longitude
20; 26 miles south of Nantucket"
The Gresham was not at the navy
yard but had intercepted the appeal in
Provincetown harbor. She started inn
mediately for Nantucket. Other wires
| less apparatus also caught the flying
message and in short time the cutter
| Acushnet was on her way out from
| Woods Hole, the Mohawk. another rev.
| clue cutter, had started from New
| Medfcrd, and the Seneca had been or
| dered out from New London, CT.
The Mohawk soon ran aground,
while the Acushnet did not get outside
| OF Vineyard sound and the later came
| back to assist another vessel in dis
tress.
| In the meantime the Baltic and La
Lorraine, both of which had passed the
| Republic q few hours earlier and were
speeding into New York, needed the
| cry and whirled about. The Lucania,
which was to the eastward of Nam
| tucket lightship, also catching the
| message out OF the air. hit up her
speed and pressed on to the assistance
| of the Republic.
| The collision, being amidships, al
most Immediately flooded the engine
| room. of the Republic, rendering her
helpless. Fortunately, her wireless
equipment was well supplied with
storage batteries and these We're used
for more than six hours, until they
gradually became exhausted.
After that recourse to signalling by
means of submarine bells was adopted
In the middle of the forenoon the trans
fer of the passengers to the Florida was
| made, and although the fog was very
dense, unusually calm weather for this
season of the year in the North Atlantic
enabled the transfer to be made with
out accident Only human beings were
taken in the life boats, which made the
passage between the two vessels, all bag
gage being left on board the Republic.
BY noon the Baltic and La Lorraine were
close up to the scene of the collision,
but owing to the dense fog were unable
to locate the Republic. although the sub
marine bell could be heard frequently.
At p. NJ. the two steamers, as well
as the Lucania, which had joined them.
were still searching for the Republic with
some danger to themselves, owing to the
fact that the fog was still dense.
During the forenoon the fears of the
M nt Of hn n1c oar
on board of the White Star Line were
somewhat allayed by the receipts of q
| more reassuring message from the cap
tain. which read as follows:
IS. S. Republic, off Nantucket-(By
wireless)
when &c miles south of Nantucket
lightsnlp this morning, was run into by
an unknown vessel. Engine room full of
water. Can remain afloat. No danger
No lives lost
(Signed) "SEALBY (Capt)."
After this came the still more encOur-
aging report that the Florida had taken
off the passengers without accident
The Florida was apparently well able,
provided she was in good condition. to
take care of all of the Republics pas
sengers. She is about two-thirds the size
of the Republic and only four years old
Her length is 3Sl feet, her breadth AS feet
and her draft % feet.
The Republics passengers found 900 re-
turning Italians. many of them survivors
of the earthquake. on board the Florida.
which neft Naples Jan. g.
The Republic, palatial and spacious
steamer. was launched from the Harlan l
& Wolff yards at Belfast Ireland, early
in 1903, and made her first trip across he
Atlantic the following October. Built for
the Dominion Line. which at that time
operated a Boston Liverpool service, the
Republic, or Columbus. as she was orig
inally named. was generally looked upon
as a Boston steamer, although of late
she has been sailing between New York
and Mediterranean ports. The steamers
name was changed to Republic at the
time she became one of the White Star
fleet, when that company acquired the
Boston business and ships fthe 10
minion Line some five years ago.
The Republic was so feet long, CTS feet
beam. and had a draft of "a feet. Size
registered 15.37S tons gross and was
equipped with twin screws. giving hcr a
speed of about IS knots. She was tilted
She had accommodations for go persons
on her first cabin. $50 in the second cabin
while her steerage would hold several
hundred passengers.
The hull of the Republic was extraordi-
narily strong and was of the cellular.
doub1e-bottom type. Her motive power
was furnished by two sets of quadruple
expansion engines, while she was also
equipped with the auxiliary power ma
chinery for the operation of her refriser-
ating, electric lighting and pumping sys-
tenn.
The interior fittings of the steamer.
while rich and ornate. We're in good
taste. The main dining saloon was To-
Gated in steel house on the awning deck
and the same house containing the great
err portion of the first class state rooms.
The second class passengers We're given
rooms on the deck below, while the steer
age quarters We're situated on the upper
deck at the extreme after end of the
steamer
On her last trip to New YORK the Re-
public brought the first refugees from the
Scilian and Calabran earthquake to land
on American shores
Todays collision was the second in
w 10 had xr,itI I'm,