Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-24
Crew Sticks to Republic
Until Last Hope Is Gone

line steamer RepuDilc. DOund from new
York to the Mediterranean, having on
board 76l souls. Of whom go were Amer
lean cabin passengers. was rammed dur
ing a thick fog at $50 o'clock this MORN
ing by an unknown vessel off Nantucket
Island land only escaped immediate sink
ing by the prompt closing of her water
tight compartments.
All her passengers including Oil In the
s;eerage, were transferred three hours
after the accident to the Italian steamer
Florida, bound from Naples to New York.
Ofhcers and crew Of the Republic refused
TO leave the ship so long as there was a
Chance OF keeping her af1oat.
wireless telegraphy played an impor-
tant part in the accident to the Republic
1t summoned about her in a few hours a
fleet of three large ocean liners-La Lor-
raine of the French line, the Baltic of
the White Star Line and tine Cunarder
Lucana.
II is apparent that the Florida must
have been between thirty forty miles
on her course In being anywhere near the
Republic. Eastbound and westbound
steamer lanes here are this distance
apart.
As soon as the Republic had been
struck and the extent Of the damage be-
came known wireless calls for assistance
were sent broadcast over the Atlantic.
All vessels within range Of the mysterious
pulsauons were asked to hasten to the
scene.
First Call for Help.
The call for help which the Republic
had sent into space was first recorded on
land at the Charlestown navy yard at
o'clock this forenoon. 1t said
TO revenue cutter Gresham, Boston:
Steamer Republic in distress and sinking.
Latitude 4O17, logitude 20. twenty six
miles southwest of Nantucket"
The Gresham was not at the navy yard,
put intercepted the appeal in Provincetown
harbor- She started Immediately for Nam
Iucket
Other wireless apparatus also caught the
Ewing message. In short time the cut
ter Acushnet was on her way out from
Woods Hole; the Mohawk another rev.
elue cutter, had started from New Bed
FORD, and the Seneca had been ordered out
from New London, Conn.
Inc Mohawk soon ran aground. The Ac-
ushnet did not get outside of the Vineyard
Sound, and later came back to assist an
other vessel in distress.
In the meantime the Baltic and La
Lorraine, both of which had passed the
Republic a few hours earlier and were
speeding into New York, needed the call
Tor assistance and put about.
The Lucania. which was to the east
ward of Nantucket lightship. also catch
Ing the message out of the air. hit I'm
her speed and pressed ON to the assistance
of the Republic.
The collision. being amidships, almost
Immediately flooded the engine room OF
absolutely helpless. Fortunately her wire
less equipment was we'll supplied with
storage batteries.
These were used for more than six
hours. until they gradually became ex-
hausted. After that recourse to signaling
ny means of submarine bells was adopted.
Passengers Taken OF.
L.
fer of passengers to the Florida was
made. Although the fog was dense, un-
usually calm weather for this season OF
the year in the north Atlantic enabled
the transfer to be made without accident
Only human beings were taken in the
lifeboats which made the passage be-
tween the two vessels all baggage beins
left on board the Republic.
BY noon the Baltic and La Lorraine
were close to the scene of the collision
Owing TO the dense fog they were unable
to locate the Republic. although the sub.
marine bells could be heard frequently
During the forenoon the fears of the
thousands of friends Of the passengers
on board. many of whom had besieged the
Offices of the White Star line were some
what allayed by the receipt of more as
surfing message from the captain, which
read as follows:
STEAMSHIP Republic. off Nantucket,
when twenty-six miles south of Nam
;ucket lightship this morning was run
into by unknown vessel Engine room
full OF water. Can remain afioat. No
danger. No lives lost.
''SEALBY, Captain"
After this came the still more encour-
sging report that the Florida had taken
off the passengers without accident.
The Florida is about two-thirds the size
OF the Republic and four years old. Her
length is 3s1 feet. her breadth 4S feet
and her draft q feet.
The Republics passengers found 100
returning Italians. many of them survi-
rors of the earthquake. on board the
Florida. which left Naples January o.
The accident TO the Republic resem-
bled that which befell the steamer Ore
gon. which was rammed and sunk with
out loss OF life about twenty years ago
off Fire Island. $50 miles nearer New
York.
Another ocean accident of this same de-
scription. but which was more fearful in
results. was that of the sinking of the
steamer La Bourgogne. ten years ago last
July. by the ship Cromartyshre. off the
Nova Scotia coast, in which hundreds OF
the passengers and crew lost their lives
In the case of the Republic II was the
prompt closing of her water-tight com.
partments which kept her afioat and un-
doubtedly saved the lives Of many of those
on board Later in the afternoon it was
learned from the Baltic that these com
partments were still holding the vesse
a Dove the water, but that the bulkheads
and compartment doors were under a
fearful strain and likely to give way a,
any moment.
Crew Sticks to Last.
Notwithstanding this the crew chung BY
the ship in the hope that the Baltic or the
Lucania. and perhaps La Lorraine, would
come alongside and take them of.
The Republic was launched as thu
Columbus from the Harlan & Wolff yards
at Belfast. Ireland. early in 1908. ano
made her first trip across the Atlantic tho
following October. The steamers name
was changed to the Republic at the time
she became one of the White Star fleet
when that company acquired the Boston
business and ships of the Dominion line
five years ago.
The Republic is $40 feet long. SIS feel
beam and had draft OF % feet. She reg
istered 1878 tons gross, and Is equipps
with twin screws. giving her a speed OF
about IS knots. She Is fitted with a sin
gle funnel and with four masts.
The hull OF the Republic is eXtraordi
narily strong and is of the cellular. dou
bie-bottom type. Motive power - EsaG.