The San Francisco call., 1909-03-13
DISASTERS AVERTED A Younger Junior
~ I.uNTI Ecc
By WIRELESS

WTIRELEss telegraphy. only a
NA/ couple of years ago looked upon
w with skepticism so far as prac-
tical results were concerned and
cIassed by the layman as a weird
something whose benefits to humanity
were vague and erratic. has been grad
ually asserting its wonderful useful
ness in manner which has forced
enthusiastic homage from the most
phlegmatic, but never in marine his
tory has there been anything more dra-
matte than it's demonstration in the
Republic accident, says Popular Me-
chanics.
The White Star Liner Republic,
bound for the Mediterranean, was cut
down in a dense fog before dawn on
January 90 by the west bound steamer
Florida of the Lloyd Italiano line
Sixty-ffve miles from shore the stricken
steamer flashed electrical calls for help
broadcast over the ocean. From ocean
and from harbor the answers came. and
every trans Atlantic racer within a
radius of 100 miles. government vessels
in harbor, and, tugs from seacoast cit
les, sped to the work of salvation
Helpless and alone in the black fog.
except for the crippled Florida with
the sea pouring in its crushed side,
although vaIiantly beaten back for
many hours by the bulkheads, the Re-
public managed to tell her story so
briskly and clearly that within a few
hours after the collision off Nantucket
lightship assistance was assured and
the world knew all was well. By
nightfall the wireless, whispering mes
sage after message, had told in Hum
mating dots and dasheS the tale OF
what had happened. and capped the
most wonderful story that has come
from the sea in many years by telling
brought to New York by the big Bal
tic. a sister ship that came out OF the
mist at call.
Ten years ago before ships could
talk with each other and the land, and
the wireless had established new routes
on the ocean, such an accident might
have caused the Republic to go TO
the bottom without the world know
ing of the disaster for days-perhaps
equipped with the Marconi apparatus,
still reeling from the shock of the col
lision was able to tell it's plight to
land and sea within 10 minutes after
1t had been cut down. Minute after
minute the calls were sent out, reach
ing the big Baltic, La Lorraine of the
French line, the Lucania of the Cunard
line, and by land stations transmitted
to the United States revenue cutters
Gresham and Acushnet and the United
States derelict destroyer Seneca.
Later the passengers Of the Republic
were transferred, to the Florida.
which had stood by and although seri-
ously damaged herself, was not in as
bad condition as the Republic. Still
later another transfer was made from
the Florida to the Baltic. and this
time it meant the carrying of more
than 1900 persons from one ship to
the other in small Boats. the passen-
gers of the Florida being added to the
list.
The efficiency of the system OF air
tight bulkheads with which all great
modern ships are equipped is clearly
demonstrated by the fact that the Re-
public. with the huge rent In its hull.
stayed afioat two days and a night be-
fore sinking in 40 fathoms OF water.
A comparatively few years ago ship
like the Republic would not have
noated 10 minutes after receiving such
a blow.