Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-03-04
A WIRELESS TRIUMPH
How News of the Republics COL
Iision Was Telegraphed.
NO SLIP IN THE MESSAGES

What Happened When White Star
Liner Wac Rammed by a Steamer
OFF Nantuoket-Difference Between
Old and New Systems.
Wireless messages shot here and
there along the Atlantic seaboard from
vessel and from coast station spread
information broadcast that the White
Star liner Republic, which recently
collided with the steamship Florida of
Nantucket, needed aid, and needed 1t
quickly. Various ships were set In
motion, each an independent relief eX-
pedition. The revenue cutter Acush-
net left Woods Hole, Mass, and the
steamship Baltic went on her way to
extend what assistance she could. La
Lorraine had crowded on all steam in
order to get over the 260 or more
miles separating her from the Repub-
lie, and her wireless instruments were
taking messages from the injured yes
sci. The revenue cutter Gresham was
making all speed toward the same
focal point from a point off Cape Cod.
All vessels within the wireless zone
were picked up one after another and
sent toward the scene of distress. 1t
was the first big sea disaster since
wireless telegraphy became CONNER
cially practicable, and the new system
| of communication had scored tri-
umph.
There wasn't slip in the messages.
| Each was clear and coherent. They
told just what was happening off there
| in the fog, which lay like a shroud
along the Jagged outlines of the Mas
sachuetts coast. The first message
received in New York, the one to the
Maritime Exchange, told an entire
| story In itself. Furthermore, 1t was
direct from the Republic. "In distress
and sinking off Nantucket" 1t ran.
Another followed hot upon the heels
| Of the first. This contained informa-
ton in detail. The Republic had been
rammed by an unknown vessel, 1t was
just able to keep afoat, but the rev.
enue cutter Acushnet and the Baltic OF
the same line were within range Of the
wireless waves and were speeding to-
ward her. After that La Lorraine was
heard from with the additional infor-
nation that she expected to reach the
Republic In about four hours. The
White Star line also got early word
to the effect that there was no danger
to life and that the Republic was talk
Ing with Nantucket.
The difference between the system of
| sending word by wireless and the old
order of things had been strikingly
shown. How marked the difference
was Is made plain when one harks
back q little less than eleven years to
the occasion of the last great sea dis
aster-the loss of La Bourgogne Of the
Campagnie Generate Transatlantique.
On the morning Of July a messen-
| ger boy from the offices of the Allan
Steamship company in New York ran
breathlessly into the building occupied
| by the Campagnie Generate Transat-
lantique carrying a crumpled telegram
in his hand. He did not pause until
| he stood before Paul Faguet, the
agent of the company. Then he STAN
mered:
THE Bourgogne is lost"
NJ. Faguet threw up his arms. Mon
Dieur he cried
The boy exhibited the telegram. 1t
was from the Western Union offices at
Halifax.
| There were no great poles at Nan
tucket then, from the top of which
word was flashed through the air with
out the aid of wires, nor was there
]
where along the coast, which is now
| dotted with them. NJ. Faguet refused
to believe the boy at first Even when
the youngster extended his hand and
! produced the crumpled telegram the
| French agent was incredulous. 1t told
in the concise phraseology of the tele-
graph company how the steamship
| Grecian was on her way to Halifax
with the British tramp Cromartyshire
on board of which were those saved
| from the French liner. The message
said that the Cromartyshire reported
having been in collision with La Bour-
gogne off Sable island. where the
graveyard Of many good vessels is To-
Gated. The news was confirmed from
Halifax.
There had been one of the greatest
calamities in the history Of the sea-
1t had occurred on July 4, but not
| until two days later was the truth
known in Halifax as 1t fell from the
| lips of La Bourgogne's survivors. Out
of a shipload of 63S only 1874 were
left to tell the story. The rest, 454
souls, were drowned.
Owing to the poor facilities for oh
tanning information In those days as
compared with the methods of 1909,
those who thronged to the offices Of
the French line to inquire about loved
ones for whom they felt anxiety were
left in suspense. The company could
not give full details.
Device to Prevent Rust on Corsets.