Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-27
BLAME WHITE
STAR VESSEL
FORM|SHAP
AGENTS OF FLORIDA
GIVE OUT STATEMENT 7

was Pl0ugnlng lhf0ugn F0g
at Full Speed When Collision
Occurred.
IBy Morning journal special Leased wirsl
New York, Jan. 26.-Features in
| the aftermath of the Nantucket col
lision, which resulted in the loss of
the White star liner Republic, the Sc
rious damaging of the Italian liner
Florida, the death of six persons and
the injury of several others, were the
nonors extended to Captain ]. Sealby
and Wireless Operator Jack Binns, OF
the Republic, and a statement by the
Floridas people as to how the collis-
ion occurred. Captain Rospini, of the
Florida, declined to make any state
ment, but c. h. Richards & CO.. his
agents, gave out Il statement making
the direct charge that the Republic
was running at high speed through the
fog and refuted reports that the quar-
termaster of the Florida was to blame
and that the captain struck him. The
statement says;
when the Republic became visible
through the fog she was crossing the
bow Of the Florida starboard to port
and running at high speed. The helm
of the Florida was promptly put to
starboard, hoping to swing the bow of
the Italian steamer to starboard and
to assist in avoiding the danger of a
collision. The other steamer, how
ever, was running so fast that the yes
sells collided.
THE published statements that
there was a misunderstanding of or
ders on the bridge of the Florida are
not true"
Few marine stories in recent years
of marvellous escapes from the sea
equal in dramatic intensity that told
by Captain Sealby today of the escape
of Second Officer Williams and him.
self from the Republic. The captain
would not talk of the collision with
the steamer Florida. Captain Sealby
said.
1T was about s o'clock Sunday
night when the Republic was sinking,
and only myself and Williams were
on the bridge. There was rumbing
and cracking at the after end of the
boat The stern was settling very
rapidly and the sea was pretty bad
Then | said to Williams. Wen. what
do you think about it Willams?' and
Williams answered, 1 don't think it
will be long race. Let us sprint for
1t. When YOU are ready let her go
Il looked aft again and saw how
fast she was going. and l told Will
Jams to burn blue lights. Then ! fired
my revolver five times to let the boats
around me know that we were going
Off. Turning TO Williams, | said: Let
MS take to the forward rigging. and
we ran from the bridge to the saloon
deck burning our blue lights as we
went and carrying an ordinary lam
tern.
when VIC got to the saloon decks
the water was coming in a little aft
of where we stood. As we ran forward
the stern was sinking 50 rapidly and
the incline as so steep that when we
got to the fore rigging we started to
slip back and could hardly keep on
deck. The last | saw of Williams he
had crossed the port rail and was
hanging over the side. | took to the
rigging and went up as high as the
lights. a distance of many
blue light. II was wet and would not
go off. and | then fired the last shot
from my revolver. The water had
now caught up to me coming up un-
der my great coat, and | floated. The
revolver and my binoculars held my
coat down, acting as a sort of ballast.
At this time the water was a roaring,
seething mass all about me. | was
churned around for some time until /
came to the surface. | tried to pull
Off my coat, but could not There was
debris about me and
to catch hold of some broken
spars. Then ] caught n large hatch
covering and / pulled myself out on it
and lay out on it spread eagle fashion.
The searchlights had been playing
on the ship and were now playing on
the spot where she went down. 1t
seemed a long time until they saw me.
but / managed to load my revolver
again and fired TO attract their atten-
tion. The bullets had been creased
and they kept dry.
Il was getting weak. cold and numb.
1 just lay on the hatch and saved my
strength until the last. shouting at in
tervals
Then the lights played on me and
| waved a towel which I had found
near me. and shortly after the
boats from the revenue cutter Gresh-
am picked me up and carried me
aboard. I found Williams in that lit
tie lifeboat. | thought | had seen the
last OF him"
Captain Sealby praised the courage
and pluck of the Republics passen-
gers. officers and crew and Operator
Binns. He will make his report of the
accident TO the officers of the White
star company some time today
Second Officer Williams said that
when he found himself i'm the sea he
seized two pieces OF floating grating
and held himself up between them
until picked up by the revenue cut
ter's boat officer Williams said:
They found me before they picked
up Captain sealby. and when the cap
tain was taken aboard the hfeboat ne
lay still for a time; then he turned and
threw his arms around me and said.
You were game to the last