The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-25

SAV Ed
SHIP
Without It, Passengers
WouIdHaveG GoneDoWn
With Republic

New York, Jan, Wireless teleg. |
raphy only few years ago looked |
upon with skepticism so far as prac-
tical results were concerned, and
classed by the laymen as weird
something whose benefits TO humanity
we're vague and erratic, has shown
by the important part 1t played in the
drama of the Atlantic ocean on Sat
urday. that no great vessel should
leave port unequipped with apparatus
such as rendered invaluable service
to the White Star liner Republic.
With the 1850 passengers taken safe
ly from the Republic and the Lloyd,
Italian liner Florida which rammed
her, due in this port today. and the
captain and crew of the Republic sue
cessfully taken from the vessel just
before she sank last night, those who
have followed the details OF the wreck
pause to think what might have hap
pened had not the flashes from the
stricken liners instruments summon
ed other vessels to her aid. Never
before In the history of maritime dis
aster has the wireless telegraph been
used to better effect, and. 1t is pre-
dicted. that steamship companies Will
not be slow to take advantage of the
object lesson with the installment OF
instruments on all ships not hereto
fore provided.
Some seamen there are who even
go so far to say that had the Florida
been provided with wireless that the
collision would never have happened.
for that, despite the fog, the vessels
would have been able to locate each
other. This, however, is matter OF
conjecture which will be threshed out
when ON Official investigation of the
wreck is made.
Men interested in ships and disas-
ters which befall them are also dis
cussing the watertight bulk head
brought out particularly prominent by
the length of time which the Republic
remained afloat notwithstanding that
she was sorely crippled. Edward A
/ Stevens. an authority on naval archi
lecture, on which subject he lectures
! before the Stevens institute at Hobok
en-, n. j., said:
"A comparatively few years ago a
ship of the class In her day CORE
4
| have floated FIVE minutes and IL fifty
of her company had been saved, the
crew would have done we'll The Vile
de Paris, about thirty-five years ago
was hit by a sailing vessel under
much the same conditions in a calm
sea at night and probably a much
lighter blow than the Republic re
ceived. On the Vile de Paris there
was frightful loss Of life-on the Re
public next to none.
Until more detailed reports are al
hand as to the extent ofsthe injury tc
the Republic. 1t is. of course, impos
sible to pass on question OF wheth
er the loss of the ship would be due Il
eny inadequacy in the design OF he
watertight subdivisions or any defec
In their construction or in the opera
tion of the watertight doors. The lat
ter seemed to have been promptl,
closed and to have made II possible tt
keep the ship afloat long enough u
save all hands.
ANY serious collision 90 or 80 year,
ago meant the Immediate founderin,
of a vessel ! can recall the cases q
the Westphalia and the Elbe both o
which went down within few min
utes after being hit
Even II the advance In the design
and construction of this portion OF
vessel had only resulted in keeping
shin afloat few hours after a coils
ion 1t has accomplished a great result
especially when the ability TO summo
help by wireless has been added Z
the other safeguards Of life afioal
That this efficiency in the interna
| subdivision of ship really exists, cal
best be shown by the results OF tn
torpedo attacks In the late Russian
Japanese war The injury of a toI
pedo is Of the same nature as from
collision. But still the Russians wer
able to repair them sufficiently to &c
them again In line OF battle"