Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-01-29

battered Florida. aboard which her
crew remained throughout her trying
experiences.
Only the Inflated Republic was
wanting to complete the list. But
she too. was in port-"the port of
missing ships"-beneath thirty eight
fathoms of water fifteen miles south
of the Nantucket south shoals light
ship, and there she will remain for
ever.
No Lack of Heroism
AS the story of what occurred when
the steamers came together in the fog
of early morning last Saturday and
the dramatic incidents which fol-
lowed approaches completion, it is
apparent that the past three days
have witnessed the most remarkable
series of happenings in the annals
of modern navigation. The accounts
of the survivors and of eye witnesses
offered a keen sense of what might
have been had there been lacking the
heroism that was actually displayed,
the human efficiency that was shown
and the aid that modern science was
able to render in the most critical
of situations.
With the all-important work of res
cue thus practically finished, atten-
ton turned to endeavors to learn
definitely If possible. how the two
vessels happened 10 collide and
whether their fateful meeting was as
unavoidable as at first appeared. On
the Republics side little was to be
learned. Her passengers told graphic
tales of the accident, of the excite
ment on beard, of the bravery of the
officers. the good behavior of the
crew and the efficient work of rescue.
That all did not go so well with the
Florida and that possibly on her
bridge might be sought a contributing
cause of the disaster, was indicated
by late reports. There are two YER
sions of what happened on the bridge
of the Florida when the Republic
doomed up in front of her in the
mornings fog.
Something Wrong on the Florida
Little could be learned from Captain
| Rospini when he was seen on board
his vessel on her arrival in the har-
Dor. But according to others who
were on board the Florida and were
brought to port by the Baltic, some
thing went wrong with the Florida S
steering wheel when the collision
was imminent.
| fhaf
termaster, who had the wheel when
the commander yelled for 1t to be
| jammed to starboard, put it to port
instead. Another account is that the
man let go of the wheel in terror
when danger impended.
Both versions agree that the COM
mander felled the man with a spike
for what he must have considered the
seaman's cowardice. An injured
Quartermaster from the Florida was
brought to port on the Baltic. He
Btoutly asserted that he was not at the
wheel when the accident occurred
Probably not until both commanders
have made their formal statements
will the facts be known. Possibly the
verdict of a marine court will be
needed to determine them.
Kept Their Heads Well
On the other hand, there is the
conduct of Captain Sealby of the Re-
public, who, true to the best tradi.
tons of the sea, stuck to his ship as
long as there was enough of her afioa
to afford him foothold. And practi.
cally all accounts agree that, aside
from an incipient panic among thu
steerage passengers on the Florida
both ships companies and passenger
kept their heads well in the most try
Ing conditions.
What the wireless apparatus &C