New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-05
BALTIC HERE, HOLE IN BOW
Passengers DepIore Sensational
Stories of Alarm on Board.
ONE SLEPT THROUGH 1T ALL
Report of White Star Officials
Fails to State How Collision
Occurred.

biggest freight ana passenger steamers lAdt
come to this port, got into her dock yester-
day with hole six feet by four in her port
side about fifty feet from the stem. She
had been rammed shortly before midnight
on June 80 by the oil tank steamship Stand
ard when 1.QS9 miles east of Ambrose Chan
mel Lightship. She was never In any dam
ger after the collision, nor was the Stand
ard. which backed off into the night and
proceeded on her course with oil from
Philadelphia for Copenhagen.
| No one was injured on board the Baltic.
There was some excitement among the pas
sengers at the time Of the collision. and
few women became hysterical, but within
three hours after the crash every one went
to bed.
| The arrival of the steamer confirmed IN
all respects the story of the accident pub
1ished in The Tribune yesterday morning.
and refuted the exaggerated reports sent
out from other quarters.
| The only thing which could not be eX-
planned yesterday by the Balic's COM
mander and the White Star Line officials
was how the Baltic got into a position
where she could be rammed. Commander
J. B. Ransom could have told how his ship
was hit. for he was on the bridge at the
time. He told his story to his superiors.
the accident happened and who was to
blame for it. He was seconded by the
agents OF tho White Star Line in his deter
nination not TO talk.
Issued Statement Told Little.
After thinking the matter over the steam
ship officials decided to issue statement
| for Captain Ransom, but all references as
| to how the collision occurred or who was
responsible for it were withheld. He mere
~ gave his time and the name of the YES
sci that hit him and the fact that he stood
by and sent out a small boat to the
Standard.
In the course of a conversation with the
White Star officials, however, Captain Ran
son said he could see four or five miles
| ahead when the steamers came together
PASSENGERS on deck who the Standard
lam the Baltic and back away, declared
that she had her sailing lights burning at
the time Under these circumstances II
would seem that there was no excuse Tor
either master permitting his vessel to hit
the other.
| IT was explained that there was a British
law which compelled a master of British
vessel to refrain from making any puphc
statement until he had reported the facts
| 70 the British Board of Trade and the YES
sells owners.
According to various passengers on the
Baltic, there had been fog before the col
lision The Baltic, which does not make
| much better than seventeen knots, was
running at reduced speed. During the fog
patch she had been blowing her siren Inc
! passengers had heard 1t at regular, snort
| intervals, but many were positive that no
signals had been blown within twenty min
utes before the crash came. At the mo-
naent of impact 11:34 p m, there were
blasts from the sirens of both vessels
| The oil tank boat. which was heading
north on her way from Philadelphia to
Copenhagen. drove her clipper bow into
the Battles port side about atty feet ait
ct the stem, and then veered to the side.
| The Baltic was stearing West AS the
Standard swung aside her bowsprit and
fgurehead snapped off and remained in the
gap in the Battles side The steel plates
gave way and were crumpled inward, leav
ing a hole about four by six feet some
fifteen feet above the water line. The
wrench caused fssure to extend down the
sid. under the water, and the sea poured
INFO hold No I. which was filled with
| chinaware,
Needed No Assistance.
The pumps were started, and under mod
crate pressure were able to cope with the
| flood AS the Standard backed away Cap
tain Ransom lowered a lifeboat at once and
sent it out after her, Captain Rupern sent
| back word that his vessel was seaworthy
and needed no assistance. He asked that
he be so reported in New York, and then
requested that one of his fremen who was
! 1ostled out Of his bunk be taken to New
York on the Baltic for treatment His
name was Richard Houer. He had bruises
on his chest and head, but was not Sc
riously injured. He was treated by Dr.
Bell, Of the Baltic, and brought to port
| Captain Ransom fingered in the vicinity
| of the collision for about two hours and
| then resumed his course to port There
were complaints about a failure of the
| officers of the Baltic to give assurances or
| comfort to the passengers, but the ma
iority Of the passengers said there was no
| occasion to calm them, as few were
| alarmed to any great extent
| Captain Ransom informed the White Star
Office of the naishap by wireless, but when
| the ship news reporters went down the
bay on the revenue cutter yesterday to
| meet the Baltic he refused to let them
| aboard.
i
| I'D with wood and steel braces. 1t will be
| cemented and covered with steel plates
| outside and inside to-day and the water
| ballast will be increased aft and lightened
| forward. This will keep her bow well up
when she leaves for Liverpool on Satur
| day. She will be in drydock three days
the other side and will sail on her return
trip to this port on July 90 The Baltic is
booked to carry TO ca bin passengers
| Saturday.
| Deny Reports of Confusion.
| Mr.. and Mrs. II. II. Campbell, OF this
| city, who had been visiting relatives in
| Belfast Ireland, occupied the first state
room forward on the promenade deck.
| They are staying at the Hotel Marie An
| tonette temporarily
| There was little excitement or confu-
| sion following the collision" Mr.. Campbell
| said yesterday. 1.-The passengers did not
| realize at the time that the Baltic had
| been struck. The idea prevailed that we
| had run down the other boat and every
| one was anxious about her fate until, to
| our relief, we saw her disappearing in the
| gloom, apparently uninjured and without
asking for assistance. The real shock 10
our nerves came the next morning when
We learned that the Baltic had been
rammed and we realized what might have