The Caucasian., 1912-04-18
THE STEAMER TITANIC.
A Version of the Wreck Given from
ST. J50hns, y. F.-The Titanic Go
ing at High Speed When the Col
liSion with Iceberg Occurred.


1t may be said that in the greatest
number # accidents the main cause
when traced develops carpleSSn2Ss
or lecklpssnesS. This may be ap-
pIicd to disasters in coal mines, to
the tragedies of the sea or on land,
which claim the lives of hundreds
and thousands, besides the manning
CT scores who have escaped death.
This observation as applied to the
wreck of the Titanic may not be
sustained, but it would seem singu-
lar that in a sea filled with ice and
floating icebergs that greater dill
gence was not observed against the
possibility of accident. Perhaps over
confidence in the strength of the
Titanic to Withstand impacts with
the ice and icebergs led to the dis
regard of prudence which would
have been observed by the com
mander of steamers Of lesser di-
mensions than of the Titanic.
It has already been reported that
the French Liner La TOuraine had
communicated on April II in the
afternoon to the Titanic of great
icebergs, which the La Touraine had
avoided, which was acknowledged
The version from st. Johns, n. f.,
would indicate that when the II
tanic struck the iceberg she was go
ing at eighteen knots. The story as
related by a special to the Times
Democrat from St. Johns, n. F.,
April II, goes on to say in detail
that the impact was so terrific as
aim st to render the ship asunder.
The decking was broken through,
the sides crumpled in as though so
much cardboard, and the bulkheads
forming the watertight compart-
ments, upon which such great rell-
ance was placed, were crushed III
from the bow to nearly midships.
This version of the wreck is cred
lied to the British steamer Bruce,
which was in port on March 10, and
is now en- route to Sydney, n. S. She
is supposed to have picked up by
wireless the story from other ships
that were near the Titanic, and
from otherv essels which took up
the thread from that time as they
got it from intercepted wireless
messages. ,..-
There is no support for the sen
sational narrative, except for the in
sistence of the statement that when
the crash came the Titanic was
making high speed.
The version of the wreck credited
to the Bruce says that the force OF
ine collision smashed several cf the
boats ana all of the u,pe" W rks to
pieces. The ship is said to have
piled UP bow en-, the force OF the
Lew being greater on the port side:
which tore to pieces, causing her to
list far over, almost turning turtle
She is declared to have struck
with such speed and momentum as
to rear half out of the water, beat
ing her bottom off on the jagged
submerged ice from the bow clear
to midship as she crashed ahead be-
fore her engines could be reversed
Then the compartments flooded
and she began to settle by the head
The watertight compartments abaf
mid section kept her afloat, but the
strain grew greater each moment
She rolled heavily in the trough o.
a heavy sea. She had wide list tt
port. Only the most superficial ex
amination was needed to show tina
she was doomed. From stem to sterI
she was shorn and shocked from tht
greatest ship afloat to rapid,
sinking hulk.
| The officers and crew, aided b
the passengers, succeeded IN keep
| ing perfect order for a time. 1t wa
long enough for most of the boats t
be launched. Less than 1000 person
had been embarked when the CT
Invent up: "She's sinking" From or
il der the crowd changed instantly t
frenzy, and rushed madly for tn
| lifeboats within reach. Some {
these were swamped by the over
croWdiRg. Others were smashed t
, pieces against the davits in bein
lowered away. The Titanic settles
rather than sank, but the water ros
higher in her with greater spec
II each minute. BY the time thos
boats that had got clear were ava
from immediate danger, the watt
, had reached the engine room. Th
. dynamo was rendered useless, an
!, the wireless failed. At the same tim
all the lights went out. Death cam
ito those obard her in darkness.
l ha - tS