The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-04
CHAPTER I.


- and maintenance were involv-
ed every st.ience, profession and trade
known to civilization. On her bridge
were officers. who. besides being the
pick of the royal navy. had passed
rigid examinations in all studies that
pertained to the winds. tides. currents
and geography of the sea- They were
not only seamen. but scientists. The
same professional standard applied to
the personnel of the engine room. and
the stewards department was equal to
that of Al first class hotel
Two brass hands. two orchestras and
a theatrical company entertained the
passengers during waking hours. a
corps of ptySit ianS administered to the
temporal and Al corps of chapiains to
the spiritual welfare of all on board.
while we'll drilled fire company
soothed the fears of nervous ones and
added to the generai entertainment by
daily practice With their apparatus
From hei lofty bridge ran hidden
telegraph lines to the bow. stern. en-
gine room. crows nest on the fore
mast and to all parts of the ship
where work WAS done, each wire ter
minating in II marked dial with u NOV
able Indicator containing in its scope
every order and answer required in
| handling the massive hulk. either at
the dock or at sea. which eliminated
to Il great extent the hOarSe. nerve
racking shouts uf officers and sailors
From the bridge. engine room and a
dozen places Oh her deck the ninety
two doors of nineteen water tight com
partmentS could he closed in half Il
minute by turning lever These
doors would also close automatically
in the presence of water With nine
| compartments flooded the ship would
still float. and as no known accident
of the sea could possibly fill this many
| the steamship fitan was considered
practically unsuitable
Built of steel throughout and for pas
senger traffic only. she carried no com
bustible cargo TO threaten her destruc-
ton by fire. and the immunity from
the demand for cargo space had ena
bled her designers to discard the fat.
kettle bottom of cargo boats and give
her the sharp dead rise-or slant from
the keel-of a steam yacht. and this
improved her behavior in a seaway.
She was 500 feet long. of 10000 tons
displacement. 10000 horsepower. and
on her trial trip had steamed at a rate
of twenty-five knots an hour over the
bottom. In the face of unconsidered
winds, tides and currents In short.
she was floating city. containing
within her steel walls all that tends
to minimize the dangers and discom-
forts Of the Atlantic voyage. all that
| makes life enjoyable
Unsinkable. indestructible. she car
ried as few boats as would satisfy
the laws. These. twenty -four in num-
ber. were securely covered and dashed
down to their chocks on the upper
deck, and If launched would hold 500
people. She carried no useless, cum
bersome life RATS. but. because the law
required It. each Of the 5000 berths In
the passengers. officers and crews
quarters contained cork jacket, while
about twenty circular life buoys were
strewn along the rails.
In view Of her absolute superiority
to other craft. rule of navigation
| thoroughly believed In by some cap
tains. but not yet openly followed. was
announced by the steamship company
| to apply to the Titan She would
steam at full speed In fog. Storm and
! sunshine and on the northern lane