The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-23
BY Morgan Robertson

is known as the room and the func
tionary as the caller" whose business
1t is to call out in a mighty sing song
voice the names Of members wanted ut
the door and the bare particulars Of
bulletin news prior to its being chalkel
out for reading
1t Is the headquarters Of LlOyd's-thr
immense association Of underwriters.
brokers and shipping men which. be
ginning with the customers ut Edward
Lloyd's coffee house In the latter part
Of the seventeenth century. has. re-
tanning his name for title. developed
into corporation SO well equipped. 80
splcndidly organized and powerful.
that kings and ministers of state ap-
peal to 1t at times for foreign news.
Not master or mate sails under the
English flag but whose record. even to
fOrecastle fights. is tabulated Mt LlOyd's
for the inspection Of prospective en-
plOyers. Not ship Is east away on
any inhabitable coast of the world
during underwriters business hours
but what that mighty singsong cry an
nOunces the event at Lloyd's within
thirty minutes.
One Of the adjoining rooms is known
as the chart room. Here can be found
In perfect order and sequence each on
MS roller. the newest charts Of all ma
tons. with a library Of nautical liter
allure describing 10 the last detail the
harlors. lights, rocks. shoals and sail
ing directions Of every coast line
shown OH the charts; the tracks Of
latest storms. the changes of ocean
currents and the Whereabouts OF dere
licts and icchcryS A member at
Lloyd'S acquires in time a theoretical
knowledge OF the sea seldom exceeded
10y the men who navigate it.
Another apartment. the captains
COON, is given over TO JOY and refresh
ment, and still another. the antithcsis
OF the last. il the intelligence Office
where anxious ones inquire for and are
told the latest news Of this or that
overdue ship.
On the day when the assembled
throng OF underwriters and brokers
had been thrown into an uproarions
panic the cricr's announcement that
the great Titan WAS destroyed and the
papers OF Europe and America were
issuing extras giving the mcager de-
tails Of the arrival ut New York of one
boat load of her people this office had
been crowded with weeping women
and worrying men, who would ask
and remain to ask again for more
news. And when 1t came-a later
cablegram giving the story Of III,
wreck and the names of the captain
first officer. boatswain. seven sailors
and one lady passenger as those of the
saved feeble old gentleman had
raised his voice in a quaverng scream
high above the sobbing OF women. and
said:
my daughtcrn-law IS safe, but
where is my son, where is my son, and
my grandchid:" Then he had hurried
away, but was back again the next
day. and the next. And when. on the
tenth day Of waiting and watching. he
learned OF another boat load OF sailors
and children arriving ut Gibraltar. he
SHOOK his head slowly. mu''cring
George. George" and left the room
That night. after telegraphing tn" con
sui at Gibraltar Of his coming he
crossed the channel.
In the first tumultuous riot 81 in
Quiry, when underwriters had climbed
over desks and each other 10 hear
again Of the wreck Of the Titan, one :
the noisiest Of all. a corpulcnt. book
nosed man with flashing black e'ts +
had broken away from the cyowd and
made his way TO the captain, room.
where. after draft Of brandy, he tad
seated himself heavily with a -r"an
that came from his soul.
Father Abraham" he mu'' ~"d;
'this will ruin me-"
Iii CdDlt SoilC W vi
to condole. all to talk.
"IIit hard. Never" asked one
"Ten thousand" he answered - N
lily.
"Serves you right" said anothor "a
kindly. "Have more baskets for III
eggs. Knew you'd bring up
Though Mr. Meyers eyes spark ga at
this. he said nothing. but drank / IN
self stupid and was assisted hon. 10y
one of his clerks. From this Oh. h's-
lecting his business. excepting % % a.
sionally visit the bulletins. he spent ms
time in the captains room. dr.n@iIg
heavily and bemoaning his luea oh
the tenth day he read with "a'eTs
eyes. posted on the bulletin belo" me
news Of the arrival at Gibraltar Of the
second boat load of people, the follow
ing:
life buoy Of Royal Age, London
picked up among wrseksss N la''s.oe
ESQ, north longitude 54.3l west. snip
Arctic, Boston, Captain Brandt"
"Oh, mine good God" he hoW.ed as
be rushed toward the captains room
Poor devil! Poor foolv' said one %
server to another. "He covered 'he
whole Of the Royal Age and the ple
get chunk Of the Titan. It'll take us
wifs's diamonds to settle"