The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-04-26

lagher. author of "The Wreck of the
Narcissus' and "Curl of the Wave, -
and many other sea novels, knew per-
vonalIy Lord Pirrie and Alexander Car |
Isle, the designer of the Titanic. He
has often discussed with these men the
building of modern ocean ships like the ,
Titanic, and graphically describes the
career of the Titanic from the cradle
in Belfast to its grave off grim Cape
Race, in special dispatch to the San
Francisco Call. He writes: /
s'An irresistible force met with an
insurmountable obstacle-that is the
one and only explanation of the loss of
the i'll starred Titanic and the terrible
tragedy of the sea will be logged when
all the facts have been recorded on the
chart of the disaster.
seven to the old seadog, seasoned in
hardships and the calamities which
must be taken as they come by those
who go down to the sea to weather
blue water or green, the Titanic I'M
mensity of the latest of many grim
harvests of the wild waves which
sweep off grim Cape Race drives intel
igence by the board and causes COM
prehension to collapse.
Confidence in Captain.
"The monster of monsters ahoat died
like the titan it was, enguling in its
fate hundreds of helpless human beings.
1t was a ship of fate, as they say at
sea, and skipper of fate was honest
Captain Smith, the grand old man of
the sea, who went down with it.
"Smith had clean ticket of the old
windjammer days, when he filed every
grade up to skipper, until the ramming
of the Olympic by the Hawke, brief
while ago. That he was given the
command of the newer Titanic as soon
as it left the slips at the Queens ISL
and yard in Belfast was proof that the
White Star owners knew he was blame
less for the Hawke incident; and it is
to be doubted that one officer OF man
in the complement of the newly com
manded Titanic had anything but UNI
bounded faith in him, when, with as
notable a passenger list as was ever
carried by an Atlantic greyhound, the
ship drew away from the docks at
Southampton and started on its voyage
to the new world.
Food for Superstition.
''Within sight of the cheering shore
crowds, however, another incident
almost similar to the Hawke affair oc-
ours; another large liner is sucked
from the moorings, drawn almost into
collision.
"Can it be doubted that in this
thrilling moment of danger the olym-
pic mishap was not recalled or that the
superstitious seamen aboard, stepping
the bridge or swabbing the huge decks,
shut their minds against the mariners
dread of sailing with ship of fate oil
q skipper of fate9
"Gleaning the facts from the brief
and scattered dispatches by wireless, il
is certain that every deckhand, engine
room worker, stoker, to the captain
and watch officers on the bridge, gal
lantly did their duty and paid the last
toll of devotion, defying the hoodoc
which they may have thought was trail
ing at the peak.
Gdld OOHipdlly Anodt'
"a gala company of more than 2O0C
was that which filed the huge bulk OF
the Titanic, MS it entered the last les
of its voyage to Sandy Hook. Million
aires, social queens, worlds notablei
in every field of effort, almost fillet
the salons and suites de luxe.
"The life ON the ocean wave wa
being lived in its most brilliantly ex
hilarating atmosphere The great yach
palace afloat held many hearts beatin
high in the thrilling enjoyment of life
and a colony of expectant emigrant
and returning children of toll in tn
more closely packed third class bertht
"High above the swell of the sea il
sides lowered as it cleft its wa
through the shori course, buffeting tn
ugly weather which was sweepin
down from the chill north. Iceberg
were reported in its path and the o
heers were alert for danger, but the
knowledge was locked in their ow
breasts. In the saloons all was Joy an
sense of security-the great ship wa
proof against any possible calamity.
Shock for All Aboard.
''It was the last word in marine a
ehlIecture-Dnllt Dy the most famOl
marine engineers in the world. The
was every reason to make merry; IL
end of the voyage was near, and l
cause for fear. Night had descende
dinner was over, the weary watch tn
had done duty through the long di
and tired passengers went below
sleep in their berths.
"Only the officers of the watch alo
and in the engine room and their bu
crews and the gayest of the gay I
manned awake at duty's call or the CT
of pleasure. The promenade decks st
had their gay couples; the loungil
rooms, the smoking rooms, were eel
ing laughter, song, the soothing mus
Of the orchestra, the less noisy sou
of the chips as a card game progresse
And in the midst of this is was that
shock passed through the entire sht
hurting group against group, smash
furniture and ornaments of the saloon
appalling all ON board,