The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-03
MORGAN ROBERTSON.


 The shapes were swallowed in the blackness astern, the cries were hush ed by the clamor of the gale, and the steamship Titan swung back to her course. The first officer had not turn ed the lever of the engine room tele- graph.
 The boatswain bounded up the steps of the bridge for instructions.
 ''Put men at the matches and doors. Send every one who comes on deck to the chart room. Tell the watchman to notice what the passengers have learn ed and clear away that wreck for ward as soon as possible" The voice of the officer was hoarse and strained as he gave these directions, and the "Aye, aye, sir," of the boatswain was uttered in gasp.
 The crows nest Qookout), sixty feet above the deck, had seen every detail of the horror from the moment when the upper sails of the doomed ship had appeared to him above the fog to the time when the last tangle of wreckage was cut away by his watch mates below. When relieved at four bells he descended with as little ble with safety in the rigging. At the rail the boatswain met him. Report your relief, Rowland" he said, "and go into the chart room." On the bridge, as he gave the name of his successor, the first officer seized his hand, pressed it and repeated the boatswain's order. In the chart room he found the captain of the Titan. pale faced and intense in manner, seated l at table and grouped around him the whole of the watch on deck ex- cept the officers, lookouts and quarter masters. The cabin watchmen were there and some of the watch below, among whom were stOkers and coal l passers, and also few of the fd1ers- lampmen, yeomen and butchers-who sleeping forward, had been awakened | by the terrible blow of the great hol- low knife within which they lived. Three carpenters mates stood by the door with sounding rods in their hands which they had just shown the cap tain-dry. Every face, from the cap tain's down, wore look of horror and expectancy. A Quartermaster followed Rowland in and said:
 Engineer felt no jar in the engine room, sir, and there's no excitement iI the stokehold."
 | And you watchmen report no alarm in the cabins. How about the steer age? Is that man back?" asked the captain. Another watchman appeared as he spoke.
 l "Al asleep in the steerage, sir," he said. Then quartermaster entered with the same report of the forecas ties.
 "very well," said the captain, rising "One by one come into my office watchmen first, then petty officers then the men. Quartermasters will watch the door, that no man goes ou until have seen him." He passed int another room, followed by a watch man, who presently emerged and wen on deck with more pleasant expres sion of face. Another entered ant came out, then another and another until every man but Rowland had beer within the sacred precincts, all to wea the same pleased or satisfied look oI reappearing. When Rowland entered the captain, seated at desk, mot1onet him to chair and asked his name.
 "John Rowland" he answered. Tn, captain wrote it down.
 T understand" he said, that yo, were in the crows nest when this un fortunate collision occurred"
 "Yes, sir, and I reported the ship a 1 soon as I saw her''
 "YOu are not here to be censured You are aware, of course, that nothing could be done either to avert this ter rible calamity or to save life after ward"
 Nothing at speed of twenty-fv' knots an hour in a thick fog, sir" Th' captain glanced sharply at Rowland and frowned.
 "We will not discuss the speed O the ship, my good man," he said, 70 the rules of the company. You vii find, when you are paid at Liverpool a package addressed to you at tn company's office containing f10O il | banknOtes This vou will receive fo