Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-15

| no QlHeTenCe what Sne NIL. Inc report
should not cause any serious anxiety"
Good Chance of Rescue.
There was an excellent reason for be-
lief in the earlier hours that even though
| the Titanic was in dire straits, there was
| a fair chance that no lives would be lost.
| The Cape Race dispatch reported the
weather as calm and clear, and in a
reasonably quiet sea there is little danger
in transfer of the passengers to the life
| boats, in which they might await with
| reasonable tranquility the arrival of the
Virginian this morning.
1t was difficult for even mariners to in
terpret the situation from the Marconi
dispatches. They could not understand
why 1t should be necessary to take off any
passengers If the liner was sinking slight
ly at the bow unless her captain felt
that the water-tight compartments would
give way.
Many Icebergs in Ocean.
The presence of an unusually large
number of icebergs in the past OF transat
lantic liners was indicated by wireless
last week. Twelve hours before the news
of the THAMES accident reached the
world the serious menace Of the ice
bergs was pointed out by the arrival here
of the Cunard line steamer Carmania.
which reported having lodged twenty
five big bergs, some of them more than
go feet high.
The Carmania reported that the French
steamship Niagara had had worse ex-
perience, having bumped into two small
bergs which punched holes In her hull
The Niagara had this experience on
Thursday, and unless she has greatly re-
duced speed she should reach port some
time today. The Titanic undoubtedly ran
into this same icebank.
VII n
the White Star line, sent the following
wireless message to Capt. E. S. Smith,
the Titanics commander, this morning:
''Anxiously awaiting information; full
particulars; probable disposition of pas
sengers.
Has Confidence in Vessel.
At o'clock this morning Mr.. Frank
lin gave out the following statement:
I'VE place absolute confidence in the
Titanic. We believe the boat is absolutely
unsuitable. and although she may have
sunk at the head or bow we know that
the boat would remain on the water. We
do not attach any significance to the
fact that there are no Mareoni messages
being received from the boat We think
it denotes nothing but the fact that the
boat is in communication with other
steamers, for she may have gotten on all
the messages she wanted to send. we
are not at all worried about the loss OF
the ship, but we are extremely sorry
for the annoyance and inconvenience to
our passengers and the travelling public.
"You can make our views as forceful as
you like regarding the capabilities OF the
ship to withstand any exterior damage.
We figure the Virginian of the Allan line
will be along side the Titanic by 10
o. clock. and we figure the Olympic OF the
White Star line will be with the Titanic
at 3 pm. and the Baltic an hour later"
Mr. Franklin said he had received q
brief wireless dispatch from the Olympic
saying she had talked by wireless with
the Titanic at 4:24 o'clock this morning.
The message gave no further informa-
ton, Mr.. Franklin said.
An hour later Mr.. Franklin authorized
the following statement: -
mo alarm for THAMES passengers"
The officers of the Titanic are as fol-
lows: Captain, E. j. Smith. commander;
surgeon, w. F. n. OLoughlin; assistant
surgeon, ]. E. Simpson: purser. III. w.
McElroy: second purser. w. L. Brocker;
chief steward, A. Latimer.