The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28

urcS sootned the nerves OF the fright
ened passengers. Men and women
found themselves tapping q foot in time
TO the playing, and though all were
! constrained, filled with suppressed cX-
element. the music kept them in
check. The excitement did not burst
its leashes to turn into a wild, unreal
soning panic, not even when Capt
Smith gave the order TO take to the
lifeboats.
: There were many brave enough to
declare that this was only precaution-
airy move. that scarcely would the
. smaller boats put off from the mother
ship than they would be scuttling back
to her, glad to nestle beneath her pro-
iecting sides, and men and women
walked leisurely, some of them laugh
insly. to the posts whittier hurried Of
ficers and seanen directed them.
And then began the work of trans
feT!ns from the great Titanic to her
brood OF lifeboats those persons who
afterward were to prove almost tho
only ones OF tho steamships big COM
PIGMENT who did not pay with their
lives for the privilege of having jour
neyed in the newest liner on her maiden
trip.
The task OF loading the lifeboats was
undertaken in almost as leisurely ana
calm n manner as though il were sim
ply a drill. Many persons had still re-
manned in the lounge. the drawing
| room, the cafe. and the smoking room.
Others were grouped near the foot OF
the grand staircase where the orches-
ira was playing lively airs. Most OF
them had gone on deck when the ships
engines stopped. They had gone below
again firmly assured that there was
nothing much the matter. It was cold
on deck also
ships" the officers assured the pas
sengers. and they are now coming to
our aid. There is no cause for worry
anyway"
And so when Capt. Smith at last re-
iuctantly gave the order to clear the
liieooats and followed it with a COM
! mana TO his officers to load them at
once there remained many of the Tt
tanic's passengers still below decks
second Officer Lightoler had cleared
away one Of the lifcboats on the star.
board side.
mere was no crowding to get into it.
In fact there were scarcely enough per-
sons about TO fill 1t. But the officers
hnew. If the passengers did not, that
the danger was imminent. Stewards
were sent running through the shin
win orders 10 assist every passenger
INTO the !ifcboats and to send III,
women on 10 the decks that they f,ret
might be loaded into the lifcboafs
above the strains of the orchestra.
"DoVe the chatter among tho women
an" above the voices OF tho men deem
al discussion of what had happened
fcassuring each one the other that
| there was 40 danger. came the sbr,u
calls OF the stewards:
All passengers on deck with 10,
belts on" VII" III"
The deck" -'.'' ''h
There were little gasps ~ d,.,,
l.o'ii INC women ana cry or two tIrrt
souiuea clearly in the hush which fol.
loMed the stewards words.
linen the women were assisted - a..
deeiis' Still they refused 10 he so..
DUSTY frightened. 1t took nft,on
twenty minutes to load the boa,
SWING her from her davits down r. NV
water seventy feet below. Those 80
were in her waved and ahoutn.5
''oSe VINO remained on the decks ~
was no doubt i'll the minds Of an" -
mem except perhaps the officers ~,
,he boat would be back again j.,
he" minutes and that those yho h,1
embarked in her would have h,d -, ''Iu
excitement and trouble for notbinc
lhird Officer Pitman, racing 70 c,o
boat deck encountered j. Bruce Tsma, ,'
Hurry there's no time foy f"aj
'hs' shouted Mr. Ismay and p;,mon
ran TO the boats '1 ! '''''a n
Ny. lsmay disappeared doo., 81,
aecK' Later he returned and .ss,.,"o
, o'icer in helping Passengers jn,n
hfeboat 10. .. They helped in fnr. '
passengers. few Of them men o,,,
then i1'man called for moro v,o,'o,, ~
IN inc empty seats but none rcsn.,,.,
rive OF the crow were at the o,r, 49,
WORK ended. Pitman stepped o,. -
lhe poa' and turned away to 20; rnoa,.
""o'heT' AS he stepped back. Ch,.f r,'.'
: ' Nur"ock touched him or the sbon,-
"er and hriefly commanded. "r,. .,''ou j. +.
rom down tbs deck cp!ne f,i,,,f