The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-18
IN PORT;
MISSED TITANIC CALL
Wireless Operator Asleep. When
Doomed Liner Appealed .
for Help.
OFFICERS IN IGNORANCE
Only Two Men Aboard Knew of
Disastcr-Ship Goes to
Find Bodies.

HALIFAX. y. s.. April H.. With the ar
rival Of the Allan liner Partisan from
Glasgow tonight. the mystery that has
surrounded the loss of the Titanic for
the last three days has been increased
instead Of being relieved as was antici-
pated. As it was known that the Partisan
had been in comparatively close touch
with the i'll fated Titanic on Sunday and
also had been in communication with the
steamers that had gone to her assistance
after the accident. it was thought that
occurred would be forthcoming upon
the arrival of the Partisan at Halifax.
whittier she was bound.
After a day of suspense the newspaper
men who were awaiting the arrival Of the
Partisan were informed shortly after
I O'Clock. that the Allan liner was enter
ing the harbor.
Az the quarantine steamer swung away
from the side OF tho Partisan the news
paper men swarmed up over her side
and at once sought out Capt Hains and
wireless operator Donald Sutherland.
but little information was forthcoming.
Capt. Hains. who was on the bridge.
refused to make any statement. He in
formed THE Sun correspondent that he
was aware of the disaster 10 the Titanic.
but declined o DISCUSS the matter in detail
any further than to state that he had no
official information oI what had oc-
Cured.
.The ships nearest TO the dsaster-and
they were very much closer the
Californian and the Carpathia. said Capt.
hans. There were icebergs in hum
dreds. and when We met the Carpathia
some time before. we told them of the
course we had come and they did the same
thing for us, so that both gained"
Many cross messages were obtained
afierward bearing on the disaster, but
none of these were mentioned by the
Parisian's master. for he said it would
be "a violation Of the rules.
They would add nothing. however,
to what you have in the newspapers
that you give me-" added the captain.
who declined to make any comment on
the loss of the Titani, other than to say
the liner could not have struck head on
bu; sideways. inflictins much more terri
bic damage than the mere smashing Of
the forward bnlkheads.
Would il be possible that the iceberg
woul! lie SO low in the water that il wofild
be impossible to see il on a clear night
Capt Hains was asked.
Il never heard tell # such a thing. re
piled Capt. Hsins closing the door Of his
cabin
From Wireless Operator Sutherland
hille further information could be secured.
sutherland took refuge behind his con-
tract with the Msrconi company and said
that it was impossible for him to say any
thing Of what passed between the Partisan
and any of the steamers that had been in
touch with the Titanic.
Tina, the Partisan had been in COM
tnunication with the Titanic on Sunday
Mr.. sutherland freely admitted. His
last communication with the i'll tated
steamer. he ~aii. was at 1890 T. NJ.
hdrisisu's t.nir' on Sunday. As the
oiiiciaI s;ats,ncn. ot the Mhi,s Star Line
- that the 'iitarc s.ruch AT 1920
y. NJ. New York tue, the la, comm.ni-
ca, ion between he Pari-ianp nd ,he titanic
was about an hour before she struck.
Al the time communication was held
between III. two steamers the Partisan
was in approximately latitude ~ and
longirude 5IW orabout LOO miles 10 south
ives; of The ri,anic. The Partisan than had
been searching for the DItch tank steamer
Deu Schland which was reported drifting
around III disabled condition.
The Partisan had gone far To the south
ward, out ot Ter course, in hopes of piCK-
ing up 'he D,ut tSchland. Immediately
AT tar "a M ffa t,,, NNtt
Titanic. the nature OF which message
Sutherland refused to diyuige. the op.r-
ajor was called Ia the bridge for IA con-
ferenc. with Cap. ilains regarding the
search ior the Deutschland,
Sutherland said he was then ordered
70 turn III by Capt, hains and 10 he on
duty again AT O'Clock on Monday morn
ing. mis- he did ana a. result was
asleep when tn. Titanic flashed her call
for assistance The wireless apparatus
of the Partisan at that tine was silent
and MIR Sutherland said ne knew nothing
Of the disaster until late Monday morning
Being forced along at top speed, ia
her efforts 10 catch mp with the Deutsch-
land. the Partisan placed a far larger
distance between herself and the sosne
of the disaster than she would have under
ordinary circumstances
No finer night. said sutherland. could
he desired than that of Sunday, April a.
The air was clear and the sea smooth
and it was possible TO see fifteen miles
Such was the state of the sea and the
weather when the last communication
was held between the Parisian and the
Titanic, then in the vicinity Of the Partisan
and II is only natural to SUPPOSE that
the Titanic Was experiencing the same
kind of weather.
,'or some time the Partisan had been
L. communication with the Al !antic Trans
port liner M"saba, which was on her
way 10 Boston from London and about
fifty miles ahead Of the Allan liner. An
except iongily larEe quantity of Ice had
been sighted TIE Mcsuba was flashing
back % the Parisian reports of ice hat she
was pa ssing and the Parsan in turn
vas passing them on TO the l.eyland liner
californian, bound from Manchester to
boston
Further to the east ward was the Titanic
and nnd"r the circumstances it il pre-
. mad that the Ca 'iforni vas supplying
ths i.1nic with reports VI ice that she
was receiving from the Mesaba and
Farisian. - was this endless chain of
wireless co'nmunicat ion con .inued until
Operator Sutherland OF the Partisan
turned IN for the night.
What tune Sutherl and resumed
coinmunlcal ion with the nearby steamers.
he declined to say. He became aware of
the accident 10 the Titanic through mes
sages passing between the Cunard liner
Carpalhia and the California. Wha,
passed between the ships Mr.. Sutherland
said he regretted he could not divulVe
lie Informed Capt. ilains of the startling
new, that he had picked up and until the
Partisan arrived ia halifax harbor last
niVhI no pt her npr.nu nhonrA kn,,v ha,