Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-16


yEf5E; "a of men In her construction
49, and maintenance were involv-
cd every science, profession and trade
known to civilization. On her bridge
were officers, who, besides being the
pick Of the royal navy, had passed
rigid examinations in all studies that
pertained TO the winds. tides, currents
and geography Of the sea. They We're
not only seamen. but scientists. The
same professional standard applied to
the personnel of the engine room, and
the stewards department was equal to
that of first class hotel
Two brass bands, two orchestras and
a theatrical company entertained the
passengers during waking hours,
corps of physicians administered to the
temporal and corps Of chaplains to
the spiritual welfare Of all on board
while a well drilled fire company
soothed the fears of nervous ones and
added to the general entertainment by
daily practice with their apparatus
From her lofty bridge ran hidden
telegraph lines to the bow, stern, en-
CINE room, crows nest on the fore
mast and to all parts Of the ship
where work was done. each wire ter
minatinC in marked dial with NOV
able indicator containing in its scope
every order and answer required in
handling the massive hulk, either at
the dock or at sea, which eliminated
to a great extent the hoarse, nerve
racking shouts of officers and sailors.
From the bridge, engine room and a
dozen places on her deck the ninety
two doors of nineteen water tight com
partments could be closed In half a
minute by turning a lever These
doors would also close automatically
in the presence Of water. With nine
compartments flooded the ship would
still float, and as no known accident
OF the sea could possibly fill this many
the steamship Titan was considered
practically unsuitable.
Built Of steel throughout and for pas
sanger traffic only, she carried no COM
bustibie cargo TO threaten her destruc
tion by fire, and the immunity from
the demand for cargo space had ena-
lleh her designers TO discard the fat,
kettle bottom Of cargo boAts and give
her the sharp dead rise--or slant from
the keel--of a steam yacht, and this
improved her behavior in a seaway.
She was 500 feet long. of 10000 tons
on her trial trip had steamed Mt rate
Of twenty-five knots an hour over the
bottom, III the face OF uncOnsidered
winds. tides and currents In short.
rho was floating city, containing
within her steel walls all that tends
20 minimize the dangers and discOm-
forts OF the Atlantic voyage. all that
makes life enjoyable
Unslnkable. indestructtble. she car
risl as few boats as would satisfy
the laws. These, twenty-four In mum
her, were securely covered and dashed
down to their chocks on the upper
deck, and If launched would hold oOC
people. She carried no useless, cum
bersome life RATS, but, because the law
required IT, each of the 5000 berths In
the passengers. officers and crews
quarters contained cork jacket. while
about twenty circular life buoys were
strewn along the rails.
In view Of her absolute superiority
to other craft. n rule of navigation
thoroughly believed in by some cap
tains. but not yet openly followed. was
announced by the steamship company
10 apply to the Titan. She would
vteam at full speed in fog, storm and
sunshine and on the northern lane
route, winter and summer, for the fol
lowing good and substantial reasons
First, that If another craft shoul,
strike her the force of the impac
would be distributed over larger are,
II the Titan had full headway, ant
the brunt Of the damage would b,
borne by the other; second, that IL tn
Titan was the aggressor she woul'
certainly destroy the other craft, ever
at half speed, and perhaps damage he
own bows. while at full speed sh
would cut her In two with no more dam
age to herself than a paint brush coul
remedy. In either case. rs the Jesse
OF two evils. 1t was best that tn
smaller hull should suffer. A third RED