The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-20
DEATHS COURTEO
FORSAkEO OF SPEED
Modern Mania Responsible Tor
Loss OF White Star
Liner.
THRILLING OCEAN DRAMA
None Lett Alive 10 Tell Story OF
Last Few Moments
on Vessel.
Especial 10 The Times plspateh.I

Especial 10 The Times Dsp1tch.l
New York, April la.-Che loss of
the Titanic on her maiden voyage
was caused b. the speed mania that
has gradually come TO possess Tho
management Of ocean liners. The Ii
t4ntc, rushing at twenty three knots
On hour through d dangerous iceberg
territory. In order 10 establish Il rcru
tntion for the ship and the wnite
Star Line. was sidcswiped by 81 par
TALLY submerged iceberg.
y great mole was torn in the IT.
aen!c's hull Lclow the .vatrr line.
just forward Of amidships on her
Btarboard side. her most vulnerable
point, where there WAS no bulknead
protection. SHE struck the iceberg al
li:i5 o'clock sunday night and sank
Into the Atlantic at 2:2U O'Clock Mon
day morning.
An explosion OF steam In the boiler
room Of the Titanic, about half an
hour after she came in contact win
the iceberg, ih believed 10 nave brcn
responsible for the loss OF the snip
Survivors among Ia crew say that butt
for this explosion the Titanic might
have iioated until the arrival OF the
Carpath a; daybreak.
The explosion was caused By an
thrush OF Icy salt water upon tho SUI
perhcated boilers This created al
mass OF steam. witch, confined im the
boiler rooms as IN n cylinder. forced
an opening for itself. aud blew a big
hole in the hal The vessel was
practically broken in two. ana the
front portion saggcd down and drag
sea TIC rest OF the ship beneath tho
surface.
Thrilling Drama.
DurinI The tvs hours aud thirty
ave minutes the gigantic liner re-
"aiice ailoat she was thcatra upon ,
which WAS enacted one OF inc mos,
thrilling drsmas IN history. St.r,iu,
quietly ana without particular nppr.- !
Hchsion on tho par, OF the actors III.
movement quickcntd as tn. danger
IN :rcased, and the climax came when |
with all the l!fcbohis away carrying
less than onc-third OF tho total ships
eoinPanS' 1876 human beings found
themselves face 10 face with death
\ great majority of ,hcs. died lil< q
brave men and women. facing tho
tnd with prayers ON their lips and
fort!tudc In their hearts. Amos, 10
the last the ships orchestra, made NJ
OF stewards off duty. played OH tho
promenade deck. and tho last air
PLAYED was Nearer. Ny God, 10 Thee
But not all died bravcly. From the
bowels of tho vessel swarned hordes |
OF men from the south OF Europc |
bcwldercd. mad with fear Seeking |
boats and hiding none, they fell 10 |
fighting hiindiy with each other
Overheard they went in swarms !
striking oui blindly for the llfcboats |
which picked few of them up but !
pushed OF the rest and these later
persisted miserably, being dragged
down into the sea in the suction
caused hy the laundering OF the Ii
tanic.
Nor did all the victims die OF. the |
decks or out in the waves. Al the T!
hour when the accident happened the
parts OF the boat which were given |
over TO the crew. and part or the
third cabin passengers were crowded
with sleeping people. The shock or
the collision was not severe and II is
not likely that many OF these slecpcrs
were awakened
Within a few seconds after the Ii
tanic struck the iceberg, the collision
bulkheads We're automatically closed.
This put bulwarks OF steel between
gcorcs OF persons in the ,hird cabin
and forccastle and safety. Whether
or not the doors were forced omen
later by water pressure is not known
If they remained closed, the humans
behind the barriers went down with
the ship in alright compartments
and smothcred to death ut the bottom
OF the sea. But the manner OF their
end Will never CD known unless some
freak OF nature should spring the
hulk Of the Titanic TO the surface
again. for she is two miles down and
no diver could reach her
Regarded 1t rs a Lark
Thone who escaped in the first life
boats were disposed 10 look on their
experience as a lark The sailors
manning the oars pulled away from
the Titanic. The sound of music
foated over the starlit waves. The
lights of the Titanic We're burning
The shock OF the collision had bare.
ly Jared the ship. One man who
was debating letters in his can
In kept on with his work until he
1clt sudden Shift In the position of
the ship and rushed TO the deck in
time to leap into lifcboat Some
OF the passengers had returned TO
their 1berths. Nothing occurred to in
dicate to the passengers aboard the
Titanic or moving away from the ship
In iiteboats that the vessel would not
remain anoat until help should arrive.
until the boilers exploded.