The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-25
Workmen Quit Olympic
Because Lifeboats Are
Unseaworthy.
IS SISTER SHIP
OF THE TITANIC
Commander Insists That AIDE.
quate Number of Boats Is on
Board, but Employees De-
mand That None But
Wooden Kind Shall
Be Used.


White Star liner Olympic. sister ship OF
the Titanic. was ready TO sail from
here yesterday for New York. 900 fire.
men and cnsine-room workers quit the
vessel declaring that the collapsible
boats on the Olympic were unsea-
worthy. The Olympic is lying off Rydc'
Isle OF Wight, with l.io0 passengers
aboard. and no possibility OF sailing
before noon to day. II then.
There were reports tina: some OF the
passengers had refused to sail. but for
the present they all remain aboard the
steamer. ut was also reported soon az
ter the strike was inaugurated that
the company had succeeded in getting
men to take the strikers places. but
this proved TO be Incorrect.
AS a matter of fact. the difficulty has
extended 10 the crew, which now de-
clincs to sail with the "backleg' fire
men. who were brought aboard yester-
day. and the British Seafarers' Union Is
supporting the men in this decision.
Plckeis are patrolins the docks 70 pre-
vent the recruiting of "blacklsSs.
Refuse to Listen to Proposal.
In an endeavor TO have the strikers
return to work. Commander Clarke
chief of the Emigration Office In
Southampton, offered to demonstrate in
the Cowes Roads that the boats on the
Olympic Were absolutely safe. me
men refused TO listen TO this proposal
but later, IL IL learned. declared thai
they would have been ready TO san II
the company had agreed to demonstrate
the scaworthiness OF the boats at TINS
port. This. In turn. tho company de-
clined TO do
Commander Clarke says that there
are forty-four lifeboats on board the
Olympic. including the collapsib'e
boats, and that their total seating ca
pacity is 900. which is largely in eN-
cess OF the total OF the passengers ana
crew. While he considered wooden
lifeboats superior. he was shtiahod Win
all the boats on board.
One OF the stokers of the Olympic
said: What we demand is that every
one Of the lifehoats shall be wooden
one. Personally 1 do not care, as
am unmarried. but many of TIE meh
have wives AID families, and their lives
are as valuable as those OF the Hfst-
class passengers"
4 deputat!on of MEN employed in the
engine room OF the Olympic waited Oh
the officers OF the ship and on Com
mander Clarke. to whom they declared
that the collapsible craft on the Oiym-
pic were fimsy. They refused TO san
unless wooden lifeboats wera substi-
,uted for tn. oollapsihle ones. and also
demanded that two additional seamen
be signed for each boat.
Comma ndcr Clarke argued with the
men. explaining that il was!mpossipie
TO procure wooden lifeboats In time
lie assured them that he had previous
Is officially examined all the COLLAPSE,
Bile boats and was perfectly satisheu
with them.
The white Star officials declared
that the requisite complement or hre-
men, greasers and crew is aboard the
Olympic and that the vessel Will snort
ly proceed on her voyage. The Olym-
pic has HOO passengers on board
Cnuses Grcnt Excitement.
Tho revolt OF the firemen and greas-
crs OF the Olympic aroused immense
excitement at the dockade. where great
throngs had gathered to see the liner
depart for America.
All the passengers were already on
board. and the ganGways from the
dock to the snip. with the exception OF
one. had been withdrawn. AS eight
bells struck. a perfect rain of iremen's
kittags suddeny dropped over the
ships forecaste onto the quay. and
fl,w moments later the whole of the
fircment andgreasers filed down tho
single gangway.
All the arguments OF the cal White
Star manager. Mr.. Curry. and OF Com
mandcr Clarke. prove. futile TO in
3 .lucc the men to return TO the ship
Most of them expressed the fear that
if they accepted the offer OF Command
+ Clarke TO go with them To Cowes.
and there to test the ships boats. they
would not be allowede to leave the ves-
sci ii they desired to do SO. All the
passengers remained on board
Commander Clarke offered to take
the Olympic to the Cowes Roads and
allow any OF the crew to select any
boat. or boats. on board. and he woul,,
prove, by demonstration, that they
were absolutely safe.
The men refused to be convinced. and
left the ship in n body. They at
tempted to get all the seamen also to
leave the liner. but this move was
checkm ated by the White Star officials,
who removed all the EanGways.
BY pressing into service all the
available engine room hands on the
! White Star and American liners in
poYt. the olympic was able to leave
dock Just lefore . o'clock in tho at.
ternoon and proceed down Southamp-
ton water. where she awaits a fresh
batch OF hrcmen ana greasers
One of the strikers alleged that he
put his thumb through the canvas Of
one of the new coliapsiblc boats.