Smyrna times., 1912-05-01
FORMER CITIZEN WRITES
OF THE "UNSINKABLt SHIP"
JAMES 3. SCOTT, WILMINGTON
WRITES OF THE ACCIDENT
The Appalling Disaster of the "Titanic"
Makes a Topic For Discussion
From a Shipbuilder's Standpoint


White Star Liner Titanic IN the
North Atlantic, and which has sent
a thrill of horror throughout the
world when upwards of l,6OO souls
found a watery grave in the depths
of the Atlantic has so far been only
COMPENSATED by that "Touch OF
nature that makes the whole world
KIM" For once Throughout Christ
endom the churches of all creeds
bow in prayer to Him who holds
all created things in the hollow OF
His hand, and never did the strains
"Nearer my God to Thee carry
more eloquence of meaning than
the Sunday following the awful
calamity, Time, the gentle arblter
of all things, may in measure as
suage but cannot Obliterase the
work of that fateful night when the
great ship disappeared forever. II
the equipment of the ship in life
saving devices was not equal to
the emergency, the responsibility
rests where it belongs-solely with
the owners. On the ther hand, the
implicit confidence that the travel
ing public entertained, that the
great, modern floating palace was
practically unsinkable raises a ques'
tion of responsibility that becomes
difficult to place. The water-tight
bulkheads, the chief reliance of
modern marine architects has sus-
tanned a blow that it is doubtful If
it will ever recover from. Whatever
other modes of construction may be
adopted, this disaster proves
sufficiently that large, enclosed all
areas will not do what is intended
of them should one or more sucf
spaces become fractured, and this
conclusion is the outcome of
frightful experience in a holocaus
of lives. The question then arise
"what can be done to make ship
absolutely unnsinkable under ever,
implied condition?
Explained by Parallel Illustration
Now here is a parallel Illustrate
that possibly explains the probler
of unsinkability, perhaps too a
the right moment when all lnipA
are tensely drawn. as ur~ 70 q
and Mrs. BIO II ,.ai ma
IL, steamiug Of On we
ward trip at a ga\ nous
hour, the embodimehdav Psfte al
gaiety, her magnifceh Appolnt'
salons graced with richly arttir'
women and brave men, think that
real unsinkable ship rising fro
the mists and fogs of the Nor
seas would place herself athwa
her path and hurl to destruction
this mangifcence? Did the terri
impact stop for one moment-tf
creation of the Frost King?" D
nature reply upon bulkhesds to ke
this mighty mass afoat? Then t
conclusion is easily reached; Q
relied on large air spaces, the ott
on infinitely small ones-and
small ones won! For years l ma
advocated the cellular construction
ship,. | have seen at many critic
times the value of air compress
in minute areas, and had the brc
decks of the Titanic have had
chambers built in under them,
buovancy therein contained wo'
have upheld the displacement ECU
10 as the minute air cells of
ice berg upheld it after the colllsl
and the ''Titanic' would not-co
not--have sunk entirely while tn
air chambers remained intact, ev
as in this case, had the entire
been ripped open below the wa
line.
Life Boats Should be Fully Suppl
But death rides not alone upo
white horse, when. in the roal
mighty winds, he charges al
over the billows, cruel and II
orable. Sometimes he comes in
guise of fire and then all discip
ends and panic, that turns men
infuriated beasts, calls for
prompt lowering away Of life DO
and air cells play then no par
saving life. So, that of all DAM
of the sea, fire is the worst III
unprepared ship and all marit
governments should enact OF e.
common carrier under their fl
sufficient number of life boat
insure the departure OF all
board in time of fire and when
unwritten law of the sea is d
garded-women and children frs
James B. Scott.