The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-12

Titantic sank, and fifteen hundred
ftvps WIRE f1ysr 0U ATTtt II, sfz. fre
scene of Thursdays disaster was about
$50 miles east of New Foundland, and
we'll in the steamship track.
The Nol,urno. which was the small
est of the Uranium lines three ships.
which ply between Rotterdam and
Halifax New York. was 340 feet long
and 3 feet beam, She was fairly
new boat. having been built at Glas-
gov seven years ago. ON this voyage
she carried immigrants from eastern;
Europe Tithuanians. Jews,
Russians, HupgarianS, and other ma
tionalities who were seeking homes
: In Canada or the United States So
far as Is now known there were no
English or American people among
the passengers OF the passengers
there were about eighty who are said
TO have been infants OF small chill
dren.
The Nolturno was officered by Cap
tain Francis Inch First Officer II. +.
Miller. Chief Engineer ID. Dewar. Sur
ceon H Carter Purser william p.
Brown, Assistant Purser H. y. Lang,
and Chief Steward II. Mailer The
wireless operators who sent out the
s. O, s. call for help were w. Feddon,
tiAt way ildta, anu ~ d. iOiL
the night man.
Her cargo was not large. consisting
Of Sgl tons Of non-comhustible chem
icals, manufactured cotton goods,
mineral waters, and liquors. She sail
ed from Rotterdam on October I'd
for New York. by way .of Halifax,
/ where she was due next Monday.
Battered for Days.
II appears that the Nolturno was
battered by wind and sea for a day
or so before the fire started. Other
vessels had reported that the North
Atlantic was on its bad behavior. It
was such weather as lis most feared by
navigators when they think of broken
shafts. of fire. or of other serious ac-
cidents.
1t seems that the explosion which
caused the fire occurred early on
wireless men were ordered "a
send out the call for help, the
y. 90 S. of the international
code. While Captain Inch and his Of
ficers were fighting the flames for
ward, and trying to calm the steeragc
the two young men in the wireless
room were reaching out over the sea
knowing that numerous ships were
within two hundred miles.
The Carmania, east bound, was the
first to pick up the call. The Gu
harder was only seventy-eight miles
from the Volturno when Captain Barr
learned that there was work waiting
for his men. The Carmania was run
ming under her usual speed, but Cap
tain Barr ordered his engineers to
crowd on steam and give the ship all
of the speed that could he made A
double force of stokers were put to
work. and their efforts gave the ship
twenty knots.
She reached the Volturno about
noon. and Captain Barr realized at q
glance the desperate situation Of the
Volturno's company. The INN grant
boat was all afire at the bow. She was
pointed with the wind in an effort to
keep the flames from making their
way aft, and was, according to the
wireless news. making little or no
Roadway Great waves were breaking
over her.
An Unayailing Fight.
The gale was terrific and there
seemed small chance for a life boat,
but Captain Barr. undoubtedly believ-
ing that an effort was imperative d.
rected First O.cer Gardner to make
an attempt at reaching the Volturno.
The lowering OF the lifeboat was ac-
compiished only after extraordinary
efforts Time after time the sea pre-
vented the boat from being dropped.
Several times the first officer and the
lifeboat crew were nearly drowned.
Finally Gardiner got his aoat away
from the Carmenia and attempted TO
make progress toward the NClturno, It
was an unavailine fight Oars were
broken or Torn from the hands OF
the crew. The first officer and his men
struggled for two hours to reach the
Nolturne. and finally were conquered.
Captain Barr saw that II was utterly
hopeless to attempt a transfer by
means of small boats.
He tried smother plan, Irianeaver-
ing tho big l'unarder 10 the lee Of the
burning ship and attempting TO get