The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-14
CAPTAIN BARR'S STORY.
Commander of the Carmania Describes
Efforts at Rescue.

| Liverpool, Oct. 14-In an inter-
view here Captain Barr of the Car
mania told his own story of the rescue
| of 526 souls from the burning Vol
turno. Captain Barr showed the eff
fects of the great strain under which
he had been laboring. His face was
deeply lined and his eyes were heavy
from lack of sleep.
IT am very tired he said, apologet-
| ically, when asked for an interview,
| but I'll do the best I can.
1T was about O'Clock on the
morning of October 10 when I got a
message from the Volturno, which
said she was afire and wanted assist
Carmania's course and ordered all
possible speed.
I'VE arrived a little before noon. I
saw that the Volturno was smoking
badly forward. I saw it was evident
" a big fife All of the Volturno's
A northwest gale was blowing and I
could see the Volturno's propellers
lifting completely out of the water.
There was a considerable number of
boats still on the afterdeck and I had
learned en- route that 500 persons
were still aboard her. The wireless
had said that $50 had gone away in
the boats. 1t seemed foolish thing
to risk lowering the Carmania's boats
in such circumstances, but I felt we
had to make a try to help them.
Il thought of sending out four
boats. My men were SO eager to go
that there would have been more than
enough volunteers to man four boats.
1 was glad afterwards that I sent only
one. 1t was dropped close to lee
ward. I steamed out of it's way. 1t
had a bad time from the start. The
gale was very high and the great roll
ers nearly capsized the boat more
than once.
.HTk,oro ,,,oro ,rood co;1orp,op in tbot
boat and they saved the situation by
working a sea anchor.
1.-The Carmania did not maneuver
well in the heavy sea and L had to
take a wide sweep after the lifeboat
had battled fiercely with the wind and
waves and had been forced to return
toward the Carmania. 1t was with
the greatest difficulty that we got it
aboard. We nearly lost a man in do
ing so.
Volturno if he could control the fire
while L ran northwest to search for
the missing boats. There were two
life boats from the Volturno that had
passengers and some of the crew at
tempted to leave the burning ship be-
fore the Carmania arrived.
THE Volturno thought that these
boats had kept on top of the water
and had been driven by the gale a
w
Inch what L should do, he said: Yes,
go ahead, but for Gods sake don't go
too far.
AT o'clock the Seydlitz came in
sight 1 Marconied her and asked her
to stand by while 1 went to look for
the missing lifeboats I hadn't gone
ten miles before the Volturno sent me
an urgent appeal to come back. I
turned about almost Immediately. II
called a consultation of all my navi-
eating officers with the purpose of
getting suggestions as to the best
thing to do in the way of life saving
expeditions.
Il acted on the suggestion of my
chief officer, Mr.. Gardner, to lower
life RATS and steam down to the lee
ward as closely as we could get But
the Volturno could not move her en-
gineS backward or forward, so the
RATS drove close under her bows and
were lost l backed astern and got
within 100 feet of the Volturno. Cap
tain Inch wanted me to try and get
a line aboard, but it was utterly i'm
possible. No line could have stood !
such a strain in a sea like that. Mean |
while the Grosser Kurfuerst arrived, |
taking up a position under the Vol |
turno's lee. I have nothing but praise |
for the men aboard that vessel. |
Presently L got to windward the |
position 1 had wanted before this. 1
told the Volturno's captain that if he |
had to abandon his vessel. which I |
likely, I would suggest that |
he use life lines and life buoys, as