Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-10-11
Death Roll Of British Ship
Volturno May Reach
Total Of .236.
BATTLE WITH FLAMES.
Ten Steamers Receive Wireless For
Assistance and Hasten to the Res
cue of Burning Ship.

Fishguard, Eng, Oct. 11.-Wire-
less messages from the steamer Car
nina report that the steamer Vol
turno, with several hundred passen-
gers aboard from Rotterdam for
New York, was abandoned afire at
sea.
Ten steamers responded to the
wirelessc calls for help and fought
for hours during a raging gale to
save the passengers and crew of the
burning steameaG which eventually
was abandoned. Occupants cf life
boats were thrown into the sea when
the boats were smashed against tn;
steamers side and probably drowned.
One report by way of Liverpool is
that 236 of the passengers and crew
of the Yolturno are missing.
The wireless from the Carmania
said that the Volturno caught fire
in mid Atlantic, and that the flames
ragged so furiously in the gale that
the abandonment of the steamer fol-
lowed. A few "details coming through
by wireless promise graphic story
&c the fight made by the crews of the
transatlantic steamers which re-
b. onded to the Volturno's call.
rhe Volturno sailed from Rotter-
a on oSsahes z sfor New York by
y of Halifax. wliere it was due tc
,p next Monday.
1t is believed that the steamer car
I'd "a cabin passengers, $40 steer
age passengers and crew of 81
man One wireless report said that
521 persons were saved.
Capt. Barr, of the Carmania re-
ceived the distress call Of the Vol
turno when 7S miles distant, in lati-
tude 4S.25 north, longitude 34.33
wesb. The Carmania crow.ed on
full steam and with extra stokers
made over twenty knots an hour in
the teeth of the gale.
Wnen the Carmania reached the
vicinity of the Volturno at noon she
found the forward end of the dis
tressed vessel burning tiercely. The
flaming ship was at the time rolling
heavily while her propellers were
fouled with boats tackle used in low
ering her six lifeboats. 1t was learn
ed by the captain of the Carmania
that two only out Of six lifeboats
had succeeded in getting safely away
from the Volturno. The other four
crowded from stem to stern with
passengers and members of the crew
had been smashed against the side o.
the vessel, and all their occupants
thrown into the sea and drowned.
In spite of the terrific gale rag
ing near the Volturno the captair
the Carmania had one Of his life
boats lowered to proceed TO the
turno to help in the rescue. The
boat was launched with much diff
Guilty, for even on the lea city of the
Carmania the sea was terribly rough,
and it was only by extraordinary ct
forts that the small craft was pre-
vented from being smashed or cap
sized as she left The side Of the ship.
The Carmania'S life boat In
charge of First Officer Gardiner,
ma!e 4 gallant but futile attempt
to get alongside the doomed Voltur-
no. After two hours battle with the
waves during which the life boat
lost all but three of her oars, the
rest being broken or torn from the
hands of the crew. First Officer Gar
diner returned to the Carmania,
which he succeeded in making with
out loss of life or broken limbs
among the members of his boats
crew.
Capt. Barr, of the Carmania, ther
Unanswered his big vessel YER!
! close to the Volturno and finally go
the Carmania's bow within few
J hundred feet of the Volturno's stern
It was found impossible, however
to cast a line on board the Volturn
or to get anybody off her.
1t was aterrifying sight for tn
passengers and crew of the Carmanl
to see so close to them the hundred
of passengers, including women an