Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-11

fuerst. of the names have
not been received by me-
Captain Barr, of the Carmania, re-
ceived the distress call of the Vol
turno when seventy eight miles dis
tant, in latitude 1925. north. longitude
34.33 west. The Carmania crowded
on full steam and with extra stol1ers
made over twenty knots an hour in
the teeth of the gale.
When the Carmania reached the
vicinity of the Volturno at noon she
found the forward end of the dis
tressed vessel burning fiercely. The
flaming ship was at the same time
rolling heavily, while her propellers
were fouled with boat tackle used in
lowering her six lifeboats.
It was learned by the captain of
the Carmania that two only out of
six lifeboats had succeeded in get
ting safely away from the Yolturno.
The other four, crowded from stem
to stern with passengers and mem
bers of the crew, had been smashed
against the side of the vessel. and
all their occupants thrown into the
sea and drowned.
In spite of the terrific gale raging
when she arrived near the Volturno,
the captain of the Carmania had one
or his iifeboats lowered TO proceed
to the Volturno to help in the res
cue. The boat was launched with
much difficulty, for even on the lee
side of the Carmania the sea was
terribly rough, and it was only by
extraordinary efforts that the small
craft was prevented from being
smashed or capsized as she left the
side of the ship.
The Carmania's life-boat, in charge
of First officer Gardiner, made a
gallant but futile attempt to get
alongside the doomed Volturno After
two hours battle with The waves,
during which the iife-boat lost all
but three of her oars, the rest being
broken or torn from the hands Of
the crew. First officer Gardner re-
turned to the Carmanid, which he
succeeded In making withou. loss of
life or broken limbs among the MEM
bers of his boats crew.
Captain Barr of the Carmanie, then
Unanswered his big vessel very close
to the Volturno and finally got the
Carmania's bow within a hundred
feet of the Volturno's stern. 1t was
found impossible, however, to cas-.
a line on board the Volturno or to
get anybody off her.
1t was a terrifying sight for the
passengers and crew of the carmanla
to see so close to them the hundreds
of passengers, including women and
children, in horror-stricken fear on
the decks of the Volturno, and yet be
unable to help them. Most of the
passengers got, into the Volturno's
life-boats, but a hundred of them
had gathered at the after end of tho
burning vessel, whose crew at the
same time continued In vain to fight
the fire at her forward end.
Other Vessels Called.
Captain Barr. of the Carmania, in
the meanwhile kept his wireless ap-
partus at work communicating with
all the vessels within the radius CT
his instruments.
At A o'clock in the afternoon the
Grosser Kurfuerst and the Seydlitz
came in sight and these two were
joined later in the afternoon by the
Kroonlapd, the Devonian and Kappa
hammock, the Minneapolis. La Tou-
raine and the Asian.
The gale moderated slightly toward
night and each, OF the suocoring ships,
as soon as it was possible for her
to do so, put out boats from her
fdavits and lowered them to the sea.
The waves. however. We're so high
that although the small craft made
some progress in the direction of the
Volturno. it was impossible for them
to get alongside and they returned
to their ships, in most cases doing
this with the greatest difficulty owing
to the Overwhelming seas and the
darkness of the night.
The Carmania kept her search
lights going throughout the night
throwing their rays across the foam
ing seas In the quest for possible
struggling swimmers or 1ifeboats from
the Volturno
At about 9 o'clock In the evening
when the darkness was at its black
est. flames burst through amidships
of the Volturno from her engine
room ana coal bunkers.
AS the fire lighted up the sky this
was followed by an explosion which
sent into the air burning wreckage
like a fight of rockets. The specta-
Gle of the great vessel being con-
sumed by fire, with over 500 souls on
board of her and surrounded by a
feet of huge lighted hulls crowded
with thousands of spectators, all
anxious. but unable to help, owing to
the mountainous seas. beggered de-
scription.
All that could be done by the would
be helpers was to throw overheard
from their vessels dozens of lighted
| life buoys and stand by in the hope
OF picking up some of those who had
been cast into the sea.
At $3.50 at night the wireless opera
tor onSboard the Volturno had to turn
over the operation of his instrument
to the reserve batteries as the fire had
reached the boilers and the engine