The Washington times., 1913-10-12
FLAMES DANCE IN DEvlLIsH GLEE =.

I lifeboGts lowered to proceed to the Vol
turno to help in the rescue. This was
effected with much difficulty, for even
OIL the lee side of the Carmania the sea
vas exceedingly rough. and it was only
by extraordinary efforts that the small
craft was prevented from being smash
the ship.
The Carmania's lifeboat, in charge of
First Officer Gardiner, made a gallant
but futile attempt to get alongside the
doomed volturno. After two hours bat
tie with the waves, in which the lifeboat
lest all but three Of her oars. the rest
being broken or torn from the hands OF
mania, which he succeeded in making
without loss of libe or broken limbs
among the members of his boats crew
Gets Within 100 Feet. -
Captain Barr. Of the Carmania, then
maneuvered his big vessel close to the
VolturEo and finally got the Carmania's s
bow within hundred feet of the VOL
turno's stern. 1t was found impossible,
however, to cast a line on board the
Volturno or to get anybody of.
1t was terrifying sight for the pas
sengers and crew Of the Carmania to
see so close to them the hundreds OF
passengers. including women and chill
drcn, 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 lifeboats, but q hundred of
them had gathered at the after end Of
The burning vessel, whose crew at the
same time continued in vain to fight
the fire at her forward end.
Captain Barr in the meanwhile kept
his wireless apparatus at work COM
municating with all the vessels within
the radius of his instruments. Then
the Grosser Kurfuerst and the Seydlitz
came In sight, and these two were
joined later In the afternoon by other
ships.
Boats Lowered In Vain.
The gale moderated slightly toward
night. and each Of the succoring ships,
as soon as 1t was possible for her to
do SO. put out boats from her davits
and lowered them to the sea. The
waves. however. were SO high that, al
though the small craft made some prog
ress In the direction Of the Volturno,
1t was impossible for them to get along
side, and they returned to their ships,
In most cases doing this with the great
est difficulty, owing to the overwhelm-
ing seas and the darkness of the night.
The Carmania kept her searchlights
going throughout the night, throwing
rays across the foaming seas In the
quest for possible struggling swimmers
or lfeboats from the Volturno.
The spectacle of the great vessel
being consumed by fire, with more than
600 persons on board and surrounded
by fleet of huge lighted hulls crowd
ed with thousands of spectators all
anxious, but unable TO help, owing
to the mountainous seas, beggared de-
scription.
Throw Over Life Buoys.
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 pick
ing UP some CT those who had been cast
into the sea
At $50 o'clock at night the wireless
operator on board the Volturno had to
turn over the connection OF his instru-
ment to the reserve batteries. as the
fire had reached the boilers and the
engine room AMI had put the pumps and
dvnamos out Of action.
BY daybreak the Volturno was still
floating with her great human cargo
huddled In masses on her poop deck |
The. sea had moderated considerably
and fiOtilla of boats gathered round
the stern of the VOlturno.