New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-16
SCALED SEA PEAKS
TO HELP VOLTURNO

decks could observe how angrily the
ocean rolled. He said the thousands
Of lights twinkling through the ports
of the rescuing steamships seemed to
him as if Coney Island had been sud
denly shifted to mid-Atlantic.
Enrich Roggc the fourth officer of
the Grosser Kurftirst, who took the
third lifeboat out on Thursday night,
tried vainly for six hours to rescue
women and children from the Vol
turno.
Edward Lloyd the Volturno's second
officer, who barely escaped with his life
when he and four seamen made u test
trip out from the Volturno to the Kur-
fuerst, recalled his experience yes.er-
day with as much unconcern as If he
were telling OF a meal he had eaten a
year ago. Lloyd said:
~ was asleep on Thursday morning
when the fire, alarm was sounded.
When got out on deck the flames were
shooting at least sixty feet. Captain
Inch ordered the lfeboats manned.
There was terrific gale. Lifeboats
Nos. | and were put out with their
respective crews and passengers, most
ly women. AS soon as we tried TO
lower away we found II was a useless
task, as the boats were then smashing
UP. Captain Inch ordered us to stop.
and we let the boats hang as they
We're
II saw no great alarm among the
passengers. All OF them were gathered
aft, most Of the women singing hymns
and praying. The fire had put ihe
steam steering gear out of commission.
The bridge was useless. We kept the
ship going at half speed. however, and
steered with a hand gear. Captain
Inchs idea in keeping the helm nard
up was to allow him and the crew to
fight the flames on the weather side.
We fought the fire all day until 4:3O
u. m. Thursday, when our steam gave
ont. We knew then that we could not
fight ii longer. BY the time our steam
gave out the flames got to our bunkcrs.
Saved Gear for Wireless.
Captain Inch sent a message to the
Carmania then to come and get the
passengers off. but not to bother with
the crew. We tried our best again 10
get the boats lowered, but the seas
were too heavy.
"Rv this time we were all suffering
from infiamed eyes and singed lashes.
| heard Captain Inch moaning WIN
pain between orders. | was afraid our
wireless would drop sooner or later, as
the gear was charred, so L went up the
foremost at about 1 a. m, and. hang
ing by my legs. made fast the loosened
gear. 1t was mighty hot on that fore
mast and in getting down again to the
deck | slipped and dropped about
twelve feet. 1t did not hurt me much
until after l was saved by the Kur-
fuerst Then | was taken to the hos
pital.
1T seemed as though we never would
he able to get a lifeboat safely afioat in
that sea. No boats had come out from
anv of the vessels standing by. so Cap
tain Inch called me aside and made a
nronosition. He thought If the other
vessels could see that one OF our boats
could live in the sea they would send
ont some of their own. / called for a
volunteer crew and picked four men to
90 with me. AS we dropped down into
,he sea Captain Inch asked me to re-
quest the captain OF the Grosser hui :
fuerst TO send us boats for passengers
as soon as ne could. l had pocket
easb in my pocket, and by flashing It
from time to time the men on the kur-
fuerst could see us.
hard pull TO the German ves-