Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-06-17
COLLISION AT SEA.
Pretoria, Boat on Which Mrs.
Tillman and Miss Helen 4
Tillman Sailed Collides 4
With Another.

On Board Steamship New York
(By Wireless, via Siasconsett,
Mass.,) June With neither
steamer seriously damaged as re-
suit OF crash at sea east of the
Nantucket lightship early to-day the
American liner New York. for New
York, and the Pretoria of the Ham
burg-American line, en- route to
Hamburg, were proceeding tonight
to their destinations.
The precautions taken to slow
both vessels down in a dense fog
prevailing averted a possible disas-
ter.
After learning the New York was
little the worse for the accident, the
Pretoria sent wireless message to
the American liner informing her
that the Pretoria was in no danger
On board the New York tonight
everything had resumed the normal
routine again. N4
Statements of various witnesses
tend to show that the Pretoria Ell
,her hit the New York at an obtuse
angle or in attempting to cross her
bows struck her at a right angle.
The German boat smashed the shel:
ter deck railing of the New York
and many of her own port holes
were crushed in.
There was no panic and little ex-
citement on the New York. 1t seem
ed. howe yer, TO those on the New
York that there was considerable
commotion aboard the Pretoria. Il
While the New York, westbohnd,
was rnotionless in a heavy fog 400
miles east of Ambrose lightship
early to-day, the Hamburg-Ameri-
can liner Pretoria, bound east, ran
into her and ripped hole of i2
feet. Highland sa feet sisf
port side.
The hole is flush with the main
deck and is Is feet above the water
line. So great was the force of the
collision that the Pretoria's anchor
was torn from her bow and left
hanging lnsile the gap that had
been torn in the New York. Practi,
cally all the passengers On both
ships were asleep.
Immediately after the collision
the engines of both ships were cr-
dered full speed astern and passen-
gers came hurrying to the decks.
The passengers of the New York
were able to reach over and touch
the bow of the Pretoria as she pull
ed away from her dangerous posi-.
ton. There was no panic. Capt
Roberts and Chief Officer Turner
were both on the bridge at the time
of the collision. They re-assured the
frightened passengers, many of
whom hurried to the starboard side
of the ship, anticipating list to
port. Members of the crew also
went among the passengers and
urged them to be calm.
Upon the orders of Capt. Rob
erts the bulkheads of the New York
we're closed at 1852 o'clock this
morning because of the density Of
the fog. This was about 10 minutes
before the collision. During this
period the Pretoria replied con-
stantly to fog signal blown by the
New York.
Capt. Roberts blew two long
blasts repeatedly for five minutes
prior to the collision. These whis-
ties indicated that the New York
stopped. Suddenly there was a
crash, succeeded by a sharp tearing
sound as the steel plates and wood
work of the New York were shat
tered by the Pretoria's sharp bow.
Fortunately the watch which oc-
cupied the quarters behind that part
Of the ship which was crushed in
was on duty in the stokehold. Had
the collision occurred while this
watch was off duty a number of
liveseprobably would have been lost.
The Pretoria was less damaged by
the collision than the New York.
Several of the plates at her bow
were sprung and twisted.
After the passengers had been
assured thai they were in no dan
ger they began to laugh and joke
over the queer costumes in which
some of the travellers appeared on
deck. The passengers refused to re-
return to their cabins until day