The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-02-04

aud out Of the way lest they impede the efforts OF
the mariners engaged In attemptin TO save the
vessel. But the sea has lost nothing OF its
strength, it's caprlciousness or It's mnlIgnancy. and
when the unexpected happens and the ship strikes
II Is, unfortunately, too true that, however
suaunchly built her skin, the attendant horrors
r. seldom wanting or the resultant calamity less
direiul than II was In olden days.
Almost all shipwrecks may be regarded In three
aspects-the pathetic, the heroic and the plctur'
esque. The cinematograph has rot yet, so far as
we are aware, recorded the various phases OF a
real %shipwreck. The great liner. teeming with
life, the mIcrocosm of a big city; her people. ex.
pectant OF a fine and favorable passage, confident
In the knowledge that those in charge are fully
competent. hopeful that everything possible has
been done for their comfort and security: then
the fog or darkness closing In. uncertainty, un.
easiness. the crash, the grinding on the rock.
There follow the passionate sweep Of the seas and
the complaining echo OF the surf. accompanied.
perchance. by the raging OF the wind and the
terrible blast OF the rain-llled tempest. Then
tragedy, too frequently In sight OF hundreds on
shore who would be willing helpers. but are able
10 render little or no assistance. A few hours
lateI and a rafne OF ~wreckage on the storm.strewn
beach Is all that tells the fearful tale. Yet photog.
raphy can aid In the realization OF such events.
and. as the photographs reproduced with this ar.
ticie show, can. more especially when the deserted
hulk IL for a time preserved, Indicate. II only In.
adequately, the fury. the misery and the desolate-
ness OF shipwreck.
When fire Is added to the other perlls, then the
spectacle becomes magnificent In It's horrors. De
scribing the burning OF the Queen Charlotte, OF
40 guns, the flagship OF Lord Keith. of Leghorn.
in March, 1900. a spectator tells how the ship be-
came enveloped in black clouds OF suHocating
smoke. from which here and there CLEANS OF
lurid flame arose. Then the fire became more
vivid. rose higher and higher. grew brighter and
brighter. crept quietly. but surely. onward and
upward, enyeloping the masts. the yards and all
the delicate tracery OF rigging and spars. The
boats on the booms, the quarterback. the poop In
one direction. and the forecastle. bowsprit and
masts In the other. were each In turn enwrapped
IN flames, amid the Pickering OF which the dark
bodies Of the gallant officers and men stood out
distinctly as they attempted to smother the fire
with blankets and hammocks, or poured streams
OF water upon the burning parts. In spite OF their
almost superhuman efforts, the flames rolled on,
making the destruction OF the ship inevitable.
while 10 add to the striking effect the guns. as
they became hot, exploded, threatening the ap.
proach OF those who would have gone to the sue.
cur OF the crew. At length the fire reached the
magazines, and the vessel blew up. sending a
dusty column OF debris and wreckage high into
the air. All that was left unburnt Immediately
sunk down by the stern, but when the ponderous
contents OF the hold had been washed away. the
ship was suddenly seen TO emerge almost her