Loss of Naronic and All Aboard Also Probably Due to Iceberg
The total loss of one great steamship, the secret of whose fate has never been revealed by the Jealous sea, has stood on the debit columns of the White Star line since 1893. That was the giant freighter, Naronic, which disappeared from the eastward winter track across the Atlantic some time after Feb. 11 of that year, and not one of the seventy-four souls aboard her ever was found to tell the tale of her destruction.
Because the only traces of the Naronic that ever were found subsequently were two lifeboats, one overturned and the other empty and floating awash with the waves, steamship men and marine underwriters could do no more than build conjectures as to the sudden blow that had overwhelmed the big ship in midocean.
PROBABLY BLOTTED OUT BY COLLISION WITH ICEBERG.
Either an iceberg or a derelict, they agreed, had been responsible for blotting out the Naronic, for there was not the remotest possibility of a fire destroying her, and no other craft, which might have been in collision with her was either reported missing or came to port with the tale of disaster.
The Naronic, Capt. William Roberts commanding, was the first twin screw freighter to be built. She was a steel steamship of 6,594 tons, with two sets of engines capable of developing 3,350 horse power and was 470 feet long, with 58 feet beam. Built for the cattle carrying trade, she had made several trips across the Atlantic and back, when on Fab. 11 she left the Mersey, New York bound, with a crew of sixty and fourteen cattle men as passengers.
Long after the Naronic had been posted as overdue, the British steamship Coventry, out of Fernandina, arrived at Bremen March 20. Her captain reported that on March 4, when in latitude 43 north, longitude 46 west, he had passed a white lifeboat, capsized and almost submerged, upon the bow of whieh he thought he had been able to read the word "Naronic." Twelve hours later the Coventry had passed another white lifeboat, riding right side up, but half filled with water.
DERELICT LIFEBOATS TELL TRAGEDY'S OUTLINE.
The name “Naronic“ was plainly visible on this boat and there was a sea anchor of spars and oars lashed together draggin over the stern. This indicated to the eyes of the Coventry's captain that those who had been occupants of the second lifeboat had encountered heavy weather and that the sea anchor had been hove overboard as a despairing effort to keep the craft's head to the sea.
The place where the Coventry had sighted the two lifeboats was about 300 miles southeast of Newfoundland, far below the winter tracks between Liverpool and New York and almost in the path of New York steamers bound for Gibraltar. How far the two boats had drifted from the Naronic after they had been hastily put out in some moment of disaster could only be a matter of speculation. The sea covered its secret well and has held it to this day.
IMMENSE ICEBERGS DROVE CARMANIA FAR SOUTH OF HER COURSE
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J. H. Wellsford, a Liverpool shipowner, who reached New York yesterday on the liner Carmania, gave an interesting account to-day of the icefields the ship encountered off the Grand Banks on Thursday.
"I have crossed the ocean nearly a hundred times." he said, "but never before have I seen ice so far south and in such great quantity.
"An interesting feature ot the field," he continued, "was the fact that the sea, although presenting a surface like glass, was mountainous. A thick fog necessitated frequent stops, and when the fog temporarily lifted bergs were discernible off both port and starboard.
The most impressive features were the numerous 'growlers'-large bergs that had melted on top until they were almost awash. In bad or falling lights they were extremely difficult to discern, and very dangerous because of the great quantity of ice below the waterline.
"The Carmania, after spending most of the day trying to navigate a passage through the field, decided to put about. Thus she made a passage to the south and avoided further damage."
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LLOYDS REINSURE TITANIC FOR HALF OF LINER'S VALUE.
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LONDON, April 15.—Lloyds agents here to-day are reinsuring the Titanic, but in doing so indicate their belief in the gravity of the situation by demanding and receiving a premium of 50 per cent.
A member of a prominent firm of underwriters, when informed of the disaster to the Titanic to-day, said:
"Even if the Titanic reaches port, her owners will have to calculute on a loss of at least $750,000, but if she becomes a total loss it will be an extremely serious matter. The vessel cost $10,000.000 to build. Her hull is valued, for insurance purpose, at $5.000,000.
"Then, there are all sorts of miscellaneous matters to be taken into account for disbursements and for passage money and freights paid in advance, as well as for stores, bangage and other things. I do not suppose the owners are covered to the extent of more than $7,250,000 or at the utmost $7,500,000."
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ICE PACKS NOT UNUSUAL, MOST SHIPS HAVE REPORTED
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Only One Liner Has Reported Extraordinary Number of Bergs In Steamer Lane. According to reports received by the United States hydrographic office, at No. 73 Broad street, the ice packs and fields in the steamer lane, where the Titanic is now reported, have been in no way unusual. The Titanic is reported at about 41.46 north and 50.14 west. The ice fields as far south as that are about 41.46 north and 50.40 west. In that vicinity also one of the hydrographic maps shows eight derelicts, but that number is not unusual.
Reports from shipmasters of ice packs observed en route between British ports and New York showed 63 in April of last year as against 12 up to the 12th of the present month. The last report was of April 11, from Capt. Dow of the Cunard liner Carmania. He advised by wireless from 41.55 north and 50.20 west: "Passed numerous icebergs and extensive ice floes."
The only report of unusual ice conditions was from Capt. Jacobsen of the British steamer Armenian, who sent this message April 7 front 43.20 north and 48.20 west : "Saw several large and small icebergs at latitude 42.36 and longitude 49.36. Heavy field ice indications are that there is an unusual quantity of large and small icebergs and field and pack Ice. The southern limit of the ice appears to extend from latitude 42.36 to longitude 49.36, running in an east-northeast direction. Changed ship's course south to clear the ice."
HER COMANDER CALLED "GRAND OLD MAN OF SEA"
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Captain of the Titanic Known as Skipper Who Took No Chances.
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The honor bestowed on Capt. Edward John Smith, when he was selected to command the Titanic and taken from the Olympic for that purpose, was considered remarkable among steamship commanders, for it is a deep sea tradition that a captain's career is ended when his vessel meets with serious mishap.
The Olympic had twice met with misfortune with Capt. Smith as her commander, but the White Star company knew that they were justified in placing every reliance on the man who has ruled over the finest steamships in tne world.
Capt. Smith has been in the service of the White Star for thirty-eight years. He has commanded the Republic-the old Republic, not the one the Florida sank off Nantucket lightship- the Britannic, the Germanic and the Majestic.
He brought over the Baltic when she was the biggest vessel on the seas, then the Adriatic and lastly the Olympic. In the White Star service he is known as "The Old Man."
FORTY YEARS HAS HE FOLLOWED THE SEA.
It is rather more than forty years since Capt. Smith first went to sea. He was an apprenticed sailor to the old house of Andrew Gibson & Sons, whose lumber ships sailed between New Orleans and Mobile and Liverpol. His first command was the Bessie Gibson, a pretty ship in her day, that made a fortune for her owners. He rose rapidly, and after having had command of sailing vessels joined the White Star as fourth officer.
He is tall and of weight proportionate to his height. His white hair, white Whisker and mustache make him called by those who have voyaged frequently under his care "The Grand Old Man of the Sea.". Except the mishaps with the Olympic and the trouble at the opening of the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic, he has never had an accident.
CAPT. SMITH NAVIGATOR WHO NEVER TOOK CHANCES.
Capt. Smith was essentially a careful navigator. He never took chances. He attended himself to every detail of his duty, and never left to others what he ought to see to himself. He never did what it was the duty of some one else to do if that some one was at his post.
His home is at Southampton, England, and he has a charming wife and a pretty daughter fourteen years old. His hobby is reading and he kept himself closely posted on both the American and English politics as well as other forms of news.
The other officers of the Titanic include; Surgeon, W. F. N. O'Loughlin; Assistant Surgeon, J. E. Simpson; Pursers, H. W. McElroy and R. L. Barker; Chief Steward, Albert Latimer.
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2,400 HAD BOOKED OUTWARD PASSAGE ON TITANIC FOR SATURDAY.
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It was stated at the White Star offices here this morning that 700 Passengers had booked first-class staterooms on the Titanic for her first sailing from this port, which was scheduled for next Saturday. In the second-class 500 berths bad been engaged, and more than 1,300 passages in the steerage.
EXPERT NIXON SAYS TITANIC COULD FLOAT EVEN BADLY CRUSHED.
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Lewis Nixon, when informed at his home, No. ... East Fifty-third street, to-day, of the mishap to the Titanic, expressed the opinion that the ship is in no immediate danger. He based his opinion on the facts no brought to his attention.
"The extent of the injuries to the ship," he said, "depends on the speed at which she was travelling. In such as the Titanic is equipped with the bell echo apparatus which gives warning of the proximity of icebergs, and the iceberg always gives atmospheric warning of its approach by a drop in ........, I do not think the Titanic ....... have been moving at anything ... ... speed.
"Unless the forward end of the Titanic was entirdly smashed in, she should not be in any danger. And even if the foreward end should be smashed, ...... ... ships are no sub....vided, not only ... .... bulkheads but elsewhere, that the Titanic should float. "However, the Titanic must have .... leaking badly, or she would not have sent a wireless call for assistance."