The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 9

jTHE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN TUESDAY, APRIL 16. 1912. THE TITANIC ICE IN THE ATLANTIC. White Star Line as fourth offiwr. and has been one of the Company's commanders since 1 1537.

When the White Star moved their bi? could not be estimated to-night, but he intimated that it would run into millions. We can replace tho money," he added, "but not lives." Mr. Franklin continued: "It has been AMONG SEAFARING MEN OF LIVERPOOL. YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT. THE PLAY OF CURRENTS, (i-'ROM A CORRESPONDENT.) The early reports of the accident to the Titanic do not make it clear whether the vessel struck an icefloe or an iceberg, and they give no very definite indication of the local weather conditions at the time.

It is probable that the collision with ice occurred in a fog, such fogs being common in the region in which the Titanic is reported. A consideration of the Atlantic currents in tne latitude in which the mishap occurred may I help to suggest the causes to which it may have been due. The warm Gulf Stream runs northward from Mexico to this latitudebeforc SDreadmer out in fan-like shape across thei Greenland Sea. Between it and the coast of the American continent there flows southward chill Polar current known as the "cold wall," and the mingling of this cold flow with the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream gives rise to the foes that are so prevalent on the Grand Banks. It is possible that the Titanic' foiuid herself enveloped in such a fog at aj particularly aanceroua uiuuv iu uci i i.

1. for the reeion of these fogs is at certain seasons the region of icebergs and less commonly of icefloes. The cold Polar current that feeds the cold wall" flows from the Polar Sea through Baffin Bay, along the western side of Davis Strait. On this current the icefloes of the Polar Sea and the icebergs from Greenland are drifted down past Newfoundland into the Atlantic. The popular supposition that the ice of the Polar Sea is a solid mass is erroneous.

The ice of the Polar Sea is alwavs in broken floes. floating; and driftine. influenced by winds the and distribution i understood, i causes. is' nuu of which are still little Ah ice, from whatever nnnsjrn.lv in tnnt.inn Vast masses Of it I I 1 1 uruuii awuy irom tne uoui pava. auu.

two drifted southward through Smith Sound to Baffin Bay, and thence through Davis Strait into the Atlantic. The quantity and direc- officials of the Company, however, are confident that the lives of the Titanic's passengers are in no grave danger. 10 A.M. The Mauretania and Cincinnati are responding to the signal as well as the German liners Prinz Adalbert, Amerika, Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, and other smaller ships. WIRELESS OPERATOR'S MESSAGE HOME.

The parents of the wireless telegraphy operator on the Titanic, who live in Surrey, last night received the following message from their son: "Making slowly for Halifax. Practically unsinkable. Don't worrv." The wireless operator on the Titanio is Mr. Jack Phillips, son of Mr. and Mrs.

G. A. Phillips, of Farncombe, Godalming. He is 25 years of age and served as telegraphist in the Godalming Post Office, afterwards joining the Marconi school at Liverpool. His first wireless appointment was on the Teutonic, after which he was appointed to the Mauretania, the Lusitania, and the Oceanic, from which last he was transferred to the Titanic for her maiden trip.

THE DAY'S STRANGE REPORTS IN AMERICA. For many hours after the disaster until after midnight in this country it was confidently thought that there had been no loss of life. This confidence was mainly based on the string of messages given below. Yet a rumour that the Titanic had sunk was current both in Montreal and New York pretty early in the day it win oe nowceci ma the messago from New York timed 11 30 a.m., it is stated that twenty boatloads of pas- eengers had been taken on board the Car pathia These boatloads must have been those the Carpathia found when she arrived; on the scene of tho wreckage. But the mcs sage is prefaced by the words, Tho transfer of the passengers from the Titanic is now being carried out." Mr.

Franklin, the vico president of the White Star Company in New York, persisted all day in stating that he did not believe it was possihlo for tho Titanic to sink. (Hecter's Telegrams.) New York, Monday. A message from Montreal, timed 8 30 a.m., says that tho Titanic is still afloat and heading towards Halifax with her own engines. The women and children have not been taken olf, though the lifeboats are ready in case of emergency. lb is thought the bulkheads will prevent her sinking.

11 30 A.M. The transfer of the passengers from the Titanic is now being carried out. Twenty boatloads have already been taken on board the Carpathia. 1 30 p.m. Mr.

Franklin at one o'clock this afternoon gave out the following message, received from tho Boston office of the White Star Line (Allan Line, Montreal, confirms the report): Virginian, Parisian, Carpathia in attendance, standing by Titanic." This was done in order to refute an unconfirmed report that the Titanic had sunk. 1 don't believe it possible," said Mr. Franklin. A telegram from Montreal states that the White Star manager there, Mr. Mitchell, believes that with so many vessels around the Titanic it would be unnecessary for the Vir ginian to return to Halifax with her.

4 ao p.m. Mr. Franklin said that at four o'clock ho Wl information that all the nassen- eers had been transferred from the Titanic. He had, however, received nothing indicating the extent of the damage sustained by the liner. This last report was sent by wireless telegraphy to Mr.

Franklin, vice president of the White Star Company in New York, by Captain Haddock, of the Olympic, which is near- ing the iitanic. J.n ciespaicu aaas tuat wis Parisian and Carpathia are in attendance on I mi 1 1 1 xl. I the Titanic, and that the Baltic is neanng the ship. New York, Monday, An official message received here by way of the cableship Mi, off Cape Race, says that steamers are towinsr the Titanic, and endeav ouring to get her into shoal water near Cape Race for the purpose of beaching her. a of at up of be I tion axe influenced by season, wind, ana the White Star line.

The Titanic had a com-current. These floes keep to the western binatioa of teciprocatiny engines with side or ifavis btraits; on tne eastern siae, flow, icefloes are seldom observed Icebergs are not formed of sea ice, have their origin in land ioe. They have no cnnnAnfim, wifh hoincr in f. to the glaciers of Greenland. The interior out of port and going Greenland is covered by a complete ice can.

I astern' so there was no necessity for an from which glaciers, less volume now! than in an earlier era, but still considerable, ntd Wlth turbines only. The vessel was fitted discharge into the fjords of the west coast. witn apparatus for receiving submarine signals, They vary in size, some filling entirely the 'and also with the Marconi wireless telegraphy jords into which they descend. The travel apparatus. She was built by Messrs.

Harland and some of them has been accurately cal-'. Wolff, of Belfast. Her passage out of South-culated and their thickness measured. Thcy'amp'ton Harbour was nearly accompanied bv are sometimes some 1,000 feet thick, and a mLdiap. The "suction" of tJi til mnro at.

roto rr nHm.t fin ct- aiuuuugu wit-re are exceptional cases snow- ins; much fastr nrntrpss. Enormous fragments break off and float 1 v. tJZJZ 7" away to the open sea, standing as much as; doscribed as a 200 feet above the water, which means that! s'' Without dwelling on the least fiom five to seven times as muoh igi811100115' wtauranls, and state-rooms sumptu-submerged. Such a bnrg mav weioh anvthinc flt4ed and dcorafced, the list of to a million ton's. They drift at first north- sP0011111163 difficult to make complete-ward on the current up the east side of tll J'ulnasium and the swimming bath, ihc Davis Strait till they come into contact with the arbours on the sun the southward Polar current setting along tho squash racquets courts, the private the western shore in the direction of New- Promenade decks, the ballroom, available also foundland, and are thus drifted down again as a skating rink.

The Titanic is believed to into tho Atlantic Ocean. To a lesser degree have cost something like 1,500,000 to build icebergs from the glaciers on the cast coast equip, and furnish. Greenland are floated down past Cape Mr. Franklin persisted in New York vestor arewell by the southward Polar current day in declaring that the Titanic was unsinkable. Sre' Ut -f Jrack is Sho was divided inU upwards of 30 steel 2.

-15b- separated by heavy bulkheads. An brivic io tne Channel Captain rimith planned the Oceanic. com- THE INSURANCE. A rats of SO guineas per cent was quoted by London underwriters yesterday for business iu reference to the Titanic. One niominent Citv underwriter, interviewed, said that even if the vessel mada port hr owners would have to face a at leilst lso-00.

The ship cost two iu ana icr insurance purposes her hull was valued at a million. In addition there were many niiscellanaous item to take into account. He did not suppose that the owners would be covered to the extent of more than a million and a quarter or a million and a 8(3 ea ascertained there is no specie included ui the Titanic's cargo, but she was a valuabl. postal In marine quarters in Liverpool it is believed that the vessel is covered to the amount of a million and a half, of which half a million will be carried not by the White Star line itself but by the White Star and all the companies with which it works in combination. This combina- tion known to possess a very large insurance fl7n1 Of fhrfi YT1 llltnn of mc ulxu iusux- irnna Trm rlr Tff ic Vial 41...

by Liverpool companies, the remaining three-quarters being distributed amongst London offices, Hamburg probably aiding. A director of Muir, Beddall, and insurance brokers, London, states that insurances to the amount of 2,500,000 had been effected on the vessel's cargo and hull. THE LARGEST SHIP. It was as the Largest shin afloat thnt ih Titanic left Southampton on Wednnsdav for -y- 1 ori" on Dcr maiden voyage. Her tonnage ot 46'382 exceeded by 1,004 that of her sister I'- Olympic She was 882 iieet lorn? nnd92 'eel in oeam.

Larse as she was. hnwAvpr rie uv.j imic umu ouxpassea uy vessels of the Hamburg-America and Cunard lines and by the Gigantic, the keel of which lias just been laid by Messrs. Harland and Wolff for tt low-pressure turbine. The reoiorocat i ing eng-ines exhausted into the low- pressure turbine, which drove the central ti, "j-o jrooijrrocating engines, which drove propellers, being sufficient for tern turbine, which is required in steamers i vessel Drone the hawsers that moored the liner New York to the quayside -r all these st-el doors, making it possible for a single hand to close them all in case of danger. SAVED BY WIRELESS.

Mr. Arthur Cohen, manager of the publicity department of the Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company, Limited, seen by prees representa tives last night, related a number of cases in 1 1 .1 wiucu uie wireiess service has been oi ines timable benefit to vessels in distress, communi cation by means of wireless having been instiu mental in obtaining- assistance. In the case of the collision between the White Star liner Republic and the Florida on January 23, 1909. about 170 miles east of New York in a fog, com munication, said Mr. Cohen, was established with the Marconi station at Siascousett, and news of the acoident was signalled to the Baltic, La Lorraine, and a number of other vessels equipped with Marconi apparatu; Ihese went to tne assistance of the injured vessel, with the result that th vhr1( nf tlw passengers and crew were saved.

In another case, that of the Cunard liner Slavonia, the whole of the 410 passengers and the crew were saved owing to the fact that the vessel -as able to ask the assistance of other vessels by means of the wireless. On December 8, 1903, the Kroonland, bound from Antwerp to New York, disabled her steering gear some 130 miles off Fastnet. Through the MaTConi station at Crookhaven the captain within an hour and a half obtained instructions from Antwerp, and a large number of passengers sent messages to their friends. But for the installation of the wireless the ship would very likely have been lost with her passengers and crew. In Liverpool, where the sinking of the Titanic was not seriously feared yesterday, a topic of remark was the splendid demonstration tb! accident to the Titanic afforded of the practical utilitv of wireless telegraphy.

Within a few hours of her disablement the Titanic found a fleet of full-powered steamers at hand. Cases in old days were recalled of anxious week passed without news of a delayed steamer. S.O.S." It will be recalled that at the time when the Republio was sinking in the Atlantic, in 1909. the distress message sent by Jack Binns, the operator, who made himself famous on that occasion, was O.Q.D. bince then, however, the code S.O.S." has been agreed upon at the Wireless International Convention.

TWBSTT SHlLTiINQS IN THE POUND. Judge Bhand at the Liverpool County Court yesterday granted an order annulling the bankruptcy of Harry Fletcher Bowker, of 47, Hartwood Road. Southport, ioriiiriy iwoiug on Duainess at so Anphton Road. Birkdale. as the DLennts-y li Motor Company.

The receiving order in the 11.. nrao rrvnrki on Jlllv Rfl T01O 'rtu lii.biUtLes were 452 and the assets Lat May the creditors were paid a dividend of Is. 9d. th. a.af 4 la3t, Bo" of pSS shillings in the pound.

The creditors had also received interest at the rate of 4 per cent. 20' 1 io -yyzW tstes jjtew' -i tP ST" bridge controlled "inK aririeu nortnwarfl into the SUNK. LOSS FEARED OF OVER 1,500 LIVES. ICEBERG STRUCK. A WIRELESS CALL FOR AID.

LINERS TO THE RESCUE. SHIP GOES DOWN IN FOUR HOURS. PASSENGERS AN1 CREW TAKE TO BOATS. The maiden voyage of the White Star liner Titanic, the largest ship ever launched, has ended in disaster. The Titanic started her trip from Southampton for New York on "Wednesday.

Late on Sunday night she struck an iceberg off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. By wireless telegraphy she sent out signals of distress, and several liners were near enough to catch and respond to the call. Conflicting news, alarming and reassuring, was current yesterday. Even after midnight it was said nil the passengers were safe. AH reports, of course, depended on wireless telegrams over great distances.

Late last night tho "White Star officials in Vow York announced that a message had been received stating that the Titanic sank at -1 yesterday morning after all her pas-Bncgers and crew had been transferred to iinother vessel. Later they admitted that many lives had been lost. An unofficial message from Cape Race, New-fuiinlland, stated that only 675 have been saved out of 2,200 to 2,400 persons on. board. This was in some degree confirmed later by the White Star officials in Liverpool, who said they were afraid the report was likely to prove true.

Assuming that only 675 of the passengers and crew have been saved; and taking the smallest estimate of the number of people on board, the disaster is one of the rvost awful in the history of navigation, for at leasti 1,500, and possibly over 1,700, lives hare been lost. Tho stories of the disaster are more than usually conflicting, and it is indeed quite impossible to reconcile the bulk of the earlier nnd optimistic reports with the sinister news received after midnight. There is unfortu nately only too much reason to believe, how ever, tnac tne latest ana worse news is nearest the truth, for none of the later cables contradict each other. It is an ominous fact, too. that all the later messages agree that the Titanic sank four hours after she struck the iceberg.

If that be the case neither the Virginian nor any of the other liners could r-3ve reached her before she foundered. The main hope that remains is that the Virginian or Parisian may have picked up more of the passengers and crew than those saved by the Carpathia. As to this there is no news at the time of writing. A list of the first-class passengers (who are reported from New York to have been all saved) appears on page 0. HOW THE NEWS OF THE END CAME TO HAND.

WHITE STAR STATEMENTS IN NEW YOEK. (Reuter's Telegrams.) New Yobk, Monday. 8 20 r.ir. Tho following statement has been given by the White Star officials: Captain Haddock, of Olympic, sends "ireless message that the Titanic sank at a.m. Monday, after all the passengers and crew had been lowered into lifeboats and transferred to the Virginian.

Tho steamer Carpathia, with several passengers from the Titanic, is uoiv on her way to New York. 8 40 p.m. 'f Whiter Star line-now -admit that many "es iiave boon lost. 8 50 p.m. Whito Star officials now give out the of Captain Haddock's message as fol- -20 a.m.

the Titanio foundered. The i' i.ia is nrooeedine to New York wiMi 'vjccrs." la uiving out the earlier version one of White Star clerks said, The Carpathia proceeding to New York with survivors." 910 pjh. Thf Titanic's survivors on board the Car-Siiia are stated at the White Star offices delude all the first class passengers. She xpected to reach New York on Friday information has been received from the -sers Parisian or Virginian at the White star offices, where it is still believed that of the Titanic's passengers aro aboard 'iese vessels. 9 35 r.M.

Franklin now admits that there has horrible loss of life. He says ha has information to disprove tho press despatch "Bm Cape Race that only 675 passengers and kad been saved. The monetary loss Honoured from Halifax that three steamers have Titanic passengers on board, namely, the Virginian, the and tho Carpathia. Now we have heard from Captain Haddock that the Carpathia has 675 survivors on board. It is most difficult to learn if the Virginian and Parisian have any survivors on board.

We have asked Captain Haddock and our agent at Halifax. I fear there has been great loss of life. "There were sufficient number of lifeboats on board the Titanic to take all her passengers. I was confident to-day when I made the statement that the Titanic was un-sinkable that the steamship was safe and that there would be no loss of life. The first definite news to the contrary came in the message this evening from Captain Haddock, which was given out to the public immediately." 9 50 p.m.

The White Star officials now admit that probably only 675 out of 2,200 passengers on board the Titanio have been saved. 675 SAVED. iRkutbr's Telegram.) New York, Mondat, 8 45 p.m. The following despatch has been received here from Cape Race The steamer Olympic reports that the steamer Carpathia reached the Titanic's position at daybreak, but found boats and wreck age only. She reports that the Titanio foundered about 2 20 a.m.

in latitude 41 decrees 16 longitude 50 degrees 14 min. AJ1 toe Titanic's boats are accounted for. About 675 souls are saved of crew and passengers. The latter nearly all women and children. The Leyland liner California is searching the vicinity of the disaster.

The Carpathia is returning to New York with the survivors. LIVERPOOL OFFICIALS' ADMISSION. A Liverpool message received at 2 20 this morning says The first intimation of the seriousness of tho disaster was conveyed in a reply made to inquiries addressed to the White Star Com pany's officials. They said We fear there has been serious loss of life, both of passengers and crew." A little later this was confirmed in detail. when the officials admitted that they were afraid that only tho 675 mentioned in the New York message had been saved.

Friends of passengers are making continual inquiries at the White Star offices. THE (Reuter's Correspondent.) Montreal, Monday. It is announced at the Allan Line offices that the Virginian refcransf erred the passengers she took from tho Titanio to the Car pathian shortly after receiving them, and that tne cnange was made because the Carpathian was bound for New York, while the Virginian was eastbound with mails. THE FIEST NEWS. (Central News Tixegram.) Montreal, Monday.

A wireless message was received late last night from tho Allan liner Virginian, which sailed from Halifax yesterday morning, re porting that the huge White Star liner Titanio has struck an iceberg off Cape Race. It is understood that the Virginian is now on the way to answer the wireless call for assistance which was given by the liner, and is prepared, if necessarv, to take off tho Titanic's passengers. (Reuter's Tel eg hams.) New York, Monday. A telegram from Cape Race says that at 10 2o last night the Titanic reported she had struck an iceberg. The steamer said that immediate assistance was required.

Half-an- hour afterwards another message was received saying that the Titanio was sinking by the head, and that the women were being taken off bv the lifeboats. The wireless telegraph operator on board the Titanio reported the weather calm and clear, the position of the liner being then 41.40 north, 50.14 west. The Virginian at midnight was 170 miles west of the Titanic, and is expected to reach her at ten o'clock this morning. Tho Olympic at midnight was in 40.32 north latitude til. 18 west loncitnde.

She is also in direct communication with the Titanic, and is hastening to her. 3 30 a.m. The liner Baltic has also reported herself within 200 miles of the Titanic, and says sho is speeding to her help. The last signals from the Titanio came at 12 27 this morning. The Virginian's operator says that these were blurred and ended abruptly.

(Central News Telegrams.) New York, Mondat. A wireless message received at Halifax at 4 30 this morning Gtated that most of the passengers from the Titanio hadt been put in the lifeboats and the sea was calm. A wireless message received here from Cape Race, Newfoundland, from the Allan liner Virginian states that the last word received from the wireless operator on board the liner Titanic was at 3 35 this morning, and in that message he reported that the women and children were being taken off the liner and the sea was oalm. This message was questioned, but the Virginian's operator insisted that it was as he received it. The message, he added, was interrupted in the middle, and this is believed here to mean that either the Titanic's engines had ceased working or her wireless apparatus had failed owing tb some local cause.

Soon afterwards the Virginian was innninterrupted communication with the shore station. The offices of the White Star lone here are being besieged by anxious friends and rela tives of those on board the Titanio, and dis tress in cr scenes are beine witnessed as time bv without definite news -being rec uieii as to the safety of. those on board. 1h HOW 1CE! BANGERS ARE MET. Livertool, Mondat.

I have been talking to seafaring' men in Liverpool about icebergs and icefloes and asking what "growlers' are at which they shuddered, and how they detect and avoid them. I hare spoken (writes a representative of the Manchester Guardian with lneii sailing before the mast and with ship captains skippers they call one another and not 'captains, and each had a horror of die ice. To one it was the ice off Cape Horn, to another the big floating mountains off the St. Lawrence, to a third the icefield lying treacherously in the fog off the Newfoundland Banks. One old sailor I call him old because he said he had been 35 years at sea and hU fair hair was crisping whito round the collar told me in the ouiet.

simnlo wav which is characteristic of so many long-voyage men wnom uie sea seems to rehno that tht. timo tc dread the ice is when you are in a sailing sliip rounding Capo Horn and the niuu is mowing a gale and the ice stretches iih.e a ioe snore as tar as the eye can sec. It was a rare pleasure to talk with this man. His voice was gentlo and rhythmical; his manner reticent and modest, "and the few detached things he spoko about caino evi dently from an abundant experience. He had on a steamer that had threaded its way from amone a dozen iceberirs in the North Atlantic in a bad season pvramids of ice use a group of floating lulls, and from the far-away look in his still blue eves fancied he was making tho passage again in imagination.

He spoke of the beauty of the ice as well as of its terror, picturing tho glistening of the sun on its surface and the great diamond flashes from the facets of the bores. In the davliaht and tho pun it was a thing of charm and wonder: Hound Capo Horn it was different there when he sailed that wav at all events. Tb is in fog thick wonther the sailor calls it that the ice is so terrible, and off the V- owrounaianti DanJss, where the warm and tho cold sea currents meet, there is plenty of fog. On the blackest night a sailor docs not so greatly fear the ice provided the air is clear. How do von discover when ioi is noiu- I asked an officer with many North Atlantic voyages in his record.

"There are various ways of doing it," he replied. For instance, ii there is ice in the wind's eye you get a cold blast and can sniff ifc sis sailors say they smell the cold. Then we tuko the temperature of the sea and by me itunng or tne thermometer we get a very good idea if ice is about. When we are in iiis waters we taice tue seas fmpent- Lino every nair-iiour. Another thing wo can do is to sound the shin's svron.

Vm-v r.ffrm there will be an echo from an iceberg if it is size, out or course thero is no echo from field ice. On a clear night we can sec the ice. There is what is called tho ice blink, which is a white shimmer visible at a considerable distance, and that gives us warning. But eyes are no good when there is fog about, and fog is very frequent off the Newfoundland banks. The only thing to do then is to go slow and watch for the signs of the presence of ice that I have already told you of." Field ico is just what tho name suggests level plain of ico that even in the latitudes that passenger liners navigate mav be a score or even a hundred miles long.

Only one- iimth of the ice shows above water. It is not unusual for an icefield to be twelve feet thick, and for a shin to strike it would be bad ns striking solid rock. The bergs are measured in hundreds of feet. One hundred feet visible represents 800 fWf homvi.h surface, and a weight compared with which the tonnage of the Titanio would look quite There comes a time as the ice melts in tho warmer southern waters when it is just awash, and a berg that has reached that stage is, in the language of sailors, a growler." Of all the dangerous tiling lie may have to meet a sailor prays to oc lc hvcretl from a "gr0wler" or a derelict, that is similarly just afloat. The ice comes doivn from the north on the cold tow of water that is known as the Labrador It has its beginnings in tho Arctic regions, and the bergs are broken masses of torn oft Arctic glaciers.

To some degree thev bring their own weather with them, chilling the air and the water and, by the condensation of the atmospheric moisture creating local fogs, which hang about them as clouds form on a mountain top. This Arctic current," an experienced navigator explained to me, comes along the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland, and is strongest on the eastern edge of tho Bank of Newfoundland. It goes down to about 42deg. and then sweeps westward just south of Sable Island. The Gulf Stream does not go rurther north than 42deg.

If there is ice anywhere it is generally to be found on tho eastern edge of the Bank, especially at tuin wiue or me year, now rar the bergs will hh: suougi.u oi tne current. When it is strone itmavcarrv right across the winter and more southerly track of the New York steamers, and when it is weaker that track may be tree from i Probably," ho added, "the skipper of the Titanic had no suspicion that the ico had cot 11. 1 -T so liir south so eariy in tne year, its presence there seems to suggest that we shall have a bad season for ice." 1 was fortunate in finding the captain of a uuer wno naa just crossed the Atlantic. He told me that 2(X; miles south of Cape Race he saw ah. immense icefield stretching for fully a hundred miles.

It was studded with bergs that rose out of the level ice to the height of 100 and 150 feet. I gave it," he said with a sigh of relief, "a very wide bprth." He passed this ice early last week, and bethought it quite likely that one of the bergs, becoming detached, or part of the icefield, might have accounted for the disaster to the Titanic Travelling with the current the ice would be some hundreds of miles further south by Sun-da night. Everywhere in Liverpool thero is great sympathy with Commander Smith, the captain of the Titanic. A GREAT ICi: FIELD. FRENCH LINER DA3IAGED.

(Press Association Special Service.) New Yobk, Monday, 8 a.m. From reports received from various sources is certain a. great ice field with many bergs has been obstructing the west-bound Transatlantic sea line off the Newfoundland Grand Banks for the past week. Ships' captains estimate its length at it) miles, with a breadth of some 35. The French liner Niagara did not escape unscathed.

She was holed twice beneath the water line, and had some of her plates buckled. At one moment a wireless telegram was sent from her to the Carmania for assistance, but later the captain decided that he was able to navigate the ship to port without help1, having temporarily repaired the damage to the Niagara's hull. The steamers Kura, Lord Cromer, and Armenian, which arrived here during the last few days, also report having had a dangerous experience, and having sustained more or leas damage by ice. It is known also that at least one full-rigged ship and one fishing smack are imprisoned in the noes. The list of passengers on the Titanic will be-found on page 6J HOME RULE AS A FIRST STEP.

MR. BALFOUR'S CRITICISMS. CUSTQ3IS AND FINANCE. AN APPEAL TO ULSTER. (From our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WESTiri.STr:R, Monday Night.

Already the Home. Rule debate is settling down into a discussion in the old style. In Mr. Balfour's interesting and carefully argued speech to-night the issue was treated seriously, not as an occasion for mere heroics, partisan insults, or hints at latent sedition. Perhaps Mr.

Balfour, warned by recent terrible examples, is endeavouring in' these days to set a higher example than ever before, and perhaps, too, his opponents are falling into a corresponding tendency to overemphasise their appreciation oi his controversial good manners. When he rose this evening to open his attack on the Government policy tho cheering cimo almost as much from the Liberal as from the Unionist side, whereupon the Unionist applause began to falter. After all, the average Tory member is a creature. He understands Mr. Bonar Law's principle that the success of a leader is to be measured by tho degree in which he can irritate an opponent, and nothing perplexes him more than obscure or subtle irony moulded into forms of high-flown politeness.

Some of them, in all good faith, to-night were heartily applauding a passage in Mr. Balfour which they imagined to be a sober statement of the Unionist case, and great was their chagrin when they cams to realise in the end that the orator had hopefully been seeking to draw their laughter by a spirited burlesque of Liberalism. A Hint to the Lords. Yet, despite such drawbacks, Mr. Balfour enjoys great advantages since he resigned the leadership.

His is now The royal eloquence that pays in state A ceremonious visit to debate. Ho has become a sort of tradition in his own time, a legendary standard by which other debaters are tested and rrcnerallj- found want ing. As he talks to us of the incidents of the first Home Rule debate, in which he himself played so conspicuous a part, we listen -vith the reverence due to a surviving Olympian, and are almost ashamed of our own astonishment at hearing how moderate, how statesmanlike, how reasonable were the proposals of that other Olympian, Mr. Gladstone, in comparison with those of his present-day dfeciples. For the Home Rulers of 1886 and 1892, it now turned out, were really not such bad fellows.

It was in the jears that had passed that their degeneration had como about, till to-day we had them actually bringing in a Home Rule Bill without previous consultation with tho electors, and with no intention of consulting them afterwards. How different from tho virtuous, manly, straightforward Liberalism of 1S92! "Then," said Mr. Balfour mournfully, as if trying to recall some of the compliments to Mr. Gladstone which presumably were constantly on his lips in those days, "the issue was at least brought beforo tho electorate as a fair and square Nevertheless, as ho acknowledged, the bill was thrown out by the Lords, and in this respect the tactics of the Unionists, unlike those of the Liberals, were shown to have undergone no change. Once again the bill to be thrown out by the Lords.

"We aro to be occupied all this session," ii.timated the final arbiter, and part of next session, and part of the session after that with Home Rule for Ireland in olher words, the House of Lords, under Baltours influence, has alreadv made up its mind to resit Home Rule to the entrenchment. Sirens from Ireland. Meanwhile the bill is to be fought in the Commons partly on the ground that as the first step in a federal scheme its principles are eventually to be extended to England, Scotland) and Wales, partly because Ireland in the interval is to be represented at Westminster as well as at Dublin, partly for the reason that it gives too much, and partly because it gives too little. Kor if Ireland bo a nation the privileges contained in the scheme are not nearly enough, and if Ireland be not a nation they are far greater than you ought ever to have given." Other objections, as Mr. Herbert Samuel noted, bore almost a startling similarity, to those advanced from the same quarter six years ago in opposition to the Transvaal Constitution when Sir H.

Campbell-Bannerman's great scheme was denounced in a memorable speech as audacious, dangerous, reckless, and so forth. Yet who was right then Although a merit only of omission, it should be counted to Mr. Balfour for grace that -he almost entirely ignored tho truculent Ulster argument, and that the nearest ho got at anv time to a Bonar-Lawism was in a suggestion that the Irish representation was being retained, albeit in diminished numbers, for party motives. Even so, this was done lightly and with a seasoning of wit. We are to suppose that .30 or 40 Nationalist votes are to offer no allurements, whereas the chorus of 80 sirens is irresistible, and that no was in the ears, no binding to masts, is sufficient to prevent the leader of the party in want of votes from yielding to that temptation." "Either party," grimly interjected Mr.

Asquith. "Ah," retorted Mr. Balfour, mistaking his man and turning a glance on the mystified Mr. Churchill, the right hon. gentleman speaks with knowledge of more than one." Gladstone as Federalist.

From modern tendencies throughout' the world Mr. Balfour had drawn the conclusion, convenient for his own argumtSl all the Great Powers are centralising; ing their racial and territorial resources, ignoring the fact, as Mr. Samuel reminded us in an effective rejoinder, of the practice A message from Halifax states that the Iot ia6' miorniawon, wrucn lortunatelv Government Marine Agency have received a became of a reassuring nature as the after-wireless message to the effect that the Titanic noon wore on. and slowly the women moved ts Kinlrinrr. away.

again "an presence of icebergs in -nuim aluliiiic is an oia ana known danger to mariners. THE CREW. The majority of the 900 men forniinfir the Titanic's crew are either native nf sn, ampton or are domiciled first half-pay notes given at that port. The to the wives nnrl dependents ot the members of the crew became payable yesterday, and after receiving their money the women gathered in small A 4.1 1 ny Wlth habjes in their arms, and anxiously discussed the latent news respecting The whito SUr offices were besieged Many of the officers, engineering staff, and crew are natives ot Ireland, not a few hailing irom ueiiasu, ana naiuraiiy nunns? yesterday relatives of these made anxious inquiries at ueirast snipping omces. ihe chief medical officer, Dr.

W. F. N. O'Loughlin, belonss to the South of Ireland, and his assistant, Dr. John E.

Simpson, to Belfast. Amongst the engineering staff is Mr. H. G. Harvey, of Belfast As it was her maiden voyage the Titanic carried a special staff of expert workmen, the majority hfll nf Trn.

The chief engineer, Mr. Joseph Bell, belongs to Cumberland. His father, Mr. John Bell, is a farmer at Farlam, near Hallbankgate. Mr.

Joseph Bell served his apprenticeship at the Stephenson Works. Kewcaatle-on-Tyne, and he has been at sea ever since, making his way up by sheer ability and perseverance, until he attained the summit of his ambition by being appointed chief engineer of the greatest passenger ship in the world. His brother-in-law, Mr. Lowthian, is the manager of the London and Midland Bank at Carlisle. Among those on board the Titanic was Mx.

W. H. Sf. Parr, who left the Lancashire and Yorkshire Locomotive Works at Horwich three years ago for an appointment In the electrical department of the Messrs. Harland and Wolff's shipbuilding works at Eelfast.

He wa3 on the Titanic to supervise the electrical plant. His family live at Horwich. The Commander. Captain E. J.

Smith, R.N.R., commanded the Olympic until the Titanio was ready for service. tio nx ll'Uini IJJVmPlC WTOil in SePmber last tne co.usion took place between the Jmer ana the cruiser Hawke. White Star Company showed their confidence in Captain Smith by plaoing him in charge of the Titanic. Captain Smith has been in the i sarvice of the White Star Line for many years. A native of Staffordshire, he is sixty years of age, and served his apprenticeship to the sea with Gibson and of Liverpool.

He joined SO' 40 30 1 The White Star line last night rcceiveo. a cable message irom tneir -ew ions oxmw stating that the Olympic's captain had tele-: grapnea as rouows. Captain Haddock, of the Olympic, wires tho Parisian reports the Carpathia to be in attendance on the Titanic and has picked up 20 boats of passengers. The Baltic is-returning to give assistance. Position not given.

Tt is reported that all the passengers are MbVUUi UUU. UiUU LUG 1-3 LUIIIUq .1 i J.T a j-i the Titanic towards Halifax, Nova Scotia. The report is also confirmed that the Virginian, Parisian, and Carpathia are in attendance on the Titanic. "THE VESSEL UNSINKABLE." (Central News Tei.egham.) New York, Monday. Mr.

A. S. Franklin, vice president of the International Mercantile Marine Company, has issued the following statement: We have nothing direct from the Titanic, but are perfectly satisfied that the vessel is unsinkable. The fact that the Marconi messages have ceased means nothing. It may be due to atmospherical conditions, the coming up of the ships, or something of that sort.

We are not worried over the possible loss of the ship, as she will not go down, but we are sorry for the inconvenience caused to the travelling public. We are absolutely certain Sb tim Wl but would float indehnitelv in that condition. "The Olympic, which sent wireless mes sage to the Titanic direct at twentv-four minutes past four, was informed in a reply that great damage had been done. The captain reported he would tranship the pas-seneers to the first steamer which came alongside." 70 60 VVhere'the struck 60 i 7 j- 7 m. 5 VAWjWAVA6f- -X4" mm "i IfUUNDLwNu 1 Race A 1 a a.

--L y-Ti 5or 30.