LIFE-SAVING BY WIRELESS
The former sound liner Kentucky is at the bottom of the Atlantic at lat. 32.10, long. 76.30, which is more than a hundred miles off the South Carolina coast, south of Cape Hatteras. Her captain and crew of forty-six men are on their way to Key West on board the Mallory liner Alamo. It was the fourth rescue by wireless since that method of communication at sea has been in use. Called by the international distress signal, the Alamo reached the sinking vessel just as the electricity died and but an hour before she sank.
In the meantime her distress calls, heard throughout Atlantic coast waters and sent by W. G. Maginnis, wireless operator, had started speeding toward her the United States Government battleship Louisiana, on a speed trial in the vicinity, the cruiser Birmingham and the revenue cutters Yamacraw and Seminole.
When 150 miles off Sandy Hook, at the very outset of her long journey, she sprang a leak. By working hard at the pumps Captain Moore managed to get her into Newport News with sixteen inches of water in her hold. She was repaired and certified safe and sound by the United States inspector there and Lloyds. Luckily, this little wooden ship, packed tight with coal, had been installed with wireless before she left. The international distress call, S. O. S., set the sound waves jumping all over the coast and the Atlantic. The United States Government received the message at the same time that every sea-captain on the ocean got it. The Alamo, bound for Key West, got it at 11:30 and headed dead for the source at once. Later this came through the air:
“We are sinking. Our lat. is 32 deg. 10 min.; long., 76 deg. 30 min.
“Kentucky.”
The Alamo was sixty-five miles off. She had made the run by 3:50 o’clock, when the Kentucky appeared in sight.
The boat was sinking rapidly and in half a gale the work of transferring the crew of the Kentucky by lifeboat was accomplished. As the last man was taken off only the superstructure was visible above the water.
(1812)
LIFE, SELF-PROPAGATING