REVIEW OF REVIEWS. 



THE LAST OF THE "TITANIC 



Captain Rostron narrates in Scrib- 

 ners the incidents connected with " the 

 rescue of the ' Titanic ' survivors " by 

 the " Carpathia." 



The story is very modestly told, and 

 reveals the touch of kindness that makes 

 the whole world kin. Upon receiving 

 the call from the sinking vessel Captain 

 Rostron issued elaborate orders, to en- 

 sure the utmost efficiency in the work of 

 rescue. Then— 



About two-thdrty-five the doctor came on 

 the bridge and report+xl all my instructions 

 carried out, and everything in readine&s. 



I was talking to tilie doctor as to what we 

 might expect, and keeping at the same time 

 a sharp look out, when quite suddenly — and 

 only for a couple of seconds — I saw a green 

 flare about a point on port bow. I remarked. 

 •' There's his light, he must be afloat still,"' 

 as at one-tliirty or so the operator had re- 

 ported to me that he had received a message 

 saying, " Engine-room fi.Uing." So, of 

 course, I knew, on hearing that, of the 

 gravity of the situation. 



All our men were quietly but busily making 

 preparations. It was a beautiful, fine, cleor 

 night, very cold, and every star in the 

 heavens shining briglit, the sea quit* calm, 

 and no wind. We were racing along splen- 

 didly — attaining a maximum speed of about 

 seventeen knot.s — our usual speed being four- 

 teen. 



The chief engineer had been up to me about 

 one^thirty and reported all hands were work- 

 ing below, and doing aJl they possibly could. 

 It appears some of the stokers on being called 

 — and knowing the reason — had turned 

 straight out of their bunks and rushed below, 

 not even taking time to dress. 



Rockets were sent up at frequent in- 

 tervals during the anxious hours which 

 elapsed before the " Carpathia " came 



up to the boats from the ill-fated 

 ship : — 



Now oomes the heart-rending part when 

 we know for a certainty tho ' Titanic " had 

 gone down; I sent word to the gangway to ask 

 the oflacer to come up to me on the bridge 

 when he came aboard. On coming up to the 

 bridge I shook bands and a^ked : 'Tlie 

 ■Titanic" has gone down. I suppose?'" 

 •' Yes.'" he replied — but what a sad-Jiearte<l 

 "Yes" it was — ''she went down about two- 

 thirty.'" Daylight was just setting in, and 

 soon, in the early dawn, could be seen dozens 

 and dozens of icebergs, large and small, all 

 around us; here and there dotted about the 

 calm sea we could distinguish the other boats, 

 the boats being within a radiu.< of alM>ut four 

 to five miles. 



From now on we were fretting the re- 

 mainder of the boats alongside, and one's 

 imagination fancied theee people shivering 

 for hours during that cold night in their 

 confined space. We mananivre<l about to 

 rf^ch the boats, and by eight o"clock had all 

 the boats alongside, and we were also in the 

 immediat<> \icinity of the disast<?r. I had 

 arranged to hold a short service wlulst we 

 were close to the spot — a short prayer of 

 thankfulne^ for those saved, ami a short 

 service for those lost. 



At eight o'clock we also saw a steamer 

 coming towards us out of the ice-field. This 

 icefield stretched as far as the eye could see 

 from nort/h-west to south-t-ast, and wo f*^>\\ 

 found her to be the " California." We siii- 

 nalled her and told the news of trouble, and 

 asked her to searcJi round, as we were return- 

 ing to New York. 



Captain Rostron's conduct through- 

 cut the trying ordeal was magnificent 

 and worthy of the highest traditions of 

 a service which has ever demanded and 

 received the fullest sacrifice and devo- 

 tion of which man is capable. 



THE PASSING OF STEIAM. 



Cassier s Magazine has produced a 

 truly remarkable number, entirely de- 

 voted to oil power. It consists of no fewer 

 than 500 pages, whilst splendid photo- 

 graphs illustrate every phase of the re- 

 markable development of the oil-engine, 

 and what it means to traction generally. 

 The most interesting articles are those 

 dealing with marine engines, especially 

 those of the Diesel type. The turbine 

 revolutionised marine engineering prac- 

 tise, but that the changes it brought will 

 be insignificant compared to those which 

 must follow the introduction of the 



internal combustion engine. For it does 

 away entirely with coal, with steam, 

 with funnels and with smoke. Wherever 

 labour is dear there the Diesel engine 

 must arrive, and that shortly. There 

 will, without doubt, soon be many 

 Diesel -engined boats engaged in the 

 coastal trade of Australia, for such 

 ships will require no firemen, no trim- 

 mers, and a greatly reduced engine-room 

 staff^. Other advantages are : — 



I. A marked economy of fuel, sus- 

 tained over long periods of continuous 

 work, and over a wide range of power. 



