RESCUE OF THE TEMPLEMORE'S CREW.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1927, 9 December 1913, Page 4

RESCUE OF THE TEMPLEMORE'S CREW.

A SHIP THAT PASSED BY. A graphic story of tho rosoao of tho officers and crew of tho Johnson liner Templcmore, which was abandoned on lire in the Atlantic, was told on the arrival of the survivors at Liverpool at the end of October. Tho Tcmplcmoro was two days out from Baltimore when ■at midnight on September 29 she war, discovered by tho chief engineer to !jo on lire. The flames burst out a few minutes later in the hold close to tho engine-room bulkheads. •It scion became evident that tho ship was doomed. It is declared by the men that tlio light of a. ship was seen somo distance away, and that the vessel, whatever it was, must have seen trie roaring flames of the Templemore. The wireless dynamo was put out of gear by tho lire, and as a last resort the auxiliary batteries were requisitioned, and fortunately tlio S.O.S. nicssngo wasthen acknowledged by the HamburgAmerica liner Arcadia, which was fifty miles away. At one o'clock in the morning the crew wore compelled', owing to the fierceness of tho flames, to take to the boat. Tho sea was so heavy that they were always iu danger of being swamped. They managed to keep afloat, and while they waited for the Arcadia to arrive they saw their, abandoned ship overrun by flames, whilo frequent explosions oi' oil occurred. Tho men wero all picked up by tho Arcadia between three and fair hours after tlso latter vessel received the signal for assistance. The. crew were taken to Boston and brought to Liverpool by the Johnson liner Kowaiimcro. The Templemore was eventually picked up by a, passing steamer unci towed back to an American port. One of tho- members of the rescued crew told a press representative that when ihey left the ship was burning furiously'. Tiu-y were well down on the southward track, and the Arcadia was the only hunt within range of tho wireless installation, but a vessel which appeared to be a tramp steamer passed within a mile or two and paid no hoed to tho rnekct signals. "They must have seen us," he said, "but perhaps they did not ?top because they were short of provisions. Wc were terribly disappointed to sco this steamer pass oil iicr way

without, helping us. Our wireless operator showed plenty of pluck in sticking to his post until the last, but of course, like the rest of us, he was acting tinder tho captain's orders. He was working bv candle-light owing to the electricity having failed, and therefore his,difficulties'were increased. When the order came from the captain for all to take to the boats it was not a moment too soon for the wireless man, as in a few more minutes the flames would have barred his escape."