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)