Florida–Republic Collision

THE FLORIDA"- REPUBLIC ' COLLISION. The White Star steamship Republic, well known to many Latter-day Saints who have crossed the ocean on it, on its way from New York to the Mediterranean, was struck in a fog off Nantucket by the inward-bound Italian steamer Florida, January 23, and sank some hours latsr, while being towed back to New York. As soon as the collision occurred, a distress call was sent out by wireless telegraphy, and several steamships a hundred miles or more distant, picked up the message and started to help the injured ship. The four hundred and sixty passengers on the Republic and the crew of that ship were taken on board the Florida, which although disabled by the collision, was not in a sinkiing condition. Later the Baltic, which was the first ship responding to the distress signal to reach the scene, took on board the passengers and crews of both the injured ships. Two passengers on the Republic and four seamen on the Florida were killed in the collision. It is believed that the "wireless," "that unique marvel of an age amazingly new," is robbing the sea of its terrors. Thirty-eight hours elapsed between the time of the collision and the sinking of the Republic, but it took only ten minutes time for JackBinns, the hero wireless operator of the Republic to send out "the ambulance call of the sea," which brought help and succor. Since the collision the Navy Department has opened bids for a wireless tower in Washington, which will be able to communicate with ships at s«a to a distance of three thousand miles. Jack Binns was praised in Congress for his heroism. Representative Boutell said there was one silent actor in the tragedy, whose name should be immortalized, and continued : I refer to the Marconi operator on the Republic, who had the cool head and steady hand to send forth on the willing wings of air the message of disaster that saved hundreds of lives, and the message of deliverance that relieved thousands of anxious hearts. His name is John R. Binns. He is known to several members of this House. "Jack" Binns has given to the world a splendid illustration of the heroism -hat dwells on seas in many who are doing quiet, unnoticed work in life.