NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ATERRIBLE disaster, involving a greater loss of life than has ever been known in the history of the mer- cantile marine, happened to the White Star liner 'Titanic' last Sunday night. The 'Titanic,' which was the largest ship in the world, was on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. When in latitude 41.16 North, longitude 50.14 West, the nearest land being Cape Race, she struck an iceberg about 11.40 p.m. According to a statement drawn up by some of the survivors, there was a smooth sea and the stars were visible, though there was no moon. The iceberg was reported by the look-outs to the officers on the bridge, but not in time to avoid the collision. The boats were lowered and took off the women and children and a proportion of the men. But the boats, which numbered twenty in all, including the collapsible boats, were not nearly enough, and out of the 2,208 persons on board apparently only 705 were saved. The number of drowned is therefore said to have reached the appalling total of 1,503. The ' Titanic,' carrying down with her the great majority of men passengers and crew, sank about 2 a.m.
