Wreck of the Titanic

The White Star Liner, Titanic, which sailed from Southampton on Wednesday, after calling at Queenstown for passengers for New York, collided with an iceberg on Monday morning and was wrecked. She had 1,455 passengers and 903 of a crew, was on her maiden voyage, and the first account received in this country was that she foundered shortly after the collision, that other ships, attracted by wireless messages, had gone to her assistance and taken off some of the passengers, but that the fate of many was unknown, 187 Irish passengers, representing almost every part of Ireland, joined the Titanic at Queenstown. From every district in Mayo emigrants were drowned, large numbers of them being from the Castlebar and Ballyhaunis districts. When the news of the disaster became known keen anxiety was displayed by the relatives and friends of the passengers as to their fate and the wildest rumors were in circulation. Immediately the news reached Castlebar, one of the local agents for the White Star Line, Mr. Thomas Durcan, who had booked 10 emigrants from the Lahardane district by the Titanic, wired to the head office in Liverpool, and received the following reply:-

"Liverpool. 4.30 p.m. Tuesday.
"Referring to your telegram re. Titanic, deeply regret to say that latest word received is steamer foundered; about 675 souls, mostly women and children saved."

Later accounts, all of which confirmed the shocking tragedy, but giving no positive news, were to the effect that the survivors numbered 868, and that the death knoll reached the appalling total of 1,490, which included many natives of Ireland, American millionaires and others representing various classes on both sides of the Atlantic and many from Europe. The loss of this great ship, the most magnificent ever built, and believed to be practically unsinkable, constitutes the most appalling loss in the maritime history of the world. Worldwide sympathy has been evoked by the catastrophe, and in London and other centres relief funds have been opened for the immediate aid and permanent relief of the widows, orphans and dependants of the passengers and crew.

The following are the passengers booked by Mr. Thomas Durcan, Castlebar, and the presumption is that all have been lost, still there is a hope that some of the females may have been rescued:- Nora Fleming, Patrick Canavan, Bridget Donohoe, James Flynn, Mary Mannion, John Bourke, Catherine Bourke, Mary Bourke, Kate McDermott, Mary Canavan.

All the above are from the Lahardane district, as are also the following, booked by Mrs. Walsh, Linenhall Street, Castlebar:- Annie McGowan, Catherine McGowan, Delia Mahon, Annie Kate Kelly.

In the list of Survivors published on Thursday the name of Miss Annie McGowan appeared.