When the full story of the earthquake is written, one of the mest fascinating chapters will onusist of how the R.M.S, Empress of Australia was, saved. At the time the earthquake occurred she was at her usual part of the pier, and on the point of casting off, a great crowd being about to see the liner move off. Before this could take place the disaster happened, but happily left her intact. Then refugees from shore came aboard in great number, and for the time being her position was one almost to he envied in the midst of such a catastrophe as had occurred. This, however, was not the case for slong, as Yokohama was in flames and the fire was spreading on all hands. Sheds on the wharf went up, and before very long the wreckage in the neighbourhood was burning fiercely, and every moment being added to by drifting lighters, some filled with oil others with matches. So the Empress of Australia' was placed in dire jeopardy. How she escaped from that position constitutes a great achievement of which British seamanship may well he proud, Regrettable though it is, it has to be recorded that at the moment of crisis the Japanese tug employed to take her away from the pier merely sought its own safety. At the time there was a strong wind blowing the Empress against the wharf, so that it was impossible for the Empress to bring her head out. An American boat, the Steel Navigator, was lying astern. Her master had been killed in the catastrophe, and the officer who had assumed charge decided to. remain where he was until danger was really imminent. Naturally, being nearer the scene of disaster; the danger was more apparent to the Empress than to the Steel Navigator, and the most
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.