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FLORIDA: TO BE SOLD 'AT AUC- TION: The Lloyd Italfano* Co.,- owners of the steamship Florida, which rammed and "sank 'the White Star- liner Ree public off Nantucket, have filed a pe- tition asking' that' the United States government take possession of the Florida, and accordingly she has been seized" by a' United "States "marshal, It is the 'purpose of the 'Lloyd -Ftali- ano to have the Florida held by the government until such time as a per- fect title' can "be 'given 'to' a* trustee appointed by the court. He is 'then to sell 'the vessel 2t 'auction and' de- TAE Marine. REVIEW libelled the Florida' for $2,000,000 dam- ages. As the Republic is on 'the' bot- tom there will be no cross libel by the Italian' company, but it will de- clare that the blame fof the collision belongs to the Republc. It has also filed a petition asking that the liability of the Florida be limited to $224,000, the > value 'of: the: Florida 'and -the freight and passenger moneys due. There 'will be no cross libel» because the Republic is on' the 'bottom, and there is nothing for the: Italian com- pany to libel. They will fight the ac- tion of the White Star Co., however, and declare the blz-me for. the collis- astern' 43 ceeding in this. manner, the master, second and third officers, quartermastér and a seaman. were on the bridge, with two. lookouts in the crow's nest, all of whom were vigilantly | attene ing to their duties. "About .8:45 4. m., a signal of one whistle was. "heard. and reported on the Republic's port bow. Immediate- ly by the orders 'stop' and 'full speed "were given to the enginé- room, and the helm was ported. The orders were at orce obzyed, and at the 'same time a si-nal cf three whty 'tles was. given. 'Shortly 'afterward ee was a THE STEAMSHIP FLORIDA AS SHE LCOKED ATFIER RAMMING posit the funds with the court. If in. the: end. the liability of the. Florida's owners is proven and they should. be held accczuntable. for com- pensation for damages to the Repub- lic's owners and passengérs,- it would be from this fund, representing the damaged value of the vessel. and her freight and passenzer moneys pend- ing, that. such claims as awarded would be paid, Thus the granting of the petition acts as. a stay to any suit against, the Florida, whether the major suit of the owne's of the Re- public for the attachment of the ves-. sel or any minor suits by freight own- ers Or passengers, singly or in com- bination. "The White Star line has already ion belongs to the Republic. . After. describing the Republic as having been staunch jand seaworthy and properly manned before the collis- ion, the White Star statement as filed in court goes on as follows: "During =the night) of, Jan. 22 and the early morning of Jan. 23, the ship was on a course S. 84 degrees E. true, which she was. steering just previous to the collision. | During the night the weather was clear, with patches of haze, and the weather so continued until about the time of the collision. On account of the patches of haze, the engines were kept. at re- duced speed and tnder a_ stand-by order,. and fog signals were blown. 'After four o'clock a. m., while pro- at about. THE REP UBELC. out, broad off the Republic' s port side, the loom of a number of bright lights, apparently from.a large vessel (which proved to be the Florida), both of whose side lights soon came into view. The Florida was bearing down on the Republic at high speed, threat- ening to strike the Republic a right- angle blow amidshirs. _ ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE. | "In the effort to escape the blow, the master put the engines of the Republic ahead; but the Florida came on at a high rate of speed, apparently swinging under a starboard helm, and crashed head. on into the port side of the Republic, penetrating into the engine room. The collision occurred 5:30 a. m., in latitude 40 on