Excitement quickly turned to dismay when the “Titanic's” giant propellers went into action; such was the flow of water that the current pulled the adjoining “New York” so fiercely that her moorings snapped (Browne described the snapping of six cables as sounding like pistol shots) and she was drawn into the path of the “Titanic”. An early disaster was narrowly averted by quick action on the part of the tug skippers who used their powerful vessels to push the two ships apart.

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