THE TITANIC'S BOATS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1418, 19 April 1912, Page 5

THE TITANIC'S BOATS.

THEIR NUMBER AND CAPACITY. interesting statement. Considerable discussion has been occasioned as to the number of lifelxiats the titanic carried, as well as their holding capacity, and also as to tlu» method* adopted in White fctur and other liners iu launching these boats when an accident sucli as this occurs at sea. With tho object of gathering somo facts, a JJoMiNiox representative last evening approached Mr. I[. Cater, second oilicer of thou hito .Star liner Corinthie, who was previously an ofiieer on the Oivwpic (the sister shin to tho Titanic). 7,^ 10 . Wympic has 28 lifeboats and four collapsible boats, and the Titanic had the Minio number," said Mr. Cater. "Tho lifeboats wero capable of holding 10ft personsi at a pinch in fair weather, and tho collapsible boats would hold about <0 or 80 souls. Of cour.se this would depend on tho state of tho weather, but if, as staled in the messages wo have received, tho water was smooth, there would bp no trouble in stowing away 100 people in. the big boats. You know that then) boats have airtight compartments and cannot sink. Thou, again, there arc lifelines extending in a series of loops right •? U tr m • Any persons in tho water, |!,W cnn manaeo to get hold of those lifelines, can got their heads and shoulders through the loops and keep afloat in that manner. That is if the boats are tilled already." But it is stated that tho lifeboats on one side of the Titanic only were ablo 2?Jauiiched. How do yon account for that.' was a Question asked. Special Davits. "That 1 cannot say," said Mr. Cater in "Tho davits which hold tho lifeboats and which swing them out over tho ship s side had on the Titanic and Olympic a tremendous reach over tho w«tca\_ They wero specially constructed so. Ao matter what list tho vessel had the boats should have swung clear. Maybo tho falling ice smashed some of them in, and made them useless, but under ordinary circumstances all those boats should have been easilv launched. "It is said," continued Jlr. Cater, "that tho litanic floated for two hours niter tho collision. I reckon there was ample timo to mnn tho boats, get them clear of the snip, and save the passengers. It is my opinion that something has happened "Jhich has prevented this being done. In the 'White Star line very particular attention is paid to boat drill, and every man knows his station. 13oat drill was earned out regularly oil board llio Olympic when I was on her, and everything worked smoothly. Cantain Smith* was most particular about" this when I was yith him, and there is no reason to doubt that the same conditions prevailed on board tho Titanic,". Tho Boat Crows, How many men did it take to man each boat? onco " le boats were swung out ni J omccr and two men could do the rest. All tney would havo to do would be to Keep them clear of tho sinking vessel and J>l?f ]\P anyone floating in the water. fp-I the number of people on beard tho iitunic there was bound to be somo sort or a panic. In that case as many of tho crow as can be spared from launching the boats aro detailed off to go among the passengers with tho purpose of putting down any signs of panic. No doubt this accounts for tho great loss of life among tho crew." , Do you believe that tho Titanic was doing 18 knots in that fog? 1 re P lie(l Mr. Cater. Captain Smith was too careful a navigator _to run tiny risks. Then again tho chairman of directors was on board, and no would seo that every precaution for the safety of the vessel was taken. It is saul that the Titanic wis warned by wireless the day before the mishap tliat she was nearing an icefield. This in itself tvtjuld mako her commander moro careful still. It is my opinion' that she was going slow, that is, seven to nine knots an hour. A Careful Commander, "Do you know," continued Mr. Cater, I was on board tho Olympic with Captain Smith on one occasion when we had every chance of breaking the record between Southampton and New York easily. Wo were well nliead of it at a distance of ft few hundred miles from tho .American coast \thcn we ran into a fog. At oneo tho order was given for the engines to go slow, and, although it was most disappointing, the safety of the passengers and ship was tho first consideration. No, I don't think for one moment that the Titanic was out to break records on this trip. Thcro was too much at stake," he said, in conclusion. WHO OWNED THE TITANIC? THE BUILDERS OR THE COMPANY? "Who wero the Titanic's owners?" That is a question no doubt that has been exercising tho minds of many people. This was tho vessel's maiden trip, and it lias never been stated that sho had been officially handed over to the White Star Line. Tho vessel had oil board many of tho principals of the firm of Hariand e.nd Wolff, her builders, and tho guarantee engineers of that firm. In ordinary cases a vessel is handed over by the builders after her trial trip lias been successfully accomplished. But it'is said that this rulo is departed from in tho case of these big ocean liners. It is understood that they make a round trip across the "Fish Pond" before being banded over. If this is so, it will he interesting to seo who has to foot tho bill for this disaster.

SEAMEN'S LEADER'S VIEWS

MR. HAVELOCK WILSON ON THE DISASTER. Rotorua, April 18. _Mr.. Havelock Wilson, secretary of the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union of Great Britain and Ireland, who is at present in Rotorua, has sent the following cable message to the secret avy of the union in London:— "I appeal to the seamen of the world to givo two days' pay each to the relatives of the sailors, firemen, • cooks, and stewards of the Titanic. I givo JilO, and will ask the seamen of New Zealand and Australia." In an interview with a representative of the "Rotorua Times"- to-night, Jlr. Havelock Wilson explained that as tins English Union is affiliated to the International Union, this appeal will be sent to all maritime nations of the world. Ho mentioned that ho is a, member of tho Advisory Committee to. tho Board of Trade, which is responsible for all regulations relating to the saving of life on ships. 'Last year tho committee had under consideration the question of .watertight bulkheads, and the boats that should be carried by ships. Tho loss of tho Titanic would open up a very largo subject. First, as regards tho manning of vessels, probably the Titanic carried only 50 A.B.'s, which in the opinion of the leader of the Seamen's Union is not sufficient. as they consider that each boat's crew should have at least four competent seamen to take charge nf it. The wreck will open up the question as to whether it is right to allow such large vessels to cross the. ocean without having a sufficient number of life-boats to accommodate' the crew and passengers in the event of a disaster such as has befallen the Titanic. The owners of Ihe vessel state tlinf it is impossible to find soace to carry suflieient boats to accommodate all (lie passengers. If this is so, then the aueslion will have to have serious consideration. As to the number of passengers that should be carried under such circumstances. one very eminent builder had slated that it was not possible <o constnw water-tight compartments ttiat would withstand the drain. "My view with ward t" the Tit.mie disaster," ("-'"tinned .Mr. Wilson, "if that the vessel did nut -Jlike the iceberg eiitl 011. but struck it cidi-wavs, which caused a breach Ml the side ol' -lie Milp for mine dUfvce. Hutidiii'r mere tli.in one eonipavl incut." lie auli"i;nil"il lImI lliere would lie a very leiHhy innniiv in!" this very serious calniuily. There wa' one tiling in i-niincclinn wilh it Mint oiurlit (o (ill nil T!n'ti-her< with pride, nnd that wa* that discipline had evidently 'wen innlntninfd an the nliip, .lad Uu> lallwU-y. on tie tait c 1 tooa

who mndo way for tho women and children. I! was'an old standing motlo of the sea that file women and children had lo go first, and il was quife evident, so far as the news wa« given at the present lime, that Ihis mollo nf Die sea had been well and truly fulfilled. The disaster abo opened up another great. question with regard lo composition of crews. Certain shipowners in Clreat Urilain soino Iwo years ago wrote columns of mailer in the press eulogising Ihe employment, of Lascars and Chinese in preference to British seamen, but here jvas another instance 011 record in which tho Hritidier had proven to the wholo world that he is a true and brave seaman. The disasters which had recently happened on ships where l.ascar crews iind been employed had placed them in a very unfavourable light. After tho heroic conduct of the crew of the 'Titanic, as against (110 cowardly conduct of some of tho Asiatics, probably the travelling public would find at profitable to give preference to vessels that employed British seamen. LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES, POSITION ON NEW ZEALAND . IJNEIi.S. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, April 18. The Titanic disaster has caused interest as lo the custom and practice in regard to (lie provision of boats 011 ocean-going steamers, and with a view lo ascertaining what the New Zealand regulations arc, the. Superintendent of Marino (Captain Fleming) was seen. 110 made a deiinito statement that no vess.ds coming under the jurisdiction of tho Now Zcalnnd Government are allowed to leavo any port in the Dominion with less than tiio full provision of life-saving appliances tho law allows. Incoming vessels, Captain Fleming stated, are not inspected here, but would havo to bo 'equipped in accordance with the regulations at Jlomo before they would be allowed to leave port. The Superintendent of Marine added that iu the case of vessels having hulkheads like the Titanic, certain exemptions are allowed by the Board of Trade from (he regulations governing the number of boats to be .parried. From the representatives of large local shipping companies, reassuring information was gained that no risks.are taßeii as regards safeguarding the lives of thosu who travel to and from New Zealand ill (heir vessels. Few steamers aro adequately provided with boats, in the opinion of Mr. It. F. Hell, travelling associate of Jlr. Havelock Wilson, secretary of the British Seamen's Federation, who was seen on the subject. Ho said that 110 doubt ships nowadavs aro well built, but ho declared that when it comes to the question of the accommodation in boats in case of possible mishaps, tile answer often is that such safeguards are unnecessary. For the largest vessels lo carry a sufficient number of boats lo take the full complement of and crew would only entail Ibe reserving of more deck space, said Mr. Jlell. Tho tendency was, however, to crowd in passenger" accommodation 011 modern vessels to such an extent that there was little spaco for anything else. So far as tho lioa'rd of Trade was. concerned, he looked upon it as practically useless. As at present constituted, it consists of permanent officials, and 110 was of the opinion that the survey of ships sometimes went less far (hail it should go. He thought the question of lUesaving appliances should bo dealt with bv the Advisory Committee of tho Board of Trade, and 'not by the permanent officials 011 the board. HEAD OF THE ASTORS. . THE DROWNED -MULTI-MILLIONAIRE

Tho late Colonel John Jacob Astor has been the manager of the vast estates of liis family during tlio last twenty-ono years. Some, inkling of what those estates amount to may bo gained from tlio fact that thirty million pounds, according to figures gleaned from tlio Xew York tax books, represent the totnl_ value of lniul and buildings in New York City alone, owned by the Astor family.

The assessed valuation of the Astor property in Xew York, which is approximately CO per cent, of tlio marketable value, amounts'to <£21,591,800, and of this immense total the sharo of Mr. William Waldorf Astor, who lives in England, represents an assessed value of .£10,058,000. Colonel John Jacob Astor, a cousin, has paid taxes on ,£8,'210,500, while (ho estate of his father, the late Mr. William Astor, is assessed at 43,293,300. According to a list prepared under tho supervision of tho Tiux Commissioner, Mr. Lawson »S. l'urdy, tlio Astor estate embraces 700 parcels of Jam! in all parts of Manhattan Island. In Fifth Avenue and Broadway tho most valuable plots belong to the Astors. Tlio Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is alono assessed at more than 42,(>OO,OOO, and of this tlio share of Mr. Waldorf Astor, ,Tun., is computed at .£1,070,000. In the poorer districts of Now York the tenants of cntiro streets ]>'iy weekly tributo to the Astor estate, the colters* of which are enriched by tlis rents of dozens of the most pretentious apartment houses on tlio West si*e. A fortune of <£1,000,000 left sixty-threo years ago by tho founder of the Astor 'fortune lias thus increased move than sevenfold in the valuo of tho Manhattan realty holdings alone. The tax books show instances of plots of lands wliicli were purchased by tho first John Jacob Astor for .£IOOO, and which havo grown to bo assessed in 1911 as being of the valuo of <£1,000,000.

Tho late Colonel Astor was born in 18G1, and was a great-grandson of the original John Jacob Astor, founder of the family. He built the Astoria Hotel in New York, adjoining the Waldorf Hotel, built by his counsin William Waldorf Astor, and the two were subsequently thrown into 0110 under the name of the Waldorf-Astoria . Hotel, one of the largest Mid probably the most costly hotel in the world.- lie served in Cuba during the Spanish War as a lieutenant-colonel, and took part In tho operations culminating in the surrender of Santiago. Among liis inventions aro a bicycle brake, a pneumatic, road improver, and an improved turbine engine. Ho married in IS'JI, and was divorced by his first wife. Last year 110 married Miss Madeleine Talniago Force, a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl. The marriage was the subject of much comment in America, and took place secretly, after at least one clergyman of the Episcopal Church had refused to perform it. Mrs. Astor the cables have given as among those paved. Colonel Astor leaves a son, Mr. William Vincent Astor, aged 21, and a daughter aged ten.