TITANIC INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1427, 30 April 1912, Page 5

TITANIC INQUIRY.

MR. ISMAY'S RESPONSIBILITY.

ADMIRAL MAHAN'S OPINION.

TITANIC'S CREW IN ENGLAND. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyrisht. Washington, April 2S. Seaman Hemming, in giving evidence before tho Committee, said he was asleep when tho Titanic collided, and afterwards returned to bed. • Later the boatswain called them to turn-out. "Vou Icllows haven't half an hour to live; Hint s from Mr. Andrews; keep it to yourselves. Air. Andrews was tho representative of the builders. ' Captain Lord said Hint the icefield was, twenty-five miles long and several miles wide. Ho doubled the watch owing to tho ice. When Captain Lord stated tliat ho stopped the Californian owing to tho ice. Senator William Alden Smith (chairman) asked him whether/ho cast Anchor, apparently ignorant of the fact that tuo sea was two miles deep. Mr. Evans, wireless operator on tho Californian, said that Gill, tue- donkeyman, stated that be expected the newspapers to give him five hundred dollars for tho rocket story. Crowe, a steward, in his evidence, stated that the Titanic stood almost perpendicular, and presently broke clean in two, and the aft section floated back. There was an explosion, and tho aft section turned over and sank. Osman, a seaman, declared that after the Titanic got at a certain angle sho broke in halves, and tho aft section sank, for a certain distance. Tho passengers climbed on to tho top-deck and the top of tho poop, which was black with people. Captain Moore of tho Mount Temple, when examined, said he received the Titanic's signal when forty-nine miles off. He hastened to tho scene, but was compelled to go slow, and eventually to stop, owing to tho ice, when fourteen miles distant. Ho saw fifty birgs in the Titanic's vicinity. He believed the mysterious lights belonged to a tramp steamer which tho Mount Temple passed, and which did not respond to a wireless message. Cunningham, a steward, said the order to call all the passengers was not given until fifty minutes after the collision. Mr. Stead was the last passenger under his charge to take a lifebelt.

(Rec. April 29, 10.40 p.m.) New York, April 29. Captain Moore stated that when ho arrived at the Titanic's position at 4.30 in tho morning he saw nothing but ice and the Cunard steamer Carpathia, who informed him that she had picked up tho boats. The Titanic's speed was not wise in view of the warning; undoubtedly the Titanic was not fixed in a position to be properly estimated; she was eight miles further cast than was reported.

Etches, a steward, testified that after Mr. Ismay twice called for more women to enter the boat a woman advanced saying that there wero only stewardesses. "Never mind," exclaimed Mr. Ismay, "you women get in," and they obeyed. Admiral Mahan, after expressing an opinion that censure and approval should await the official investigation, referred to tho attack on Mr. Ismay, whoso company •was responsible, individually and collectivoly, and Mr. Ismay personally, for the loss of life. Mr. Ismay's belief that tho Titanic was unsinkable relieved him of moral guilt, but not of responsibility, and, the Admiral added, Mr. Ismay justified his place in tho boat hecause it was the last boat and was half filled, but as long as a soul was to be picked up tie obligation lay on Mr. Ismay that that person and not he should have occupied tho boat.

INCIDENTS NARRATED

CAPTAIN SAVES A BABY. (Rec. April 29, 9.35 p.m.) London, April 29. One hundred and fifty-seven of the Titanic's crew havo arrived. They declined to submit to examination until representatives of the Seafarers' Union were present, but some freely narrated incidents. One saw the captain swim with a baby to a boat and helped others, afterwards returning to the vessel, and Bhowed no desire to survive. Others state that the engineers were imprisoned in the pumproom when the watertight doors were closed, and the whole stokehold watch was drowned. No engineer was on deck after the collision, and they kept lights going until submerged.

EMOTIONAL WELCOME. (Rec. April 29, 10.40 p.m.) London, April 29. A detachment of tho Titanic's crew had an emotional welcome at Southampton. An open-air thanksgiving service was held and was attended. by naval and military Reservists and Territorials, and by 50,000 civilians. RELIEVING THE CAPTAIN'S FAMILY. New York, April 29. An American Committee consisting of the captain of the Titanic's friends are raising funds for his family. BODY IDENTIFIED. London, April 28. The body of Mr. F. D. Millet (artist and war • correspondent) is among those identified. MANY ICEBERGS SEEN. London, April 28. The Cunard liner, Pannonia, 9851 tons, which has arrived from New York, reports having passed many icebergs, some being a hundred to threo hundred feet high. CREW TO BE ISOLATED. London, April 28. The survivors of the Titanic's crew, arriving to-day, will not be allowed to communicate with the public until the BoaTd of Trade's examination is finished. PROPOSED MEMORIALS.

London, April 38,

A movement has been startecl to found memorials to the gallant conduct of the members nf the Titanic's band, who continued playing music until tho vessel went down, and also to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Phillips, tho chief wireless operator, who stuck to his post until tho current was stopped, and was then washed overboard.

THE FARCICAL INQUIRY.

New York, April 28. The American Merchant Marino Association has issued a manifesto protesting against what it describes as a "farcical inquiry."

SENATOR SMITH'S OPINION. Washington, April 28. Senator Smith, in an interview, said he thought a good caso had been established for legislation regarding the use of wirelees, particularly fur an obligatory *ud oofttiuuoua swics.

MAKIXH UNDERWRITERS' LOSSES. London, April 2S. Owing to seven vcs-els being hopelessly overdue, the underwriters' losses for four months of the .year total about J.'ii,l)l>ll,000. II is feared (lint the Titanic's claims, including thoso for cargo and by the passengers, will amount to JE^,oor»,ooo. THE BRITISH INQUIRY. LORD MERSEY'S COMMITTEE. London, April -S. Rear-Admiral Hon. Somerset: Arthur Goiigh-Calthorpo, C.Y.0., Captain A. W. Clarke, Commander Lyon, and I'rofes-or Biles (vice-president, of (ho Institution of Naval Architects, consulting naval architect to his Majesty's India Ollice, and to the Australian Commonwealth, has served on various Admiralty and Board of Trade committees) will act as Lord Mersey's, assessors in the inquiry into the Titanic disaster. WHO IS SENATOR SMITII?

Senator William Alden Siuith, tho ] chairman of tho Senate Conimitteo inquiring into the wreck of the Titanic, was born at Dowagioe, Michigan, in ISM. He received a common school education, and on leaving school was a newsboy and messenger boy in the Western Union Telegraph Ollice, and was later appointed page of tho Michigan House of Representatives. He was admitted to tho bar in 1883, and has since been in practice in Grand Rapids. lie was elected to the stth to 00th Congresses (1595-1909), but resigned from the GOth Congress in January, 1907. He was in the same year elected United States Senator for the term 1907-13. LESSONS OF THE DISASTER, ADDRESS BY MR. HAYELOCK WILSON. (By Telecrapn.—Press Association.) Auckland, April 29. An address on "The Titanic Disaster and its Consequent Lessons" was given last evening by Mr. Havelock Wilson, general president of the National British Seamen's and Firemen's Union. Tho lectin+r slated that he had been a member of Parliament, and had lost his sent because at the lirno of the general election he was in America engaged upon an important mission. Ho was a member of Hie Advisory Committee of tho Board of Trade, which was supposed to ho responsible to the Government for all acts and regulations with reference to British shipping. For the past twenty years ho had been striving to find out what and where Hie Board of Trade was. He was aware it had a president, a secretary, and four assistant secretaries, but he had been unable to discover the Board of Trade itself, although he had heard all sorts of extraordinary stories about it. It had been stated that the last president of the Board of Trade was Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, which had been nonexistent, for more than a hundred years. /Laughter.) He had had a good deal to do with this illusory body, and its whole business was run bv permanent ofiicials. Somo six years ago Jlr. LloydGeorge introduced a Merchant Shipping Bill, and one of its conditions was that thcro should bo an advisory committee established. The speaker was appointed as u committeeman, and had been one ever since. It was soon apparent that the board expected tho committeo to agree to its proposals without demur, but lie personally was not built that way, and ho was prepared to fight for the committee's rights to reject, alter, or modify the board's proposals. Only twelve months ago, he said, tho question of boat accommodation on the Titanic was considered by tho eonuii'ttee, anU it was held that there was room in the boats for only half the persons on tho liner. The board took no action, but Mr. Wilson said it was then, and right up ' to the accident, the general oninion that this ship was unsinkable. Ho believed that if ..tho Titanic had struck bow on ' her bulkheads would have kept her afloat for a long time, and probably have. saved her, but he thought sho glanced almi? the ice mid tore her side out.

While substantial bulkheads, as numerous as posrfble, should bo built into every ves=el, another precaution might bo taken with advantage. Iron steamers nowadays had water ballast tanks running all the way fore and aft, and cases had been known where vessels had torn their outer skins and yet steamed thousands of miles on only the ballast tank deck. In passenger ships, at all events, these inner skins should be increased in number, and carried throughout the ' length and breadth of the vessel above the waterline, then safety would be secured even if the outer skin were completely torn away. He hoped if a commission was appointed to inquire into this matter the mistake would not be made of providing plenty of boats and disregarding the important matter of keeping tho vessel her- [ self afloat. (Applause.) In those matters ho did not blame the shipowners at all, but he did blame the permanent officials of the Board of Trade, who had allowed the existing state of things, to go on for so long, despite the suggestions of its Advisory Committee. He had noticed with deep regret that several sinister references had been made to Mr. Ismay. Personally he was delighted to learn that that gentleman was among the saved, because he would now realise to tho fullest extent the terrible position of peoplo upon tho lost steamer. Such a lesson would never be forgotten, and it would of necessity make a > dcen impression upon the minds of his fellow shipowners. At the same time, if ho thought there was any blame attachable to Mr. Ismay or his colleagues, iie would denounce him and them from every platform he had an opportunity of speaking on. (Itear, hear.) But lie did not believe that cither blame or responsibility lay at their doors.* The name of tho lsmays in tho shipping trade stood very high, for it was held that nonioro conscientious men wero engaged in it. Mr. Wilson maintained that on a.l passenger ships thcro should be a sufficient number of life-boats, and that each should hfivo.n. crew of at least three competent seamen, under a petty officer, lie ventured to sav, although ho had no facts before him," that the Titanic had rot in all her crew fifty competent seamen apr.rt from tho officers. Wireless telegraphy should be made compulsory on all ships, and all foreign ships trading to British ports should be compelled to comply with these regulations. .... In conclusion, Mr. Wilson janl a lugli tribute to the conduct of the nftici-rs nnct crew of the ill-fated steamer, who shouted, "Women and children first," and then perished liko heroes. (Long applause.) Ho added that ho had cabled to seamen the world over, asking every, man to devote two days' pay to the rolie! tund. (Cheers.) ~ .. A resolution embodying the suggestion made by the lecturer was carried.

THE GREATEST SHIPBUILDER. LORD PIRRIE AND BELFAST. It is a straugo coincidence that one of the last character sketches written by Mr. AV. T. Stead was that of Lord Pirrie, one of the few men whom Mr. AY. T. Stead had never met, and which appeared in tho March "Review of heviews." "The greatest shipbuilder whom the world has over seen" has been little in tho public eye, though he has served Belfast as Lord Mayor and lias la.torly been a powerful supporter of Home huio. His story is literallv that of the industrious apprentice," for he joined Messrs. Harland and ATolff (then ft small nrm emplovinu a hundred men) as an apprentice at the ago nf fifteen. At twentyseven he was a partner, mid roon became the master of the concern. He was born in Canada, of Ulster parents, and to his mother, who brought him back to Ireland after his father's rarlv death, he attributes his success in life. By IfllO ho controlled 207 steamships, including the great AVhito Star liners of 23.000 tons, employed 10,000 hands, and paid out a million a vear in wages. Tho business, will Mr. Stead, is a triumph of brains and of "rule of thumb." "None of the great men (Pirrie and his partners) .who built up this marvel of constructive skill, and made it conablc of turning out tho leviathans of the modern _ world _ could have passed an ordinary Civil Service examination.'' Lord Time's speciality is said to be "a magnetic talent for persuading pcoplo to mitnist him with orders. This Svcugali-liko gilt of fascion. Hon hnj dons wiiflders tox Uarlimd and