TITANIC INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1461, 8 June 1912, Page 5

TITANIC INQUIRY.

MORE ABOUT THE BOATSWHITE STAR RECORD. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Kec. Juno 8, 0,5 a.m.) London, June 7. The inquiry into tho loss of the Titanic was continued yesterday, beforo Lord Mersey. Mr. Sanderson, manager of the 'While Star Line, continued his evidence, 110 said it was left to the builders to provide boat accommodation in conformity with tho Government regulations. Tho Titanic, was sufficiently manned. The company's 'firemen, generally, not considering it to bo part of their duly, refused to attend boat drills. Mr. Sanderson added that from 1901 to 1911 tho White Star Lino had carried 2,179,591 passengers, and had lost only two lives. The company had offered tho firemen half a day's pay to undergo boat drill, but the men had refused.

BOARD OP TRADE NEGLECT. The shortage of boat accommodation on the Titanic was primarily due to the antiquated Board'of Trade regulations, tlio revision of which has been for some timo "under consideration." Tho rules made when a 10,000-ton ship was a huge vessel still obtain. In a copv uf them obtained at tho Board of Trade by the "Daily Mail" after the disaster the highest lino in the table showing the "mini'muiii number of boats to be placed under davits and their minimum cubic contents" was "10,009 tons and upwards, minimum number of boats sixteen, minimum cubic contents 5500 feet." That meant provision for 550 persons. Although ships have grown until they reach the huge proportions of nearly 50,000 tons, no more boat accommodation is required of tho owners than if they remained at 10,000 tons. This fact is well known iu shipping circles. It received official confirmation in the House of Commons in November, 1910. Replvin? for the President of the Board of Trade to a question as to the boats of the Olympic, sister ship to tho Titanic, Mr. Tennant said:— "I understand that the Olympic will bo provided with fourteen lifeboats and two ordinary boats, of an aggregate capacity of 9752 cubic feet, which, is in excess of tho requirements of statutory rules, t havo no information as to ony vessel carrying four times this number of boats (which had been suggested in the question). The Lusitania and Mauretaiiia each carry .sixteen boats." The Titanic was fitted with doijblcacting Wolin ouadrant davits, which could have carried on tho boat-deck thirtytwo, or even forty-eight lifeboats. Yet only sixteen were supplied and a . few collapsibles. Commenting on the position disclosed by tho regulations Professor Ray Lankester, -in a letter to "The Times" expressed the opinion that' thero had been an approach to criminal neglect on the part of officials in Government employ. He added: "We must come to the conclusion 1 that the disaster to the Titanic was necessary only on the supposition that we aro content to put up with an expensive Government administration which ueijlects to take the ordinary precautions "for our safety which it is paid to take."