Titanic Disaster.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 200, 3 May 1912, Page 5

Titanic Disaster.

THE INVESTIGATION.

AN AMERICAN PROTEST. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 3, 12.50 a.m. Washington, March 2. Senator Works, of California, protested In the Senate against Senator Smith's investigation. The Titanic, he said, was manned by British subjects answerable to British law. The Government had gone to unwarrantable lengths. What the Senate sought to know could be ascertained in a few hours. SENATOR SMITH CLIMBS DOWN. Washington, May 1. Senator Smith, at the Titanic enquiry, apologised to Lowe, fifth officer, for his reference to the latter's sobriety. He added that he did not intend to cast any reflection, and his use of the word intemperate had been interpreted to refer to habits, instead of temper.

FUNDS FOR THE ENGINEERS AND CHILDREN. London, May 1. The Chronicle is organising a special fund for a memorial for the Titanic's engineers, also for the benefit of orphans. Received 2, 11.30 p.m. London, May 2. The Titanic's relief fund has reached i£322,000, including the Women's Fund of £42,000. A BIG-TAILED TOWN.

New York, May 1. The town of Ismay, lowa, is taking steps to alter its name in consequence of the criticisms addressed to the head of the White Star Line in connection with the Titanic enquiry, and the inhabitants are contemplating re-naming their town Butt, Astor or Strauss. MONEY RECOVERED. Halifax, May 1. Ten thousand sterling has been found on the various bodies recovered from the Titanic.

A DETACHABLE DEOK. Of the numerous s;i«;,'estions made in respect to saving life at sea, in catastrophes such as that of the ill-fated Titanic, probably none exceeds in merit that of an ex-mercantile marine officer, who says that comparative safety could be secured in the case of the foundering of a liner if her topmost deck—her boat deck—were so constructed that it would float away when the vessel sank. At ptesent the upper deck is permanently attached to the deck beneath by means of the iron stanchions which support it. If, instead of being permanently fastened to those stanchions, the boat deck could be released at will—say, by means of a level on the bridge—then the deck and the boats (for lifeboats are constructed to be unsi.ikable) would float when the ship went down. On such a deck the survivors would await the arrival of a rescuing steamer, and if a smail wireless outfit were permanently attached to the unsubmergible boat deck, then the arrival of the rescuing vessels would be hastened, because they would be -directed by ■wireless to the spot. In the West Atlantic vessels are usually within a few hours' steam of each other. It is claimed that if the Titanic's boat deck had been detachable few lives would have been lost.