THE SENATE ENQUIRY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10614, 22 April 1912, Page 5

THE SENATE ENQUIRY

MR J. B. ISMAY'S EVIDENCE,

SOME GRUESOME INCIDENTS

(Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.)

NEW YORK, April 20. The inquiry by the Semite Committee into the circumstances attending the wreck of tho Titanic has opened. Mr J. Bruco Ismay, managing director of the White Star Company, stated that he was asleep at the time tho Titanic struck. Tho vessel was not pushed at her speed limit. She had averaged about twenty-one knots an hour. He only once consulted t-ho-Captain about the vessel's movements; when it was arranged 'not' to attemptto reach New York before five o'cloc.. ioti s Wed.?ie«lay morning. He only enteral a boAt'lvhsn- there was no fur[ther response to the Call iV T.OPioij. He left the vessel about an hour afteethe collision. He believed the vessel I struck between the bow and the | bridge. / • | THE SECOND 'OFFICER.

Mr Lightoliler, the second officer, stated that the boats were well-filied, preference being-given to women. He accounted for the saving of so many 01 ;he crew by the fact that five out of every sis picked up in the water were firemen' and stewards. There was no lamentation among those left behind. He dived as the vessel sank. He w0..-, sucked under and held fast against a blower.: A terrific gust came through the blower, hue probably;to' a boiler.', explosion, and he was blown clear. Kc reached the surface near a boat. Three French survivors state that they were playing cards, when they heard a violent noise like the. screws racing. TJiey saw t-ho iceberg rubbing the vessel's side. A tremendous list of the vessel followed. There was a momentary panic, bub this speedily subsided, and confidence was restored is tho Captain said, "Let everyone ion life-belts—it is more prudent." A band played popular airs to reassure the, passengers. None wanted to go with the life-boats* believing there was no risk in remaining on board. Hence, some of the boats had few passengers; Their boat rowed for half a mile. Tiie spectacle of the fairylike' Titanic, .illuminated and stationary, resembled ;i fautasti'j stage picture. SuddoJy the lights were extinguished, there was ai: r immesi'so clamour,'and the air resounded with a supreme cry for help, and, with shrieks of anguish. The Titanic sank quietly, the suction being in perceptible, but there was a great backwash. After the boats left, a group of passengers was seen to be experiencing difficulty in launching the oJlapsibles. When they got in, the collapsible gradually filled, and the majority were either drowned or perished with the cold. The Titanic's crewdisplayed sublime self-sacrifice. Much useless sacrifice of human lives .vouh;< have been avoided but for the blind faith of the passengers iu the vessel's unsinkableaiess. The sea was strew. l I -with the dead..

; DISMAL RUMOUIS. ! Tlmto n.rc rumours that atrocities were, committed by fue-issied members ■ j of tlio crew, -including the ■shooting of | passngers in the bouts and tlie bruin-

ing of swimmers who were trying to enter the boats, but the majority of the witnesses did not • confirm those. THE LAST SCENES. The last scenes presented an agonising array of horrors. As the shif/ split in two, and her stern rose precipitously, scores leapt overboard. Others scrambled madly up the st+-m. As the incline steepened, hundreds lost their foothold, and tobogganed downwards amid pitiable shrieking. Hundreds wlio escaped the vortex doing to tlio wreckage as a raft It is believed eight hundred pimptd as the vessel sank. Only the hardiest could stand the icy water. A vigorous strokes, and stiffened forms floated away. THE PURSER'S BOAT. The boat commanded by the purvu' was capsized through three rushing to its side to say farewell i.i> their relatives. It is believed flint none of the thirty women who weie in the. boat survived. '" '. v RtSH BY FOREiaNERS. A number of foreigners made a*i ugly rush for the boats. Mr Murdoch, tho third officer, with a revolver in hi«, hand, shouted, "I will kill the first man who rashes." In spite • f + his warning, three rushed a boat. One dropped dead, being shot thro.igh the brain, another had his jaw blown away, and the third was felled by a quartermaster.

THE NUMBER WHO PERISHED

OFFICIAL FIGURES

Last Night. 5.5 o'clock.')

LONDON, Apr! iO. tho officials of the White Star Coirpany state that 1635 persons perished in the wreck, and ,705 were saved. Of tlie latter, eight-five have been se-rt to the hospital.

THE RELIEF FUNDS

(Received Last Night, 5.5 oVock.)

LONDON, April U

-..The W'omcn's Fund for the relief of the'suffereris' by the; wreck •of the Ti-. tame has reached: £7OOO, the Xfans-'oii House fund;£4o,ooo; and the^'South?-, anipton hind £6200.

A TOKEN OF RESPECT

(Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.)

NEW YORK, April 20. Congress" has adjourned a.s a token., of respect to the memory of those who were lost in the wreck of tire fitam'e.

SHELLING OF ICEBERGS,

BY U.S.A. WARSHIPS

Received This. Morning, 12.2) o'eioek

WASHINGTON, April <.'!. The House of Representatives adapted a measure to provide for the s.'iel 7 - ing of icebergs by warships i'or target practice purposes, as well as to clear dangers from the in. Jgutors path.

LACK OF TRAINED SEAMI.N

INSUFFICIENCY OF OFFICERS

BOATS DID NOT HAVE MAXIMUM LOADS.

■(Received Xpril 26, 8.55 a to.)

..- LONDON, April 11 Tlie Survivors' 'Committee statement poinds out that there was .-jij. h-snffi-ciency of lifeboats and rafts, a latkof trained seamen to man the boat-,, 'insufficient officers to carry cut emergency orders on-the.bridge and superintend the launching of boats, also 'he absence of search lights. The necessity of taking in pab-ongers before lowering tho boats, to the wi-.tor .pre> on ted the boats from taking their maximum.