TITANIC DISASTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10638, 17 May 1912, Page 5

TITANIC DISASTER

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

EVIDENCE OF THIRD OFFICER CALIFORNIA- ONLY TWELVE MILES AWAY. (Received Last Night, 10.35 o'clock.) LONDON, May 16. Mr Groves, Third Officer of the California, testified that he■ saw, at ten minutes past 11 o'clock, a steamer which was about twelve miles distant. He told the captain that, judging by the deck lights, she was a passenger steamer. TJie captain remarked that the only passenger steamer in the vicinity was the Titanic. This was at 11.40 o'clock. Witness still saw her masthead and lights. He told Mr Stone, who relieved -him. Owing to her change of position and her deck lights being shut out, lie (the witness) proceeded to the wireless operator's room and awoke the operator, and asked what ship was in touch with them. The operator replied that there was only the Titanic. Witness then put the instruments to his ears, but heard nothing. He was only listening, however, for fifteen or thirty seconds. The Court was thrilled by the evidence that the Titanic's calls were' missed by a. few seconds by a liner twelve- miles distant. Lord Mersey asked: "Do you think from what you heard subsequently, that the steamer was the Titanic?" Mr Groves: "Yes. Decidedly." The officers admitted that they did not record the distress signals in the log book. Durrant, the Mount Temple's operator, produced a record of a message passing between the Titanic and the neighbouring vessels, which disposed of the statement that the Titanic snubbed the Frankfurt. The latter immediately went to the Titanic's help. The Titanic's messages were clear till 1.33, when they ceased. The Oceanic picked up one of the Titanic's collapsible 'boats, with three bodies. It is believed to ibe the 'boat from which Mr Lowe secured twenty persons, and leaving three behind dead.