The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-24
SURVIVORS make REPORT.
SAY 2.3iO PERSONS WERE,
ABOARD AND 7l5 SAVED.
Also Criticisc Inadequacy of Life
boat Accommodations and Various
Other Alleged shortcomings.

4
prepared statement giving the num-
ber Of persons on board, the number
saved and the number probably lost,
and making structures on the in
adequacy of lifeboat accommodations
as we'll as other apparent insufficient
| cies.
The statement which was given out
when the Carpathia docked is as fol-
lows:
I'VE, the undersigned, surviving
passengers from the steamship Ii
tanic, in order to forestall any sem
sational or exaggerated statements,
deem it our duty to give to the press
statement of facts which have come
to our knowledge and which we be.
lieve to be true.
"On Sunday. April IA, 1912, at
about 11.40 p. NJ, on a cold, starlight
night. in smooth sea and with no
moon, the ship .ruck an iceberg
which had been reported to the
bridge by lookouts, but not early
enough to avoid collision. Steps were
taken to ascertain the damage and
save passengers and ship. Orders
were given to put on life belts and
the boats were lowered.
"The ship sank at about 2.2O A. NJ.
Monday and the usual distress signals
were sent out by wireless and rockets
fired at intervals from the ship. For
tunately the wireless message was re-
ceived by the Cunard steamship Car
pathia at about IL o'clock midnight,
and she arrived on the scene Of the
disaster at about A. NJ. Monday.
''The officers and crew Of the
steamship Carpathia had been pre-
pairing all night for the rescue and
comfort Of the survivors, and the
last mentioned were received on board
| with the most touching care and kind
ness, every attention being given to
all irrespective of class. The passen-
! gers. officers and crew gave up gladly
| their staterooms, clothing and com
forts for our benefit, all honor TO
them.
"The English Board of Trade pas
sengers' certificate on board the tt
! tanic allowed for a total Of approxi-
mately $500. The same certificate
called for lifeboat accommodation FOR
approximately $50 In the following
boats, Fourteen large lifeboats. two
smaller boats and four coiiapsibie
boats. Life preservers were accessible
and apparently in sufficient number
for all on board.
The approximate number Of pas
sengers carried at the time Of eoIlf-
sion was:
First class, $50.
Second class, 500.
Third class, $50.
Total 400.
Officers and crew, $40.
Total, 2.34O.
"Of the foregoing about the fol-
| lowing were rescued by the steam
ship Carpathia:
First class. 210.
Second class, 1875.
Third class, 200.
Officers, 4.
Seamen. 80.
Stewards, 90.
Firemen, II.
Total, 21O Of the crew.
"The total Of about IT'S saved was
about so per cent Of the maximum ca
pacity Of the lifeboats.
We feel it our duty to call the at
tention of the public to what we con-
slider tho inadequate supply of life
saving appliances provided for on
| modern passenger steamships and rec
ommend that immediate steps be
taken to compel passenger steamers to
carry sufficient boats to accommodate
the maximum number Of people car
ried on board.
THE following facts were observed
and should he considered in this con-
nection:
THE insufiiciency Of lifeboats. RATS,
| ETC., lack of trained seamen to man
same (stokers, stewards, etc, are not
efficient boat handlcrs), not enough
officers to carry out emergency orders
on the bridge and superintend the
launching and control of lifeboats and
absence Of searchilghts.
The Board OF Trade rules allow
FOR entirely too many people in each
| boat to permit the same to be pro-