New-York tribune., 1912-04-19
BRITISH MINISTRY GIVES
FIGURES AS TO TITANIC
HoIse of Commons Learns A.
uregate Number Of Souls on
Board Was 2,208.
ROOM IN BOATS FOR 1,178
No Provision for 1880 Persons,
According to Board of Trades
Own Showing-Inquiry
Promised.
Try Cable 20 The Tribune. ]

TBy Cable 20 The 1ribune.1
london. April 10 1t is understood
,hat Board Of Trade inquiry into the
loss Of the Titanic will be opened in
1ondon at the earliest practicable mo-
ment
News that the Carpathia has reached
New York has caused great excitement
here. and intense ca agerness to know the
story Of the disaster is manifested
Every desire continues to be shown in
rasnonsible quarters to suspend judg-
ment until all possible full and Impartial
testimony is forthcoming. but the Labor
partv's papers are complaining bitterly
that the list Of survivors proves there
Das undue preference given to first class
Messengers. while one Socialist organ
nrotests against sailors and firemen
beine "callously sent to their deaths as
= matter Of course"
THE Morning Post" learns that sew
eral technical experts and others are
about to leave England for the Onl'eo
States 10 assist in the inquiry into the
disaster. The experts will give evidence
nc 70 the construction of the Titanic. IL
ig understood that the evidence taken
in the United States will be utlllzed lor
The inquiry subsequently TO be held IN
England.
The relief fund here now totals nearly
5000 0OO. OF this amount the Lonooh
CORPORATION and Lord Mount Stepheh
have contributed $1,000 each. and the
American Ambassador Whitelaw Reid
$500.
Great crowds gathered around the
White Star Offices and waited through
ont the night for further news. Inc
newsrapers are printing extra editions
containing the details of the wreck to-
qetber with the survivors appealing pro-
test against the inadequacy OF the NE
saving appliances, which will likely
arouse public feeling against the Board
Of Trade in a manner that no mere far-
Namentary Censure could achleNe'
According 10 The Daily News the
Board Of Trade has already drafted
new schedule of regulations. which Will
be nut into force at the earliest date
possible
4 pathetic incident connected with
the calamity was the communication OF
the news of her sinking TO Lord Plrrle'
father Of the Titanic, who is lying SICK
a. Whitley Park. The news had been
withheld for fear Of fatal consequences.
But for his illness Lord Pirrie would
have been aboard the Titanic.
1o,dcr Anril 1S-The actual number
Of the passengers and crew on board the
of the 6iSa Stpr was
. 2oS according 10 Sydney Buxton,
president of the Board of Trade. in re-
rlv 70 question in the House of Com
mons this afternoon.
Mr.. Buxton. who was piled with ques-
tlons. stated that the Titanic actually
carried sixteen boats on her davits Civ
ing accommodation for 800 persons
Other boats carried on board provided
accommodation for another 1SS, making
together a total Of lis. In addition
there were IS life buoys and 3,j6O life
belts.
Mr.. Buxton was apologetic when ex-
planning the inadequacy of the Board OF
Trade regulations in regard to shipping.
committee, he said, had been ap-
r pONltu ldSI NtdI " NOilSiNI' '4'N A'ON~'
. sary revisions of the regulations, but the
increased provision Of boats recon-
mended by that committee was not con-
sidered altogether adequate. so the mat
ter was referred back for further con-
sideration. He continued:
want the House clearly TO understand
that up TO the present II has never been
suggested by responsible expert aulhorlty
that every vessel, however large ,lc ana now now
ever well equipped with watertight com
partments, should necessarily carry NE
boats adequate to accommodate all on
board. The present disaster, however, mas
created a new situation which Will need TO
be most carefully considered, not in panic
but in the light of all the information
which the inquiry will disclose
Mr.. Buxton added that he was not pre-
pared at present to express an. opinion
whether British passenger steamers
should be prevented from taking the
northern route during the spring months
This and other questions were to be sub
nnitted to a searching inquiry. He was
also afraid that the Board of Trade had
no power to prevent racing for records
across the Atlantic. He continued:
can assure the House that there will
be no delay in connection with the inquiry
INTO the disaster. we 1ulIy recOSnlZe tne
great responsibility that the Board of
Trade bears in the matter. but do urge
that II is far better that We should give
little more time and come to a really salts
factory conclusion rather than act too
rapidly, which might possibly lead 10
greater evils.
Asked If the German-American lines
carried nearly double the number OF
boats required by the British Board of
Trade regulations. Mr.. Buxton replied
i do not think So
ing in increasing numbers in the news
papers that the transatlantic lines are
ordering lifeboats almost doubling the
present capacity.
Criticism for United States.
Major Flood Page, referring to the Ii
tanic disaster at the annual meeting to-
day Of the London Chamber Of Com
merce, was very bitter on the subject of
the wireless chaos In connection with the
catastrophe. He said:
As the hrst representative who ever sat
upon the council in connection with wire
less telegraphy | would like 10 say that we
are all pre-eminently dissatisfied with what
mas taken place the other side of the
Auantic In reference to communications
concerning that great disaster. Such q
ming could not happen IN England.
Ihe United States is9 the only country In
,he world where the telegraphs do not be-
iong TO the government and unfortunately
~ mas become the fashion In that country