The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-06-06
SENATE COMMITTEES FINDINGS
ON THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC

i The committee concludes that the
I Titanics lights were visible to the
Californian before she struol, the ice
berg, and that the Californian must
T have seen the distress rockets fred
from the bridge Of the Titanic. The
I, report says:
Distress Signals Ignored.
4 The committee is forced to the in
evitable conclusion that the CaHfor-
nian, controlled by the same company,
} was nearer the Titanic than the nne-
teen miles reported by her captain,
and that her officers ana crew saw
the distress signals of the Titanic and
failed to respond to them in accord.
= ance with the dictates of humanity. in.
ternational usage and the require
i ments of law. The only reply to the
/, distress signals was a counter signal
from a large white light, which was
flashed for nearly two hours from the
I mast of the Californian In our opin-
ion such conduct whether arising from
indifference or gross carelessness, is
most reprehensible and places on the
commander of the Californian a grave
responsibility.
1.-THE wireless operator of the Cali
| fornian YVES not aroused until $3.50 a.
m, New York time, on the morning
of the 18th. after considerable corver-
sation between officers ana members
the ship regarding these distress sig
nails or rockets, and was directed by
the chief officer to see if there was
anything the matter, as a ship had
been firing rockets during the night.
The inquiry thus set on foot at once
disclosed the fact that the Titanic
had sunk. Had assistance been
promptly proffered or had the wireless
| operator of the Californian remained
a few minutes longer at his post on
SUNDAY evening, that ship might have
had the proud distinction of saving
the lives of the passengers and crew
of the Titanic"
, The committee believes many more
lives could have been saved had the
q survivors been concentrated in few
, lifeboats and had the boats thus re-
leased returned to the wreckage for
: others.
The only mention of j. Bruce Ismay
occurs in a review Of the messages to
the White Star offices in New York re-
porting the disaster. The first Off
J cial information, the committee says,
was the message from Captain Had
dock of the Olympic, received from the
White Star line at GIG p. M, Monday,
p April Is. Attention is called to the
t fact that in the face Of this informa-
= ton message reporting the Titanic
2 being towed to Halifax was sent to
Representative ]. A. Hughes at Hunt
e ington, w Va, at 1851 p. m. that day.
S The message was delivered to the
D Western Union office in the same
r building as the White Star line Offices.
5 Whoever sent this message" says
+ the report, under the circumstances
9 is guilty of the most reprehensible
conduct"
! The committee does not believe the
2 wireless operator on the Carpathia
3 was duly vigilant in handling his mes
} sages after the accident, and declared
the practice OF allowing wireless OPP
p orators to sell their stories should be
= stopped.
1t is recommended that all ships
carrying more than 100 passengers
p have two searchlights; hat a revision
/ be made of steamship inspection laws
> of foreign countries to the standard
) proposed in the United States; that
every ship is required to carry suffi-
5 cient lifeboats for all passengers and
e crews; that the use of wireless be reg
e ulated to prevent its use by amateurs,
{. and that all ships have wireless OPP
orator on duty constantly.
? Detailed recommendations are made
r as to water-ught bulkhead construc'
Y ton on ocean-going ships Bulkheads
r should be so spaced that any two ad-
jacent compartments OF a ship might
S be flooded without sinking. Trans
verse bulkheads forward and abaft
. the machinery should be continued
4 water-tight to the uppermost eontinu'
Y Gus structural deck, and this deck
n should be fitted water-tight, the report
e says.
e The committee deems the course
r followed by Captain Rostron OF the
Carpathia as deserving OF the highest
L praise and worthy OF special recogni.
/, ton. His detailed instructions, issued
d in anticipation of the rescue of the Tt
tanic, were "a marvel OF systematic
k preparation and completeness, evinc
r ing such solicitude as calls for the
a HIGHEST communication