New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-24
Only Sixteen Men in Boat Drill.

The witness said boat drills always
we're held at southampton and At Queens
town The Titanic's drill at Southamp-
ton. he said, consisted Of lowering and
lifting two boats.
Anything else done
NO sir. The drill was to satisfy the
British Board Of Trade. We lowered the
boats. sailed around the hsreor and then
returned TO tn. ship
pitman said IT. was customary aboa I'd
ship TO have boat ard fire drills every
Sundav Pitman said that I'm the Southamp-
ton drill approximately eight men went in
zach boat .-.
Then only sixteen mon participated in
; this drll?" suggested Senator Smith.
"Nos. sir"
WAS ,horo any fire drill on the Titanic
after she left Southampton"
No. sir; none
Asked il he saw any ice on SUNDAY, Fit
man said he did not. The fact that the
, temperature was lower. he said, would not
indicate the presence " ice.
In this country and our country" he
added. the temperature changes arc such
that ono wants an overcoat one day snd
| cool clothes the next, but that is not due
to tee
Pitman declared in All his ma igatIon of
the sea h. had only seen ono iceberg, and
he contended tho only way to discover the
proximity NJ icebrrgs was 10 see them.
Then you arc convinced there is no other
WAY Of tolling?" asked Senator Smith.
There is no other way. Science may
hold that there are numerous ways, but
they have never been demonstrated
Senator smith asked Pitman IL no knew
! that temperature tests Of the water were
made every two hours on the THAMES voy-
age from southampton.
YES. sir. II was the custom"
| 1T was moro than custom, was il not?
Wasn't it an attempt to discover the near
ness OF ice?"
| Not that ! know NJ, sir"
ibid You see the uuartermaster ~ the
| Titanic test the WAGER
| mo, but saw. him preparing to do il
several times"
You say the fourth officer reported ice
Saturday night and marked it on the chart
with a cross, continued the Senator. WAS
this mark on the chart on or near the ship s
| course
| AS near as ] rccolect IT was north of
our course
| Pitman reiterated statements Of others
that the Titanic was on her proper course.
| The witness said that when he was In the
lifeboat going to the carpatha he saw sev-
eral icebergs and they were about 100 feet
| above the water.
! Pitman said that from 10 O'Clock
Sunday evening he was on the bridge, after
which he went 10 his berth. He heard moth
ing about warning by the CALIFORNIAN tnat
| Ice was in the vicinity The Titanic, how
! ever. had been keeping "A special lookout
| for ice that day becauyr Captain Smith
had been warned" that tee was near
who warned him." inquired Senator
Smith.
| Il don't know. sir
We'll who told YOU tina he had been
warned? Were you told before tie disaster
or afterward?
Il cannot remember who told me, ard
| think it was after the wreck"
| Ptman said the ship was N Ling abou
| GIL. knots on Sunday evening, adding tha
It was nothing to what We expected heI
| To do"
| How much did you expect
| I'VE thought she could reach ~"
Were YOU trying 10 reach 2i"
NO because We didn't have the coal FOL
| that"
When asked again about the iceheri
warnings, PItman said he did hear on TIT
ship about lighttoler's warning to Nun
dock ON the ship concerning ice.
I'VE talked about II among ourselves
Sunday night said the witness Light
luler remarked that We should bc IN the
| vicinity of ice about his watch
Were YOU all agreed 10 that
II didn't say anything about II, WASH
Interested in II. I can't remember who wa
present | heard tie remark passed. Tina
was all"
senator Smith inquired On what basis th'
witness figured the Titanic Was making III
knots, Ptman replied that he made hi
calculations ny the los and 10y the reNoln
tons which were about 10
did the ship travel faster than that a
any tim" prior to the accident hc wa
asked
| M" sir, | think not"
"Dn you not know that anothcr officer hal
! sad that she VAS making ny TO so revo
ltH,u.y''