Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-02
English Inquirers to Ask
Twenty six Pertinent
Questions Regarding
Midnight Wreck.
SIT AS COURT OF LAW
TO DEAL WITH CASES
Twenty.foot Miniature of Vess
sci Showing Only 10 Life
boats and Map OF Scene OF
Disaster Before Investigators
LONDON. May ..

LONDON, MAY ..
r ORD MERSEY. in his capacity as
wreck commissioner, and five as
SCISSORS, who viii advise him in his
questioning on the techniealities OF nau-
tical affairs, held today the first session
Of the Board of Trade inquiry into the
loss Of the White star steamer Titanic
In point of interest to the public and
the Importance of its results upon the
laws governing the mercantile marine.
the investigation promises to overshadow
all previous tribunals Of similar char
acter. The scene was the armory Of the
| Scottish Rifles, whose broad drill floor,
| with two rows Of galleries. affords ac-
| commodation for several hundred per-
sons. The spacious hall was chosen with
view to seating an expected crush of
auditors, but when the Inquiry opened
not more than 100 spectators were pres
ent, and the majority of these were
| women.
| The acoustics of the building proved to
| he so poor that the early proceedings
were Inaudible to the spectators. As q
| consequences. Lord Mersey recommended
| that the Board OF Trade provide another
| room
From the series OF twenty-six questions
which the attorney general announced
would be taken up, II became evident
that the inquiry would cover practically
rho same ground as the Investigation
hv the committee of the American sen
ate hut would be conducted more III ac-
cordance with the procedure OF q court
4 of law and deal definitely with stated
cases. ,,,,,
Fight questions, sir Rufus Daniel
Isaacs said, would relate to happenings
1 before the casualty, six TO warnihpS
/ given the Titanic and the resulting pre-.
ea,,tions taken. ton to tile casualty Hseii
ana conseouent events, one to the EQUIP,
mani and construction of the Vessei anu
tha. last to the rules of the merchaht
shipping act, ,,,.orto
twenty. foot model of the Titanic
oarr,,,ng sixteen miniature lifeboats ana
n Mo chart of the North Auantie VIZ
prominently displayed before the inse1, s,a,,
tipators. In front Of the platform wiz wiz.
they occupied were seated ~ ~ ,,,,,,.'
VI snoy .,,e lar representng various inter.
ests involved, and 100 representatives, %
the press, eoo1,,gIv.
,I aa.ira IN behalf of the goVernmen.
axnresa the deepest sympathy ior AZ,
,rose who mourn the loss OF felati.ss am IN
frienas among the passeneers' wv n, o
rara and the crow of the illfateu 'esre,
The accident exceeded III hihh, A.,
IN narrowing incidents any ulsahter ~
tbo history OF the mercantile marine.
~ cannot forhear paying tribute 10
,bose whose devotion TO duty anu helo,'
self sacrifice maintained the best iraai'
tions of the sea. sor ,ho
sir Robert Finlay. chief counscl Ior tne
white star. seconded these remarks re-
neatino that ''the disaster had gwen an
nnnortunity for a display OF heroism anu
dovotion to duty which had mnintalned
tho hest traditions Of the mercantile
marine, ...io,, =,
,,,ynstiration was Sir Rufns's announce.
mont that owing to the detention OF
many witnesses FOR the senatorial an
onirv by the United States. the testi-
monv would not be presented IN loei-
cal order, The seamen who arrived from
New York on the steamer Lnpland were
called first as witnesses to the construc-
lion and equipment Of the Titanic, sew
oral In wyers representing interested par-
tios requested permission to participate
IN the proceedings
Lord Mersey recognized Thomas Scah-
Ian. member of Parliament for the nortn
division Of Sligo who appeared Tor the
seamen's and Firemen's Union, ana an
attorney for the Merchants' Service
Guild. and took under consideration the
onnlica tIon for representation of the
seafarers' linton, the Ship Constructors
Association and the Mercantile Ofhcers
Union.
Adjournment was then taken.