The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-28
MAHAN ON fsMAY's DUTY.
His the Fault, IN Part ~ Least, That
Boats Were Lacking

ISIS tine fooleS IN foet ~ Least, That
Boats Were Lackine
Rear Admiral A. T. Mahan. retired, in q
letter which the Evening Post publishes
has this to say OF j. Bruce Ismay's duty:
In the Freninp Post Of April "a Admira,
Chadwick passes distinct approval upon
the conduct Of Mr. Ismay In the wreck OF
the Titanic by characterizing the criticisms
passed upon IL as the acme OF emotional.
ism "
Both censure and approval had best wait
upon the result OF the Investigations being
made here and to be made In Great Britain,
Tongues will wag. but II men like Admiral
Chadwick see fit to publish anticipatory
opinions those opinions must receive an.
ticipatOry comment.
Certain facts are so notorious that they
need no inquiry to ascertain These are
% that before the collision tho captain Of
the Titanic was solely responsible for the
mana cement of the ship, t2D after the col.
lisiOn there were not boats enough 10 EN-.
bark more than one-third Of those on board,
and ,3) for that circumstance the White
Star company Is solely responsible not
legally. for the legal requirements were
met, but morally. or this company Mr..
Ismay is a prominent If not the most prom.
| inent member.
| responsible. individually and collectively,
Mr. Ismay personally. not only as one Of the
members He believed the Titanic unsink-
able; the belief relieves OF moral guilt. but
not Of responsibility. Men bear the conse-
| Quences of their mistakes As well as Of their
faults He-and Admiral Chadwick.
, Justify his leaving over fifteen hundred
persons. the death OF each OF whom lay on
the company, on the ground that It wss
, the last boat half filled; and. Mr.. 1smay has
| said, no one else to be seen.
| No one to be seen: but was there mono to
| be reached? MIR. Ismay knew there must
| he many. because he knew the boats could
| take only a third. The Titanic was a:
. feet long. 02 broad; the length. say. from
Thirty fourth street to little north OF
Thirty seventh. Within this space were
congregated over 800 souls. on several
decks. True. TO hnd any one person At
such moment in the intricacies OF a vessel
were a vain hope: but to encounter soma
strag elers would not seem to be. Read In
The Sun and Times Of April IS Col. Gracie's
account of the mass OF humanity. men ana
women" that suddenly appeared before
him after the boats we're launched.
In an interview reported in the New York
Times April 25 Admiral Sir Cyprisn Bridge.
a very distinguished ofi1cer. holds that Mr..
Ismay was but a passenger. as other pas
1
| is in no sense responsible for the collision:
but when the collision had occurred he
confronted wholly new condition. for
which he WAS responsible and not the cap
tain; viz: a sinking vessel without adequate
provision for saving life. Did no obligs-
ton 10 particularly Of conduct rest upon
him under such a condition?
hold that under the condition. 80 Ions
as there was a soul that could be ssved. the
oblig alton lay upon MIR. Ismay that that
one person and not he should have been
in the boat. More than 800 perished. Cir
cumstances yet 10 be developed may Justify
Mr. Ismay's action completely. but such
justification is imperatively required. II
this be the acme Of emotionalism" must
be content to bear the imputation.
Admiral Chadwick urges the preserving
a life so valuable to the great organization
to which Mr.. 1snisy belongs" This be-
slows on MIR. Ismay's escape kind Of halo
of self-sacrifice. No man is indispensable.
There is surely brains enough and business
capacity enough in the White Star COM
pany to run without him. The reports say
that of the rescued women thirty-seven were
widowed by the accident and the lack OF
boats. Their husbands were quite as in
Indispensable to them az MIR. Isnay to tbs
company. His duty to the ships company
pany so secondary as to be at the momen,
We should be careful not TO pervert stand.
M,nsss the 'SS thst the ,ssut
, cept that which individuals have made 4
and keep it,? Whatever thus weakens the
sense OF individual responsibility is harm,
failure of the Individual to meet his re-
sponsihlity. 4. T. MAHAN.
] UNIVERSITY Clue. New York. April 20.