Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-23

II think there has been an awful mis-
take made about that matter" said
Franklin. II would like to clear it up.
The criticisms have been made that we
were trying to keep those men from tes-
tifying That * not SO. 1t is not the
reason at all. AS far as the crew are
concerned it was our duty to return them
to their homes. If they were permitted
to roam around here men would besiege
them for news, give them presents, take
them away and many of them would get
lost. We assured you that we would
hold any officers or men that you wanted
for this committee. We made the prom
Use to you, Senator Smith, as soon as the
boat locked. There was no attempt on
our part to spirit away any member OF
the crew, to the best of my knowledge
and belief,
what possible harm could those men
do us in an investigation? They could
not tell any more than the passengers
many of them probably not as much.
The worst they could say couldn't help
matters"
The Afternoon Session.
Mr. Franklin, when he resumed the
stand at the afternoon session. was piled
with questions by Senator Burton.
"There were Is compartments on the
Titanic" said the senator. How many
of these water-tight compartments were
| opened up by the coliision?' "No esti-
mate is possible" replied the witness
my best belief is that from five to six
were opened up But that is largely
guesswork"
"You were quoted in the press dis
patches, Friday, as saying the Titanic
had sufficient boats aboard to care for
the entire ships company. Did you say
that?" Il don't think / did said Mr.
Franklin "There were not enough boats
aboard to care for the entire ships COM
plement at one time
| Senator Fletcher questioned the witness
about the International Mercantile Ma
rine Co. Vice President Franklin said 1t
was New Jersey corporation and that
his was the highest position of that COM
pany in this country.
Does the position of Mr. Ismay as
managing director combine the presiden-
cv and management" asked Senator
Fletcher. "Mr Ismay is absolutely the
head of the corporation" answered Mr.
Franklin.
when did you expect to have the Ii
tanic arrive in New York;" Il never
had any information on that subject. We
had no message from the Titanic directly
after she left Belfast. AS rule the
steamers do not report except as they
are arriving in port. That is to advise
friends of passengers when to meet
them"
why was the report to Cape Race
sent there instead of New York;
THAT is the quickest way"
Early on Monday morning | I'M
derstand a reporter called you up and
said it was reported that the Titanic
was sinking said Senator Fletcher.
How long afterward did you hear
from that report?" Well / confirmed
the report of the call for help an hour
afterward from the press" said
Franklin.
Senator Newlands brought out that
the speed of the Titanic at the time
of the accident was about four miles
an hour below that of the Mauritania
and Lusitania. THE Titanic was not
built for speed said Mr.. Franklin.
do you have rules governing the
running of a ship in fog or when ice
is in a ships vicinity?' I'VE have
very stringent rules. These rules gov
ern the captains of vessels whenever
they regard conditions hazardous"
Mr.. Franklin read Rule 101 of the
White Star Line, which instructed
captains to disregard speed and dis
lance in guarding against danger and
to remember always that the safety of
the lives and property entrusted to
their care was paramount. None of
the commanders that / have ever had
communication with ever got the idea
from me that our company wanted
records broken said Franklin
The captain of the Carpathia," said
the witness in answer to a question by
Senator Bourne, testified that when
the Titanic struck the ice she was jus,
exactly in the. position she should have
been according to the charts"
Asked what the speed of the Titanic
was at the time of the collision, Mr.
Franklin responded: Il don't know
Wasn't it II knots an hour" Il
have absolutely no means of knowing
Senator Smith then returned to the
subject of the messages exchanged on
1.-THE day of the disaster.
Did YOU send any by eable?" he
asked. Il did. They did not refer,
however. to any one aboard the Car
pathia."
Senator Smith ordered the cable
grams placed in the record. They
were not read. Mr. Franklin then was
excused but it was intimated that he
will be recalled later
Fourth Officer Boxhaii.
j. &. Boxhall, fourth officer of the
Titanic, then was called. He was
questioned as to his duties He said
that as fifth, sixth. then third and
eventually fourth officer, his duties
always consisted of assisting the
senior officer in charge. He described
the trip of the Titanic from Belfast
to Southampton although he could Of
fer no technical description of the test
trip.
Senator Smith asked about the du-
ties of the various officers Gradually
he worked up to his leading ques-
tons
Were there any drills or any inspee-
ton before the Titanic sailed?' he
asked. Both" said the witness "The
| a..