Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-04-20
SENATE PROBERs
CONTINUE HEARING
,continuea from FRS. raee.1

dent. Lightoller tool a lot of time be-
fore he answered and then he said
I was in bed and the first ] knew
was about IL o'clock when ] felt q
slight jar and a grinding. Then there
was a sudden stopping of the ship, and
[ knew that something had happened
to her. Naturally I went on deck, but
at that time there seemed to be no dan
ger. As near as l can remember did
not have my watch with melt was
about 11.2O. 7 went back to my room
and went to bed. A little later felt
the ship commence to list to ~starboard.
Then | knew something serious had
happened to us"
asked by Senator Smith as TO how
long he had been out on deck after he
first felt the impact. he said probably
I've minutes, and it Vas about twenty
minutes later that he realized The boat
was IN trouble.
Agreed There WIS No DANGER.
When l got on deck l conferred with
the third officer and also with the We
the third officer and also with the cap
tain. We agreed that there was no
danger at that time and did not stop to
get the lifeboats out.
Senator Smith, who conducted the en-
tire examination. went back to the
question as to whether ice tests had
been taken every two hours, as re-
qulred by the London Board of Trade
llghtoller said that II had been a part
of the routine duty of all officers ana
that regular tests hnd heen maue ai
day sunday.
Did the captain ask for the water
tests or the ice tests that night?
mo. don't remember that he did.
o. Do you know of a wireless mess
age from the America that night?
Il didn't see it in the form of a
message. l heard of it. but there was
no mention of the longitude or latitude
of the America. All that I got was
Ice 49.51.'"
@. What time was that?
A. About l o'clock, l believe.
@. Where were you then?
A. I was on the bridge of the ship
l was In charge.
Q. What was the position Of the ship
at this time?
A. | couldn't tell without looking it
up. First officer Murdoch had made
our location at noon and had been told
of the proximity of icebergs. All
right said Murdoch, "go ahead just
as we are going"
@. Did you talk of speed?
a. Well. we were all anxious TO see
the boat tested and see just what she
could do.
G. We're o speeding?
A. I think that we were going about
eighteen knots an hour. possibly more.
FrI. t..,t x-ar. T~r1u- .-nf1 a.. t,1xrha
twenty.
Then there was a long pause. Sena-
tor Smith looked at Liehtoller then
turned to Senator Francis Newlands. of
Nevada. his conferee on the committee.
and also TO George Uhler supervising
inspector Of steam vessels for the treas
ury department, and for three or four
minutes there was a close conference.
Then this question was suddenly
ASKED By Senator Smith:
You were in charge OF the shin from
6 o'clock until 10 o'clock on SUNDAY
nisllt. April IA? When during that time
did YOU see Captain Smith -
Il saw. Captain Smith about five min
utes of .. The weather at that time
was clear and calm"
Were you at that time appreilensive
about trouble from icebergs -
No, sir. :
Did you increase the official number
OF lookouts?"
No. sir
But insisted Senator Smith. ayoa
told us just a few minutes ago that
the wireless news from the Amer'ka
had said you were near icebergs. Why
shouldn't you have gone slowly"
II told Captain Smith all that l had
heard. He said go ahead. IF you have
the slightest bit of doubt let me know.
''Then do you mean to say that Cap
tain Smith did not return to the deck,
7 mean the bridge, until 10 o'clock?'
Il did not see him after | had made
my report"
what We're the weather conditions
that night? Was 1t cold2
yes, sir. Unusually cold for that