Norwich bulletin., 1912-04-25

floating capacity. If you load from the deck to lower, l should not like to put more than 50 in a lifeboat
 Witness said there was difference of opinion about the safe capacity of lifeboats.
 All Sailors Cannot Row.
 Senator Smith then referred to Third Officer Pitman's testimony yes terday, in which he said there were S5 persons in lfeboat No. ,, and asked why Pitman could not have gone to the rescue of the drowning, whose cries he heard plainly but did not heed.
 wouldn't he have been able to ac- commodate thirty more people safely In that lifeboat?" demanded Senator Smith.
 NO, sir" said Lowe. Had he at- tempted to rescue those in the water he would have endangered the lives of those with him.
 T want to say a, word about that danger" Lowe continued. q heard Major Peuchen say on the stand that the sailors could not row. Sailors and boatmen are different. Many sailors may be at sea for years and never go in a rowboat. They are different callings. That is the reason that a great many of the sailors could not row."
 Lowe said he was not in a position to order who should go into the boats.
 But you were in a position to tell Mir IsInay to go to hell?'
 Yes; because he was interfering" 1"
 Witness denied that the reason why the boats were not properly loaded was because the crew were not able to row.
 Discipline Was Excellent.
 What was the drill for at South ampton ?' asked the chairman.
 Tt was for the board of trade"
 There were eight men to a boat, then. Where were these men when the emergency arose? They were all oars men. Where were they when you were loading lifeboat No. 5"
 You must remember,sir, we were in harbor and had the pick of the men At the time of the collision the men went down with the 'bosun' to clear away the gangway doors to make way for the loading"
 Did that take skilled men? Any one could have done that, and yet skilled men were sent below when they were needed for the loading and lowering of the lifeboats? Is that the impression you want to leave with 1 this committee?"
 The witness protested against that 1 interpretation of his statement. He said the discipline was excellent. Only one boat, a collapsible, overturned. The other nineteen were scientifically l handled.
 One Drill by Crew.
 The witness said that before the Ti- | tanic sailed on her maiden and last voyage one drill of the crew was held. He could not remember whether it was held at Belfast or in the harbor | at Southampton. He hesitated also when asked his special station and did not know whether any other officers 1 were at their stations on the starboard side of the ship where his station was 1 located.
 T was complete stranger in the ship he said in extenuation. Later 1 he rembered that the test was held at 1 Southampton. He was in charge of one of the two boats lowered there 1 The entire drill, he said, consisted in | rowing about the harbor for half hour.
 Now, Mir. Lowe" the senator con- tinued. NO other drill took place after that until the accldent?' | NO drlil LOOK place aIter that" Was there no fire drill-no alarm drill requiring the presence of each ! man at a given placer There always Is fire drill when we 1 had boat drill. There was a fire drill previous to the general drill at South l ampton."
 Are you quite sure you had that fire drill?'
 Let me see,' said Lowe. T don't 1 want to be telling a story-I may bC l confusing her with some of the other 1 ships"
 Not Sure About Fire Drill. Lowe thought for a long time and l then said: We will annul that, be- cause | am not sure" Well" said the senator, i've vii not annul that and want your bes 1 answer"
 well, I'm here to help you all l can and don't remember.
 linen that is what you want us tS