Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-25

Of the collisionY'
"Ali the way and no heavy sea"
Was there a starllt sky"
Every night and morning
| Asked to tell his duties when on watch
Pitman said nc worked out observations
found deviations of the compass. genera
supervision around the decks and re'ieV
ing the bridge II necessary
| WAS it part Of your duties to driii tn'
men or go through practice with th'
men?" asked Senator Smith.
| mo, sir I merely gave them orders.
SIXTEEN MEN HAD DRILL.
The witness said boat drills always were
hid at Southampton and at Queenstown
The Titanic's drill at Southampton M
said. consisted of lowering and lifting two
boats The drill was to satisfy tho
British Board of Trade I'VE lowered
the boats, sailed around the harbor and
then returned to the ship" said Pitnan.
The witness said It was customary
aboard ship to have boat and fire drills
every Sunday. In the Southampton drill
Pitman said that approximately eight men
went in each boat.
Then only 16 men participated In this
drii?" suggested Senator Smith.
YES, sir"
ives there any fire drill on the Titanic
after she left southampton
NO. sir none
"Wcre YOU on the bridge during Satur-
day or Sunday preceding the accident?'
'Oh yes. part of the time. Saturday
afternoon from twelve to four" said
Pitman.
Gee any cebergs or any freed ce?'
no, sir, none at all"
Did you hear anything about ice Satur-
day."
NO. sir
Ibid YOU hear anything about a wireless
message about iCe?'
Yes. | did. either Saturday night or
Sunday morning. when Mr. Boxhall put II
on the chart" Pitman replied
did YOU talk to the captain about the
proximity of ice?"
It's not my place to talk to the
captain"
Asked If he saw any ice on Sunday PIT
man said he did not The fact that the
temperature was lower, he said, would
not indicate the presence of ice.
NO SURE WAY TO LOCATE BERG.
Senator Smith suggested that the prox-
unity of ice was indicated in a number of
ways. such as the effect on the sky. the
change In temperature. the CLINT of sun
or moonlight upon them. The witness
said virtually the only way to discover
the proximity of icebergs was to see
them. Senator Smith sought to make the
witness admit there were other indica.
tons
There Is no other way Science may
hold that there are numerous ways but
they have never been demonstrated" said
the witness.
Pitman described a loO-foot iceberg in
the southern ocean. Neither the tenn
perature of the sea nor the temperature
of the air was affected by the great
mountain Of ice.
Senator Smith asked Pitman if he knew
that temperature tests of the water were
made every two hours on the Titanic :
voyage from Southampton.
Yes, sir, 1t was the custom
Pittman reiterated statements Of others
that the Titanic was on her proper
course.
Senator Smith question the witness as
to his whereabouts on the night Of the
NOlIISAOH' IOiIl SIh W clSllL y tloth tudt
evening he said he was on the bridge,
after which he went to his berth.
did you hear anything about a warn
ing by the Californian that ice was in
the vicinty?"
NO, sir"
You heard nothing whatever either
from Second Officer Lightoller or the cap
tain when you were on the bridge that
night?'
mo. sir
TOLD OF ICE AFTER WRECK
The witness said that the Titanic had
been keeping a special lookout for ice on
done because Captain Smith had been
warned" that ice was near
Who warned him."
Il don't know"
We'll. who told you that he had been
warned? Were you told before the disaster
or afterward?"
Il cannot remember who told me and
I think 1t was after the wreck"
Can you tell what speed the ship was
making Sunday EVENING""
About twenty-One and a half knots an
hour"
WAS that pretty good speed?'
mo, nothing to what We expected"
How much did you expect"
We'll. she could reach "a"
Were you trying PAP"
No because we didn't have the coal
for that"
Senator Smith inquired on what basis
they figured the Titanic was making
., 1-2 knots an hour Pitman eaid hv ,h
leg and by the revolutions which were
about 10.
Pitman denied that the officers dis
cussed the speed of the ship while al sea
The witness said he left his cabin ehou,
u Sunday night just after tho
collision. Wv
chairman Smith pressed Pitman re-
garding scenes after the sinking of the
ship. '"'
Il heard no cries of distress until aftor
me snip went down. he said.
how far away were the cries from
your l!feboatr"
several hundred yards. probably. some
VI 'hem' told my men to get the oars
OUT ana pull toward the wreck that We
might he able to save "A few more Tho
people In my boat demurred. They said
II would he mad idea
D'u any one in your boat urge or an.
peal TO you to go back toward tho
wreck?" ''o
mo. not one"
Did any woman urge you to GO hack 4"
NO" e' '"o"'
who demurred, the men with tho
oars" '"e