The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-27
WANT OF SpYGLlSSES.
CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF DISAS.
TER no TITANIC.
Two Witnesses Agree In Making This
POint--LOOkOut in Inflated Steam.
cr's Crows Nest and Yachtman
Blame This Negligence.

IL
monarch his kingdom. the failure to
provide binoculars or spy glasses for
the loOkouts on the Titanic was one
OF the contributing causes OF that
ships loss and with it the loss Of
more than 1900 lives.
Two witnesses before the senate in
vestigating committee today agreed
on this. They Were Frederick Fleet,
a lookout on the liner, and Maj. Ar
thur Godfrey Peuchen. Canadian
manufacturer and yachtsman, who
was among the rescued passengers.
Fleet acknowledged that if he had
been aided in his observations by
a good glass, he probably could have
spied the berg into which the ship
crashed in time to have warned the
bridge to avoid it. Maj. Peuchen also
testified to the much greater sweep of
vision afforded by binoculars and, as
yachtsman, said he believed the
presence OF the iceberg might have
been detected In time to escape the
collision had the lookout men been
so equipped.
1t was made to appear that the
blame for being without glasses did
not rest with the lookout men. Fleet
said they had asked for them at
Southampton and were told there
were none for them. One glass, in
a pinch, would have served in the
crows nest.
Maj. Peuchen criticised in strong
terms the lack Of experienced sailors
on board the Titanic. He said that
when the call to quarters was sound
ed. not enough Of the crew responded
to undertake the work required in
lowering and filling the boats. Fur
thermore, he said, no drills had been
held from the time the ship left
southampton. although 1t was GUS
tomary to hold such drills every Sun
day.
Herbert j. Pitman. third officer Of
the Titanic. told Of his failure to turn
back the lifeboat in which he and his
passengers were idly drifting at
tempt the rescue of others en- the
Titanic went down.
Shuddering at the recollection, he
said the cries for help made ''one
long continuous moan"
The passengers insisted that to go
back to aid would mean their de-
struction, he said. so after starting in
the direction Of the cries he rescinded
his orders and waited for the dawn.
Twice he begged to be spared a re-
cital of the facts. but Senator Smith
pressed him.
The opportunities and activities Of
a squad Of photographers today so
aroused Senator Smith that he indig-
nantly ordered them all excluded
from the chamber.
This inquiry is official and solemn"
he said in explanation, "and there will
he no hippodroming or commercializ-
ing Of it, / will not permit It,"
An anatuer photographer man.
aged to slip past the guard later but
was summarily elected when he
sought to get snap of the scene.
j. Bruce Ismay. managing director
Of the International Mercantile
Marine and p. A. S. Franklin, vice
president Of the White Star line,
urgently requested the committee to
permit them to return to New York.
In executive session at the close of
the hearing the committee declined
to allow either to leave Washingt On
until there Is no longer need for them.
Mr.. Ismay was TO have been recalled
to the witness chair today, but may
be recalled tomorrow, though that
has not been determined.
1t was decided also to call no more
passenger witnesses until all the
British witnesses had been heard. The
committee also decided to delay other
important business before it until the
Titanic inquiry had proceeded far
ther.
Maj. Peuchen OF Toronto, Can, a
passenger on the Titanic, who was
ordered by Second officer Lightoller
to man one OF the life boats, testified
that all ten of his friends with whom
he was travelling lost their lives in
the wreck.
MIGHT HAVE SAVED ALL.