The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-23
BY Associated Press.

Washington, April 22.-With succor
only five miles away the Titanic sank,
while an unidentified steamer that
might have saved all failed or refused
to see the frantic signals flashed to ii
for aid. This phase Of the disaster
was brought out today before the SEN
ate investigating committee when J. +.
Boxhall. fourth officer of the Titanic,
told of the unsuccessful attempts TO
attract the strangers attention. Box
hall said he hailed the steamer with
rockets and the Morse electric signal
and that Capt Smith declared at the
time his belief that the vessel saw
them and was signalling in reply.
Boxhall failed to see the reply signals.
In any case. the steamer kept her
course obliquely past the Titanic with
out extending aid.
This and the declaration of p A. S.
Franklin, vice-president of the White
Star Line, that there were not suf
fcient Nfeboats aboard the Titanic to
care for the ships company at one
time were features Of the hearing. The
committee resumes tomorrow and Box
hall is expected to continue on the
stand.
ONLY. FOURTEEN BOATS.
Boxhall testified there were fourteen
lifeboats, two seaboats and four COL
lapsible boats on the Titanic. and each
would hold SIS persons In good weather.
They were provisioned when the IT,
tanic sailed from Belfast. He said on
the night OF the disaster the ordinary
complement of officers were at their
posts. He said Captain Smith told
him of the position of certain icebergs
which he marked on the chart. Box
hall was on watch Sunday night from
5 o'clock to midnight and said the ice
berg struck about thirty feet out of
the water and that Captain Smtth was
in the vicinity OF the. bridge all the
kme he was on watch. He said 1t
seemed the iceberg struck the ship
hack of the starboard bow and the
impact was slight. When the carpen-
ter reported the ship was taking water
the captain ordered the lifeboats be
made ready. He declared the captain
ordered him to go in one lifeboat and
child prevented from entering any life
boat and saw none elected. He said
that when the sea is smotoh II is diff
cult to see icebergs and believed that
II there had been a little ripple on the
water the Titanic might have been
able to see the iceberg In time to
avoid It,
Mr.. Franklin denied the White Star
Company had any intention to spirit
ficers or crew, or that the plans to re-
turn the survivors of the crew on the
Celtic were prompted by any desire to
suppress facts. He said that nothing
that the officers or crew could tell
could affect what might be told by sur
viving passengers.
Hours before the resumption of the
inquiry, great crowds swarmed to the
senate Office building and made a rush
Hundreds of them were women, and as
In the Titanic disaster it was women
first" who were admitted to the hear
ing room.
]. Bruce Ismay arrived at the hear
ing room and had difficulty getting in.
He identified himself to police officer
and was ushered into seats reserved
for witnesses.
ISMAY WAN AND HAGGARD.
Ismay, as he sat talking to his at
torney. appeared wan and haggard.
J. s. Boxhall was the first witness
called. after Senator Smith had eau
toned the crowd against demonstra-
tions- Boxhall was the third officer
Of the Titanic, one Of the four officers
to survive the disaster.
When Boxhall entered the room Sen
ator Smith asked him to step aside,
and called P. A. S. Franklin, vice pres
ident of the International Mercantile
Marine Company. He began to ques
ton Mr.. Franklin as to the companies
comprising the corporation, its con-
nections and it's capitalization.
There had been a long delay before
the first witness took the stand. Mr..
Ismay. seated at the end of the long
table, necessarily drew upon a sheet
of paper a sketch of the White Star
flag, such pennant as was flying at
the peak Of the Titanic when 1t sailed
TO Its doom.
Mr.. Franklin. under questioning, said
he was the real representative of the
White Star Line in America. He said
that he or his subordinates had not
communicated with Captain Smith az.
ter he sailed on the Titanic's first and
last voyage. He said he had received
no telegram from Mr.. Ismay after the
Continued on Page Two.