The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-05-10
TITANIC DISASTER
WILL De DISCUSSED


PHILADELPHIA. April 2s new
wotid.eide significance is given 20 tbl
coming l2th International Congress o
Navigation ty The Titanic catastrophe
Showing. ns it has. the futiity Of pres
emit day precautions under such possible
conditions as those which Atlantic ship
ping may at any time encounter. th'
disaster throws into strong light th,
work of this congress of experts.
10 is a rather remarkable coincidenc,
that within the last month q prclimin
arv conference has been held in 81
Petersburg TO consider means of avoid
ing such unusual dangers to navigation
as that which caused the destruction
Of the Titanic and the loss of more
than 1900 lives.
This preliminary conference of the
congress held to consider the safety OF
navigation, was called by the Imperial
Russian government. At the congress
held four years ago, important papers
were read touching upon the genera
conditions affecting the security OF
maritime navigation. In one of these
papers, J. de Schokalsky, general Of tho
Imperial Russian Navy and one of the
most distinguished authorities of the
world, mapped out an important line OF
reform. He pointed out that despit,
the enormous and varied care bestowed
on the question of safety in MARITIME
navigation by all nations, there still
exist numerous gaps, which need to b
filled, in all branches of the question.
If anything were needed to prove thu
cogency of this assertion, it would BE-
found in those conditions surrounding
the Titanic disaster for which no AIDE
quate provision has ever been made
And it is to provide for just such con
tingencies, that the international con
gress has embarked upon its important
work of reform.
Measures for Safety.
In the important paper delivered b!
Gen. de Schokasky the various posi-
BILE contingencies or dangers tina
might arise and for which no provision
has been made were but briefly touch
ed upon and in an Introductory man
ner. 1t was stated that the genera
conditions influencing the safety o
navigation may be divided into tire,
heads: first, the ship; second, the stat
and equipments third, the care bestow
on the safety of navigation by tn
nations themselves. Gen. de Scholal
sky enumerated nine measures for in
Surfing safety, among them the Prov
sion of adequate means for assisting
vessels in distress. While his pape
was of the most temperate tone, he de
elared that there was not u single on
of the nine points stated by him whic
could not be ameliorated by careful in
tcrnational agreement. One of the pa
pers on the subject, written by the dis
tinguished Italian naval constructor, {
Rota, was of peculiar interest. Nj
Rota made the declaration that it
impossible to guarantee ship fror
sinking whatever the damage to he
hull may be. He had therefore state
in advance of the Titanic disastt
that il is impossible to attain absolut
insubm eTsibility. Mr.. Rota went a
length into the question of the arrange
ment of bulkheads to assure safety.
AS a result of these and other paper
the initiative was taken by the Russia
government in n movement looking
reform along this line. The Russia
minister of marine request that to tn
list of questions for discussions by tn
congress, there be added that of gel
eral conditions for the security of mi
rine navigation. 1t was recognized tina
TO obtain uniformity, an internation
agreement would be necessary, and
conference of representatives of I'll
various leading maritime nations WI
recommended. This was recently hel
in st. Petersburg and its finding wi
furnish the basis of what will no
doubtless be the most important top
before the coming congress when
convenes in Philadelphia, May %.
Revolution Pending.
1T is generally admitted that the +,
cent catastrophe VIII work "A revolutio
in ocean navigation. Coming so 500
after this disaster the deliberations Q
the congress will be awaited wit
peculiar interest. When it is borne i
mind that these sessions will be attenC
ed by the greatest navigation expert
of twenty.nine countries, and that tn
congress has been focusing attentio
upon the very question of the safet
of navigation, the deep significance {
the coming sessions and their bearin
upon future methods viii be realize
Additional Importance is given to Il
question, by the fact that Congressms
j. Hampton Moore has introduced
Washington resolution requestiI
that the navigation congress take tn