Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-11

scheduled time not only without having
| increased her speed, but actually at a
speed reduced by two knots an hour
| The commissioner strongly condemns
that practice of going ahead at full
speed when there Is Ice in the track
This practice, he finds. however, has
been invariable even mong careful
| mariners and as Captain Smith was onlr
following an established practice, Lord
Mersey finds himself relieved from thu
obligation of visiting him with censuro
NEED OF MORE L1FEBOATS.
Captain Smith and his officers are foun
| to have made reasonable attempt. afto"
the collision. to warn the passengers Of
| their danger and to advise the women
and children to get into the lfeboat+
without delay.
greater number Of the passengers
however. could have been saved If the
crew had been better organized and
trained In launching and handling life
boats Lord Mersey condemns the board
| or trade for its out-of-date lifeboat
regulations. and recommends that life
boats for all be provided in all future
built passenger and emif-rant ships.
He considers It impracticable to re-
quire them on existing ships. He re-
commends tina life RATS be used In
substitution for lifeboats to whatever
extent may be found possible
Then comes an urgent recommended
ton that the board OF trade frame rules
for drilling seamen in launching and
handling lifeboats. the absence of any
such drill In the case of the Titanic
being deplored, The suggestion that pas
sengers he instructed as to the lifeboat
stations In case of accident Is dismissed
The question of ifeboats, in Lord
Mersey's opinion, may be largely effected
by the recommendations regarding bulk
heads that may he made by the board
OF trade now sitting. He finds that the
Titanic left FORT as seaworthy ship,
her divided watcrtght compartments hav-
Ing been devised in accordance with the
best designing skill. neither her owners
nor her designers being open TO reproa ch
respecting the construction and arrange
ment of her bulkheads
NO REFERENCE TO L. S. INQUIRY.
The Titanic was guaranteed to float
with any two compartments open to
the sea. AS n matter of fact, Lord Mer-
sey finds she noated with four compart-
ments open. He believes, however, that
the disaster Of the Titanic discloses to
naval architects n serious weakness IN
the principles on which they have here
tofore proceeded In the Arrangement Of
pulkheads and suggests that they give
attention TO the question of longitudinal
wells and transverse bulkneads.
beyond taking cognizance of the Ameri-
can regulation Insisting on tho provision
OF ireboats for ALL Lord Mersey makes
no direct reference to tho Senate inquiry
or the report based on It,
The commissioner believes that look
outs should he posted on the steamhead
over the anchor eyes at the bow as
wen as In the crews nest He does not
'hlnk 1t essential that lookouts should
carry binoculars and considers search
heh's undesirable as limiting the field
| oi VISION ny binding lookouts to every
thing outside the patch of light.
CASE OF CAPTAIN LORD.
no judgment is passed on Captain Lord
or the Californian as his case may be sub
'ni'red W another court The commits
sioner finds that the Californian vas with,
IN hVe or 10 miles Of the Titanic when she
struck inc iceberg and that Captain LORD
""" VIC iI'dilc was sending up distress
signals
me report recommends the universal
adoption or wireless teegraphy appara-
JUS with OPP. rators continuously on duty.
Numerous minor recommendations are In
ci"ded' respecting eye tests and similar
'hatters that might be involved In emer-
gehc,es like that which the Titanic faced
LORD Mersey began the taking Of testi-
Inohy IN the inquiry May .. Sir Rufus
isaacs' the attorney-general conducted
the examination of witnesses. Twenty-sx
question were taken up by the court. the
questions having been drawn by the board
OF trade.
IL was advised that steamers slow down
10 NAN speed at night even in clear
weather