The Washington herald., 1912-04-26
SHIPS LOG SHOWED
THE TITANIC GOING
AT GREAT SPEED
Continued from r.ss o...

fSfxty yards from the Titanic Wnen she
sank. He told a graphic and narrowing
tale Of the cries ana moans tnat arose
from the icy waters after the ship took
her plunge. He corroborated and
strengthened other testimony that there
was little or no suction when the IT,
/ tanic went down.
IiuigfeImo MarconI, head OF the WIRE
less company bearing his name. and
Harold Cottam. the wireless operator on
the Carpathia. were the only two wit
nesses examined yesterday Dy the full
committee. Wireless messages were IN
! troduced IN evidence showing that ON
GERS or the Marconi Company mad In
structed their wireless operators on the
Carpathia 20 hold the details OF the dis
aster for sale exclusively 10 New YORK
newspaper for a sum ''in four figures"
One OF these messages was signed
'sMarconi," but Mr.. Marconi denied all
knowledge Of them and declared that he
disapproved OF them. He contended that
OF the disaster At the earliest possible
moment for general distribution among
public prints.
Two witnesses To-day.
Two more witnesses who are expected
to give important testimony have been
gubpoenaed by Senator Smith to appear
before the Titanic investigating commit
tee to-day and tell what they know OF
incidents Immediately preceding the dis
aster. They are the captain and wire
less operator on the steamship Californ-
ian, which il now In dock at Boston. and
which IL scheduled to sail Saturday.
They have been ordered to produce the
log Of the Californian. These men are
expected in Washington to-day, and II is
the purpose of the committee to hear
them at once.
Capt. J. H Moore, Of the Canadian
Pacific Railroad steamship Mount Tenn
pie, Is also expected to arrive In this
city this morning. and he too will testify
before the committee with reference to q
report that his ship passed within sight
of the Titanic. saw her distress signals,
and failed TO respond. Capt Moore pre-
fers to appear in person before the COM
mlttee rather than give his testimony
to a Canadian commission. His ship is
now in port at St Johns. N. B., and IL
scheduled to sail Friday night.
Senator Smith received the following
telegram this afternoon from the Hon.
George Foster. acting premier Of Can
ada:
Capt. Moore. OF the Mount Temple.
will proceed TO Washington at once and
give evidence before your committee.
This is considered better than the indl-
rect way OF giving testimony through his
deposition"
The testimony Of Harold Cottam. the
wireless operator on the Caarpathia. yes
terday did not confirm Capt. Moore's tele-
graphic statement TO Senator Smith that
the Mount Temple answered the Titanic's
distress call Cottam was asked II he
heard the Mount Temple answering the
Titanic. He said that he did not. al
though he had been in communication
with the Mount Temple at 1890 on Sun
day evening. April II, and received a
good night message.
Committee Distributes Work.
Another interesting development of
the day with reference to the inquiry
was the unexpected action OF the COM
mittee In distributing the work of ex-
amininE the British sailors among the
several members Of the committee.
This step, II was explained by Senator
Smith, was taken in the hope OF expe-
diting the investigation. and thus en-
abling the seamen to return TO Eng
land. 1t has been intimated that this
departure was the result OF conflict and
differences in the committee, growing
out OF the prolongation of the hearing.
In, any event, II was decided that in
stead Of calling each OF these witnesses
having each rehearse the incidents of
the wreck. II would be better to assign
to each Senator some four or FIVE men,
bers of the crew. to be examined in
private. Those OF them who did con-
tribute anything new, II was decided.
would be detained and appear before
the full committee. A stenographic
report OF the testimony of each was
taken, and at the meeting to-day
h. NIL
decide just who Is to be called.
Permitted to Sell story.
Guglieimo Marconi, the wireless in
ventor, was the first witness yesterday,
coming over from New York at Sena-
tor Smiths request.
Il have no orficial connection with the
British government, except advisory IN
connection with wireless work." said
Mr.. Marconi in reply TO questions. '-rhe
British post-omce department has charge
OF the wireless"
Marconi said he has a special contract
OF twenty-eight years with the British
government providing for the erection
OF government wireless stations.
The Cape Race station he said.
has a radius OF 40 miles by day ana
over l,OOO miles by night"
steamer Mount Temple had short dis
tance equipment, limiting her communl-
cation to 200 miles.
Marconi declared that a snip should
have a wireless operator on duty at aIIl
times. The California, Carpathia, and
Mount Temple each carried a single
operator Marconi said he was informed
at 7:30 Monday. evening, April Is. that
the Titanic had sunk. The news was
'phoned TO him by the American direc-
tor Of his company. He did not inform
the White Star Line because he had been |
told that the steamship company knew
about IT. The witness received informa- !
ton from his Office on Tuesday evening. |
April 16. that the Carpathia was return |
ing with a number of survivors
'I was told he said. that It was very |
difficult to get news from the Carpathia |
as the ships operator was deluged with |
being sent by the captain and |
passengers. made no attempt to inform |
the operator or the captain as believed |
they were the best judges Of the situ-
alton"
Marconi said Operator Gotham, Of the
Carpathia, telephoned him In New York |
Thursday night after the Carpathia had |
docked, asking permission to give a story /
OF the disaster. He said permission was |
given by him.
Gotham Used Discretion.
'Tt is an offense under British laws
for an operator to give out news" said
"Cottam used his discretion in
TO give out a story while on the
Carpathia. In New York about 2 a. m.
Friday Cottarn said he would get soma