The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-21
QTAN|('S s CAPTAIN DIED ATTEMPT
 ID SAVE CHILDREN
The Exact Number of Dead Will Probably Never
 Be Known
A MIGHTY TRIBUTE
 TO BRAVERY OF ALL
Some Criticism of Titanic Crews In- ability to Handle Lifeboats-Fire Broke Out in Bunkers and
 Burned Until Saturday

Burned Until Saturday
 New York, April oo.--Taking refuge on the bridge of the i'll fated Titanic, two little children remained by the side of Captain smith until that portion of the big ship had been swept by water, accord ing to a statement before the Senate in- vestigation today
 According to several survivors Of the crew who went down with the ships vacuum. but were saved by clinging to an overturned lifeboat, the commander did everything to save the life of one of the children. Captain smith and other subor- dlnates under him died like true Brit ons," they testified
 Tried to Save Girl sTIe held the little girl under one arm.' said James McGann. fireman. when he jumped into the sea. took the other child in my arms as [ was swept from
 the bridge deck. When I was plunged into the cold water I vas compelled to release my hold on the child after becom- ing benumbed. and I am satisfied the same | thing happened to Captain smith, T had gone to the bridge deck to as- sst in lowering a collapslbe raft. The water then was coming oyer the bridge and we were unable to launch the raft properly It was overturned and was never lighted. score or more of us, mostly flremen, clung to 1t.
 "Captain Smith looked as though he were trying to keep back the tears as he thought of his ship. He turned to the men lowering the raft and shouted before hand, Well, boys, it's every man for him. self lie then took one of the chill dren standing by him on the bridge deck and jumped Into the sea. He tried to reach the raft but did not succeed. That was the last We saw of Captain smith,
 The fireman said that Captain smith from the bridge deck directed the lowering of the lifeboats. He said the story that Captain smith had committed suicide as tho Titanic was going down was utterly | without foundation in fact.
 Much of Story Untold l Nearly week has passed sluee the i'fitanic. efeatcsC of marine construct- i've achievements, sank In midocean. Much of her story is still untold. The number of dead probably never VIII be eNdClly dtkfTnliHeu. IHB num- Der of survivors Is fixed al 705 by the report of Captain Rostron of the Car pathia.
 The White Star line officials believe the death list totalled approximately 1885. Tho narratives gathesed piece meal from the liners 70b survivors pay Ia tribute without precedent 10 the courage of the men and women or these modern days. a bravery of impulse, un- studied unassuming. and instinctivs alike in steerage passenger, fireman and millionaire.
 Ample provision for the needy sur- viYors Is rapidly being made. The re- lief funds being gathered in New York and London already total we'll up in the hundreds of thousands Of dollars. Most of tho steerage passengers who reached New York distraught and pen niless have already come to realize the generosity of America.
 Clad fed and housed they will ne given ample time 10 recover from the shock of their experience and will start life in the uew world with ample funds.
 Inspires Prompt Action The fate of the ship has inspired prompt action by the trans Atlantic Hines to insure more protection to ships taken course too far to the north and will change the course to the south, out or the way OI ille lttbHiHs. AueiS- 1 is little disposition to eriticise Cap tain Smitk for following the ocean lane l In which he met disaster. He showed unusunl caution, according to he naval | hydrographers, In steering course well 70 the south of tho regular south ern line.
 rho new route eastbound provides that steamships shall dip to latitude l3s. on the first third of their course, making a total distance from New York % Fastnet of 5000 miles, where the distance is now reckoned as 2S5s miles. Liners will thus be carried 270 miles be- low the route heretofore followed. Ths less of tune on the new course will Ds about nine hours for 6 24 knot per hour craft
 Criticism of Crew
 There was some criticism among the survivors here today of the Titanic's crew. of it's inability to handle the life boats. "fhe crew of the Titanic vas rev ore, of course. Mrs. George N stone Of Cincinnati declared. "lt had never been through a llfeboat drill' she saia, "or any training in the manner of launching. manning and equippng the boats. Scores of lives were thus ruth les sly wasted: a sacrifice to inefflciency and lack of knowledge of rudlments- Had there beer any sea running instead of the glassy calm that prevailed, not single IssFcnRer WOLid nave haiei} iedfHea me surface of the water.
 "The men did not know how to lower the boats the boats were not provisioned, many of the sailors could not handle an oar with reasonable skill"
 .lbert Majof. steward on the Titanic. admitted that there had been no boat drills. ard that the lifehoats were poorly 1 iardled
 Fire in the Bunkers Another story told oN members of the Tltanics crew which did not have a bear ing in the in, estigation of the rapid sink | ing of the ship is Of a fire which is said to have started in one of the coal bunk CTS of the vessel soon after she left 1 Southampton. and which was not extin- Gnished until ssturdas. The story as told 1 ly fireman is:
 "It had been necessary to take the coal out of sections two and three on the starboard side forward. and when
 lhe water came rushing in after the collision with the ice. the bulSheads
 would not hold because they did not have the supporting weight of the coal. Somebody reported to Chief Engineer 1 Bell that the forward bulkheads had given out. The engineer replied, My God, we are lost The engineer stayed | by the pumps and went down with the | ship. The 1remen and stokers were | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 tCoNTINtED ON FACE loI