Norwich bulletin., 1912-05-03
BRITISH INVESTIGATION.
Twenty Six Questions to Be Asked
 of the Various Witnesses.

London, May 2.-Lord Mersey, in his capacity as wreck commissioner and five assessors, who will advise him in his questioning on the technicali- ties of nautical affairs, held today the first session of the board of trade in quiry into the loss of the White Star steamer Titanic,
 From the series of 26 questions which the attorney general announced would be taken up, it became evident that the inquiry would cover practi- cally the same ground as the inVesti- gauon by the committee of the Amer iCan senate, but would be conducted more in accordance with the procedure of a court of law and deal definitely with stated cases. Eight questions. Sir Rufus Daniel Isaacs said, would relate to happenings before the cas- ualty; six to warnings given the Ti- tanic and the resulting precautions taken; ten to the casualty itself and consequent events; one to equipment and construction of the vessel; and the last to the rules of the merchant shipping act
 A 20-foot model of the Titanic. car rying 16 miniature lifeboats~ and a big chart of the North Atlantic were prominently displayed before the in yestigators. In front of the platform which they occupied were seated one hundred members of the bar. repre- seuting various interests involved, and
 one hundred representatives of the press.
 The only reference to the American investigation was Sir Rufus an- nOunce1nent that owing to the deten- ton of many witnesses for the sena- torial inquiry in the United States, the testimony would not be presented in a logical order The seamen who arrived from New York on the steamer Lapland were called first as witnesses 10 the construction and equipment of the Titanic.
 Tho twenty six questions to be asked the witnesses are in substance, briefly stated, as follows:
 What were the numbers of the passengers and crew, their sex, and so forth.
 2-Did the Titanic comply with the requirements of the act applying to passengers?
 Was there special provision in the design of the vessel for safety? Was the steamer fully oficered and manned?
 5-What was the number of the iifSbOaLs, was the number sufficient, and had there been sp boat dril12
 e-RegsPding the installation of the wireless system--Waa it in effective order and what was the number of wireless Oper8tors2
 Were there any and if so what Instructions given to the master re- sarding the navigation of the steamer? '? s-What track was taken by the litsnic5 was il the one usually fol- lowed was the track safe at that time of the year. and did the master have any discretion regarding the track taken?
 9-What information reached the T9- iaaie of the existence of ice; and was the course altered in consequence of this informatioH2
 le-Was there a proper lookout for ice maintained, after the warning was received, and were directions given 10 | vary the speed; and were the diree- | tiaHs carried eUt2
 ll-Wss there aH equipment of
 searchlights and binoculars and was such equipment necessary? I2-Nhat prees Htiohs were taken by ] tAe Titanic when ice was met?
 S-Did any one see and report ice l before the casualty oecHrFed what measures were taken t9 avoid the ice; and were these measures proper? l4-What was the speed of the yes sei immediately precediBr the cas-
 uaIfy and was it excessive under the circumStaRces2
 l5-What was the nature of the casualty?
 16-When the casualty occurred what steps were taken immediately; how long a time elapsed after the | casualty before its seriousness was realized; what steps were then taken and what endeavors were made to save the lives of those on board and to prevent the vessel sinking? 11--Was proper discipline maintain ed after the casualty l5-What messages asking assist ance were sent out and what answers were received?
 19-What apparatus was there for lowering the lifeboats; what was it's efficiency; did the boats get away un- der proper supe-intendeuce: and were the boats properly manned?
 20-Did the ifeboats prove efficient in saving life; what was the number of passengers and crew in each boat on leaving the vessel; how W4s the number made up with regard to the