The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-06-06

off the Banks of Newfoundland. was
the theme of speech, report and pro
posed legislation in the senate today
Senator William Alden Smith OF
Michigan submitted the report Of the
investigation by the senate commerce
committee, a feature of which was the
condemnation of the captain Of the
steamer Californian for not going to
the aid of the sinking vessel, and de.
livered a speech in which he person.
ally took much stronger ground in re.
viewing the disaster and introduced
measures designed to safeguard life
in ocean traffic.
One of the most important recon.
mendations was for stricter inspection
of vessels by the federal steamboat in.
spection service and the meeting of
all requirements of American naviga.
ton laws by every vessel clearing
from an American port.
1t was one of the noteworthy days
of the present session of congress.
Almost all of the senators were in
their seats. The galleries were
crowded.
The senate passed joint resolution
extending the thanks of congress and
appropriating $1,000 for a medal to
Captain Arthur H. Rostron of the Car
pathia and also vote of thanks to
the Carpathia crew.
The resolution was introduced by
Senator Smith. 1t was adopted imme-
diately.
Senator Rayner of Maryland, in a
speech, arraigned American naviga-
ton laws and drew lessons from the
accident.
Ice Warnings Ignored.
The report is largely a review of
the evidence and contains recommen-
dations for legislation. No particular
person is named as being responsible
though attention is called to the fact
that on the day of the disaster three
distinct warnings of ice were sent tc
Captain Smith J. Bruce Ismay, man
aging director of the White Star line
is not held responsible for the ships
high speed. In fact, he is barely
mentioned in the report.
On the whole the report is impas
sive and Senator Smith in his speech
went more fully into a discussion OF
the causes of the disaster than does
the committee.
The committee agreed upon these
principal conditions:
The supposedly water-tight com
partments of the Titanic were no
water tight because of the non-water
tight condition of the decks where the
transverse bulkheads en0ed.
The Californian, controlled by tn,
same concern as the Titanic, wa
nearer the Titanic than the nineteel
= miles reported by her captain, and he
: officers and crew saw the distress
5 signals of the Titanic and failed to re
spond in accordance with the dictatei
4 of humanity, international usage anC
/. the requirements of law
+ The committee concludes that the
Californian might have saved all th'
lost passengers and crew of the shiT
that went down.
Eight ships, all equipped with wire
less, were in the vicinity of the Titan
ic the Olympic farthest away, 81:
miles
The mysterious lights on an un
known ship, seen by the passengers or
the Titanic, undoubtedly were on the
I Californian, less than nineteen miles
t away.
The full capacity of the THAMES
+ lifeboats was not utilized, because
= while only 7O6 persons were saved, the
t ships boats could have carried 1176
No general alarm was sounded, ne
whistle blown and no systematic warn
, ing was given to the endangered pas
! sengers, and it was fifteen or twenty
minutes after the collision before Cap
! tain Smith ordered the Titanic's wire
, less operator to send out a distress
/ message.
The Titanic's crew was only meag
erly acquainted with it's positions ant
duties in cHGe OF accident, and onl!
one drill was held before the nader
trip. Many of the crew Joined tn
. ship only few hours before sh'
C sailed, and were in ignorance OF thei
Y positions until the following Friday,
r. ice positions so definitely repor'
r ed to the Titanic" says the report
g Just preceding the accident locate
= ice on both sides OF the lane in whis
g she was travelling No discussion 700
e place among the officers; no COME
n hnce was called to consider thes
n warnings; no heed was given to then
e The speed Of the vessel was not +,
Taxed, the lookout was not increased