Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-04-23
BRITAIN ALSO To
Z PROBE DISASTER
London Board of Trade Is
Blamed for Inadequate
Lifeboat Law.
LORD MERSEY HEADS
INQUIRY COMMISSION
Investigation Due TO Stand of
Member of Parliament Prais=
ing U. S. Senate.

LONDON, April Announcement
by Sydney Buxton in the House OF
Commons last evening that Lord Mer-
sey was to be appointed chairman of a
court of inquiry to investigate the IT,
tanic disaster is received with general
approval.
Lord Mersey has had wide experience
in maritime affairs as ex-president OF
the Admiralty Court. The tribunal
which he will direct is to be invested
with the widest possible powers and
have authority to require the attend
ance of any witness and make a
searching investigation into all the
questions that hav arisen in connec-
ton with the loss of the White Star
liner.
The Daily Mail this morning points
out that one of these questions must be
the inaction of the Board of Trade. 1t
says:
The country has still to learn why
ii was that this department, charged
With a duty so important and SO grave,
neglected that duty and failed to re-
model its regulations determining the
provision of boats for passenger steam
ers, SO as to keep pace with the rapid
advance of these vessels in size.
1.-THE want of boats was the cause of
the fearful tragedy on the Titanic
whereby 1886 persons lost their lives,
and the insuficiency of boats must be
ascribed to the negligence of the Board
Of Trade.
Trade Boards Inertia Inexcusabic.
mo excuses, no special pleading, can
Ali. -;oa Faaf t,af ayon nnuy
though many great shipping compa-
MES have taken action, the Board OF
Trade remains inert"
The Times, commenting directly on
the appointment of a Titanic court of
inquiry, says:
.tIt is pretty clear that the number
of persons who "a give authentic in
formation about the loss of the Titanic
is very small. On SO huge a ship most
peoples area of observation is very
limited. and they have nothing to tell.
except of the details in their own vicin-
ity. which, at such times. few people
can relate with perfect accuracy.
We may, at least. assume hat the
inquiry, conducted by Lord Mersey, will
not degenerate into a rowing inquisition
into such imperfect recollections, which
is now going on in America, though not
with the approval of enlightened Amer
lean opinion.
why any man, even a managing
director. after working hard TO save
others, should not at last enter a de-
parting boat with many. places ,un-
filled and no n in sight TO fill them. is
really more than we can understand.
and more. we suspect. than Mr.. Ismay's
critics would have understood had they
been in his place.
William Crooks. a labor member,
moved that the House adjourn as a
protest against Trade Board President
Buxton's streotyped official replies.
and the motion was supported by sew
eral prominent Unionists. :
In moving to adjourn" Mr.. CROOKS
explained later. Il did not intend to
seek a vote of censure with respect to
the president of the Board Of Trade.
but to give an expression of opinion to
the public.
I'VE have no right to blame any one
until we have heard the evidence. A
commission should be set up at once
and begin Immediately to find out what
persons can throw light on the catas-
trophe, and take steps to bring them
before the prope bun
American Senate Is Praised.
THE American Senate did not wait
to find out whether the law gave them
power to subpoena and question people
who could throw light on the matter.
They at once sent a commission III to
intercept even the owners of the ves-
sci. together with any others they
wanted as witnesses. We nave heard
that they had no authority under the
law to do so, but they did it, and Eng
land has ~applauded them for doing it.
At the evening session Mr.. Buxton
abandoned his attitude of official re-
serve and gave the required undertake
ing. saying:
1T has been decided TO appoint a
wreck commission to make a fuller in
quiry into the Titanic disaster. Of which
Lord Mersey, ex-president of the ad-
nniralty division Of the High Court, has
consented to act as chairman. He Will
be assisted by two assessors, whose
names will be announced later.