The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-06-07
REPORT ON TITANIC WRECK.

REPORT ON TITANIC WREcK.
Of. Californian Might Have
Saved Al On Board.
Washington, D. C.-The Titanic
Of April Is, IN which 1917
souls went down amid icebergY Of the
banks Of Newfoundland, was the
theme of speech, report and proposed
legislation n. the senate.
Senator William Alden Smith, Of
Michigan, submitted the report Of the
Investigation by the senate commerce
feature of which was the
condemnation Of the captain Of the
steamer California for not going to-
the aid Of the sinking vessel, deliv-
cred speech in which he personally
took much stronger ground in review
ing the disaster, and introduced meas
ures designed to safeguard life in
ocean traffic.
The senate passed joint resolution
extending the thanks of congress and
appropriating $1,000 for q medal to
Captain Arthur 81. Rostron, Of the
Carpathia, and also q vote Of thanks
to the Carpathia's crew. The resolu-
tion was introduced by Senator Smith.
It was adopted Immediately.
The report itself, which was pre-
scented by Senator Smith, just before
he delivered his speech, names no par
ticular person as being responsible for
the wreck, but is largely review Of
evidence, and contains many recon-
mendations.
Attention is called to the fact that
on the day of the disaster three dis
tinct warnings of ice were sent to
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.
The committee agreed upon these
principal conclusions:
The supposedly water-tight COM
partments Of the Titanic were not
water-tight, because Of the non-water-
tight condition of the decks where the
transverse bulkheads ended.
The Californian, controlled by the
same concern as the Titanic, was
nearer the Titanic than the - miles
reported by her captain, and her Off
GERS and crew '3saw the distress sig
nails of the Titanic and failed to re-
spond in accordance with the dictates
of humanity, international usage and
the requirements Of law"
The committee concludes that the
Californian might have saved all the
lost passengers and crew of the ship
that went down.
The mysterious lights on an un-
known ship seen by the passengers on
the Titanic undoubtedly were on the
Californian, less than 10 miles away.
The full capacity of the Titanic's
lifeboats was not utilized, because
while only FOG passengers were saved,
the ships boats could have carried
1176.
No general alarm was sounded, no
whistle blown and no systematic
warning was given to the endangered
passengers, and it was Is or 20 min
utes after the collision before Captain
Smith ordered the Titanic's wireless
operator to send out distress mes
sage.
The Titanic's crew was only mea-
gerly acquainted with its positions
and duties in case of accident, and
only one drill was held before the
maiden trip. Many of the crew Joined
the ship only few hours before she
sailed and were in ignorance of their
positions until the following Friday.
Before the Titanic departed on her
maiden voyage there were no sufficient
tests of boilers, bulkheads, equipment
or signal devices.
Officers and crew were strangers to
each other ana not familiar with the
ships implements or tools, and no drill.
or station practice took place and no
helpful discipline prevailed.
The speed Of the Titanic was 243
miles an hour at the time Of the ac-
cident, although officers of the ship
had been advised Of the presence Of
icebergs by the Baltic, Amerika and
Californian.
OF the 1924 passengers and 800
members of the crew on board, there
was room in lifeboats for only 1176
persons, and because of lack Of order
" discipline the boats took off only
7O4 persons, IL being rescued from
the water.
Officers of the White Star line
sbattled with the truth" after receiv-
ing information from their Montreal
office on the Monday morning follow
ing the accident.
Insects are Commands.
Vancouver, Wash. -" Caterpillars,
now on trees in many orchards in this
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