Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1912-05-02
70 INVESTIGATE
1ITANIC'S LOSS
British Board of Trade Be-
gins Hearing Testimony
of Seamen
TO ASK ONLY EIGHT QUESTIONS
Enquiry Will Overshadow All
Others in Technical and
General Interest.

(By Special LeaseG Wire to New Mexican)
London May 2.-Lord Marsey, in
his capacity as wrecks commissioner,
and five assessors who will advise
him in his questioning on the techni-
calities Of nautical affairs, today held
the first session of the Board of Trade
inquiry into the loss of the White
Star steamer, Titanic.
British Titanic investigation.
In point of interest to the public
and the Importance of its results on
the laws governing the mercantile
marine, the investigation promises to
! overshadow all previous tribunals of
a similar character.
! From the twenty-siX questions the
attorney general announced would be
taken up it became evident the in
quiry would cover practically the same
ground as the investigation by the
| committee of the American Senate,
! but would be conducted more in ac-
cordance with the procedure of a court
of law and deal definitely with stated
| cases.
Will Ask Only Eighteen Questions.
Eighteen questions, Sir Rufus Dan
iel Isaacs said, would relate to happen
ings before the casualty; six to warn
ings given to the Titanic and the re-
sulting precautions taken; ten to the
casualty itself and consequent events;
one to the equipment and construction
OF the vessel and the last to the rules
OF the merchant shipping act.
A twenty-foot model of the Titanic
carrying sixteen miniature life boats
and big chart of the North Atlantic
were prominently displayed before
the investigations. In front of the
platform which they occupied were
seated one hundred members of the
bar representing various interests in
volved and one hundred newspaper
men.
Little Reference to American Invest-
cation.
The only reference to the American
Investigation was Sir Rufus announce
! ment that owing to the detention of
. many witnesses for the Senatorial in
, quiry in the United States the testi-
mony would not be presented in a
logical order.
: Seamen Called as Witnesses.
The seamen who arrived from New
York on the Lapland first were called
as witnesses at to the construction
and equipment of the Titanic. Lord
: Mersey recognized Thomas Scanlon
r member of Parliament for the North
j, Division of Sligo, who appeared for
2 the Seamen's and Firemen's Union
t and an attorney for the Merchant Ser
. vice Guild, and took under considera
e ton the application for representation
4 o. the Seafarers' Union, the Ship Con
S structors' Association; the Mercantile
I Officers Union.
Few Attend Session.
The scene of the hearing was the
armory of the Scottish Rifles which
with its broad drill floor, with two
rows of galleries, affords accommoda
tions for several hundred persons
When the inquiry opened, not more
than 100 spectators were present ant
the majority of these were women
Because the acoustics proved to bt
=, poor, Lord Mercy recommended tina
] the board of trade provide anothe
room.
Sir Rufus Expresses Sympathy.
Sir Rufus said during the hearing
81 desire on behalf of the government
{ to express the deepest sympathy TO
/ all those who mourn the loss of rela
tives and friends among the passen
gers, the officers and crew of the il
- fated vessel. The accident exceede
in magnitude and in narrowing inc
dents any disaster in the history O
the mercantile marine.
), Tribute Sailors.
,s 81 can not forbear paying a tribut
Il to those whose devotion to duty an
"a heroic self-sacrifice maintained tn
# best traditions of the sea-
Z. Sir Robert Finlay, chief counsel fo
10 the White Star Steamship Compan.
70 seconded these remarks, repeatin
a that 'the disaster had given an oppo
AZ tunity for a display of heroism, an
devotion to duty which had maintain
= ed the best traditions of the mercal
tile marine"