The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28
LOSS OF TITANIC
WAS UNNECESSARY
Mistake OF Captain to Rush at
Top Speed Through
Ice Field
SHIPS POSITION MlsSTATED
Error in Reckoning Keeps Other
Vessels From Reaching
Scene Of Wreck.
(By Associated rross)

Washington. April 2,.-Failure to
give her exact position. "a great field OF
hoating Ice that offered we'll nigh
impossible barrier to ships hurrylns
to tft rescue and the mistake of her
own captain In rushing a top speed
through an icc-covercd sca-all these
combined to send the Titnni and her
1885 victims to their graves in the
North Atlantic. This WAS strongly
indicated to-day in testimony before
the SensNc committee Investigating the
ocean tragedy.
Captain James II. Moore. OF the
steamer Mount Temple. which was
hurried to the Titanic in response TO
wireless calls for help. told of tho
grea; stretch OF field 'cc which held
him off Within his View from tho
bridge he discerned. lie said. another
strange seamer. probablr a tramp
and schooner which Was making her
way out of the ice. Tho lights Of
this schooner. he thought. probably
Were those seen by the anxious sur
vivors of tho Titanic and which they
were frantically trying TO reach.
Captain Moore denounced as most
unwise" abe action Of the Titanics
commander in rushing twenty one
knots through tho night. when he had
been advised OF the proximity of Ice
The Mount Temples commander tcs-
titled that he had spert twenty seven
years in the North Atlantic. When-
doubled his watch and reduced speed
and IL he happened to get caught in
an ice pack, he stopped his engines
and drifted until nc was clear
The witness also WIS emphatic In
his declaration that thu position sent
out by the Titanic was wrong. He
said the ship was eight miles further
eastward than its operators reported.
This. he declared, ne proved by OBJ
servations taken tho first thing on the
day following the disaster.
with what virtually was n fleet of
steamers within n radius of fifty
miles of the Titanic, tho Office said
that this mistake in fixing accurately
the position of the doomed ship was
a fstai one. With iceberss and float
ing Ice covering the northern sea. a
ship of even the size of the Titanic
might we'll have failed to set through.
Ismny Is Cheercd.
j. Bruce Ismay. ma naging director
of the International Mercantile Marine
company. was much cneered By the
testimony of the afternoon Thorough
ont the week he has had a troubled
OUR ana during the long daily SEES
siohs ne has sat silent. seldom speak
ing TO his associates who accompanied
MN To-day. however. he listened
eagerly 10 tho accounts of his con
duct at the iifeboats as told nv ,hc
stewards and seamen who came in
.oh,act with him the night OF the dis
"s'cr' his eyes fairly beame6 who,
80" ara Crawford told how he had
.aned Tor women to go in one of the
poats and had said to a woman who
ool' MIN she was a stewardess. "You
boat" piace IN the
lsmay listened lntent,v TO- "
steward Bright testified that i Se az
io. ieit the ship until after ali ~
Or o%rG ;a litenGats had gone and only one
deck o p cola psible boats were left on
win the others on the starbosrd Ing .1s
iapsibie boat the last to lesvc tha
i kaip rom that side. Bright who
coliapsi bie n' ss sfIy hi last boat the port
rot left the ship until Just before iba
port coiiapsihle was lowered into tbe
y warer IN time to get only 100 Yards
down Sho went
After the session was over. tho cor.
Tidor IN the Senate Office huildi me near esF
me COMMITTEES room was crowded
with anxious sailors of the Titanic.
who have been at the call OF the corr
mittee since the rescue shin carnS 1TtH
brought them to New York, The~
we're nervous lot. In fact. thew yers
1roke Not being permitted to leave.
night and Sunday without funds, Mos,
OF them were desirous of sending word
nome. Mr., Ismay knew Of their cir
cunstances and asked Senator Smith
them. WHY LOT
They arc entitled TO s. day in
witness fees and expenses. but no
p Pre- pa r ,,t,3i Ma, had teen made to pay
II II - too la nOav fn- he