The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-19
SURVIVORS GIVE
VE!RSIONT TO PRESS
Hope to Forestall Any sensa-
tional Statements of Sink
ing OF Vessel.
LlFEBoATs ARE TOO FEW
Lack OF Proper Equipment Re-
sponsiblc for Heavy
Loss OF Life.

Nc" York, April IS.-Thc foIIou1r
sfntemcnt, Issued by committees -.
the surviving passenGcr4, was given ..
thc press ON the arrival Of the Corn..
thin.
We. the undersigned nnryiyinr -
senEers from the steumship Titanic -
order TO furestniI any seDsntion., a.
eNnEgcrntcd statementn. deem n ,,.
""'s TO give Z" the prchs n statement
OF fncfn which have come to our
knowledge ami which wc believe. n.
true.
20" sunday, April ii. 1912, Mt nbout
$50 T.. VI. I'm cold starlight night.
In smooth wen md with no moon. m.
ship struck AN Iceberg which hnS b..r
reported to the bridge hy lookeutn. but
MOI cnr'y enough to avoid collision,
strna were talsen TO ascertain. tho dam,-
nEe and snve passengers and ship. Ord.
ers were given to put on life belts ana
the hoats were lowered. Tho ship s.ns
mt about 2i30 A. NJ. Monday, md thu
usual distress signals vero sent ont BIZ
wireless and rockets Cred at interval.
from the ship. Fortunately. the wire.
icsa message was received By tho Gun
ard nteamship CnrpnthIa at about IA
O'Clock n,iEniKht. and she arrived ON
| the sccne OF the disaster about 4 A. NJ.
| Monday.
Received With Touching Care.
THE officers md crew of tho steam
ship Cnrpathia had been preparing all
night for the rescue md comfort OF
were received ON bonrd wiRh the most
touching care and Kindness, every ut
tention being given 10 all, Irrespective
of class. The pnssengern, officers and
crew gave up gludiy their stntcroon,s,
clothing md comforts for our bencHt,
all honor to them.
..1hc English BOARD of Trade pas
nenEcrn' certificate on board he Titanic
allowed for a total OF npproxImtReIy
$500 The anne certificate called for
iifchont accommodation for npproxi-
nintcIy $50 III the following boatst
Fourteen large lifcboats, two smnii-
or boats and four colinpsible bonts.
Life prcserrcrs were accessible, md
apparently In sufficient number for NIL
on bonrh. The approximate number OF
passengers carried at The time of col
lision MasI
"First-cIass, $50; second-cinas, $500
third-ciuss, $50, total, 1900.
"oificers and crew, 84o.. Total. 2,3+0.
"Of the foregoing about the follow
ing were rescued by steamship Cnrpa.
thini First-cluss, :IO, ncrnnd-clnss, 1881
third-class, 1905 officers, 81 senmen. 3ay
Htewnrds, 08j hremen. 71-totaI, 2lo Of
the crew. The total about 745 saved
WINS about so per cent. of the mn Iirnum
capacity of the iifeboats.
I'VE feel II our duty TO call the at
tention of the public TO what VIC
slider the INADEQUATE supply of life
saving appliances provided for mod
err passenger stenmshits. and recon-
mend thnt Immediate steps be taken to
compel passenger nteamers 10 carry
sufficient boats 10 accommodate tho
maximum number Of people cnrried on
board.
Some Fncts Observed.
"The following fats were observed
and should be considered In this con-
nection: The insu 1iciency of life
boats, rnfts, etc, lack of trained sea-
men TO man same tstolsers, Htewards'
ETC., arc not efficient boRt-hnndiers),
not enough officers to carry out
emergency orders on the bridge, and
superintend the launching and control
of Iifcbonts; absence of senrchlights.
"Thc board of Trade rules nliow
entirely too mnny people In each boat
TO permit the same to be properly
handled. On the Titanic the boat
deck was nhout acvety-hve feet above
winter. and consequently the pRsscn-
gers were required to embark before
lowering boats, thus cndanEcring the
operation and preventing the taking
hold.
"Bnnts ut MI times 10 be properly
cquippeh With provisions, wafer,
lamps. cOmpmsscs lights, etc. Life
saving boat drill should be more fire.
G"cnt and thoroughly cnrrIcd QUIT md
officers should he armed ut boat drills.
Grcnter reduction Iu speed In fog nnd
lee. Hs dnmnGc lf collision actually
occur Is liable to be less. In con-
rlnsion. we suggest that nm intcrnn-
ti0nni conference he called to RECON-
mcnd the passnEc of identical lnws
providing for the safety OF NIL Mt sen,
and we urge the United Stntcs gov
ornament to take tho initiative nv soon
M possible"
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.