New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-23

APRIL %. 1912.
the precautions were OF no avail is a source
Of the deepest sorrow. But the ACCIDENT
was unavoidable"
Were there any searchlights on the
Titanic" Senator Smith asked.
Not that | know Of | never have heard
NJ searchlights on transatlantic liner
said Franklin.
Mr.. Franklin volunteered a statement re-
lating to criticisms of the White star COM
pany for attempting to return the ere" VI
the Titanic TO Europe Immediately
"T think there has been an awfuI mis-
take made about that matter he said l
would like TO clear it up. The CRITICISMS
have baen made that we were trying 10
keen those men from testifying. That Is
not so. II was not the reason AZ all ~
far as the crew are concerned IL WIS o"l
duty to return them 10 their MONIES, II
they wero permitted 10 roam arouhu "ei
men would besiege them for news bNo
Them presents, take them away anu
many of them would get lost We assured
Won that we would hold any officers or men
Won wanted for this committee. we mdde
the pronise TO YOU Senator Smith, as soon
as the boat locked There was no attempt
on our part to spirit away any memoer Oh
the crew. TO the best Of my knowledge ana
belief"
Fifteen Compartments on Titanic
There were fifteen compartments on the
Titanic" said Senator Burton. "ho"
many OF these watertight compartments
were opened zip by the collislon?'
mo estimate is possible" replied the
witness. MY best belief is that from five
TO six were opened. But that is largely
guesswork"
Senator Newlands brought out that the
speed Of the Titanic al the time OF the
accident was about four miles an hour
below that OF the Mauretania and Lusi-
tanla.
THE Titanic was not built for speed"
said Mr.. Franklin.
do you have rules governing the rum
ming Of a ship I'm fog or when ice Is In
ships vicinity"
I'VE have very stringent rules. These
rules govern the captains of vessels when
ever they regard conditions as hazardous
None Of the commanders that have ever
had communication with ever got the idea
from me that our company wanted records
broken"
J. y. Boxhall, fourth officer of the II
tanic, then was called, and testified that his
duties always consisted OF assisting the
senior officer in charge.
Were there any drills or any inspection
before the Titanic sailed?' asked Senator
Smith.
Both" said the witness. THE men were
mustered and the lifeboats were lowered in
the presence Of the inspectors from the
Board Of Trade"
How many boats were lowered"'
Just two, sir"
"One on each side Of the ship7"
NO, cir They were both on the same
side. We were lying In dock"
The witness said he did not know whether
the lowering tackle ran free or not on that
occasion.
In lowering the lifeboats a. the test did
the gear work satisfactorily
so far as l know"
in lowering a lifeboat. he said, first the
boat has to be cleared. chocks knocked
down. and the boat hangs free. Then the
davlts are screwed out to the snip SIDE
and the boat is lowered.
How far would nfeboats on the boat
deck swing from the vessel?"
Not very far"
Are they supposed to be loaded from the
boat deck?"
That's a matter OF opinion, but the
boats are always lowered 10 the level Of
the deck" said Boxhall
But under ordinary circumstances the
boat deck is really the loading deck Of a
lifeboat?'
Yes
Were there any lfeboats on the Titanic
not sufficiently fastened and in a position
TO be oweredT"
"All OF them were-fourteen lifeboats,
two sea boats and four collapsible boats, .
said BoXhall.