Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-04-19
Committee of Suyuiuor.
Issue Statement
to the Press

Ihc following statement Is
. sued by committee Of the
surviving passengers was given
. to the press on the arrival of
the Carpathia
we, the undersigned surviv-
. ing passengers Of the Titanic in
. order to forcstall any sensational
or exaggerated statements,
deem it our duty To give the
press "A statement OF facts which
. have come 10 our knowledge
and which we believe 10 be
true:
"On sunday, April IA, 1872.
at about 1910 y. m. on cold
. starlight night In a smooth sea
and with no moon, the ship
. struck an iceberg, which had
been reported to the bridge by
lookouts, but not early enough
to avoid collision.
steps were taken to ascer-
tain the damage and save
passengers and ship. orders
We're given to put on life belts
and the boats were lowered.
The ship sank at about 2:20
a. M, Monday, and the usual
. distress signals were sent out
by wireless and rockets at in
tervals from the ship. Fortu-
nately the wireless message was
received by the Cunarder Car
. pathia al about midnight and
she arrived on the scene of
disaster at bout 4 a. m. Monday.
"The officers and crew of the
steamship Carpathia had been
preparing all night for the
rescue and comfort of the sur
yivors ana the last mentioned
were received on board with the
. most touching care and kind
. ness, every care being given. ir-
. respective of class. The pas
sengers, officers ana crew gave
mp gledls theii '.tl te'a ONE,
. clothing and comforts for our
. benefit, all honor them.
THE English board Of trade
. passengers certificate on board
the Titanic showed approximate
~ $500. The same certificate
. called for life boat accommoda
. tions for approximately $50 in
. the following boats: Fourteen
. large life boats two smaller
boats and four collapsible I
boats.
Life preservcrs were access Z
sible and apparently in suf-
. ficient number for all on board.
The approximate number of I
passengers carried at the time of I
the collision was: FIRST class, I
800; second class. 500; third
. class. 75o; total i,400. Off
. GERS and crews, $40. Total,
. 2,340.
"Of the foregoing there were
rescued by the steamship car Z
. pathia: First class, 210; second
. class, 1875: third class, zoo; Of 4
. ficers. 4 seamcn, 80; stewards, Z
. 90; firemen, II; total. 210 Of Z
. the crew. The net total, 1i5 Z
. saved, was about so per cent of
. the maximum capacity OF the q
. life boats.
. I'VE feel 1t our duty to call the .
aNifnNibH bl Nilt l'hbilt W Niihl
. we consider the Inadequate sup Q
. ply of life saving appliances
. provided for on modern pas
. senger steamships and recon-
. mend that immediate steps be .
. taken to compel passenger .
. senger steamers To carry suf- .
. ficicnt boats to accommodate .
, the maximum number of people .
, carried on board. The follow .
, ing facts were observed and .
. should he considered in this .
, connection: .
, The insufficiency Of life boats .
, RATS. etc. lack of trained sea- .
, men To man same, tstokrrs. .
, towards. etc.D are not efficient .
} boat handlers. Not enough Of .
, ficers To carry out emergency .
} orders on the bridge to superin- .
} tend the launching and control .
} of life boats. absence uf search
, lights. .
} The board Of trade rules al .
, low for entirely too many people
i'm each boat to permit the same
to be properly handled. On the .
Titanic the. boat deck was about .
seVenty-fiVe feet above water
and consequently the passengers
were required "a embark before
lowering boats. thus endanger-
ing the operation and prevent
ing the taking on Of the maxi .
mum number the boats would .
} hold. Boats at all times to he .
properly equipped with pro- .
visions. water lamps. compasscs.
lights. etc Life saving boat .
drills should De more frequent .
and thoroughly carried out. and .
officers should Dee armed at boat .
drills.
Great reduction i'm speed In Q
fog and ice. as damage il IN col O
lision actually occurs. j. liable .
} TO be less.
In conclusion We suggest
that an International confer .
ences be called to recommend
tn. passage ~ IDENTICAL laws pro-
viding for the safety of all al .
sea. and We urge the United
Ssates government to- take tn
initiative a. soon as possible"
- sss ssss sssss %