The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-04-24
TITANIC'S VICTIMS
EXACT NUMBER WILL PROBABLY
NEVER Be KNOWN
CAPTAIN not TO BLAME

CAPTAIN NOT TO BLAME
Many Survivors of Awful Disaster
Provided for in New York-Some
Start for Homes in Europe and
Various Parts Of the United
States.
A Dispatch from New York under
date Of last Friday says with the Iv-
ing cared for, the dead beyond recall
survivors of the Titanic disaster were
able, for the first time today, to see
in a calmer retrospect Mondays ira
gedy Of the North Atlantic, and from
their story of how the great White
Star Liner, her band playing to the
last, sank off Of the Grand Banks
with more than 1900 on board.
From the Countess of Rothes, now
quartered luxuriously in New York
hotel, to the six Chinese coolies, who
escaped by hiding under the life
boat seats, all Of these 745 have
been provided with food and cloth
ing, and others, some immigrants
and millionaires, are on their way
home, to England, the Continent, or
distant parts Of the United States.
Many, however, and Of these hospi-
tails shelter scores, still remain in
New York, where the Cunard liner
Carpathia brought them.
Even after all that has been told
of the disaster, the death list remains
approximate. Thursday nights to-,
tai estimate was 1885; Friday the
White Star Line issued statement
placing the toll at 1855. Exactly
how many died will never be known.
1t has been established, officially,
however, that the Titanic was trav-
cling 21 knots an hour when she
struck the iceberg. Notwithstanding
this, however, none Of the survivors
from steerage to saloon, has as yet
condemned Capt. Smith, who vent
down with hic shin
The Titanic's rate of speed, which
was approximately 26 l-2 land miles,
was brought out from the lips of J.
Bruce Ismay, president of the Inter-
national Mercantile Marine, and
managing director of the White Star
Line, who appeared as a witness be-
fore the United States Senate COM
mittee, which is Investigating the dis
aster.
Nervous, but not in tears, as was
Capt. Rostron, Of the Carpathia, who
followed him on the stand, Mr.. Is
may told in whispers of his escape
from the sinking liner. from the time
he pushed away in boat with the
women, until he found himself, clad
il is pajamas, aboard the Carpathia.
He was not sure in just what boat
he left the Titanic, nor was he sure
how long he remained on the liner
after she struck. He added, how
ever, that before he entered life
boat he had been told there were no
more women on the deck, aad he de-
MED that there had been any cen
suring of messages on the Carpathia.
Other witnesses, including Capt.
Rostron, bore him ons in this, with
the explanation that the lone wire
less operator on the rescue ship,
swamped with personal messages,
was unable to send matter for the
press. Interest, second only to that
in the tales of survivors, centred
upon Mr.. Ismay's recital.
In Washington Senator Rayner, Of
Maryland, bitterly arraigned him
before the Senate, and expressed the
hope that this country might rely
upon British justice ''to bring to bay
the guilty directorate Of the COM
pany."
From Washington also came the
opinion of the naval expert hydro
graphics that no blame should at
.ach to Capt. Smith, because, as they
contended, analysis of ocean charts
has shown that the skipper, warned
of the presence of icebergs, had
steered the Titanic fully sixty miles
south from the regular course.
In spite Of this caution the mass
OF ice was struck, and, as a preven-
tive of similar disasters, the hydro
graphic Ice issued an order shap-
ing the lanes of transatlantic liners
1S0 miles southwark from the path
which the Titanic followed
After giving his testimony before
the Senate committee, Capt. Rostron,
of the Carpathia, took charge of his
ship, which departed late Friday for
the Mediterranean. The vessel had
been hurriedly renovated and cleared
of the disorder caused by the pres
ence of Titanic survivors, and she
left with cabins full.