Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-03
SWEEPING IN ITS EXTENT
Twenty-six Questions, Involving
All Phases of Disaster Outlined.
ALL INTERESTS REPRESENTED
Hundred Lawyers and as Many
Newspaper Men in Attendance.
SURVIVORS CALLED FIRST
seamen Who Returned on Lapland
Are Examined-Model of Titanic
and Many Charts Are Among
the Exhibits.

LONDON, May Lord Mersey, in hi
capacity as wreck commissioner, and fiv
assessors who will advise him in his uues
tioning on the technicalities Of nautica
affairs. held this morning the first ses
sion OF the Board Of Trade inquiry int,
the loss of the White Star steamer tt
tanic.
In point Of interest to the public ant
the Importance Of its results on the law,
governing the mercantile marine the in,
vestigation promises to overshadow all
previous tribunals Of a similar character
From the series OF twenty-slx questions
which the attorney general announced
would be taken up il became evident that
the inquiry would cover practically the
same ground as the investigation by the
committee OF the American senate. but
would be conducted more in accordance
with the procedure of a court of law
and deal definitely with stated cases.
Eight questions Sir Rufus Daniel Issacs
said, would relate to happenings before
the casualty. six to warnings given to
the Titanic and the resulting precautions
taken; ten to the casualty itself and con.
sequent events; one to the equipment and
construction of the vessel. and the last
TO the rules Of the merchant shipping act
Model of Titanic.
A twenty-foOt model of the Titanic car
rying sixteen miniature lifeboats and
big chart OF the north Atlantic were
prominently displayed by the navigators.
In front of the platform which they oc-
cupied we're seated 100 members of the
bar. representing various interests in
volved, and 100 newspaper men.
The only reference to the American in
vestigation was Sir Rufus announcement
that owing to the detention Of many wit
nesses for the senatorial inquiry in the
United States the testimony would not
be presented In logical order.
The seamen who arrived from New
York on the Lapland were called first as
witnesses to the construction and equip
ment OF the Titanic,
, Lord Mersey recognized Thomas Scan
Ian, member OF Parliament for the North
division Of Sligo, who appeared for the
seamens and firemens union. and an at
torney for the Merchants Service Guild,
and took under consideration the applica-
ton for representation OF the seafarers'
union. the ship Constructors association
and the mercantile officers union.
An adjournment was then taken.
senate Inquiry Halted.
NEW YORK, May 2.-senator William |
Alden Smith OF Michigan, chairman Of |
the senate committee investigating the
Titanic disaster, announced today that he \
would hold no public hearing during the
two days he viii spend in New York,
but expects TO investigate chiefly the re-
port that news Of the Titanic disaster
reached New York Monday morning,
April Is. The fact that the Titanic had
sunk was announced Monday evening by
P. A. $. Franklin, vice president Of the
White Star line. who has testified that
he did not learn OF the vessels fate until
\ few minutes before the announcement
vas made.
Minia Finds Fifteen Bodies.
The Western Union cable steamer Nina,
which has been searching the scene Of
he Titanic wreck for bodies is returning
% Halifax with fifteen bodies and will
lock Monday. according to wireless
Message received here this afternoon by
he White star line. This means. Off
ials OF the line state, that the search for
odies has been abandoned for the present
nd may be postponed indefinitely.