The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-08
FEW IN ATTENDANCE
At TITANIC INQUIRY
British Public Apparently Not
Interested in the Sinking
of the Liner.
FIREMAN TELLS STORY
Did Not Know His Boat Sta
ton and Had Not At
tended Any Drills.
FIREMAN TELLS STORY

LONDON, May THE apathy ot the
British public. which has been one OF the
features thus far OF the board OF trace
inquiry into the Titanic disaster, was
again demonstrated by the thin attend
ance when the commissioners, under the
presidency Of Lord Mcrsey, resumed their
Investigation today, The first witness
called today was George Beauchanp, a
fireman of the Titanic. who testified;
''I did not know which was my boat
station. heard that list had been
pat. up that morning, but l did not see
il. None had been put up before. did
not know where to so, so went up 10
the boat deck and to lifeboat NO. 10
on the sta rboard side, where l helped to
put in the women and children. There
was an officer there and when the l1fe-
boat was full he gave the order Lower
away There were between sixty and
seventy In all In the boat
Everything was orderly and all the pco-
pie were quite calm," Reauchamp added.
Beauchsn,p said he could not tell whether
the passengers were travelling trst or
third class. There was no light. COM
pass. provisions nor water In the boat
No Boat Drill,
Beauchamp testified that he had seen
no no9t df1ll on the J1tdnIC' RE mo
been ten years at sea and on most OF
the liners on which he had been engaged
there was a weekly boat drill. Beau.
champ said stoker took charge on boat
No. IS Thomas Scanlan. member OF par
Lament for North Sligo, In cross eXamina
ton asked BeHuchamp:
Have YOU ever before known OF
stoker being placed in charge of liners
lifeboat7"
Lord Mersey ruled that the question
Quartermaster Robert tIichens testified
that he was on duty on the bridge of the
Titanic at o'clock He heard Second
give an order 10 the men in the crows
nest TO keep sharp lookout for ice and
GROWERS
Hichens went on duty at the wheel
book showed II to have been As knots
In two hours and that there was no
change up TO the time the Titanic struck
Hlchens had understood that the two
quartermasters on duty were to take
charge of the two emergency boats in
TO which OF them he was supposed TO go.
Ordered Into Lifeboat.
Hichens explained that he Joined the
Titanic four days before she sailed. While
he was attempting 10 get off a collapsibe
hoat. This carried two men as crew and
forty FIVE passengers. all of whom were
women. except Major Peuchen and boy.
The boat might have held five or SIX
more persons. There was a barrel OF
water on board, but no compass, and he
thought there were no biscuits a lamp
was served out TO him before the boat
was launched
The boat proceeded toward the light
of ship for FIVE miles. The ship was
lying two points on the port bow, but her
light gradually disappeared
Hichens testified thai tic boat should
have been manned with not less than
five seamen In calm weather.
Would the lifeboats have been of any
use AT ali II there had been q rough sea?"
asked Lord Mersev
The quartermaster replied. emphatt-
caiy:
II am suro they would not, my lord"
There mad been no Instruction given
TO the crew in opening and working the
cola psihle boats although they were
more difficult TO handle than lifeboats