Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-31

| the voyage and OF the disaster, while
the findings and recommendations OF
the court extend to great length. Much
Of the judgment is highly technical
| In it there was no argument and no
direct reference To the inquiry by the
committee of the United States Sen
ate under the ehairmanship of Sen
| ator Smith.
The most important findings of the
court We're that the Titanic was suffi-
| GENTLY and efficiently differed and
| manned and complied with all the reg
ulations of the British merchant ship
| ling act regarding safetS. but that the
arrangements for manning and launch
| ing the lifeboats in an emergency were
| insufficient and that no drill had been
| held. The instructions for the voyage
| given prior to sailing were in the
opinion of the court adequate, but
| having regard to subsequent events
they would have been better if refer
ence had been made to the course to
be adopted in the event of the vessel
preaching the region of ice"
The outward and homeward south
ern tracks We're. according to the
| judgment. reasonably safe for the
| time of the year at which the disas-
| ter happened, provided greater pre-
| caution was used in crossing the ice
berg region. Captain Smith of the
| Titanic WAS not. said the court fet-
tered by orders to remain in the track.
| but naturally would keep near to the
| accepted route.
In view of the fact that on the
| night of the ACCIDENT the moon was
not shining. there was no wind and
very little swell on the sea, and es-
pecially in view Of the high speed at
which the Titanic was steaming, an
| extra lookout should in the courts
| opinion, have been placed in the stem
| of the boat and a sharp watch kept
by the officers on both sides of the
| bridge
| The Judgment did not consider binoe-
| ulars necessary as a rule. Search
lights. however, might be serviceable.
but the evidence was insufficient to
| permit of a precise manner
The speed gf - knots was regarded
by the court as excessive.
| The seriousness of the disaster was
| realized by the officers within Is or
/ 20 minutes of the crash and proper
L hlSNsftlitc iltu DtEb HldlHldlUCu, ac-
cording to the view of the court. The
| lowering of the boats had been prop
| erly managed, but some of the life
boats We're under manned and i'm
| properly equipped. Eight of the boats
were not filled when they left the
sinking vessel because the passengers
! did not realize their danger and the
| officers, who were uncertain of the
| capacity of the small boats, had in
tended TO complete their loading aft
er they were launched.
| The disproportion of the passengers
of the different classes among those
| saved was due to the fact that many
of those in the third class We're for
| eigners and to the position of their
quarters There had in the courts
opinion. been no discrimination. =
Only small proportion of the crew
/ had been saved because the sailors
attended to their duties until the last
moment. The recommendation of the
court is as follows:
"The British Board Of Trade should
investigate the practicability of pro-
| vidng sea going ships, in addition to
| their watertight transverse bulkheads,
| with a double skin carried above the
| waterine or with longitudinal ver-
teal watertight bulkhead on each side
| of the vessel or with both.
1.-THE Board of Trade should also in
| vestigate regarding the question of
| providing a watertight deck or decks
stretching along the whole or part of
the length of the ship at convenient
distance above the water line and
| should also investigate wehther the
openings should be water tight doors
or some other devise.
| THE Board of Trade should also re-
port on the increasing protection Civ
en- by the subdivision of the vessel
with the object of Keeping the ship
| afioat with the greatest proportion of