Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-04-24
had Asked FOR Them
LOOKOUT SAID THE OFFICERS
HAD TOLD HIM THERE WE'RE
40 GLASSES.
Crew Was INEXPERIENCED
When Cali TO Quarters Sounded
Members of the crew Did Not
Know What TO DO.

WASHINGTON, April 23.--Like the
missing horseshoe nail that cost .
monarch his kingdom. the failure 10
provide binoculars or spy glasses for
the lookouts on the Titanic was one
contributing cause of that ships loss,
and with 1t the loss of more than
1000 lives.
Two witnesses before the senate in
vestigating committee today agreed
on this. They We're Frederick Fleet,
a lookout on the liner, and Major Ar
thur Godfrey Peuchen, Canadian man
ufacturer and yachtsman who was
among the rescued passengers.
Fleet acknowledged that If he had
been aided in his observation by a
good glass he probably could have
spied the berg into which the ship
crashed in time to have warned the
bridge to avoid it.
Major Peuchen also testified to the
much greater sweep of vision afforded
by binoculars, and as a yachtsman he
said he believed the presence OF the
iceberg might have been detected In
time to escape the collision had the
Lookout men been so equipped
Fleet said he had asked fSr them
and was told there were none. one
glass would have served in the crows
nest
Sailors Were inexperienced.
Major Peuchen criticised in stronE
terms the lack of experienced sailors
on board the Titanic. He said whef,
the call to quarters was sounded no.
enough of the crew responded to un"
dertake the work required in lowering
and filling the boats. Furthermore
he said, no drills had been held from,
the time the ship left southampton.
although Il was customary to hold
such drill every Sunday.
Herbert j. Pittman, third officer
Of the Titanic, told of his failure t.
turn back the lifeboats in which ho
and his passengers were idly drifting.
to attempt to rescue others, before tho
Titanic went down.
He said the cries for help madn
zone long continued moan" Tho
passengers insisted that to go back
to their aid would mean their de-
struction, he said, so that after start
ing in the direction Of the cries, he
'resclnded orders and waited for the
dawn. Twice he begged to be spared
recital of the facts, but Senator
Smith pressed him.
Photographers Kicked Out.
The opportunities and activities OF
squad of photographers today 50
aroused Senator Smith that he lndig-
nantly ordered them all excluded
from the chamber,
This inquiry is official and
solemn" he said. and no hippodrome.
| will not permit it"
An amateur photographer managed
to slip past the guard later but was
summarily elected when he sought
to get snap Of the scene.
]. Bruce Ismay, managing director
OF the International Mercantile Ma
rine. and Vice President p. S. Frank
lin Of the White Star line. urgently
requested the committee to permit
them to return to New York.
At the close OF the hearing the
committee declined to allow either to
leave Washington until he is no longer
needed.
The committee decided not to call
any more passenger witnesses until
all the British witnesses had been
heard. The committee also decided
to delay other important business un-
III the Titanic inquiry had proceeded
further.
When the inquiry was resumed at
1853 p. m. Senator Smith called to
the stand Major Arthur Peuchen. OF
Toronto, Canda, a passenger on the
Titanic, who was ordered to man one
Of the lifeboats by Second Officer
Lightoller.
First Passenger Witness.
Major Peuchen was the first pas
senger witness to appear before the
committee. All ten of his friends
with whom he was travelling lost their
lives in the wreck.
Senator Smith urged Major Peuchen
to strive to recall the names Of as
many passengers as he could.
Il cannot remember" he said. but
saw list being copied in the smok :
ing room Of the Carpathia. I did not
get copy"
Senator Smith then asked Major
Peuchen to tell the story of the voy-