The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-05-03
GLASSES MIGHT HAVE SAVED
i'tanic's Lookout Was Refused 81.
noculars Before Sailing.

'tancs Lookout Was Refused Bi.
noculars Before Sailing.
Washington, D. C.-Like the m;sa-
ing horseshoe nail that cost a monarch
MS Kingdom, the failure to provide
binoculars or spyglasses for the look
outs on the Titanic was one contribnt.
ing cause of the ships loss and with IT
the loss OF more than 1000 lives.
Two witnesses before the senate in
vestlgating committee agreed on this.
They were Frederick Fleet. lookout
on the liner, and Major Arthur Cod
Trey Peuchen, Canadian manufacturer
and yachtsman, who was among the
rescued passengers.
Fleet acknowledged that if he had
been aided in his observations bv q
good glass he probably could have
spled the berg in time to warn the
bridge to avoid it. Major Peuchen
also testified to the much greater
sweep of vision afforded by binocu-
lars, and, as yachtsman, said he be-
lieved the presence of the iceberg
might have been detected in time to
escape the collision had the lookout
men been SO equipped.
It was made to appear that the
blame for being without glasses did
not rest with the lookout men. Fleet
said they had asked for the glasses at
Southampton and were told there were
none for them. One glass, in pinch,
would have served in the crows nest.
Major Peuchen condemned in strong
terms the lack Of experienced sailors
on board the Titanic. He said that
when the call to quarters was sounded
not enough of the crew responded to
undertake the work required in lower
ing and filling the boats.
Furthermore, he said, no drills had
been held from the time the ship left
Southampton, although it was custom
airy to hold such drills every Sunday.
Herbert ]. Pittman, third officer of
the Titanic, told of his failure to turn
back the lifeboat in which he and his
passengers were idly drifting to at
tempt the rescue of others when the
Titanic went down.
Shuddering at the recollection, he
said the cries for help made lone long
continuous moan" The passengers
insisted that to go back to aid them
would mean their destruction, he said,
so that after starting in the direction
of the cries, he rescinded his orders
and waited for dawn. Twice he
begged to be spared a recital of the
facts, but Senator Smith pressed him.
The witness said the means and cries
continued an hour and that he made
no effort to go to the rescue.
"You drifted near the drowning
people and made no effort to give
them add" asked Senator Smith in
surprise. "Please, sir, don't" pleaded
Pitman. 81 can't bear to recall it. l
wish we might not discuss the scene. !"
81 have no desire to lacerate your feel
ings, - said Senator Smith, "but we
must know whether you drifted there
without offering aid. Answer that
and shall press you no more"
ST did, SIR" answered the witness.
"Did you ever hear anything of a
boat known as the Hellig Olav?'' sud-
denly asked Senator Smith.
"No, / did not. There may be a
boat by that name"
The Olav locked at New York April
II, and is reported to have encounter
ed an iceberg near where the Titanic
sank. 1t has been suggested that the
Olav NAV have been the boat whose
lights Fourth Officer Boxhall saw and
which he Intellectually tried to signal
with distress rockets.
By searching questions, Senator
Fletcher brought out the fact
that when the collision occurred the
Titanic was going at the greatest
speed attained during the trip, even
though the ship was entering Grand
Banks and had been advised OF the
presence Of ice.
"You say you were going at 2la
knots an hour at the time of the acct
dent?" inquired Senator Fletcher.
Eyes, sir. We left Southampton
under about 2Oa knots, which was IN
creased to 81 and later to 21s," said
Pitman.
"Then, when the Titanic crashed
into the iceberg it was going at top
speed?" inquired the senator.
| uI sunnose 40. SIR