The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-01
BLAME LAID UPON CAPTAIN.
WRECK OF TITANIC DI-L, rn
NEGLIGENCE OF CAPT.
SMITH
Capt. Lord. OF Californian. Held Ro-
spOnSiblc for Great Loss OF Life i'm
not Lending Aid-IIis Shin but q
Few Miles Distant-I,neIish Board
or Trade and White Star Line Sc
Ncrcly Criticised.

| washington May 2S.-Blame for
the Titanic disaster is chargeabIe di-
rectly to the failure Of the dead Cant.
smith To heed repeated warnings of
icehergs ahead, but responsibility for
unnecessary loss of life must he shar-
ed by Capt. Lord, of the steamship
ICalifornian. through his disregard of
distress signals. This is the finding of
the Senate committee which investi-
gated the sinking of the Titanic. as
prepared in comprehensive speech
delivered by William Alden Smith.
of Michigan. chairman Of the COM
mittee.
Senator Smith declared that re-
lsponsibility also rests upon the Brit
ish board Of trade. ito whose laxitv
lot regulation, and hasty inspection.
the world is largely indebted for the
awful fatality" In denouncing Can't.
Lord, Of the Californian. the Senator
said the Titanics distress signals
We're plainly seen from the deck Of
MS vessel short distance away.
America will leave to England the
lchastiseme mt of those guilty, asserted
lthe Senator, and he quoted British
law to show that Capt. Lord might be
prosecuted for Il misdemeanor.
Other conclusions presented in
brief, were as fellows:
Before the Titanic departed on her
|maiden voyage there were not suffi-
Client tests of boilers. bulkheads.
lepuipment or signal devices.
Officers and crew were STRANGERS
To each other and not familiar with
the ships implements or tools, and no
drill or station practice took place
and no helpful discipline prevailed.
The speed of the Titanic was
twenty-four and one-half miles an
hour at the time of the accident AL
though officers of the Titanic had
been advised of the presence of ice.
bergs by the steamships Baltic.
Amerika and Californian.
Passengers We're not advised of
danger, although President Ismay. of
the White Star Line, who was taking
the vessels maiden voyage, was in
formed. No general alarm was given
nor any organized system of safety
undertaken.
OF the 1924 passengers and S99
members If the crew on board, there
was room in the lifeboats for only
LIS persons and because Of lack of
orderly discipline the boats took off
lonly 70i persons. II being rescued
from the water.
Officers of the White star Line
"battled with the truth" after receiv-
ing information from their Montreal
office Monday morning following the
Iaccident.
Senator Smith condemned anti
lquated shipping laws and ovcrripe
administrative boards" and asked
that all nations act together in ship
ping reforms. New laws" he said.
will best testify our affection for the
dead"
capt. Rostron. Of the rescue ship
Carpathia. was praised by Senator
Smith. and he urged that Congress
Recognize his Nalor
At the outset, Senator Smith de-
Tended the course of his committee
i'm holding British subjects to secure
their testimony without delay. and
briefly answered criticism of his lack
of nautical knowledge
"our course was simple and plain
Ito gather the facts relating to this
disaster while they were still vivid
realities" lie said. "Questions OF
diverse citizenship gave way To the
universal desire for The simple truth.
1t WAS of paramount Importance that
we should eat quickly to avoid iuris-
dictional confusion and organized op-
lp"sition at home OF abroad We. Of
course. recognized that the ship was
under Il foreign nag: but the lives of
many of our own couutrymcn had
hccn sacrificed and The safety OF many
had been put i'm grave peril, and il
was vital that the entire matter
should be reviewed before an Amcri-
can tribunal II Legislative action vas
to hc taken for future guidance.
"Wilhout any pretcn.ion to rN-
Ipcricuco cor special lluoWlcdsc Of
nautical affairs nevertheless / am of