New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-27
Ship Disasters
Due to ssSafety"
Rules, Is Charge
international Committee De-
nounces Hysterieal Regu-
lations as Cause of Late
Horrors Enacted on Sea
Methods Held Unworkable
Too Many Lifeboats Clutter
Decks and Impede Use of
Small Life Preservers

"Hyster;cap rules on life saving APP
planes at sea, put into effect after
the Titanic disaster, are directly re-
sponsible for many appalling losses in
recent years, including the Egypt as
the latest instance, according to the
report of the international committee
on life saving appliances and wireless
teIegraphy to the international Ship
ping Conference in London.
Under the existing rules passenger
vessels are required to carry lifeboat
accommodations for every person on
board ship, regardless of such ques-
tions as the capacity Of the liners to
carry the requisite number of boats.
Il is charged by the shipping men that
this regulation is impracticable, and
that recent shipwrecks, with heavy
loss of life. have shown that in the ex-
element many boats and their devices
are jammed through crowding.
The committee reiterates the recon-
mendations made in 1912, that the lin
ers shall carry the largest number of
boats which can be handled properly,
and that life preservers and other
buoyant devices shall be provided for
all 1t is pointed out that under mod
ern conditions help can be summoned
quickly by wireless and that the mis-
baps due to boats which are capsized
or damned will be avoided.
Egypt Lesson
"The Egypt sank in smooth sea
and help was close at hand" says the
report. Chose of her ships company
who could support themselves in the
water had a good chance of rescue,
while number of the boats for all,
securely attached to davits, went down
with the ship.
"Since the Titanic one ship after an
other has taught us always the same
lesson--the Egypt is the latest, but
will not be the last, unless we take the
lesson to heart that the merchant ship
ping advisory committee gave wise adj
vice to the Board of Trade in their re-
port Of 1912.
''Since the Titanic series Of dis
asters at sea proves the danger Of en-
numbering the decks with boats which
cannot be launched and the need for
buoyant apparatus which can easily be
handled or will float off when the ship
sinks and give support till rescue
comes"
The international Committee on life
resolution of the International Ship
ping Conference in London in Novem-
Der, 1921. Steamship men from all
parts of the world were there. Several
ship owners and admiralty lawyers
members of the American Steamship
Owners Association, attended the ses-
sion. This committee was asked to
make thorough study of the causes
of the recent mishaps at sea. The
meeting was held at the Chamber of
Commerce in London on May % and
90, 1922. Results of the investigation
have just been made public.
The report points out that the ship
ping men in 1912 recommended against
adoption of the "boats for all" agita-
ton, as being natural but unin-
formed" and that the experience of
the intervening years, including the
war, confirms this original opinion.
Automatic Radio Urged
The committee also gave attention
to the latest developments in wireless
saying that "the more consideration
we give to the use of wireless for saw
ing life at sea the more we are led
TO confirm in the strongest terms the
view expressed by the international
Conference that the most immediate
need in connection with the use OF
proval of an automatic device" Rep
resentatives of the different wireless
companies in Great Britain were called
to testify on the latest devices.
ut is obvious that the greatest risk
of interference with an automatic de.
vice occurs just in those places where
there are most ships available tt
help, and just at those times wher
many operators on those ships are
using their instruments and will a
once hear any distress signal" the re
port says.
The testimony tended to show tina
the automatic devices failed to re
spond readily to the present SOS fol
distress and that consideration shoule
be given to the adoption of new cal
which would register more readily.
1t was accordingly resolved:
(a) That the governments of the va
riops maritime states be urged again tx
apply themselves to the immediate an
prevail Of an automatic device to re,
ceive emergency calls;
(bl That with this object the purpose
which such instrument is required &
meet should be restricted to the TAX
ing of emergency calls under ordinar,
conditions at sea, and
ic) That existing devices should a
once be retested under the same serv
ice conditions, with the object, if nos
sible, of approving immediately q de
vice which will respond under norma
service conditions at sea to the exist
ing distress cali, but that if this is no
possible active steps should be forth
with taken to agree internationally OF
new distress call which is capable o.
being so taken.