The Washington times., 1928-11-23
Continued from First Page.)

{COnElnued from I lrsL rage
ing.p Walcott deposed. "Ie was on
the hurricane deck giving directions
regarding the handling Of lifeboats
number which had been stove In
I saw a man with piece of tin
trying to tack ii down over the hole.
"Captain Carey was shouting. His
voice was foarse. On the last order
his voice broke
AFTER the ship sank saw his
body floating in the water. He wore
no life preserver."
The veteran captain had died true
TO the traditions of the sea-.
Out OF the mass OF conflicting
testimony and widely varying ex-
plantations submitted at the inquiry
into the sinking OF the liner off the
Virginia coast on November IL,
there emerged today a constructive
suggestion to avert loss of lIfs
when ships are abandoned at sea
in the future.
British Laws Best
The suggestion was that the
British regulations governing the
inspection of Iifeboats, which re-
uuire inspectors to lower the boats
10 the waters edge and perform
definite tests before placing their
adopted instead of the Americali
regulations in American ports.
Capt. William A. Bambra, former
commander Of the Vestris, declared
on the witness stand yesterday that
the British laws were superior and
Categ0rically admitted that the huge
loss of life in the disaster might
have been averted If the British
regulations regarding the inspection
Of lifeboats had been in effect here.
Captain Bambra admitted that in
the boat drills on the Vestris the
aifeboats were merely swung out
On the dayits instead of being lower
ang into the water by the releasing
gear. Two lifeboats were left
dangling over the side when the
Vestris was sinking because the
releasing gear failed to function and
the chains broke.
Government inspectors have ad-
mitted at the Department of Com.
merce inquiry in the customs house
that the lifeboats Of the Vestris
were not lowered into the water
during the New York inspection. 1t
was considered probable today that
the British regulations will be
adopted in American ports.
SOS Too Late
The bungling in the lowering of
the lifeboats was expected to be
probed further at the resumption
of the two inquiries today. AL
though reluctant to criticize William
Carey, the drowned captain of the
Veetris, Captain Bambra said yester.
day that Carey should have lowered
the lifeboats on the starboard side
instead Of the port side boats.
He also said he believed the S o
should have been flashed earlier,
when the list of the ship began to
increase noticeably.
Captain Bambra commanded the
Vestris from September q to No
sailed on its last voyage on Novem-
Der TO-.
"she was a seaworthy ship" he
said. ..s
'Had you been in severe storms
with her?" Tuttle asked.
."On one trip"
'Were any reports made to you
of leaks?"
Never
Says They Had Drills.
"Did you ever inspect the life.
boats personality" s.
1--WE had a drill on each trip
ewinging the boats out empty, but
not lowering them into the sea-"
Captain Bambra said he still was
in command of the Vestris when il
underwent its inspection before sail
anw IN ita last voyage. He said the
ship was undamaged by a slight
contact with a freighter in the
harbor.
How long had you known Captain
Carey?" Tuttle asked.
'sOil, twenty years"
"What was his reputation as q
Captain2"
An excellent seaman"