THE TITANIC INQUIRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 June 1912, Page 5

THE TITANIC INQUIRY

THE QUESTION OF BOAT ACCOMMODATION, NO VESSELS SHOULD BE EXCEPTED. [per press association-copyright. I LONDON, June 16. Mr. Archer, the principal ship surveyor, testified at the Titanic inquiry, that his recommendations in 1911. if adopted, would have given the Titanic boat accommodatfon for nearly 3,000. The rule of exempting,vessels with watertight bulkheads ought to be abandoned. The boat accommodation should be regulated according to the passengers aboard, instead of the tonnage. A committee should be appointed to consider the method of lowering the boats. SURVIVOR’S INTERESTING LETTER. Mr. Lightoller, in a second Titanic letter to his mother-in-law, a Sydney resident, says: “The accident was caused by a combination of circumstances, which might not occur again for perhaps a century. It was a perfectly,calm night w : th an absolutely smooth sea. There was no moon and the blue side ol the berg was towards ns. If there had been the breeze the ripples breaking on the berg would have given a phoshorescent glow. A swell would have done likewise. The moon would have given reflected light on the white side. of tho berg which would have been discovered in sufficient time to cleaa' it.”