DUE TO EXCESSIVE SPEED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, 1 August 1912, Page 5

DUE TO EXCESSIVE SPEED.

THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC. BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY FINDING. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHTJ LONDON, July 30. Lord Mersey’s (President of the Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the Titanic) report states that the Titanic disaster was due to excessive speed, and that , the boat arrangements were improper and insufficient. Captain Smith bad been grievously mistaken, but was not negligent- No moral duty was imposed on Mr Ismay to await the sinking of-the Titanic before seeking to save his life. The steamer California saw the sinking vessel’s lights, and could have saved many.

Lord Mersey, in delivering the finding of the inquiry, said that the gross charge that Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon bribed sailors to row away was nfounded, and that the third-class passengers were not unfairly treated. The Court considered it irregular for Captain Smith to give Mr Ismay the Baltic’s message regarding ice, and it was improper for Mr Ismay to retain it, but the incident did not influence the -navigation. The Court regretted that some of the Titanic’s lifeboats did not attempt to save life, particularly No. 1. The Court condemned the practice of going full speed in an ice region at night. The Board of Trade should remind shipmasters that it was a misdemeanor not to go to the assistance of a vessel in distress. Lord Mersey recommended an international conference regarding longitudinal and vertical bulkheads, also watertight bulkheads on each side of a ship, watertight decks above the waterline and searchlights.

He also recommended that lifeboats and rafts he provided according to the number of persons carried, and not according to the tonnage of the vessel; more frequent boat, fire and watertight door drills, and a police system on all ships to secure obedience and the working of the wireless by night and day. NEWSPAPER COMMENT. (Received Julv 31. 11 p.m.) LONDON, July 31 The “Times,” demurring with the words of the chief finding, declares that the Titanic collision was due to the course steered, not less than the excessive speed, and says that if the object had been sighted speed was not immaterial-

The paper says that the report declares that an extra lookout should have been 'kept in the stem and a lookout should have been kept on both sides of the bridge The “Times” adds that apart from these points the report is masterly: thorough, lucid , dispassionate and firm.

The “Times” and other newspapers emphasise the finding which blame l the Board of Trade for the omission to revise the rules of 1894 relating to boat accomodation.