THE TITANIC DISASTER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 99, 26 April 1912, Page 5

THE TITANIC DISASTER.

A MILLION FOR SETTLEMENT OF PASSENGERS’ CLAIMS. FOUND BY UNDEBW iHTFIiS. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyiight.) (United Press Association.) London, April 25. The British insurance markets, assisted by those of the Continent and the United States, are finding £1,000,000 in settlement of the Titanic claims. The heaviest underwriting loss is to the Royal Exchange Assurance, namely, £7600. The renewal of insurances of numerous liners has been effected at far higher rates than heretofore. THE FIFTH OFFICER’S EVIDENCE SENATOR SMITH’S ATTITUDE. Washington, April 25. Mr Lowe, fifth officer of the Titanic, gave evidence that the collision did j not awaken him. j Senator Smith asked if witness was intemperate. Mr Lowe indignantly denied the charge. Senator Smith: I ask because a note has just been passed up stating that it was reported that you were drinking on the night of the disaster. Mr Lowe: Impossible. I am a total abstainer. Continuing, he stated that when he awoke he found the boats being prepared, and the vessel tipping at an angle of fifteen degrees. The only confusion was due to passengers interfering with the lowering gear of the lifeboats. Other wise the disci-j pline was excellent. He told one passenger, who was excitedly saying “Lower away!” that “if he went to droll we would get the boats away.” The passenger stepped back, and lie afterwards learnt that it was Air Jsmay. Isrnay’s fault was over-anxious-ness in helping all he could. AVhen no more women came forward the male passenger's were put into lire boats. There was no discrimination between the classes or against the stewardesses.

One lifeboat was launced with forty passengers, because the officers wore unable to find anyone waiting to go. The passengers seemed not to care to get into the boats. There was no time to drag Women from their husbands. One Italian, with a shawl over iris head, sneaked into a boat full of women and children. After the Titanic sank he waited at the edge, of the" scene until the erics ceased. Then he transferred his passengers to other boats and called for! volunteers to row back to the wreckage. He had forty-five in his boat when the Carpathia picked them up, including twenty-one from a sinking collapsible. It would have been suicidal to take the boat into the struggling mass of drowning people.

Mr Lightoller, recalled, stated that ’"'hen lie saw Mr Ismay on the Carpathia he seemed obessed with the idea that he should have gone down with the ship, as women had been drowned. He had to receive medical attention. The chief officer actually put Mr Is may into the boat, telling him that there were no more women to go. There are many comments on the committee’s haphazard methods and Senator Smith’s nautical ignorance. Ho asked one witness if the Titanic sank by the hows or by the head. There was loud laughter. Apparently as a consequence of these criticisms, Senator Smith has stated that the committee intends to question all British subjects from tfie wreck who were in America. “We shall hold them here,” he said, “until we have learned all. The committee will not tolerate any further attempts of anyone to shape its course.” He punctuated his remarks by pounding his fist on the table. He asked Mr Lowe whence the icebergs came. Mr Lowe: The Arctic regions. Senator Smith: Of what are they composed P Mr Lowe : Ice. Mr Lowe further stated that lie was afraid to crowd In’s boat lest she: should break in the davits. He -saw steerage Italians during the lowering, glaring like wild beasts over the railings, ready to spring. He fired his revolver thrice to frighten them. Hitohings, the Titanic’s quarter-, master, was served with a subpoena aboard the Celtic at New York, and arrived in Washington in custody. He denied that he had said, when the passengers asked his boat to return to rescue the drowning, “We’re not going hack after those stiffs.” Nevertheless, it was impossible to return. RECORD OF THE SAVED. (Received 26, 8.20 a.m.) London, April 26. Mr Buxton states that 139 out of the 144 women in the iirst class were ] saved, 7S out of 93 second class, and 98 out of 179 third class. All the children in the first and second were saved. Twenty-three out of 76 in the third, 126 men out of 777, and 189 out of 875 of the crow were sav'd. Nineteen per centum of the men were saved and seventy-seven per centum of the women. PITIABLE SIGHTS. (Received 26, 8.20 a.m.) Now York, April 25. The Bremen lias arrived. She passed the Titanic’s iceberg. The passengers state it was a pitihlo spectacle in the water. One woman was I seen in a nightdress with a haby ! clasped to her breast. Another, fully dressed, was clutching a shaggy dog. Three men were seen dinging to a steamer chair. Elsewhere there were a dozen all with lifebelts locked to-

gel'ner, as though they had died struggling for life. SAFEGUARDING WIRELESS. (Received 36, 10.36 a.m.) Melbourne, April 26. Tne Federal Government intends inserting a clause in the Navigation Hill demanding continuous attention to wireless on steamers trading to Australia.