THE TITANIC INQUIRY.

West Coast Times, 24 June 1912, Page 3

THE TITANIC INQUIRY.

BALTIC’S WARNING MESSAGE,

air; ismay’s responsibility

fr» PJ.TSS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.)

LONDON, June 15.

At the Titantic inquiry to-day Sir Rufns Isaacs, K.C., Attorney General, who with Sir John Simon, SolicitorGeneral, is appearing on behalf of the Board of Trade, made an important statement concerning the attitude of the Crown with regard to the wireless messages that were received by the Titanic warning her of the presence of ice along the rente she was following.

Counsel said that the messages were shown to Air. Ismay, and that he intended to submit to the court that these reports were handed to him in his capacity as managing director of the White Star Company, because of their serious import. In the course of his evidence the other day Air Ismay said that about i;cor. on the day of the disaster Captain Smith handed him a wireless message from the steamer Baltic, reporting the presence of ice in the vicinity. He glanced casually at the message to which he did not attach much importance. The message did not convey to him any idea of the position of the ice, and he did not consider it advisable to slow down, provided the weather remained clear. Air. Ismay said that the captain appeared to be fully justified in steaming at fnll speed through the ice region in order to leave it behind as soon as passible. It would have been unwise to slow down and run the risk of meeting a fog.

CAPTAIN* OF THE CARPATHIA. LONDON, June 22. Captain Rostron gove evidence that ho raised the Carpathia’s speed to 17j knots on receipt of the Titanic’s wireless. If it were a clear night and unless ho knew there was a lot of ice about, he would feel perfectly justified in going full speed. The Titanic’s passengers told him that the earlier boats were not filled, because the people did not want to go away. THE NATION’S THANKS. LONDON, June 23. Sir Rufus Isaacs (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Government, thanked Captain Rostron for saving many lives.