That all might have been saved but for “negligent indifference” of the steamship Californian to the Titanic’s distress signals.
That those rescued comprised: Sixty per cent. of the first-class passengers, 42 per cent. of second-class, 25 per cent. of third-class and 24 per cent. of the crew.
That four warnings of “ice ahead” were ignored by the Titanic’s officers.
That the Titanic struck at 10.13 P. M. on Sunday, April 14, and sank at 12.47 A. M. (New York time) on April 15.
That eight vessels were near at time of the collision with the iceberg and only the Carpathia went to the assistance of the Titanic.
That there was no panic, but a “short” crew, poorly drilled and poorly commanded, only enough men to partially man the twenty lifeboats.
Teeming with eloquence, combining praise for heroism and scathing rebuke for negligence and cowardice in the most appalling marine tragedy of history, was the final and official requiem on May 28 in the Senate for the victims of the Titanic. Senator Smith, of Michigan, chairman of the Senate Investigating Committee, summed up his views of the evidence developed.
That every soul aboard the giant liner might have been saved but for the indifference, inattention and almost criminal neglect of Captain Stanley Lord and the other officers of the Californian was the most startling charge Smith bitterly made.
“Needless sacrifice” of at least five hundred lives because the “strangely insufficient number of life boats” were not filled was also charged.
“Obsolete and antiquated shipping laws” and “laxity of regulation and hasty inspection” by the British Board of Trade were denounced by Smith. As a contributory cause he named the indifference of Captain Smith, of the Titanic, for ignoring ice warnings and forcing the Titanic full speed through the northern waters. That Captain Smith had expiated his offense by a heroic death was Smith’s tribute to the dead commander.