Questions on the Loss of the Steamship Titanic.

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Document ID 9802683
Date 16-04-1912
Document Type Newspapers (Shipping News)
Archive Queen's University, Belfast
Citation Questions on the Loss of the Steamship Titanic.;Hansard's Parliamentary Debates, 1912, Vol. XXXVII, Series 5, Cols. 192, 193.; CMSIED 9802683
21315
            LOSS OF SS. "TITANIC."
      Mr. BOTTOMLEY asked the President of the Board
of Trade whether he will consider the importance of
farming regulations preventing British passenger ships
to New York during the late winter and early spring
from adopting the Northern Atlantic route for the
purpose of breaking records, and what proportion the
lifeboat accommodation of the "Titanic" bore to the
number of passengers?

      The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr.
Buxton): Perhaps the hon. Member will give me notice
of the question. I would rather not answer offhand.

      Lord C. BERESFORD: Is there any later news of
the sad loss of the "Titanic"?

      The PRIME MINISTER: The news received by the
Board of Trade this morning is in these terms- it is
from the White Star Company.
      "The 'Olympic' reports the 'Carpathia' reached
the 'Titanic's' position at daybreak. She found boats
and wreckage only. 'Titanic' had foundered about 2.20
a.m., 41.16 N., 50.14 W. All her boats accounted for.
About 675 souls were saved of crew and passengers-
latter nearly all women and children. Leyland liner
'Californian' is remaining and searching the position
of the disaster. The 'Carpathia' is returning to New
York with the survivors."

      No futher news has yet been received by the
Board of Trade. Perhaps the house will allow me to add
this. I am afraid we must brace ourselves to confront
one of those terrible events in the order of Providence
which baffle foresight, which appal the imagination
and which make us realise the inadequacy of words to
do justice to what we feel. We cannot say more at this
moment than to give necessarily imperfect expression
to our sense of admiration that the best traditions of
the sea seem to have been observed, and of the willing
sacrifices which were offered to give the best chance
of safety to those who were the least able to help
themselves, and the warm and heartfelt sympathy of the
whole nation to those who find themselves suddenly
bereft of the nearest and dearest in their desolated
homes.

      [Members in all parts of the House removed their
hats during the Prime Minister's statement.]