25 MAY 1912, Page 2

We cannot summarize all the evidence at the 'Titanic'. inquiry,

but we must mention the exceptionally clear and interesting statement made by Mr. Lightener, the second officer, on Tuesday. Mr. Lightener was carried down with the ship when the forward part went under, and on coming to the surface he climbed on to a capsized collapsible boat. Thence he saw the after part of the 'Titanic' gradually rear itself up to a perfectly upright position before the ship finally disappeared—very slowly. The statement that the

• Titanic' had broken in two was a mistake. When the last boat was being launched he had to wait two or three times for more women to come. Men were sent to look for women. Once when two women appeared men got out of the boat to make room for them. After that no more women could be found. The combination of circumstances in which the Titanic' was lost was very unlikely to recur. If there had been any wind the base of the iceberg would have been revealed. Moreover, the berg was black, not white, and it had probably overturned shortly before the Titanic' reached it. Finally he said that if it was reckless for the ' Titanic' to steam at full speed it was a recklessness which was committed by every commander cross- ing the Atlantic.