"
Mr. Franklin said he called up the White Star docks,
but they had no information, and he then appealed to the
Associated Press, and there was read to him a dispatch from
Cape Race advising him of the accident.
"I asked the Associated Press," said Mr. Franklin, "not
to send out the dispatch until we had more detailed information,
in order to avoid causing unnecessary alarm. I was
told, however, that the story already had been sent."
The reassuring statements sent out by the line in the early
hours of the disaster next were made the subject of inquiry.
"Tell the committee on what you based those statements,"
directed Senator Smith.
"We based them on reports and rumors received at Cape
Race by individuals and by the newspapers. They were
rumors, and we could not place our finger on anything
authentic."
FIRST DEFINITE NEWS
"At 6.20 or 6.30 Monday evening," Mr. Franklin continued,
"a message was received telling the fateful news
that the Carpathia reached the Titanic and found nothing
but boats and wreckage; that the Titanic had foundered at
2.20 A.M. in 41.16 north, 50.14 west; that the Carpathia
picked up all the boats and had on board about 675 Titanic
survivors--passengers and crew.
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