THE TITANIC'S COMMANDER

BRISBANE, April 24

For some time past there has been in Brisbane Captain Anning, who at one
time was commander of the White Star liner Persic, trading to Australia.

He said, in reply to a question to-day, that he knew the late Captain E. J.
Smith, of the Titanic, whom he said was a man absolutely devoid of
nervousness, and was one of the smartest navigators on the Atlantic. He had
had a splendid career, serving at different periods in the Pacific trade,
between San Francisco, Japan, and China before being transferred to the
Atlantic. Captain Smith was in the Olympic when that vessel collided with
H.M.S Hawke in September last. It seemed to Captain Anning that the
responsible officer of the Olympic had to be transferred to the Titanic. Mr.
Lightoller, the second officer of the Titanic, was Captain Anning's junior
in the Majestic, and subsequently married a Sydney girl. Captain Smith was
about 60, and was going to retire at the end of  the year.