The sinking of the Nantucket Lightship yesterday afternoon provokes many, upon hasty judgment, into scathing condemnation of steamship companies, captains, and speedy runs, but a careful study of the facts already known and those that will be brought out in the Lighthouse Service Investigation will show the weakness of snap judgments. Granted that the "Olympic" was in the wrong according to decisions of Admiralty Courts which hold that in case a ship is unable to stop in time to prevent a collision she is going too fast for the conditions, yet in this unique instance there are many extenuating circumstances. The "Olympic" which had navigated form Liverpool by dead reckoning until she was able to ascertain her position from radio beacons on this coast, was proceeding toward the Nantucket Lightship guided by its radio beacon, planning to alter course as soon as she passed the light. The usual procedure in such cases is to determine the proximity of the light by the increasing strength of the radio and submarine signals, and by the sound of the fog horn. However, in some instances,due to atmospheric conditions, "dead spots" occur in which it is impossible to hear fog whistles even though they be near at hand, and similarly, the strength of radio signals is erratic. In yesterday's disaster such conditions obtained.

Both the "Olympic" and the lightship sounded their fog signals according to the rules of the road, but neither heard the other until immediately before the collisions although in normal circumstances their whistles would carry two or three miles. That the radio operators of the "Olympic" were efficiently alert is evidenced by the fact that the ship followed the course of the radio beacon accurately--top accurately; at the same time these very operators were keeping a sharp look-out for any change of strength of signals, which was not detected. The combination of the unfavorable atmospheric conditions and the extreme difficulty of discorning any change of strength in radio signals with in half a mile of the sending station is responsible for the ship's being unable to determine the position of the lightship by radio; the "dead spot" precluded any possibility of hearing the whistles. The facts on the third course open, that of employing the submarine signals which do not vary, was not mentioned in the statements by either the ship officers or the lightship men, but will have to be brought in the investigation.

About the speed of the ship, her having to make a schedule, the ill-favor of steamship companies for captains who are continually late, etc., more will come out in the investigation. The fact remains that although the "Olympic's" officers claim that she was proceeding at a "moderate" speed with alert look-outs posted, the collision occurred before the ship could be stopped; and that although the lightship knew she was in danger of collision the crew was not so disposed so that a quick escape with life preservers could be possible. This first instance of a lightship sinking because of collision and the simultaneous failure of two standard methods of signalling should bring forth, besides the investigation, an improvement of submarine warnings.