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diff --git a/old/ttnic10.txt b/old/ttnic10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..727f01e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ttnic10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10964 @@ +**The Project Gutenberg Etext of Sinking of the Titanic et al** +Edited by Logan Marshall + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + +Sinking of the Titanic +and Great Sea Disasters + +Edited by Logan Marshall + + + + +The lists of names of people need to be carefully rechecked!! +There are possible misspellings we would not be aware of. + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with +OmniPage Professional OCR software +purchased from Caere Corporation, 1-800-535-7226. +Contact Mike Lough <Mikel@caere.com> + + + + + +Pre-Frontispiece Caption: +THE TITANIC + +The largest and finest steamship in the world; on her maiden voyage, +loaded with a human freight of over 2,300 souls, she collided with +a huge iceberg 600 miles southeast of Halifax, at 11.40 P.M. Sunday +April 14, 1912, and sank two and a half hours later, carrying over +1,600 of her passengers and crew with her. + + + +Frontispiece Caption: +CAPTAIN E. J. SMITH + +Of the ill-fated giant of the sea; a brave and seasoned commander +who was carried to his death with his last and greatest ship.} + + + +Sinking of the Titanic +and +Great Sea Disasters + +A Detailed and Accurate Account of the Most +Awful Marine Disaster in History, Constructed +from the Real Facts as Obtained from Those on +Board Who Survived .. .. .. .. .. + +ONLY AUTHORITATIVE BOOK + +INCLUDING +Records of Previous Great Disasters of the Sea, +Descriptions of the Developments of Safety and +Life-saving Appliances, a Plain Statement of +the Causes of Such Catastrophes and How to +Avoid Them, the Marvelous Development of +Shipbuilding, etc. + +With a Message of Spiritual Consolation by +REV. HENRY VAN DYKE, D.D. + +EDITED BY +LOGAN MARSHALL + +Author of "Life of Theodore Roosevelt," etc. + +ILLUSTRATED +With Numerous Authentic Photographs and Drawings + + + +Dedication + +To the 1635 souls who were lost with the +ill-fated Titanic, and especially to those +heroic men, who, instead of trying to +save themselves, stood aside that women +and children might have their chance; of +each of them let it be written, as it was +written of a Greater One-- +"He Died that Others might Live" + + +"I stood in unimaginable trance +And agony that cannot be remembered." +--COLERIDGE + + + +Dr. Van Dyke's Spiritual Consolation +to the Survivors of the Titanic + + +The Titanic, greatest of ships, has gone to her ocean +grave. What has she left behind her? Think clearly. + +She has left debts. Vast sums of money have been lost. +Some of them are covered by insurance which will be paid. +The rest is gone. All wealth is insecure. + +She has left lessons. The risk of running the northern +course when it is menaced by icebergs is revealed. The +cruelty of sending a ship to sea without enough life-boats and +life-rafts to hold her company is exhibited and underlined +in black. + +She has left sorrows. Hundreds of human hearts and +homes are in mourning for the loss of dear companions and +friends. The universal sympathy which is written in every +face and heard in every voice proves that man is more than +the beasts that perish. It is an evidence of the divine in +humanity. Why should we care? There is no reason in +the world, unless there is something in us that is different +from lime and carbon and phosphorus, something that makes +us mortals able to suffer together-- + "For we have all of us an human heart." + +But there is more than this harvest of debts, and lessons, +and sorrows, in the tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic. +There is a great ideal. It is clearly outlined and set before +the mind and heart of the modern world, to approve and follow, +or to despise and reject. + +It is, "Women and children first!" + +Whatever happened on that dreadful April night among +the arctic ice, certainly that was the order given by the brave +and steadfast captain; certainly that was the law obeyed by +the men on the doomed ship. But why? There is no statute +or enactment of any nation to enforce such an order. There +is no trace of such a rule to be found in the history of ancient +civilizations. There is no authority for it among the heathen +races to-day. On a Chinese ship, if we may believe the report +of an official representative, the rule would have been "Men +First, children next, and women last." + +There is certainly no argument against this barbaric +rule on physical or material grounds. On the average, a man +is stronger than a woman, he is worth more than a woman, +he has a longer prospect of life than a woman. There is no +reason in all the range of physical and economic science, no +reason in all the philosophy of the Superman, why he should +give his place in the life-boat to a woman. + +Where, then, does this rule which prevailed in the sinking +Titanic come from? It comes from God, through the faith +of Jesus of Nazareth. + +It is the ideal of self-sacrifice. It is the rule that "the +strong ought to bear the infirmities of those that are weak." +It is the divine revelation which is summed up in the words: +"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down +his life for his friends." + +It needs a tragic catastrophe like the wreck of the Titanic +to bring out the absolute contradiction between this ideal +and all the counsels of materialism and selfish expediency. + +I do not say that the germ of this ideal may not be found +in other religions. I do not say that they are against it. I +do not ask any man to accept my theology (which grows +shorter and simpler as I grow older), unless his heart leads +him to it. But this I say: The ideal that the strength of +the strong is given them to protect and save the weak, the +ideal which animates the rule of "Women and children first," +is in essential harmony with the spirit of Christ. + +If what He said about our Father in Heaven is true, this +ideal is supremely reasonable. Otherwise it is hard to find +arguments for it. The tragedy of facts sets the question +clearly before us. Think about it. Is this ideal to survive +and prevail in our civilization or not? + +Without it, no doubt, we may have riches and power and +dominion. But what a world to live in! + +Only through the belief that the strong are bound to +protect and save the weak because God wills it so, can we +hope to keep self-sacrifice, and love, and heroism, and all the +things that make us glad to live and not afraid to die. + +HENRY VAN DYKE. +PRINCETON, N. J., April 18, 1912. + + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER I +FIRST NEWS OF THE GREATEST MARINE DISASTER IN HISTORY + +"The Titanic in collision, but everybody safe"--Another triumph +set down to wireless telegraphy--The world goes to sleep peacefully--The +sad awakening + +CHAPTER II +THE MOST SUMPTUOUS PALACE AFLOAT + +Dimensions of the Titanic--Capacity--Provisions for the comfort +and entertainment of passengers--Mechanical equipment--The army of +attendants required + +CHAPTER III +THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE TITANIC + +Preparations for the voyage--Scenes of gayety--The boat sails-- +Incidents of the voyage--A collision narrowly averted--The boat on fire-- +Warned of icebergs + +CHAPTER IV +SOME OF THE NOTABLE PASSENGERS + +Sketches of prominent men and women on board, including Major +Archibald Butt, John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, Isidor Straus, +J. Bruce Ismay, Geo. D. Widener, Colonel Washington Roebling, 2d, +Charles M. Hays, W. T. Stead and others + +CHAPTER V +THE TITANIC STRIKES AN ICEBERG! + +Tardy attention to warning responsible for accident--The danger +not realized at first--An interrupted card game--Passengers joke among +themselves--The real truth dawns--Panic on board--Wireless calls for help. + +CHAPTER VI +"WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST" + +Cool-headed officers and crew bring order out of chaos--Filling the +life-boats--Heartrending scenes as families are parted--Four life-boats +lost--Incidents of bravery--"The boats are all filled!" + +CHAPTER VII +LEFT TO THEIR FATE + +Coolness and heroism of those left to perish--Suicide of Murdock-- +Captain Smith's end--The ship's band plays a noble hymn as the vessel +goes down. + +CHAPTER VIII +THE CALL FOR HELP HEARD + +The value of the wireless--Other ships alter their course--Rescuers +on the way. + +CHAPTER IX +IN THE DRIFTING LIFE-BOATS + +Sorrow and suffering--The survivors see the Titanic go down with +their loved ones on board--A night of agonizing suspense--Women help +to row--Help arrives--Picking up the life-boats. + +CHAPTER X +ON BOARD THE CARPATHIA + +Aid for the suffering and hysterical--Burying the dead--Vote of +thanks to Captain Rostron of the Carpathia--Identifying those saved-- +Communicating with land--The passage to New York. + +CHAPTER XI +PREPARATIONS ON LAND TO RECEIVE THE SUFFERERS + +Police arrangements--Donations of money and supplies--Hospital +and ambulances made ready--Private houses thrown open--Waiting for +the Carpathia to arrive--The ship sighted! + +CHAPTER XII +THE TRAGIC HOME-COMING + +The Carpathia reaches New York--An intense and dramatic moment +--Hysterical reunions and crushing disappointments at the dock--Caring +for the sufferers--Final realization that all hope for others is futile--List +of survivors--Roll of the dead. + +CHAPTER XIII +THE STORY OF CHARLES F. HURD + +How the Titanic sank--Water strewn with dead bodies-- +Victims met death with hymn on their lips. + +CHAPTER XIV +THRILLING ACCOUNT BY L. BEASLEY + +Collision only a slight jar--Passengers could not believe the vessel +doomed--Narrow escape of life-boats--Picked up by the Carpathia. + +CHAPTER XV +JACK THAYER'S OWN STORY OF THE WRECK + +Seventeen-year-old son of Pennsylvania Railroad official tells moving +story of his rescue--Told mother to be brave--Separated from parents-- +Jumped when vessel sank--Drifted on overturned boat--Picked up by Carpathia. + +CHAPTER XVI +INCIDENTS RELATED BY JAMES McGOUGH + +Women forced into the life-boats--Why some men were saved before +women--Asked to man life-boats. + +CHAPTER XVII +WIRELESS OPERATOR PRAISES HEROIC WORK + +Story of Harold Bride, the surviving wireless operator of the Titanic, +who was washed overboard and rescued by life-boat--Band played ragtime +and "Autumn". + +CHAPTER XVIII +STORY OF THE STEWARD + +Passengers and crew dying when taken aboard Carpathia--One woman +saved a dog--English colonel swam for hours when boat with +mother aboard capsized. + +CHAPTER XIX +HOW THE WORLD RECEIVED THE NEWS + +Nations prostrate with grief--Messages from kings and cardinals-- +Disaster stirs world to necessity of stricter regulations. + +CHAPTER XX +BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW + +Illustrious career of Captain E. J. Smith--Brave to the last-- +Maintenance of order and discipline--Acts of heroism--Engineers died at posts +--Noble-hearted band. + +CHAPTER XXI +SEARCHING FOR THE DEAD + +Sending out the Mackay-Bennett and Minia--Bremen passengers +see bodies--Identifying bodies--Confusion in names--Recoveries. + +CHAPTER XXII +CRITICISM OF ISMAY + +Criminal and cowardly conduct charged--Proper caution not exercised +when presence of icebergs was known--Should have stayed on board +to help in work of rescue--Selfish and unsympathetic actions on board +the Carpathia--Ismay's defense--William E. Carter's statement. + +CHAPTER XXIII +THE FINANCIAL LOSS + +Titanic not fully insured--Valuable cargo and mail--No chance for +salvage--Life insurance loss--Loss to the Carpathia. + +CHAPTER XXIV +OPINIONS OF EXPERTS + +Captain E. K. Roden, Lewis Nixon, General Greely and Robert H. +Kirk point out lessons taught by Titanic disaster and needed changes +in construction. + +CHAPTER XXV +OTHER GREAT MARINE DISASTERS. + +Deadly danger of icebergs--Dozens of ships perish in collision-- +Other disasters. + +CHAPTER XXVI +DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBUILDING + +Evolution of water travel--Increases in size of vessels-- +Is there any limit?--Achievements in speed--Titanic not the last word. + +CHAPTER XXVII +SAFETY AND LIFE-SAVING DEVICES + +Wireless telegraphy--Water-tight bulkheads--Submarine signals-- +Life-boats and rafts--Nixon's pontoon--Life-preservers and buoys--Rockets. + +CHAPTER XXVIII +TIME FOR REFLECTION AND REFORM + +Speed and luxury overemphasized--Space needed for life-boats +devoted to swimming pools and squash-courts--Mania for speed records +compels use of dangerous routes and prevents proper caution in foggy +weather--Life more valuable than luxury--Safety more important than +speed--An aroused public opinion necessary--International conference +recommended--Adequate life-saving equipment should be compulsory-- +Speed regulations in bad weather--Co-operation in arranging schedules +to keep vessels within reach of each other--Legal regulations. + +CHAPTER XXIX +THE SENATORIAL INVESTIGATION + +Prompt action of the Government--Senate committee probes disaster +and brings out details--Testimony of Ismay, officers, crew passengers +and other witnesses. + + + +FACTS ABOUT THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC + +NUMBER of persons aboard, 2340. +Number of life-boats and rafts, 20. +Capacity of each life-boat, 50 passengers and crew of 8. +Utmost capacity of life-boats and rafts, about 1100. +Number of life-boats wrecked in launching, 4. +Capacity of life-boats safely launched, 928. +Total number of persons taken in life-boats, 711. +Number who died in life-boats, 6. +Total number saved, 705. +Total number of Titanic's company lost, 1635. + +The cause of the disaster was a collision with an iceberg in latitude +41.46 north, longitude 50.14 west. The Titanic had had repeated +warnings of the presence of ice in that part of the course. +Two official warnings had been received defining the position of the +ice fields. It had been calculated on the Titanic that she would +reach the ice fields about 11 o'clock Sunday night. The collision +occurred at 11.40. At that time the ship was driving at a speed +of 21 to 23 knots, or about 26 miles, an hour. + +There had been no details of seamen assigned to each boat. + +Some of the boats left the ship without seamen enough to man +the oars. + +Some of the boats were not more than half full of passengers. + +The boats had no provisions, some of them had no water stored, +some were without sail equipment or compasses. + +In some boats, which carried sails wrapped and bound, there +was not a person with a knife to cut the ropes. In some boats the +plugs in the bottom had been pulled out and the women passengers +were compelled to thrust their hands into the holes to keep the +boats from filling and sinking. + +The captain, E. J. Smith, admiral of the White Star fleet, went +down with his ship. + + + +CHAPTER I + +FIRST NEWS OF THE GREATEST MARINE DISASTER IN HISTORY + +"THE TITANIC IN COLLISION, BUT EVERYBODY SAFE"-- +ANOTHER TRIUMPH SET DOWN TO WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY-- +THE WORLD GOES TO SLEEP PEACEFULLY--THE SAD AWAKENING. + +LIKE a bolt out of a clear sky came the wireless message +on Monday, April 15, 1912, that on Sunday night +the great Titanic, on her maiden voyage across the +Atlantic, had struck a gigantic iceberg, but that all the +passengers were saved. The ship had signaled her distress and +another victory was set down to wireless. Twenty-one +hundred lives saved! + +Additional news was soon received that the ship had collided +with a mountain of ice in the North Atlantic, off Cape Race, +Newfoundland, at 10.25 Sunday evening, April 14th. At +4.15 Monday morning the Canadian Government Marine +Agency received a wireless message that the Titanic was sinking +and that the steamers towing her were trying to get her into +shoal water near Cape Race, for the purpose of beaching her. + +Wireless despatches up to noon Monday showed that the +passengers of the Titanic were being transferred aboard the +steamer Carpathia, a Cunarder, which left New York, April +13th, for Naples. Twenty boat-loads of the Titanic's passengers +were said to have been transferred to the Carpathia +then, and allowing forty to sixty persons as the capacity of +each life-boat, some 800 or 1200 persons had already been +transferred from the damaged liner to the Carpathia. They +were reported as being taken to Halifax, whence they would +be sent by train to New York. + +Another liner, the Parisian, of the Allan Company, which +sailed from Glasgow for Halifax on April 6th, was said to be +close at hand and assisting in the work of rescue. The Baltic, +Virginian and Olympic were also near the scene, according to +the information received by wireless. + +While badly damaged, the giant vessel was reported as +still afloat, but whether she could reach port or shoal water +was uncertain. The White Star officials declared that the +Titanic was in no immediate danger of sinking, because of +her numerous water-tight compartments. + +"While we are still lacking definite information," Mr. +Franklin, vice-president of the White Star Line, said later +in the afternoon, "we believe the Titanic's passengers will +reach Halifax, Wednesday evening. We have received no +further word from Captain Haddock, of the Olympic, or from +any of the ships in the vicinity, but are confident that there +will be no loss of life." + +With the understanding that the survivors would be taken +to Halifax the line arranged to have thirty Pullman cars, +two diners and many passenger coaches leave Boston Monday +night for Halifax to get the passengers after they were landed. +Mr. Franklin made a guess that the Titanic's passengers +would get into Halifax on Wednesday. The Department of +Commerce and Labor notified the White Star Line that customs +and immigration inspectors would be sent from Montreal +to Halifax in order that there would be as little delay as +possible in getting the passengers on trains. + +Monday night the world slept in peace and assurance. +A wireless message had finally been received, reading: + +"All Titanic's passengers safe." + +It was not until nearly a week later that the fact was +discovered that this message had been wrongly received in +the confusion of messages flashing through the air, and that +in reality the message should have read: + +"Are all Titanic's passengers safe?" + +With the dawning of Tuesday morning came the awful news +of the true fate of the Titanic. + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE MOST SUMPTUOUS PALACE AFLOAT + +DIMENSIONS OF THE TITANIC--CAPACITY--PROVISIONS FOR +THE COMFORT AND ENTERTAINMENT OF PASSENGERS-- +MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT THE ARMY OF ATTENDANTS REQUIRED. + +THE statistical record of the great ship has news value +at this time. + +Early in 1908 officials of the White Star Company +announced that they would eclipse all previous records in +shipbuilding with a vessel of staggering dimensions. The +Titanic resulted. + +The keel of the ill-fated ship was laid in the summer of +1909 at the Harland & Wolff yards, Belfast. Lord Pirrie, +considered one of the best authorities on shipbuilding in the +world, was the designer. The leviathan was launched on +May 31, 1911, and was completed in February, 1912, at a +cost of $10,000,000. + + +SISTER SHIP OF OLYMPIC + +The Titanic, largest liner in commission, was a sister ship +of the Olympic. The registered tonnage of each vessel is +estimated as 45,000, but officers of the White Star Line say +that the Titanic measured 45,328 tons. The Titanic was +commanded by Captain E. J. Smith, the White Star admiral, +who had previously been on the Olympic. + +She was 882 1/2 long, or about four city blocks, and +was 5000 tons bigger than a battleship twice as large as the +dreadnought Delaware. + +Like her sister ship, the Olympic, the Titanic was a four- +funneled vessel, and had eleven decks. The distance from +the keel to the top of the funnels was 175 feet. She had an +average speed of twenty-one knots. + +The Titanic could accommodate 2500 passengers. The +steamship was divided into numerous compartments, separated +by fifteen bulkheads. She was equipped with a gymnasium, +swimming pool, hospital with operating room, and +a grill and palm garden. + + +CARRIED CREW OF 860 + +The registered tonnage was 45,000, and the displacement +tonnage 66,000. She was capable of carrying 2500 passengers +and the crew numbered 860. + +The largest plates employed in the hull were 36 feet long, +weighing 43 1/2 tons each, and the largest steel beam used was +92 feet long, the weight of this double beam being 4 tons. +The rudder, which was operated electrically, weighed 100 +tons, the anchors 15 1/2 tons each, the center (turbine) propeller +22 tons, and each of the two "wing" propellers 38 +tons each. The after "boss-arms," from which were sus- +pended the three propeller shafts, tipped the scales at 73 1/2 +tons, and the forward "boss-arms" at 45 tons. Each link +in the anchor-chains weighed 175 pounds. There were more +than 2000 side-lights and windows to light the public rooms +and passenger cabins. + +Nothing was left to chance in the construction of the +Titanic. Three million rivets (weighing 1200 tons) held the +solid plates of steel together. To insure stability in binding +the heavy plates in the double bottom, half a million rivets, +weighing about 270 tons, were used. + +All the plating of the hulls was riveted by hydraulic power, +driving seven-ton riveting machines, suspended from traveling +cranes. The double bottom extended the full +length of the vessel, varying from 5 feet 3 inches to 6 feet 3 +inches in depth, and lent added strength to the hull. + + +MOST LUXURIOUS STEAMSHIP + +Not only was the Titanic the largest steamship afloat but +it was the most luxurious. Elaborately furnished cabins +opened onto her eleven decks, and some of these decks were +reserved as private promenades that were engaged with the +best suites. One of these suites was sold for $4350 for the +boat's maiden and only voyage. Suites similar, but which +were without the private promenade decks, sold for $2300. + +The Titanic differed in some respects from her sister ship. +The Olympic has a lower promenade deck, but in the Titanic's +case the staterooms were brought out flush with the outside +of the superstructure, and the rooms themselves made much +larger. The sitting rooms of some of the suites on this deck +were 15 x 15 feet. + +The restaurant was much larger than that of the Olympic +and it had a novelty in the shape of a private promenade deck +on the starboard side, to be used exclusively by its patrons. +Adjoining it was a reception room, where hosts and hostesses +could meet their guests. + +Two private promenades were connected with the two most +luxurious suites on the ship. The suites were situated about +amidships, one on either side of the vessel, and each was about +fifty feet long. One of the suites comprised a sitting room, +two bedrooms and a bath. + +These private promenades were expensive luxuries. The +cost figured out something like forty dollars a front foot for +a six days' voyage. They, with the suites to which they are +attached, were the most expensive transatlantic accommodations +yet offered. + + +THE ENGINE ROOM + +The engine room was divided into two sections, one given +to the reciprocating engines and the other to the turbines. +There were two sets of the reciprocating kind, one working each +of the wing propellers through a four-cylinder triple expansion, +direct acting inverted engine. Each set could generate 15,000 +indicated horse-power at seventy-five revolutions a minute. +The Parsons type turbine takes steam from the reciprocating +engines, and by developing a horse-power of 16,000 at 165 +revolutions a minute works the third of the ship's propellers, +the one directly under the rudder. Of the four funnels of the +vessel three were connected with the engine room, and the +fourth or after funnel for ventilating the ship including the +gallery. + +Practically all of the space on the Titanic below the upper +deck was occupied by steam-generating plant, coal bunkers +and propelling machinery. Eight of the fifteen water-tight +compartments contained the mechanical part of the vessel. There +were, for instance, twenty-four double end and five single end +boilers, each 16 feet 9 inches in diameter, the larger 20 feet long +and the smaller 11 feet 9 inches long. The larger boilers had +six fires under each of them and the smaller three furnaces. +Coal was stored in bunker space along the side of the ship +between the lower and middle decks, and was first shipped +from there into bunkers running all the way across the vessel +in the lowest part. From there the stokers handed it into +the furnaces. + +One of the most interesting features of the vessel was the +refrigerating plant, which comprised a huge ice-making and +refrigerating machine and a number of provision rooms on the +after part of the lower and orlop decks. There were separate +cold rooms for beef, mutton, poultry, game, fish, vegetables, +fruit, butter, bacon, cheese, flowers, mineral water, wine, +spirits and champagne, all maintained at different temperatures +most suitable to each. Perishable freight had a compartment +of its own, also chilled by the plant. + +COMFORT AND STABILITY + +Two main ideas were carried out in the Titanic. One was +comfort and the other stability. The vessel was planned to be +an ocean ferry. She was to have only a speed of twenty-one +knots, far below that of some other modern vessels, but she was +planned to make that speed, blow high or blow low, so that +if she left one side of the ocean at a given time she could be +relied on to reach the other side at almost a certain minute +of a certain hour. + +One who has looked into modern methods for safeguarding + +{illust. caption = LIFE-BOAT AND DAVITS ON THE TITANIC + +This diagram shows very clearly the arrangement of the life-boats and +the manner in which they were launched.} + + +a vessel of the Titanic type can hardly imagine an accident +that could cause her to founder. No collision such as has +been the fate of any ship in recent years, it has been thought +up to this time, could send her down, nor could running against +an iceberg do it unless such an accident were coupled with +the remotely possible blowing out of a boiler. She would +sink at once, probably, if she were to run over a submerged +rock or derelict in such manner that both her keel plates and +her double bottom were torn away for more than half her +length; but such a catastrophe was so remotely possible that +it did not even enter the field of conjecture. + +The reason for all this is found in the modern arrangement +of water-tight steel compartments into which all ships now +are divided and of which the Titanic had fifteen so disposed +that half of them, including the largest, could be flooded +without impairing the safety of the vessel. Probably it was +the working of these bulkheads and the water-tight doors +between them as they are supposed to work that saved the +Titanic from foundering when she struck the iceberg. + +These bulkheads were of heavy sheet steel and started at the +very bottom of the ship and extended right up to the top side. +The openings in the bulkheads were just about the size of the +ordinary doorway, but the doors did not swing as in a house, +but fitted into water-tight grooves above the opening. They +could be released instantly in several ways, and once closed +formed a barrier to the water as solid as the bulkhead itself. + +In the Titanic, as in other great modern ships, these doors +were held in place above the openings by friction clutches. +On the bridge was a switch which connected with an electric +magnet at the side of the bulkhead opening. The turning +of this switch caused the magnet to draw down a heavy weight, +which instantly released the friction clutch, and allowed the +door to fall or slide down over the opening in a second. If, +however, through accident the bridge switch was rendered useless +the doors would close automatically in a few seconds. +This was arranged by means of large metal floats at the side +of the doorways, which rested just above the level of the +double bottom, and as the water entered the compartments +these floats would rise to it and directly release the clutch +holding the door open. These clutches could also be +released by hand. + +It was said of the Titanic that liner compartments could be +flooded as far back or as far forward as the engine room and +she would float, though she might take on a heavy list, or +settle considerably at one end. To provide against just such +an accident as she is said to have encountered she had set back +a good distance from the bows an extra heavy cross partition +known as the collision bulkhead, which would prevent water +getting in amidships, even though a good part of her bow should +be torn away. What a ship can stand and still float was +shown a few years ago when the Suevic of the White Star +Line went on the rocks on the British coast. The wreckers +could not move the forward part of her, so they separated her +into two sections by the use of dynamite, and after putting +in a temporary bulkhead floated off the after half of the ship, +put it in dry dock and built a new forward part for her. More +recently the battleship Maine, or what was left of her, was +floated out to sea, and kept on top of the water by her water- +tight compartments only. + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE TITANIC + +PREPARATIONS FOR THE VOYAGE--SCENES OF GAYETY--THE +BOAT SAILS--INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE---A COLLISION +NARROWLY AVERTED--THE BOAT ON FIRE--WARNED OF +ICEBERGS. + +EVER was ill-starred voyage more auspiciously begun +than when the Titanic, newly crowned empress of +the seas, steamed majestically out of the port of +Southampton at noon on Wednesday, April 10th, bound for +New York. + +Elaborate preparations had been made for the maiden +voyage. Crowds of eager watchers gathered to witness the +departure, all the more interested because of the notable +people who were to travel aboard her. Friends and relatives +of many of the passengers were at the dock to bid Godspeed +to their departing loved ones. The passengers themselves +were unusually gay and happy. + +Majestic and beautiful the ship rested on the water, +marvel of shipbuilding, worthy of any sea. As this new queen +of the ocean moved slowly from her dock, no one questioned +her construction: she was fitted with an elaborate system of + + +{illust. caption = STEAMER "TITANIC" COMPARED WITH THE LARGEST STRUCTURES IN THE WORLD +1. Bunker Hill Monument. Boston, 221 feet high. 2. Public + +{illust. caption = J. BRUCE ISMAY + +Managing director of the International Mercantile +Marine, and managing director of the White....} + +{illust. caption = CHARLES M. HAYS + +President of the Grand Trunk +Pacific Railways, numbered among the heroic men....} + + +water-tight compartments, calculated to make her unsinkable; +she had been pronounced the safest as well as the most sumptuous +Atlantic liner afloat. + +There was silence just before the boat pulled out--the +silence that usually precedes the leave-taking. The heavy +whistles sounded and the splendid Titanic, her flags flying +and her band playing, churned the water and plowed heavily +away. + +Then the Titanic, with the people on board waving handkerchiefs +and shouting good-byes that could be heard only +as a buzzing murmur on shore, rode away on the ocean, +proudly, majestically, her head up and, so it seemed, her +shoulders thrown back. If ever a vessel seemed to throb +with proud life, if ever a monster of the sea seemed to "feel +its oats" and strain at the leash, if ever a ship seemed to +have breeding and blue blood that would keep it going until +its heart broke, that ship was the Titanic. + +And so it was only her due that as the Titanic steamed +out of the harbor bound on her maiden voyage a thousand +"God-speeds" were wafted after her, while every other vessel +that she passed, the greatest of them dwarfed by her colossal +proportions, paid homage to the new queen regnant with the +blasts of their whistles and the shrieking of steam sirens. + + +THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN + + +In command of the Titanic was Captain E. J. Smith, +a veteran of the seas, and admiral of the White Star Line +fleet. The next six officers, in the order of their rank, were +Murdock, Lightollder,{sic} Pitman, Boxhall, Lowe and Moody. +Dan Phillips was chief wireless operator, with Harold Bride +as assistant. + +From the forward bridge, fully ninety feet above the sea, +peered out the benign face of the ship's master, cool of aspect, +deliberate of action, impressive in that quality of confidence +that is bred only of long experience in command. + +From far below the bridge sounded the strains of the ship's +orchestra, playing blithely a favorite air from "The Chocolate +Soldier." All went as merry as a wedding bell. Indeed, +among that gay ship's company were two score or more at +least for whom the wedding bells had sounded in truth not +many days before. Some were on their honeymoon tours, +others were returning to their motherland after having passed +the weeks of the honeymoon, like Colonel John Jacob Astor +and his young bride, amid the diversions of Egypt or other +Old World countries. + +What daring flight of imagination would have ventured +the prediction that within the span of six days that stately +ship, humbled, shattered and torn asunder, would lie two +thousand fathoms deep at the bottom of the Atlantic, that +the benign face that peered from the bridge would be set in +the rigor of death and that the happy bevy of voyaging brides +would be sorrowing widows? + + +ALMOST IN A COLLISION + +The big vessel had, however, a touch of evil fortune before +she cleared the harbor of Southampton. As she passed down +stream her immense bulk--she displaced 66,000 tons--drew +the waters after her with an irresistible suction that tore the +American liner New York from her moorings; seven steel +hawsers were snapped like twine. The New York floated +toward the White Star ship, and would have rammed the new +ship had not the tugs Vulcan and Neptune stopped her and +towed her back to the quay. + +When the mammoth ship touched at Cherbourg and later +at Queenstown she was again the object of a port ovation, the +smaller craft doing obeisance while thousands gazed in wonder +at her stupendous proportions. After taking aboard some +additional passengers at each port, the Titanic headed her +towering bow toward the open sea and the race for a record +on her maiden voyage was begun. + + +NEW BURST OF SPEED EACH DAY + +The Titanic made 484 miles as her first day's run, her powerful +new engines turning over at the rate of seventy revolutions. +On the second day out the speed was hit up to seventy-three +revolutions and the run for the day was bulletined as 519 +miles. Still further increasing the speed, the rate of revolution +of the engines was raised to seventy-five and the day's +run was 549 miles, the best yet scheduled. + +But the ship had not yet been speeded to her capacity +she was capable of turning over about seventy-eight revolutions. +Had the weather conditions been propitious, it was +intended to press the great racer to the full limit of her speed +on Monday. But for the Titanic Monday never came. +FIRE IN THE COAL BUNKERS + +Unknown to the passengers, the Titanic was on fire from the +day she sailed from Southampton. Her officers and crew +knew it, for they had fought the fire for days. + +This story, told for the first time by the survivors of the +crew, was only one of the many thrilling tales of the fateful +first voyage. + +"The Titanic sailed from Southampton on Wednesday, +April 10th, at noon," said J. Dilley, fireman on the Titanic. + +"I was assigned to the Titanic from the Oceanic, where I +had served as a fireman. From the day we sailed the Titanic +was on fire, and my sole duty, together with eleven other +men, had been to fight that fire. We had made no headway +against it." + + +PASSENGERS IN IGNORANCE + +"Of course," he went on, "the passengers knew nothing +of the fire. Do you think we'd have let them know about it? +No, sir. + +"The fire started in bunker No. 6. There were hundreds +of tons of coal stored there. The coal on top of the bunker +was wet, as all the coal should have been, but down at the +bottom of the bunker the coal had been permitted to get dry. + +"The dry coal at the bottom of the pile took fire, and +smoldered for days. The wet coal on top kept the flames from +coming through, but down in the bottom of the bunkers the +flames were raging. + +"Two men from each watch of stokers were tolled off, to +fight that fire. The stokers worked four hours at a time, +so twelve of us were fighting flames from the day we put out +of Southampton until we hit the iceberg. + +"No, we didn't get that fire out, and among the stokers +there was talk that we'd have to empty the big coal bunkers +after we'd put our passengers off in New York, and then call +on the fire-boats there to help us put out the fire. + +"The stokers were alarmed over it, but the officers told +us to keep our mouths shut--they didn't want to alarm the +passengers." + + +USUAL DIVERSION + +Until Sunday, April 14th, then, the voyage had apparently +been a delightful but uneventful one. The passengers had +passed the time in the usual diversions of ocean travelers, +amusing themselves in the luxurious saloons, promenading +on the boat deck, lolling at their ease in steamer chairs and +making pools on the daily runs of the steamship. The +smoking rooms and card rooms had been as well patronized +as usual, and a party of several notorious professional gamblers +had begun reaping their usual easy harvest. + +As early as Sunday afternoon the officers of the Titanic +must have known that they were approaching dangerous +ice fields of the kind that are a perennial menace to the safety +of steamships following the regular transatlantic lanes off +the Great Banks of Newfoundland. + +AN UNHEEDED WARNING + +On Sunday afternoon the Titanic's wireless operator +forwarded to the Hydrographic office in Washington, Baltimore, +Philadelphia and elsewhere the following dispatch: + +"April 14.--The German steamship Amerika (Hamburg- +American Line) reports by radio-telegraph passing two large +icebergs in latitude 41.27, longitude 50.08.--Titanic, Br. +S. S." + +Despite this warning, the Titanic forged ahead Sunday +night at her usual speed--from twenty-one to twenty-five +knots. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +SOME OF THE NOTABLE PASSENGERS + +SKETCHES OF PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN ON BOARD, INCLUDING +MAJOR ARCHIBALD BUTT, JOHN JACOB ASTOR, BENJAMIN +GUGGENHEIM, ISIDOR STRAWS, J. BRUCE ISMAY, GEORGE D. +WIDENER, COLONEL WASHINGTON ROEBLING, 2D, CHARLES +M. HAYS, W. T. STEAD AND OTHERS + +THE ship's company was of a character befitting the +greatest of all vessels and worthy of the occasion +of her maiden voyage. Though the major part of +her passengers were Americans returning from abroad, there +were enrolled upon her cabin lists some of the most distinguished +names of England, as well as of the younger nation. +Many of these had purposely delayed sailing, or had hastened +their departure, that they might be among the first passengers +on the great vessel. + +There were aboard six men whose fortunes ran into tens +of millions, besides many other persons of international +note. Among the men were leaders in the world of commerce, +finance, literature, art and the learned professions. +Many of the women were socially prominent in two hemispheres. + +Wealth and fame, unfortunately, are not proof against +fate, and most of these notable personages perished as pitiably +as the more humble steerage passengers. + +The list of notables included Colonel John Jacob Astor, +head of the Astor family, whose fortune is estimated at +$150,000,000; Isidor Straus, merchant and banker ($50,000,000); +J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of the International +Mercantile Marine ($40,000,000); Benjamin Guggenheim, +head of the Guggenheim family ($95,000,000): +George D. Widener, son of P. A. B. Widener, traction magnate +and financier ($5,000,000); Colonel Washington Roebling, +builder of the great Brooklyn Bridge; Charles M. +Hays, president of the Grand Trunk Railway; W. T. Stead. +famous publicist; Jacques Futrelle, journalist; Henry S. +Harper, of the firm of Harper & Bros.; Henry B. Harris, +theatrical manager; Major Archibald Butt, military aide to +President Taft; and Francis D. Millet, one of the best- +known American painters. + + +MAJOR BUTT + +Major Archibald Butt, whose bravery on the sinking vessel +will not soon be forgotten, was military aide to President +Taft and was known wherever the President traveled. His +recent European mission was apparently to call on the Pope +in behalf of President Taft; for on March 21st he was received +at the Vatican, and presented to the Pope a letter from Mr. +Taft thanking the Pontiff for the creation of three new American +Cardinals. + +Major Butt had a reputation as a horseman, and it is said +he was able to keep up with President Roosevelt, be the ride +ever so far or fast. He was promoted to the rank of major +in 1911. He sailed for the Mediterranean on March 2d with +his friend Francis D. Millet, the artist, who also perished on +the Titanic. + + +COLONEL ASTOR + +John Jacob Astor was returning from a trip to Egypt with +his nineteen-year-old bride, formerly Miss Madeline Force, to +whom he was married in Providence, September 9, 1911. He +was head of the family whose name he bore and one of the +world's wealthiest men. He was not, however, one of the +world's "idle rich," for his life of forty-seven years was a well- +filled one. He had managed the family estates since 1891; +built the Astor Hotel, New York; was colonel on the staff of +Governor Levi P. Morton, and in May, 1898, was commissioned +colonel of the United States volunteers. After assisting Major- +General Breckinridge, inspector-general of the United States +army, he was assigned to duty on the staff of Major-General +Shafter and served in Cuba during the operations ending in +the surrender of Santiago. He was also the inventor of a +bicycle brake, a pneumatic road-improver, and an improved +turbine engine. + + +BENJAMIN GUGGENHEIM + +Next to Colonel Astor in financial importance was Benjamin +Guggenheim, whose father founded the famous house +of M. Guggenheim and Sons. When the various Guggen- +heim interests were consolidated into the American Smelting +and Refining Company he retired from active business, +although he later became interested in the Power and Mining +Machinery Company of Milwaukee. In 1894 he married +Miss Floretta Seligman, daughter of James Seligman, the +New York banker. + +ISIDOR STRAUS + +Isidor Straus, whose wife elected to perish with him in the +ship, was a brother of Nathan and Oscar Straus, a partner +with Nathan Straus in R. H. Macy & Co. and L. Straus & +Sons, a member of the firm of Abraham & Straus in Brooklyn, +and has been well known in politics and charitable work. +He was a member of the Fifty-third Congress from 1893 to +1895, and as a friend of William L. Wilson was in constant +consultation in the matter of the former Wilson tariff bill. + +Mr. Straus was conspicuous for his works of charity and was +an ardent supporter of every enterprise to improve the condition +of the Hebrew immigrants. He was president of the +Educational Alliance, vice-president of the J. Hood Wright +Memorial Hospital, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, +on one of the visiting committees of Harvard +University, and was besides a trustee of many financial and +philanthropic institutions. + +Mr. Straus never enjoyed a college education. He was, +however, one of the best informed men of the day, his information +having been derived from extensive reading. His +library, said to be one of the finest and most extensive in +New York, was his pride and his place of special recreation. + + +{illust. caption = ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ICEBERG THAT SUNK THE TITANIC + +Lady Duff Gordon, a prominent English woman who was aboard the ...} + + +{illust. caption = HEART-BREAKING FAREWELLS + +Both men and women were loaded into the first boats, but soon the +cry of "Women first" was raised. Then came the real note of tragedy. +Husbands and wives clung to each other in farewell; some refused to be +separated.} + + +GEORGE D. WIDENER + +The best known of Philadelphia passengers aboard the +Titanic were Mr. and Mrs. George D. Widener. Mr. +Widener was a son of Peter A. B. Widener and, like his +father, was recognized as one of the foremost financiers of +Philadelphia as well as a leader in society there. Mr. +Widener married Miss Eleanor Elkins, a daughter of the +late William L. Elkins. They made their home with his +father at the latter's fine place at Eastbourne, ten miles +from Philadelphia. Mr. Widener was keenly interested in +horses and was a constant exhibitor at horse shows. In +business he was recognized as his father's chief adviser in +managing the latter's extensive traction interests. P. A. B. +Widener is a director of the International Mercantile +Marine. + +Mrs. Widener is said to be the possessor of one of the +finest collections of jewels in the world, the gift of her husband. +One string of pearls in this collection was reported +to be worth $250,000. + +The Wideners went abroad two months previous to the +disaster, Mr. Widener desiring to inspect some of his business +interests on the other side. At the opening of the +London Museum by King George on March 21st last it was +announced that Mrs. Widener had presented to the museum +thirty silver plates once the property of Nell Gwyn. Mr. +Widener is survived by a daughter, Eleanor, and a son, +George D. Widener, Jr. Harry Elkins Widener was with his +parents and went down on the ship. + +COLONEL ROEBLING + +Colonel Washington Augustus Roebling was president of +the John A. Roebling Sons' Company, manufacturers of +iron and steel wire rope. He served in the Union Army +from 1861 to 1865, resigning to assist his father in the +construction of the Cincinnati and Covington suspension bridge. +At the death of his father in 1869 he took entire charge of +the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and it is to his +genius that the success of that great work may be said to +be due. + +WILLIAM T. STEAD + +One of the most notable of the foreign passengers was +William T. Stead. Few names are more widely known to the +world of contemporary literature and journalism than that of +the brilliant editor of the Review of Reviews. Matthew Arnold +called him "the inventor of the new journalism in England." +He was on his way to America to take part in the Men and +Religion Forward Movement and was to have delivered an +address in Union Square on the Thursday after the disaster, +with William Jennings Bryan as his chief associate. + +Mr. Stead was an earnest advocate of peace and had written +many books. His commentary "If Christ Came to Chicago" +raised a storm twenty years ago. When he was in this country +in 1907 he addressed a session of Methodist clergymen, +and at one juncture of the meeting remarked that unless the +Methodists did something about the peace movement besides +shouting "amen" nobody "would care a damn about their +amens!" + +OTHER ENGLISHMEN ABOARD + +Other distinguished Englishmen on the Titanic were +Norman C. Craig, M.P., Thomas Andrews, a representative +of the firm of Harland & Wolff, of Belfast, the ship's builders, +and J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of the White Star +Line. + +J. BRUCE ISMAY + +Mr. Ismay is president and one of the founders of the +International Mercantile Marine. He has made it a custom +to be a passenger on the maiden voyage of every new ship +built by the White Star Line. It was Mr. Ismay who, with +J. P. Morgan, consolidated the British steamship lines under +the International Mercantile Marine's control; and it is +largely due to his imagination that such gigantic ships as the +Titanic and Olympic were made possible + +JACQUES FUTRELLE + +Jacques Futrelle was an author of short stories, some of +which have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, and of +many novels of the same general type as "The Thinking +Machine," with which he first gained a wide popularity. +Newspaper work, chiefly in Richmond, Va., engaged his attention +from 1890 to 1909, in which year he entered the theatrical +business as a manager. In 1904 he returned to his journalistic +career. + +HENRY B. HARRIS + +Henry B. Harris, the theater manager, had been manager +of May Irwin, Peter Dailey, Lily Langtry, Amelia Bingham, +and launched Robert Edeson as star. He became the manager +of the Hudson Theater in 1903 and the Hackett Theater in +1906. Among his best known productions are "The Lion +and the Mouse," "The Traveling Salesman" and "The Third +Degree." He was president of the Henry B. Harris Company +controlling the Harris Theater. + +Young Harris had a liking for the theatrical business from a +boy. Twelve years ago Mr. Harris married Miss Rene Wallach +of Washington. He was said to have a fortune of between +$1,000,000 and $3,000,000. He owned outright the Hudson +and the Harris theaters and had an interest in two other +show houses in New York. He owned three theaters in Chicago, +one in Syracuse and one in Philadelphia. + + +HENRY S. HARPER + +Henry Sleeper Harper, who was among the survivors, is a +grandson of John Wesley Harper, one of the founders of the +Harper publishing business. H. Sleeper Harper was himself +an incorporator of Harper & Brothers when the firm became +a corporation in 1896. He had a desk in the offices of the +publishers, but his hand of late years in the management of +the business has been very slight. He has been active in the +work of keeping the Adirondack forests free from aggression. +He was in the habit of spending about half of his time in foreign +travel. His friends in New York recalled that he +had a narrow escape about ten years ago when a ship in +which he was traveling ran into an iceberg on the Grand +Banks. + +FRANCIS DAVID MILLET + +Millet was one of the best-known American painters and +many of his canvasses are found in the leading galleries of the +world. He served as a drummer boy with the Sixtieth +Massachusetts volunteers in the Civil War, and from early +manhood took a prominent part in public affairs. He was +director of the decorations for the Chicago Exposition and was, +at the time of the disaster, secretary of the American Academy +in Rome. He was a wide traveler and the author of many +books, besides translations of Tolstoi. + +CHARLES M. HAYS + +Another person of prominence was Charles Melville Hays, +president of the Grand Trunk and the Grand Trunk Pacific +railways. He was described by Sir Wilfrid Laurier at a dinner +of the Canadian Club of New York, at the Hotel Astor last +year, as "beyond question the greatest railroad genius in +Canada, as an executive genius ranking second only to the +late Edward H. Harriman." He was returning aboard the +Titanic with his wife and son-in-law and daughter; Mr. and +Mrs. Thornton Davidson, of Montreal. + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE TITANIC STRIKES AN ICEBERG! + +TARDY ATTENTION TO WARNING RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT-- +THE DANGER NOT REALIZED AT FIRST--AN INTERRUPTED +CARD GAME--PASSENGERS JOKE AMONG THEMSELVES--THE +REAL TRUTH DAWNS--PANIC ON BOARD--WIRELESS CALLS +FOR HELP + +SUNDAY night the magnificent ocean liner was plunging +through a comparatively placid sea, on the surface +of which there was much mushy ice and here and +there a number of comparatively harmless-looking floes. +The night was clear and stars visible. First Officer William +T. Murdock was in charge of the bridge The first intimation +of the presence of the iceberg that he received was from the +lookout in the crow's nest. + +Three warnings were transmitted from the crow's nest +of the Titanic to the officer on the doomed steamship's bridge +15 minutes before she struck, according to Thomas Whiteley, +a first saloon steward. + +Whiteley, who was whipped overboard from the ship by a +rope while helping to lower a life-boat, finally reported on the +Carpathia aboard one of the boats that contained, he said, +both the crow's nest lookouts. He heard a conversation between +them, he asserted, in which they discussed the warnings +given to the Titanic's bridge of the presence of the iceberg. + +Whiteley did not know the names of either of the lookout +men and believed that they returned to England with the +majority of the surviving members of the crew. + + +{illust. caption = A GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION OF THE FORCE WITH WHICH A +VESSEL STRIKES AN ICEBERG} + + + +"I heard one of them say that at 11.15 o'clock, 15 minutes +before the Titanic struck, he had reported to First Officer +Murdock, on the bridge, that he fancied he saw an iceberg!" +said Whiteley. "Twice after that, the lookout said, he warned +Murdock that a berg was ahead. They were very indignant +that no attention was paid to their warnings." + +TARDY ATTENTION TO WARNING RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT + +Murdock's tardy answering of a telephone call from the +crow's nest is assigned by Whiteley as the cause of the +disaster. + +When Murdock answered the call he received the information +that the iceberg was due ahead. This information was +imparted just a few seconds before the crash, and had the +officer promptly answered the ring of the bell it is probable that +the accident could have been avoided, or at least, been reduced +by the lowered speed. + +The lookout saw a towering "blue berg" looming up in the +sea path of the Titanic, and called the bridge on the ship's +telephone. When, after the passing of those two or three +fateful minutes an officer on the bridge lifted the telephone +receiver from its hook to answer the lookout, it was too late. +The speeding liner, cleaving a calm sea under a star-studded +sky, had reached the floating mountain of ice, which the +theoretically "unsinkable" ship struck a crashing, if glancing, +blow with her starboard bow. + +MURDOCK PAID WITH LIFE + +Had Murdock, according to the account of the tragedy +given by two of the Titanic's seamen, known how imperative +was that call from the lookout man, the men at the wheel +of the liner might have swerved the great ship sufficiently +to avoid the berg altogether. At the worst the vessel would +probably have struck the mass of ice with her stern. + +Murdock, if the tale of the Titanic sailor be true, expiated +his negligence by shooting himself within sight of all alleged +victims huddled in life-boats or struggling in the icy seas. + +When at last the danger was realized, the great ship was +so close upon the berg that it was practically impossible to +avoid collision with it + + +VAIN TRIAL TO CLEAR BERG + +The first officer did what other startled and alert commanders +would have done under similar circumstances, that is + + +{illust. caption = THE LOCATION OF THE DISASTER} + + +he made an effort by going full speed ahead on the starboard +propeller and reversing his port propeller, simultaneously +throwing his helm over, to make a rapid turn and clear the +berg. The maneuver was not successful. He succeeded in +saving his bows from crashing into the ice-cliff, but nearly +the entire length of the underbody of the great ship on the +starboard side was ripped. The speed of the Titanic, estimated +to be at least twenty-one knots, was so terrific that +the knife-like edge of the iceberg's spur protruding under +the sea cut through her like a can-opener. + +The Titanic was in 41.46 north latitude and 50.14 west +longitude when she was struck, very near the spot on the +wide Atlantic where the Carmania encountered a field of ice, +studded with great bergs, on her voyage to New York which +ended on April 14th. It was really an ice pack, due to an +unusually severe winter in the north Atlantic. No less than +twenty-five bergs, some of great height, were counted. + +The shock was almost imperceptible. The first officer did +not apparently realize that the great ship had received her +death wound, and none of the passengers had the slightest +suspicion that anything more than a usual minor sea accident +had happened. Hundreds who had gone to their berths and +were asleep were unawakened by the vibration. + + +BRIDGE GAME NOT DISTURBED + +To illustrate the placidity with which practically all the +men regarded the accident it is related that Pierre Marechal, +son of the vice-admiral of the French navy, Lucien Smith, +Paul Chevre, a French sculptor, and A. F. Ormont, a cotton +broker, were in the Cafe Parisien playing bridge. + +The four calmly got up from the table and after walking +on deck and looking over the rail returned to their game. +One of them had left his cigar on the card table, and while +the three others were gazing out on the sea he remarked +that he couldn't afford to lose his smoke, returned for his +cigar and came out again. + +They remained only for a few moments on deck, and then +resumed their game under the impression that the ship had +stopped for reasons best known to the captain and not involving +any danger to her. Later, in describing the scene +that took place, M. Marechal, who was among the survivors, +said: "When three-quarters of a mile away we stopped, +the spectacle before our eyes was in its way magnificent. +In a very calm sea, beneath a sky moonless but sown with +millions of stars, the enormous Titanic lay on the water, +illuminated from the water line to the boat deck. The bow +was slowly sinking into the black water." + +The tendency of the whole ship's company except the men +in the engine department, who were made aware of the danger +by the inrushing water, was to make light of and in some +instances even to ridicule the thought of danger to so substantial +a fabric. + + +THE CAPTAIN ON DECK + +When Captain Smith came from the chart room onto the +bridge, his first words were, "Close the emergency doors." + +"They're already closed, sir," Mr. Murdock replied. + +"Send to the carpenter and tell him to sound the ship," +was the next order. The message was sent to the carpenter, +but the carpenter never came up to report. He was probably +the first man on the ship to lose his life. + +The captain then looked at the communicator, which +shows in what direction the ship is listing. He saw that she +carried five degrees list to starboard. + +The ship was then rapidly settling forward. All the steam +sirens were blowing. By the captain's orders, given in the +next few minutes, the engines were put to work at pumping +out the ship, distress signals were sent by the Marconi, and +rockets were sent up from the bridge by Quartermaster Rowe. +All hands were ordered on deck. + + +PASSENGERS NOT ALARMED + +The blasting shriek of the sirens had not alarmed the great +company of the Titanic, because such steam calls are an incident +of travel in seas where fogs roll. Many had gone +to bed, but the hour, 11.40 P. M., was not too late for the +friendly contact of saloons and smoking rooms. It was +Sunday night and the ship's concert had ended, but there were +many hundreds up and moving among the gay lights, and +many on deck with their eyes strained toward the mysterious +west, where home lay. And in one jarring, breath-sweeping +moment all of these, asleep or awake, were at the mercy of +chance. Few among the more than 2000 aboard could have +had a thought of danger. The man who had stood up in the +smoking room to say that the Titanic was vulnerable or that +in a few minutes two-thirds of her people would be face to +face with death, would have been considered a fool or a +lunatic. No ship ever sailed the seas that gave her passengers +more confidence, more cool security. + +Within a few minutes stewards and other members of the +crew were sent round to arouse the people. Some utterly +refused to get up. The stewards had almost to force the doors +of the staterooms to make the somnolent appreciate their +peril, and many of them, it is believed, were drowned like +rats in a trap. + + +ASTOR AND WIFE STROLLED ON DECK + +Colonel and Mrs. Astor were in their room and saw the +ice vision flash by. They had not appreciably felt the gentle +shock and supposed that nothing out of the ordinary had +happened. They were both dressed and came on deck leisurely. +William T. Stead, the London journalist, wandered +on deck for a few minutes, stopping to talk to Frank Millet. +"What do they say is the trouble?" he asked. "Icebergs," +was the brief reply. "Well," said Stead, "I guess it is nothing +serious. I'm going back to my cabin to read." + +From end to end on the mighty boat officers were rushing +about without much noise or confusion, but giving orders +sharply. Captain Smith told the third officer to rush downstairs +and see whether the water was coming in very fast. +"And," he added, "take some armed guards along to see +that the stokers and engineers stay at their posts." + +In two minutes the officer returned. "It looks pretty +bad, sir," he said. "The water is rushing in and filling the +bottom. The locks of the water-tight compartments have +been sprung by the shock." + +"Give the command for all passengers to be on deck with +life-belts on." + +Through the length and breadth of the boat, upstairs and +downstairs, on all decks, the cry rang out: "All passengers +on deck with life-preservers." + + +A SUDDEN TREMOR OF FEAR + +For the first time, there was a feeling of panic. Husbands +sought for wives and children. Families gathered together. +Many who were asleep hastily caught up their clothing and +rushed on deck. A moment before the men had been joking +about the life-belts, according to the story told by Mrs. +Vera Dick, of Calgary, Canada. "Try this one," one man +said to her, "they are the very latest thing this season. +Everybody's wearing them now." + +Another man suggested to a woman friend, who had a +fox terrier in her arms, that she should put a life-saver on +the dog. "It won't fit," the woman replied, laughing. +"Make him carry it in his mouth," said the friend. + + +CONFUSION AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS + +Below, on the steerage deck, there was intense confusion. +About the time the officers on the first deck gave the order +that all men should stand to one side and all women should +go below to deck B, taking the children with them, a similar +order was given to the steerage passengers. The women +were ordered to the front, the men to the rear. Half a dozen +healthy, husky immigrants pushed their way forward and tried +to crowd into the first boat. + +"Stand back," shouted the officers who were manning the +boat. "The women come first." + +Shouting curses in various foreign languages, the immigrant +men continued their pushing and tugging to climb +into the boats. Shots rang out. One big fellow fell over the +railing into the water. Another dropped to the deck, moaning. +His jaw had been shot away. This was the story told by the +bystanders afterwards on the pier. One husky Italian told +the writer on the pier that the way in which the men were +shot down was horrible. His sympathy was with the men +who were shot. + +"They were only trying to save their lives," he said. + + +WIRELESS OPERATOR DIED AT HIS POST + +On board the Titanic, the wireless operator, with a life-belt +about his waist, was hitting the instrument that was sending +out C. Q. D., messages, "Struck on iceberg, C. Q. D." + +"Shall I tell captain to turn back and help?" flashed a +reply from the Carpathia. + +"Yes, old man," the Titanic wireless operator responded. +"Guess we're sinking." + +An hour later, when the second wireless man came into the +boxlike room to tell his companion what the situation was, +he found a negro stoker creeping up behind the operator and +saw him raise a knife over his head. He said afterwards--he +was among those rescued--that he realized at once that the +negro intended to kill the operator in order to take his life- +belt from him. The second operator pulled out his revolver +and shot the negro dead. + +"What was the trouble?" asked the operator. + +"That negro was going to kill you and steal your life-belt," +the second man replied. + +"Thanks, old man," said the operator. The second man +went on deck to get some more information. He was just in +time to jump overboard before the Titanic went down. The +wireless operator and the body of the negro who tried to steal +his belt went down together. + +On the deck where the first class passengers were quartered, +known as deck A, there was none of the confusion that was +taking place on the lower decks. The Titanic was standing +without much rocking. The captain had given an order and +the band was playing. + + +{illust. caption = WAITING FOR THE NEWS + +A Bird's eye view of the great crowds ...} + +{illust. caption = WIRELESS STATION AT CAPE RACE + +Where the first news of the Titanic disaster was received.} + + + +CHAPTER VI + +"WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST!" + +COOL-HEADED OFFICERS AND CREW BRING ORDER OUT OF +CHAOS--FILLING THE LIFE-BOATS--HEARTRENDING SCENES +AS FAMILIES ARE PARTED--FOUR LIFE-BOATS LOST--INCIDENTS +OF BRAVERY--"THE BOATS ARE ALL FILLED!" + +ONCE on the deck, many hesitated to enter the +swinging life-boats. Tho glassy sea, the starlit +sky, the absence, in the first few moments, of +intense excitement, gave them the feeling that there was +only some slight mishap; that those who got into the boats +would have a chilly half hour below and might, later, be +laughed at. + +It was such a feeling as this, from all accounts, which +caused John Jacob Astor and his wife to refuse the places +offered them in the first boat, and to retire to the gymnasium. +In the same way H. J. Allison, a Montreal banker, laughed at +the warning, and his wife, reassured by him, took her time +dressing. They and their daughter did not reach the Carpathia. +Their son, less than two years old, was carried into +a life-boat by his nurse, and was taken in charge by Major +Arthur Peuchen. + +THE LIFE-BOATS LOWERED + +The admiration felt by the passengers and crew for the +matchlessly appointed vessel was translated, in those first +few moments, into a confidence which for some proved +deadly. The pulsing of the engines had ceased, and the +steamship lay just as though she were awaiting the order +to go on again after some trifling matter had been adjusted. +But in a few minutes the canvas covers were lifted from +the life-boats and the crews allotted to each standing by, +ready to lower them to the water. + +Nearly all the boats that were lowered on the port side +of the ship touched the water without capsizing. Four of +the others lowered to starboard, including one collapsible, +were capsized. All, however, who were in the collapsible +boats that practically went to pieces, were rescued by the +other boats. + +Presently the order was heard: "All men stand back and +all women retire to the deck below." That was the smoking- +room deck, or the B deck. The men stood away and remained +in absolute silence, leaning against the rail or pacing up and +down the deck slowly. Many of them lighted cigars or cigarettes +and began to smoke. + + +LOADING THE BOATS + +The boats were swung out and lowered from the A deck +above. The women were marshaled quietly in lines along +the B deck, and when the boats were lowered down to the +level of the latter the women were assisted to climb into them. + +As each of the boats was filled with its quota of passengers +the word was given and it was carefully lowered down to the +dark surface of the water. + +Nobody seemed to know how Mr. Ismay got into a boat, +but it was assumed that he wished to make a presentation of +the case of the Titanic to his company. He was among those +who apparently realized that the splendid ship was doomed. +All hands in the life-boats, under instructions from officers +and men in charge, were rowed a considerable distance from +the ship herself in order to get far away from the possible +suction that would follow her foundering. + + +COOLEST MEN ON BOARD + +Captain Smith and Major Archibald Butt, military aide to +the President of the United States, were among the coolest +men on board. A number of steerage passengers were +yelling and screaming and fighting to get to the boats. +Officers drew guns and told them that if they moved towards +the boats they would be shot dead. Major Butt had a gun +in his hand and covered the men who tried to get to the boats. + +The following story of his bravery was told by Mrs. Henry +B. Harris, wife of the theatrical manager: + +"The world should rise in praise of Major Butt. That +man's conduct will remain in my memory forever. The American +army is honored by him and the way he taught some of +the other men how to behave when women and children were +suffering that awful mental fear of death. Major Butt was +near me and I noticed everything that he did. + +"When the order to man the boats came, the captain whispered +something to Major Butt. The two of them had become +friends. The major immediately became as one in supreme +command. You would have thought he was at a White +House reception. A dozen or more women became hysterical +all at once, as something connected with a life-boat went +wrong. Major Butt stepped over to them and said: + +" `Really, you must not act like that; we are all going to +see you through this thing.' He helped the sailors rearrange +the rope or chain that had gone wrong and lifted some of the +women in with a touch of gallantry. Not only was there a +complete lack of any fear in his manner, but there was the +action of an aristocrat. + +"When the time came he was a man to be feared. In one +of the earlier boats fifty women, it seemed, were about to +be lowered, when a man, suddenly panic-stricken, ran to the +stern of it. Major Butt shot one arm out, caught him by +the back of the neck and jerked him backward like a pillow. +His head cracked against a rail and he was stunned. + +" `Sorry,' said Major Butt, `women will be attended to +first or I'll break every damned bone in your body.' + + +FORCED MEN USURPING PLACES TO VACATE + +"The boats were lowered one by one, and as I stood by, my +husband said to me, `Thank God, for Archie Butt.' Perhaps +Major Butt heard it, for he turned his face towards us for a +second and smiled. Just at that moment, a young man was +arguing to get into a life-boat, and Major Butt had a hold +of the lad by the arm, like a big brother, and was telling him +to keep his head and be a man. + +"Major Butt helped those poor frightened steerage people +so wonderfully, so tenderly and yet with such cool and manly +firmness that he prevented the loss of many lives from panic. +He was a soldier to the last. He was one of God's greatest +noblemen, and I think I can say he was an example of bravery +even to men on the ship." + + +LAST WORDS OF MAJOR BUTT + +Miss Marie Young, who was a music instructor to President +Roosevelt's children and had known Major Butt during +the Roosevelt occupancy of the White House, told this +story of his heroism. + +"Archie himself put me into the boat, wrapped blankets +about me and tucked me in as carefully as if we were starting +on a motor ride. He, himself, entered the boat with me, +performing the little courtesies as calmly and with as smiling +a face as if death were far away, instead of being but a few +moments removed from him. + +"When he had carefully wrapped me up he stepped upon +the gunwale of the boat, and lifting his hat, smiled down at +me. `Good-bye, Miss Young,' he said. `Good luck to +you, and don't forget to remember me to the folks back home.' +Then he stepped back and waved his hand to me as the boat +was lowered. I think I was the last woman he had a chance +to help, for the boat went down shortly after we cleared the +suction zone." + +COLONEL ASTOR ANOTHER HERO + +Colonel Astor was another of the heroes of the awful night. +Effort was made to persuade him to take a place in one of +the life-boats, but he emphatically refused to do so until every +woman and child on board had been provided for, not excepting +the women members of the ship's company. + +One of the passengers describing the consummate courage +of Colonel Astor said: + +"He led Mrs. Astor to the side of the ship and helped her +to the life-boat to which she had been assigned. I saw that +she was prostrated and said she would remain and take her +chances with him, but Colonel Astor quietly insisted and +tried to reassure her in a few words. As she took her place +in the boat her eyes were fixed upon him. Colonel Astor +smiled, touched his cap, and when the boat moved safely +away from the ship's side he turned back to his place among +the men." + +Mrs. Ida S. Hippach and her daughter Jean, survivors of +the Titanic, said they were saved by Colonel John Jacob +Astor, who forced the crew of the last life-boat to wait for +them. + +"We saw Colonel Astor place Mrs. Astor in a boat and +assure her that he would follow later," said Mrs. Hippach. + +"He turned to us with a smile and said, `Ladies, you are +next.' The officer in charge of the boat protested that the +craft was full, and the seamen started to lower it. + +"Colonel Astor exclaimed, `Hold that boat,' in the voice +of a man accustomed to be obeyed, and they did as he ordered. +The boat had been lowered past the upper deck and the +colonel took us to the deck below and put us in the boat, +one after the other, through a port-hole." + + +{illust. caption = LOADING THE LIFE-BOATS + +Here occurred the heart- +rending separation of husbands +and wives, as the women +were given precedence in the +boats.} + + +HEART-BREAKING SCENES + +There were some terrible scenes. Fathers were parting from +their children and giving them an encouraging pat on the +shoulders; men were kissing their wives and telling them +that they would be with them shortly. One man said there +was absolutely no danger, that the boat was the finest ever +built, with water-tight compartments, and that it could not +sink. That seemed to be the general impression. + +A few of the men, however, were panic-stricken even +when the first of the fifty-six foot life-boats was being filled. +Fully ten men threw themselves into the boats already +crowded with women and children. These men were dragged +back and hurled sprawling across the deck. Six of them, +screamed with fear, struggled to their feet and made a second +attempt to rush to the boats. + +About ten shots sounded in quick succession. The six +cowardly men were stopped in their tracks, staggered and +collapsed one after another. At least two of them vainly +attempted to creep toward the boats again. The others lay +quite still. This scene of bloodshed served its purpose. +In that particular section of the deck there was no further +attempt to violate the rule of "women and children first." + +"I helped fill the boats with women," said Thomas Whiteley, +who was a waiter on the Titanic. "Collapsible boat No. 2 +on the starboard jammed. The second officer was hacking +at the ropes with a knife and I was being dragged around the +deck by that rope when I looked up and saw the boat, with all +aboard, turn turtle. In some way I got overboard myself +and clung to an oak dresser. I wasn't more than sixty feet +from the Titanic when she went down. Her big stern rose +up in the air and she went down bow first. I saw all the machinery +drop out of her." + + +HENRY B. HARRIS + +Henry B. Harris, of New York, a theatrical manager, was +one of the men who showed superb courage in the crisis. +When the life-boats were first being filled, and before there +was any panic, Mr. Harris went to the side of his wife before +the boat was lowered away. + +"Women first," shouted one of the ship's officers. Mr. +Harris glanced up and saw that the remark was addressed +to him. + +"All right," he replied coolly. "Good-bye, my dear," +he said, as he kissed his wife, pressed her a moment to his +breast, and then climbed back to the Titanic's deck. + + +THREE EXPLOSIONS + +Up to this time there had been no panic; but about one hour +before the ship plunged to the bottom there were three +separate explosions of bulkheads as the vessel filled. +These were at intervals of about fifteen minutes. From that +time there was a different scene. The rush for the remaining +boats became a stampede. + +The stokers rushed up from below and tried to beat a path +through the steerage men and women and through the sailors +and officers, to get into the boats. They had their iron bars +and shovels, and they struck down all who stood in their +way. + +The first to come up from the depths of the ship was an +engineer. From what he is reported to have said it is probable +that the steam fittings were broken and many were scalded +to death when the Titanic lifted. He said he had to dash +through a narrow place beside a broken pipe and his back +was frightfully scalded. + +Right at his heels came the stokers. The officers had pistols, +but they could not use them at first for fear of killing the +women and children. The sailors fought with their fists and +many of them took the stoke bars and shovels from the stokers +and used them to beat back the others. + +Many of the coal-passers and stokers who had been driven +back from the boats went to the rail, and whenever a boat was +filled and lowered several of them jumped overboard and +swam toward it trying to climb aboard. Several of the +survivors said that men who swam to the sides of their boats +were pulled in or climbed in. + +Dozens of the cabin passengers were witnesses of some of the +frightful scenes on the steerage deck. The steerage survivors +said that ten women from the upper decks were the +only cool passengers in the life-boat, and they tried to quiet the +steerage women, who were nearly all crazed with fear and grief. + + +OTHER HEROES + +Among the chivalrous young heroes of the Titanic disaster +were Washington A. Roebling, 2d, and Howard Case, London +representative of the Vacuum Oil Company. Both were +urged repeatedly to take places in life-boats, but scorned the +opportunity, while working against time to save the women +aboard the ill-fated ship. They went to their death, it is +said by survivors, with smiles on their faces. + +Both of these young men aided in the saving of Mrs. William +T. Graham, wife of the president of the American Can Company, +and Mrs. Graham's nineteen-year-old daughter, Margaret. + +Afterwards relating some of her experiences Mrs. Graham +said: + +"There was a rap at the door. It was a passenger whom +we had met shortly after the ship left Liverpool, and his name +was Roebling--Washington A. Roebling, 2d. He was a +gentleman and a brave man. He warned us of the danger and +told us that it would be best to be prepared for an emergency. +We heeded his warning, and I looked out of my window and +saw a great big iceberg facing us. Immediately I knew what +had happened and we lost no time after that to get out into +the saloon. + +"In one of the gangways I met an officer of the ship. + +" `What is the matter?' I asked him. + +" `We've only burst two pipes,' he said. `Everything is +all right, don't worry.' + +" `But what makes the ship list so?' I asked. + +" `Oh, that's nothing,' he replied, and walked away. + +"Mr. Case advised us to get into a boat. + +" `And what are you going to do?' we asked him. + +" `Oh,' he replied, `I'll take a chance and stay here.' + +"Just at that time they were filling up the third life-boat +on the port side of the ship. I thought at the time that it +was the third boat which had been lowered, but I found out +later that they had lowered other boats on the other side, +where the people were more excited because they were sinking +on that side. + +"Just then Mr. Roebling came up, too, and told us to +hurry and get into the third boat. Mr. Roebling and Mr. +Case bustled our party of three into that boat in less time than +it takes to tell it. They were both working hard to help the +women and children. The boat was fairly crowded when we +three were pushed into it, and a few men jumped in at the last +moment, but Mr. Roebling and Mr. Case stood at the rail +and made no attempt to get into the boat. + +"They shouted good-bye to us. What do you think Mr. +Case did then? He just calmly lighted a cigarette and waved +us good-bye with his hand. Mr. Roebling stood there, too-- +I can see him now. I am sure that he knew that the ship +would go to the bottom. But both just stood there." + + +IN THE FACE OF DEATH + +Scenes on the sinking vessel grew more tragic as the remaining +passengers faced the awful certainty that death must be the +portion of the majority, death in the darkness of a wintry sea +studded with its ice monuments like the marble shafts in +some vast cemetery. + +In that hour, when cherished illusions of possible safety +had all but vanished, manhood and womanhood aboard the +Titanic rose to their sublimest heights. It was in that crisis +of the direst extremity that many brave women deliberately +rejected life and chose rather to remain and die with the men +whom they loved. + + +DEATH FAILS TO PART MR. AND MRS. STRAUS + +"I will not leave my husband," said Mrs. Isidor Straus. +"We are old; we can best die together," and she turned from +those who would have forced her into one of the boats and +clung to the man who had been the partner of her joys and +sorrows. Thus they stood hand in hand and heart to heart, +comforting each other until the sea claimed them, united in +death as they had been through a long life. + +"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his +life for his friends." + +Miss Elizabeth Evans fulfilled this final test of affection +laid down by the Divine Master. The girl was the niece of +the wife of Magistrate Cornell, of New York. She was placed +in the same boat with many other women. As it was about +to be lowered away it was found that the craft contained one +more than its full quota of passengers. + +The grim question arose as to which of them should surrender +her place and her chance of safety. Beside Miss +Evans sat Mrs. J. J. Brown, of Denver, the mother of several +children. Miss Evans was the first to volunteer to yield to +another. + + +GIRL STEPS BACK TO DOOM + +"Your need is greater than mine," said she to Mrs. Brown. +"You have children who need you, and I have none." + +So saying she arose from the boat and stepped back upon +the deck. The girl found no later refuge and was one of those +who went down with the ship. She was twenty-five years +old and was beloved by all who knew her. + +Mrs. Brown thereafter showed the spirit which had made +her also volunteer to leave the boat. There were only three +men in the boat and but one of them rowed. Mrs. Brown, +who was raised on the water, immediately picked up one +of the heavy sweeps and began to pull. + +In the boat which carried Mrs. Cornell and Mrs. Appleton +there were places for seventeen more than were carried. +This too was undermanned and the two women at once took +their places at the oars. + +The Countess of Rothes was pulling at the oars of her +boat, likewise undermanned because the crew preferred to +stay behind. + +Miss Bentham, of Rochester, showed splendid courage. +She happened to be in a life-boat which was very much +crowded--so much so that one sailor had to sit with his feet +dangling in the icy cold water, and as time went on the sufferings +of the man from the cold were apparent. Miss Bentham +arose from her place and had the man turn around while +she took her place with her feet in the water. + +Scarcely any of the life-boats were properly manned. +Two, filled with women and children, capsized immediately, +while the collapsible boats were only temporarily useful. +They soon filled with water. In one boat eighteen or +twenty persons sat in water above their knees for six hours. + + + +{illust. caption = + +In the darkness and +confusion, punctuated +by screams, sobs and +curses, the boats were +lowered after being filled +with women, children +and a few men. The +sketch, drawn from description +of eye-witnesses, +shows the lofty side of +the stricken vessel and +the laden boats descending. + +THE +LIFE-BOATS +BEING +LOWERED} + + +{illust. caption = Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. + +{illust. caption = Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. +LIFE-BOATS, AS SEEN FROM THE CARPATHIA + +Photographs taken from the rescue ship as she reached the first boats +carrying the Titanic's sufferers.} + + + +heard it, but have forgotten it. But I saw an order for five +pounds which this man gave to each of the crew of his boat +after they got aboard the Carpathia. It was on a piece of +ordinary paper addressed to the Coutts Bank of England. + +"We called that boat the `money boat.' It was lowered +from the starboard side and was one of the first off. Our +orders were to load the life-boats beginning forward on the +port side, working aft and then back on the starboard. +This man paid the firemen to lower a starboard boat before +the officers had given the order." + +Whiteley's own experience was a hard one. When the +uncoiling rope, which entangled his feet, threw him into the +sea, it furrowed the flesh of his leg, but he did not feel the +pain until he was safe aboard the Carpathia. + +"I floated on my life-preserver for several hours," he said, +"then I came across a big oak dresser with two men clinging +to it. I hung on to this till daybreak and the two men +dropped off. When the sun came up I saw the collapsible +raft in the distance, just black with men. They were all +standing up, and I swam to it--almost a mile, it seemed to me +--and they would not let me aboard. Mr. Lightoller, the +second officer, was one of them. + +" `It's thirty-one lives against yours,, he said, `you can't +come aboard. There's not room.' " + +"I pleaded with him in vain, and then I confess I prayed +that somebody might die, so I could take his place. It was +only human. And then some one did die, and they let me +aboard. + +"By and by, we saw seven life-boats lashed together, and +we were taken into them." + + +MEN SHOT DOWN + +The officers had to assert their authority by force, and three +foreigners from the steerage who tried to force their way in +among the women and children were shot down without +mercy. + +Robert Daniel, a Philadelphia passenger, told of terrible +scenes at this period of the disaster. He said men fought +and bit and struck one another like madmen, and exhibited +wounds upon his face to prove the assertion. Mr. Daniel +said that he was picked up naked from the ice-cold water +and almost perished from exposure before he was rescued. +He and others told how the Titanic's bow was completely +torn away by the impact with the berg. + +K. Whiteman, of Palmyra, N. J., the Titanic's barber, +was lowering boats on deck after the collision, and declared +the officers on the bridge, one of them First Officer Murdock, +promptly worked the electrical apparatus for closing the water- +tight compartments. He believed the machinery was in some +way so damaged by the crash that the front compartments +failed to close tightly, although the rear ones were secure. + +Whiteman's manner of escape was unique. He was blown +off the deck by the second of the two explosions of the boilers, +and was in the water more than two hours before he was +picked up by a raft. + +"The explosions," Whiteman said; "were caused by the +rushing in of the icy water on the boilers. A bundle of deck +chairs, roped together, was blown off the deck with me, and I +struck my back, injuring my spine, but it served as a temporary +raft. + +"The crew and passengers had faith in the bulkhead system +to save the ship and we were lowering a collapsible boat, +all confident the ship would get through, when she took a +terrific dip forward and the water swept over the deck and +into the engine rooms. + +"The bow went clean down, and I caught the pile of chairs +as I was washed up against the rim. Then came the explosions +which blew me fifteen feet. + +"After the water had filled the forward compartments, +the ones at the stern could not save her, although they did +delay the ship's going down. If it wasn't for the compartments +hardly anyone could have got away." + + +A SAD MESSAGE + +One of the Titanic's stewards, Johnson by name, carried +this message to the sorrowing widow of Benjamin Guggenheim: + +"When Mr. Guggenheim realized that there was grave +danger," said the room steward, "he advised his secretary, +who also died, to dress fully and he himself did the same. +Mr. Guggenheim, who was cool and collected as he was pulling +on his outer garments, said to the steward:-- + + +PREPARED TO DIE BRAVELY + +" `I think there is grave doubt that the men will get off +safely. I am willing to remain and play the man's game, if +there are not enough boats for more than the women and +children. I won't die here like a beast. I'll meet my end as +man.' + +"There was a pause and then Mr. Guggenheim continued: + +" `Tell my wife, Johnson, if it should happen that my secretary +and I both go down and you are saved, tell her I played +the game out straight and to the end. No woman shall be +left aboard this ship because Ben Guggenheim was a coward. + +" `Tell her that my last thoughts will be of her and of our +girls, but that my duty now is to these unfortunate women +and children on this ship. Tell her I will meet whatever fate +is in store for me, knowing she will approve of what I do.' " + +In telling the story the room steward said the last he saw +of Mr. Guggenheim was when he stood fully dressed upon +the upper deck talking calmly with Colonel Astor and Major +Butt. + +Before the last of the boats got away, according to some of +the passengers' narratives, there were more than fifty shots +fired upon the decks by officers or others in the effort to maintain +the discipline that until then had been well preserved. + + +THE SINKING VESSEL + +Richard Norris Williams, Jr., one of the survivors of the +Titanic, saw his father killed by being crushed by one of the +tremendous funnels of the sinking vessel. + +"We stood on deck watching the life-boats of the Titanic +being filled and lowered into the water," said Mr. Williams. +"The water was nearly up to our waists and the ship was +about at her last. Suddenly one of the great funnels fell. +I sprang aside, endeavoring to pull father with me. A +moment later the funnel was swept overboard and the body +of father went with it. + +"I sprang overboard and swam through the ice to a life- +raft, and was pulled aboard. There were five men and one +woman on the raft. Occasionally we were swept off into the +sea, but always managed to crawl back. + +"A sailor lighted a cigarette and flung the match carelessly +among the women. Several screamed, fearing they would +be set on fire. The sailor replied: `We are going to hell anyway +and we might as well be cremated now as then.' " + +A huge cake of ice was the means of aiding Emile Portaleppi, +of Italy, in his hairbreadth escape from death when +the Titanic went down. Portaleppi, a second class passenger, +was awakened by the explosion of one of the bulkheads of +the ship. He hurried to the deck, strapped a life-preserver +around him and leaped into the sea. With the aid of the +preserver and by holding to a cake of ice he managed to +keep afloat until one of the life-boats picked him up. There +were thirty-five other people in the boat, he said, when he was +hauled aboard. + +THE COWARD + +Somewhere in the shadow of the appalling Titanic disaster +slinks--still living by the inexplicable grace of God--a cur +in human shape, to-day the most despicable human being in +all the world. + +In that grim midnight hour, already great in history, he +found himself hemmed in by the band of heroes whose watchword +and countersign rang out across the deep--"Women +and children first!" + +What did he do? He scuttled to the stateroom deck, put +on a woman's skirt, a woman's hat and a woman's veil, and +picking his crafty way back among the brave and chivalric +men who guarded the rail of the doomed ship, he filched a +seat in one of the life-boats and saved his skin. + +His name is on that list of branded rescued men who were +neither picked up from the sea when the ship went down +nor were in the boats under orders to help get them safe away. +His identity is not yet known, though it will be in good time. +So foul an act as that will out like murder. + +The eyes of strong men who have read this crowded record +of golden deeds, who have read and re-read that deathless +roll of honor of the dead, are still wet with tears of pity and +of pride. This man still lives. Surely he was born and saved +to set for men a new standard by which to measure infamy +and shame. + +It is well that there was sufficient heroism on board the +Titanic to neutralize the horrors of the cowardice. When +the first order was given for the men to stand back, there were +a dozen or more who pushed forward and said that men would +be needed to row the life-boats and that they would volunteer +for the work. + +The officers tried to pick out the ones that volunteered +merely for service and to eliminate those who volunteered +merely to save their own lives. This elimination process +however, was not wholly successful. + + +THE DOOMED MEN + +As the ship began to settle to starboard, heeling at an angle +of nearly forty-five degrees, those who had believed it was all +right to stick by the ship began to have doubts, and a few +jumped into the sea. They were followed immediately by +others, and in a few minutes there were scores swimming +around. Nearly all of them wore life-preservers. One man, +who had a Pomeranian dog, leaped overboard with it and +striking a piece of wreckage was badly stunned. He recovered +after a few minutes and swam toward one of the life-boats +and was taken aboard. + +Said one survivor, speaking of the men who remained on +the ship. "There they stood--Major Butt, Colonel Astor +waving a farewell to his wife, Mr. Thayer, Mr. Case, +Mr. Clarence Moore, Mr. Widener, all multimillionaires, and +hundreds of other men, bravely smiling at us all. Never have I +seen such chivalry and fortitude. Such courage in the face of +fate horrible to contemplate filled us even then with wonder +and admiration." + +Why were men saved? ask: others who seek to make the +occasional male survivor a hissing scorn; and yet the testimony +makes it clear that for a long time during that ordeal +the more frightful position seemed to many to be in the frail +boats in the vast relentless sea, and that some men had to be +tumbled into the boats under orders from the officers. Others +express the deepest indignation that 210 sailors were rescued, +the testimony shows that most of these sailors were in the +welter of ice and water into which they had been thrown from +the ship's deck when she sank; they were human beings and +so were picked up and saved. + + +"WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST" + +The one alleviating circumstance in the otherwise immitigable +tragedy is the fact that so many of the men stood aside +really with out the necessity for the order, "Women and +children first," and insisted that the weaker sex should first +have places in the boats. + +There were men whose word of command swayed boards +of directors, governed institutions, disposed of millions. They +were accustomed merely to pronounce a wish to have it gratified. +Thousands "posted at their bidding"; the complexion +of the market altered hue when they nodded; they bought +what they wanted, and for one of the humblest fishing smacks +or a dory they could have given the price that was paid to +build and launch the ship that has become the most imposing +mausoleum that ever housed the bones of men since the +Pyramids rose from the desert sands. + +But these men stood aside--one can see them!--and gave +place not merely to the delicate and the refined, but to the +scared Czech woman from the steerage, with her baby at her +breast; the Croatian with a toddler by her side, coming +through the very gate of Death and out of the mouth of Hell +to the imagined Eden of America. + +To many of those who went it was harder to go than to +stay there on the vessel gaping with its mortal wounds and +ready to go down. It meant that tossing on the waters they +must wait in suspense, hour after hour even after the lights of +the ship were engulfed in appalling darkness, hoping against +hope for the miracle of a rescue dearer to them than their +own lives. + +It was the tradition of Anglo-Saxon heroism that was fulfilled +in the frozen seas during the black hours of Sunday +night. The heroism was that of the women who went, as well +as of the men who remained! + + + +CHAPTER VII + +LEFT TO THEIR FATE + +COOLNESS AND HEROISM OF THOSE LEFT TO PERISH--SUICIDE +OF MURDOCK--CAPTAIN SMITH'S END--THE SHIP'S BAND +PLAYS A NOBLE HYMN AS THE VESSEL GOES DOWN + +THE general feeling aboard the ship after the boats +had left her sides was that she would not survive +her wound, but the passengers who remained aboard +displayed the utmost heroism. + +William T. Stead, the famous English journalist, was so +litt{l}e alarmed that he calmly discussed with one of the passengers +the probable height of the iceberg after the Titanic +had shot into it. + +Confidence in the ability of the Titanic to remain afloat +doubtlessly led many of the passengers to death. The theory +that the great ship was unsinkable remained with hundreds +who had entrusted themselves to the gigantic hulk, long +after the officers knew that the vessel could not survive. + +The captain and officers behaved with superb gallantry, +and there was perfect order and discipline among those who +were aboard, even after all hope had been abandoned for the +salvation of the ship. + +Many women went down, steerage women who were unable +to get to the upper decks where the boats were launched, +maids who were overlooked in the confusion, cabin passengers +who refused to desert their husbands or who reached the decks +after the last of the life-boats was gone and the ship was +settling for her final plunge to the bottom of the Atlantic. + +Narratives of survivors do not bear out the supposition +that the final hours upon the vessel's decks were passed in +darkness. They say the electric lighting plant held out +until the last, and that even as they watched the ship sink, +from their places in the floating life-boats, her lights were +gleaming in long rows as she plunged under by the head. +Just before she sank, some of the refugees say, the ship broke +in two abaft the engine room after the bulkhead explosions +had occurred. + +COLONEL ASTOR'S DEATH + + +To Colonel Astor's death Philip Mock bears this testimony. + +"Many men were hanging on to rafts in the sea. William +T. Stead and Colonel Astor were among them. Their +feet and hands froze and they had to let go. Both were +drowned." + +The last man among the survivors to speak to Colonel +Astor was K. Whiteman, the ship's barber. + +"I shaved Colonel Astor Sunday afternoon," said Whiteman. +"He was a pleasant, affable man, and that awful +night when I found myself standing beside him on the passenger +deck, helping to put the women into the boats, I +spoke to him. + +" `Where is your life-belt?' I asked him. + +" `I didn't think there would be any need of it,' he said. + +" `Get one while there is time,' I told him. `The last boat +is gone, and we are done for.' + +" `No,' he said, `I think there are some life-boats to be +launched, and we may get on one of them.' + +" `There are no life-rafts,' I told him, `and the ship is going +to sink. I am going to jump overboard and take a chance +on swimming out and being picked up by one of the boats. +Better come along.' + +" `No, thank you,' he said, calmly, `I think I'll have to +stick.' + +"I asked him if he would mind shaking hands with me. +He said, `With pleasure,' gave me a hearty grip, and then I +climbed up on the rail and jumped overboard. I was in the +water nearly four hours before one of the boats picked me up." + + +CAPTAIN WASHED OVERBOARD + +Murdock's last orders were to Quartermaster Moody and +a few other petty officers who had taken their places in the +rigid discipline of the ship and were lowering the boats. +Captain Smith came up to him on the bridge several times +and then rushed down again. They spoke to one another +only in monosyllables. + +There were stories that Captain Smith, when he saw the +ship actually going down, had committed suicide. There is +no basis for such tales. The captain, according to the testimony +of those who were near him almost until the last, was +admirably cool. He carried a revolver in his hand, ready +to use it on anyone who disobeyed orders. + +"I want every man to act like a man for manhood's sake," +he said, "and if they don't, a bullet awaits the coward." + +With the revolver in his hand--a fact that undoubtedly +gave rise to the suicide theory--the captain moved up and +down the deck. He gave the order for each life-boat to make +off and he remained until every boat was gone. Standing +on the bridge he finally called out the order: "Each man +save himself." At that moment all discipline fled. It was +the last call of death. If there had been any hope among +those on board before, the hope now had fled. + +The bearded admiral of the White Star Line fleet, with +every life-saving device launched from the decks, was returning +to the deck to perform the sacred office of going down +with his ship when a wave dashed over the side and tore +him from the ladder. + +The Titanic was sinking rapidly by the head, with the +twisting sidelong motion that was soon to aim her on her +course two miles down. Murdock saw the skipper swept out; +but did not move. Captain Smith was but one of a multitude +of lost at that moment. Murdock may have known that the +last desperate thought of the gray mariner was to get upon +his bridge and die in command. That the old man could not +have done this may have had something to do with Murdock's +suicidal inspiration. Of that no man may say or safely guess. + +The wave that swept the skipper out bore him almost to the +thwart of a crowded life-boat. Hands reached out, but he +wrenched himself away, turned and swam back toward the +ship. + +Some say that he said, "Good-bye, I'm going back to the +ship." + +He disappeared for a moment, then reappeared where a +rail was slipping under water. Cool and courageous to the +end, loyal to his duty under the most difficult circumstances, +he showed himself a noble captain, and he died a noble +death. + + +SAW BOTH OFFICERS PERISH + +Quartermaster Moody saw all this, watched the skipper +scramble aboard again onto the submerged decks, and then +vanish altogether in a great billow. + +As Moody's eye lost sight of the skipper in this confusion +of waters it again shifted to the bridge, and just in time to see +Murdock take his life. The man's face was turned toward +him, Moody said, and he could not mistake it. There were +still many gleaming lights on the ship, flickering out like +little groups of vanishing stars, and with the clear starshine +on the waters there was nothing to cloud or break the quartermaster's +vision. + +"I saw Murdock die by his own hand," said Moody, "saw +the flash from his gun, heard the crack that followed the +flash and then saw him plunge over on his face." + +Others report hearing several pistol shots on the decks +below the bridge, but amid the groans and shrieks and cries, +shouted orders and all that vast orchestra of sounds that broke +upon the air they must have been faint periods of punctuation + +BAND PLAYED ITS OWN DIRGE + +The band had broken out in the strains of "Nearer, My +God, to Thee," some minutes before Murdock lifted the +revolver to his head, fired and toppled over on his face. +Moody saw all this in a vision that filled his brain, while his +ears drank in the tragic strain of the beautiful hymn that +the band played as their own dirge, even to the moment when +the waters sucked them down. + +Wherever Murdock's eye swept the water in that instant, +before he drew his revolver, it looked upon veritable seas of +drowning men and women. From the decks there came to +him the shrieks and groans of the caged and drowning, for +whom all hope of escape was utterly vanished. He evidently +never gave a thought to the possibility of saving himself, his +mind freezing with the horrors he beheld and having room +for just one central idea--swift extinction. + +The strains of the hymn and the frantic cries of the dying +blended in a symphony of sorrow. + +Led by the green light, under the light of stars, the boats +drew away, and the bow, then the quarter, then the stacks +and last the stern of the marvel ship of a few days before +passed beneath the waters. The great force of the ship's +sinking was unaided by any violence of the elements, and the +suction, not so great as had been feared, rocked but mildly +the group of boats now a quarter of a mile distant from it. + +Just before the Titanic disappeared from view men and +women leaped from the stern. More than a hundred men, +according to Colonel Gracie, jumped at the last. Gracie +was among the number and he and the second officer were +of the very few who were saved. + +As the vessel disappeared, the waves drowned the majestic + + +{illust. caption = DEPTH OF OCEAN WHERE THE TITANIC WENT DOWN + +The above etching shows a diagram of the ocean depths between the +shore of Newfoundland (shown at the top to the left, by the heavily shaded +part) to 800 miles out, where the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank. Over +the Great Bank of Newfoundland the greatest depth is about 35 fathoms, or +210 feet. Then there is a sudden drop to 105 fathoms, or 630 feet, and then +there is a falling away to 1650 fathoms or 9900 feet, then 2000 fathoms or +12,000 feet, and about where the Titanic sank 2760 fathoms or 16,560 feet.} + + +hymn which the musicians played as they went to their watery +grave. The most authentic accounts agree that this hymn +was not "Nearer, My God, to Thee," which it seems had been + + + +{illust. caption = CARPATHIA + +The Cunard liner which brought the survivors of the Titanic to New York.} + +{illust. caption = THE HERO WIRELESS OPERATOR OF THE TITANIC + +Photograph of Harold ...} + + +played shortly before, but "Autumn," which is found in +the Episcopal hymnal and which fits appropriately the +situation on the Titanic in the last moments of pain and +darkness there. One line, "Hold me up in mighty waters," +particularly may have suggested the hymn to some minister +aboard the doomed vessel, who, it has been thought, thereupon +asked the remaining passengers to join in singing the +hymn, in a last service aboard the sinking ship, soon to be +ended by death itself. + +Following is the hymn: + + God of mercy and compassion! + Look with pity on my pain: + Hear a mournful, broken spirit + Prostrate at Thy feet complain; + Many are my foes, and mighty; + Strength to conquer I have none; + Nothing can uphold my goings + But Thy blessed Self alone. + + Saviour, look on Thy beloved; + Triumph over all my foes; + Turn to heavenly joy my mourning, + Turn to gladness all my woes; + Live or die, or work or suffer, + Let my weary soul abide, + In all changes whatsoever + Sure and steadfast by Thy side. + When temptations fierce assault me, + When my enemies I find, + Sin and guilt, and death and Satan, + All against my soul combined, + Hold me up in mighty waters, + Keep my eyes on things above, + Righteousness, divine Atonement, + Peace, and everlasting Love. + + +It was a little lame schoolmaster, Tyrtaeus, who aroused the +Spartans by his poetry and led them to victory against the +foe. + +It was the musicians of the band of the Titanic--poor men, +paid a few dollars a week--who played the music to keep up +the courage of the souls aboard the sinking ship. + +"The way the band kept playing was a noble thing," says +the wireless operator. "I heard it first while we were working +the wireless, when there was a rag-time tune for us, and the +last I saw of the band, when I was floating, struggling in the +icy water, it was still on deck, playing `Autumn.' How those +brave fellows ever did it I cannot imagine." + +Perhaps that music, made in the face of death, would not +have satisfied the exacting critical sense. It may be that the +chilled fingers faltered on the pistons of the cornet or at the +valves of the French horn, that the time was irregular and +that by an organ in a church, with a decorous congregation, +the hymns they chose would have been better played and +sung. But surely that music went up to God from the souls +of drowning men, and was not less acceptable than the song +of songs no mortal ear may hear, the harps of the seraphs +and the choiring cherubim. Under the sea the music-makers +lie, still in their fingers clutching the broken and battered +means of melody; but over the strident voice of warring +winds and the sound of many waters there rises their chant +eternally; and though the musicians lie hushed and cold at +the sea's heart, their music is heard forevermore. + + +LAST MOMENTS + +That great ship, which started out as proudly, went down +to her death like some grime silent juggernaut, drunk with +carnage and anxious to stop the throbbing of her own heart +at the bottom of the sea. Charles H. Lightoller, second +officer of the Titanic, tells the story this way: + +"I stuck to the ship until the water came up to my ankles. +There had been no lamentations, no demonstrations either +from the men passengers as they saw the last life-boat go, +and there was no wailing or crying, no outburst from the men +who lined the ship's rail as the Titanic disappeared from sight. + +"The men stood quietly as if they were in church. They +knew that they were in the sight of God; that in a moment +judgment would be passed upon them. Finally, the ship +took a dive, reeling for a moment, then plunging. I was +sucked to the side of the ship against the grating over the +blower for the exhaust. There was an explosion. It blew +me to the surface again, only to be sucked back again by the +water rushing into the ship + +"This time I landed against the grating over the pipes, +which furnish a draught for the funnels, and stuck there. +There was another explosion, and I came to the surface. The +ship seemed to be heaving tremendous sighs as she went down. +I found myself not many feet from the ship, but on the other +side of it. The ship had turned around while I was under +the water. + +"I came up near a collapsible life-boat and grabbed it. +Many men were in the water near me. They had jumped +at the last minute. A funnel fell within four inches of me +and killed one of the swimmers. Thirty clung to the capsized +boat, and a life-boat, with forty survivors in it already, +finally took them off. + +"George D. Widener and Harry Elkins Widener were among +those who jumped at the last minute. So did Robert Williams +Daniel. The three of them went down together. Daniel +struck out, lashing the water with his arms until he had made +a point far distant from the sinking monster of the sea. Later +he was picked up by one of the passing life-boats. + +"The Wideners were not seen again, nor was John B. Thayer, +who went down on the boat. `Jack' Thayer, who was literally +thrown off the Titanic by an explosion, after he had +refused to leave the men to go with his mother, floated around +on a raft for an hour before he was picked up." + + +AFLOAT WITH JACK THAYER + +Graphic accounts of the final plunge of the Titanic were +related by two Englishmen, survivors by the merest chance. +One of them struggled for hours to hold himself afloat on an +overturned collapsible life-boat, to one end of which John B. +Thayer, Jr., of Philadelphia, whose father perished, hung +until rescued. + +The men gave their names as A. H. Barkworth, justice of +the peace of East Riding, Yorkshire, England, and W. J. +Mellers, of Christ Church Terrace, Chelsea, London. The +latter, a young man, had started for this country with his +savings to seek his fortune, and lost all but his life. + +Mellers, like Quartermaster Moody, said Captain Smith +did not commit suicide. The captain jumped from the bridge, +Mellers declares, and he heard him say to his officers and crew: +"You have done your duty, boys. Now every man for himself." +Mellers and Barkworth, who say their names have +been spelled incorrectly in most of the lists of survivors, both +declare there were three distinct explosions before the Titanic +broke in two, and bow section first, and stern part last, settled +with her human cargo into the sea. + +Her four whistles kept up a deafening blast until the explosions, +declare the men. The death cries from the shrill throats +of the blatant steam screechers beside the smokestacks so +rent the air that conversation among the passengers was possible +only when one yelled into the ear of a fellow-unfortunate. + +"I did not know the Thayer family well," declared Mr. +Barkworth, "but I had met young Thayer, a clear-cut chap, +and his father on the trip. The lad and I struggled in the +water for several hours endeavoring to hold afloat by grabbing +to the sides and end of an overturned life-boat. Now and +again we lost our grip and fell back into the water. I did +not recognize young Thayer in the darkness, as we struggled +for our lives, but I did recall having met him before when +we were picked up by a life-boat. We were saved by the +merest chance, because the survivors on a life-boat that +rescued us hesitated in doing so, it seemed, fearing perhaps +that additional burdens would swamp the frail craft. + +"I considered my fur overcoat helped to keep me afloat. +I had a life preserver over it, under my arms, but it would +not have held me up so well out of the water but for the +coat. The fur of the coat seemed not to get wet through, +and retained a certain amount of air that added to buoyance. +I shall never part with it. + +"The testimony of J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of +the White Star Line, that he had not heard explosions before +the Titanic settled, indicates that he must have gotten some +distance from her in his life-boat. There were three distinct +explosions and the ship broke in the center. The bow settled +headlong first, and the stern last. I was looking toward +her from the raft to which young Thayer and I had clung." + + +HOW CAPTAIN SMITH DIED + +Barkworth jumped, just before the Titanic went down. +He said there were enough life-preservers for all the +passengers, but in the confusion many may not have known +where to look for them. Mellers, who had donned a life- +preserver, was hurled into the air, from the bow of the ship +by the force of the explosion, which he believed caused the +Titanic to part in the center. + +"I was not far from where Captain Smith stood on the +bridge, giving full orders to his men," said Mellers. "The +brave old seaman was crying, but he had stuck heroically +to the last. He did not shoot himself. He jumped from +the bridge when he had done all he could. I heard his final +instructions to his crew, and recall that his last words were: +`You have done your duty, boys. Now every man for himself.' + +"I thought I was doomed to go down with the rest. I +stood on the deck, awaiting my fate, fearing to jump from +the ship. Then came a grinding noise, followed by two +others, and I was hurled into the deep. Great waves engulfed +me, but I was not drawn toward the ship, so that I believe +there was little suction. I swam about for more than one +hour before I was picked up by a boat." + + +A FAITHFUL OFFICER + +Charles Herbert Lightoller, previously mentioned, stood +by the ship until the last, working to get the passengers +away, and when it appeared that he had made his last trip +he went up high on the officers' quarters and made the best +dive he knew how to make just as the ship plunged down to +the depths. This is an excerpt from his testimony before +the Senate investigating committee: + +"What time did you leave the ship?" + +"I didn't leave it." + +"Did it leave you?" + +"Yes, sir." + +Children shall hear that episode sung in after years and +his own descendants shall recite it to their bairns. Mr. +Lightoller acted as an officer and gentleman should, and he +was not the only one. + + +A MESSAGE FROM A NOTORIOUS GAMBLER + +That Jay Yates, gambler, confidence man and fugitive +from justice, known to the police and in sporting circles as +J. H. Rogers, went down with the Titanic after assisting many +women aboard life-boats, became known when a note, written +on a blank page torn from a diary: was delivered to his +sister. Here is a fac-simile of the note: + + +{illust.} + + + +This note was given by Rogers to a woman he was helping +into a life-boat. The woman, who signed herself "Survivor," +inclosed the note with the following letter. + +"You will find note that was handed to me as I was leaving +the Titanic. Am stranger to this man, but think he was +a card player. He helped me aboard a life-boat and I saw +him help others. Before we were lowered I saw him jump +into the sea. If picked up I did not recognize him on the +Carpathia. I don't think he was registered on the ship under +his right name." + +Rogers' mother, Mrs. Mary A. Yates, an old woman, +broke down when she learned son had perished. + +"Thank God I know where he is now," she sobbed. "I +have not heard from him for two years. The last news I +had from him he was in London." + + +FIFTY LADS MET DEATH + +Among the many hundreds of heroic souls who went bravely +and quietly to their end were fifty happy-go-lucky youngsters +shipped as bell boys or messengers to serve the first cabin +passengers. James Humphreys, a quartermaster, who commanded +life-boat No. 11, told a li{t}tle story that shows +how these fifty lads met death. + +Humphreys said the boys were called to their regular posts +in the main cabin entry and taken in charge by their captain, +a steward. They were ordered to remain in the cabin and not +get in the way. Throughout the first hour of confusion and +terror these lads sat quietly on their benches in various parts +of the first cabin. + +Then, just toward the end when the order was passed around +that the ship was going down and every man was free to save +himself, if he kept away from the life-boats in which the women + +{illust. caption = + "WHO HATH MEASURED THE WATERS IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND."--Isaiah XL:xii} + + +were being taken, the bell boys scattered to all parts of the +ship. + +Humphreys said he saw numbers of them smoking cigarettes +and joking with the passengers. They seemed to think that +their violation of the rule against smoking while on duty was +a sufficient breach of discipline. + +Not one of them attempted to enter a life-boat. Not one +of them was saved. + + +THE HEROES WHO REMAINED + +The women who left the ship; the men who remained-- +there is little to choose between them for heroism. Many of +the women compelled to take to the boats would have stayed, +had it been possible, to share the fate of their nearest and +dearest, without whom their lives are crippled, broken and +disconsolate. + +The heroes who remained would have said, with Grenville. +"We have only done our duty, as a man is bound to do." +They sought no palms or crowns of martyrdom. "They also +serve who only stand and wait," and their first action was +merely to step aside and give places in the boats to women +and children, some of whom were too young to comprehend +or to remember. + +There was no debate as to whether the life of a financier, +a master of business, was rated higher in the scale of values +than that of an ignorant peasant mother. A woman was a +woman, whether she wore rags or pearls. A life was given for +a life, with no assertion that one was priceless and the other +comparatively valueless. + +Many of those who elected to remain might have escaped. +"Chivalry" is a mild appellation for their conduct. Some +of the vaunted knights of old were desperate cowards by comparison. +A fight in the open field, or jousting in the tournament, +did not call out the manhood in a man as did the waiting +till the great ship took the final plunge, in the knowledge that +the seas round about were covered with loving and yearning +witnesses whose own salvation was not assured. + +When the roll is called hereafter of those who are "purged +of pride because they died, who know the worth of their days," +let the names of the men who went down with the Titanic +be found written there in the sight of God and men. + + +THE OBVIOUS LESSON + +And, whatever view of the accident be taken, whether the +moralist shall use it to point the text of a solemn or denunciatory +warning, or whether the materialist, swinging to the +other extreme, scouts any other theory than that of the +"fortuitous concurrence of atoms," there is scarcely a thinking +mortal who has heard of what happened who has not been +deeply stirred, in the sense of a personal bereavement, to a +profound humility and the conviction of his own insignificance +in the greater universal scheme. + +Many there are whom the influences of religion do not move, +and upon whose hearts most generous sentiments knock in +vain, who still are overawed and bowed by the magnitude of +this catastrophe. No matter what they believe about it, +the effect is the same. The effect is to reduce a man from the +swaggering braggart--the vainglorious lord of what he sees-- +the self-made master of fate, of nature, of time, of space, of +everything--to his true microscopic stature in the cosmos. +He goes in tears to put together again the fragments of the +few, small, pitiful things that belonged to him. + + "Though Love may pine, and Reason chafe, + There came a Voice without reply." + + +The only comfort, all that can bring surcease of sorrow, is +that men fashioned in the image of their Maker rose to the +emergency like heroes, and went to their grave as bravely as +any who have given their lives at any time in war. The hearts +of those who waited on the land, and agonized, and were impotent +to save, have been laid upon the same altars of sacrifice. +The mourning of those who will not be comforted rises from +alien lands together with our own in a common broken intercession. +How little is the 882 feet of the "monster" that we +launched compared with the arc of the rainbow we can see +even in our grief spanning the frozen boreal mist! + "The best of what we do and are, + Just God, forgive!" + + +THE ANCIENT SACRIFICE + +And still our work must go on. It is the business of men +and women neither to give way to unavailing grief nor to +yield to the crushing incubus of despair, but to find hope +that is at the bottom of everything, even at the bottom +of the sea where that glorious virgin of the ocean is dying. + "And when she took unto herself a mate + She must espouse the everlasting sea." + + +Even so, for any progress of the race, there must be the +ancient sacrifice of man's own stubborn heart, and all his pride. +He must forever "lay in dust life's glory dead." He cannot +rise to the height it was intended he should reach till he has +plumbed the depths, till he has devoured the bread of the +bitterest affliction, till he has known the ache of hopes deferred, +of anxious expectation disappointed, of dreams that are not +to be fulfilled this side of the river that waters the meads of +Paradise. There still must be a reason why it is not an unhappy +thing to be taken from "the world we know to one a +wonder still," and so that we go bravely, what does it matter, +the mode of our going? It was not only those who stood +back, who let the women and children go to the boats, that +died. There died among us on the shore something of the +fierce greed of bitterness, something of the sharp hatred of +passion, something of the mad lust of revenge and of knife- +edge competition. Though we are not aware of it, perhaps, +we are not quite the people that we were before out of the +mystery an awful hand was laid upon us all, and what we had +thought the colossal power of wealth was in a twinkling shown +to be no more than the strength of an infant's little finger, +or the twining tendril of a plant. + + "Lest we forget; lest we forget!" + +{"illustration", really "music" Lyrics = + +God of mercy and compassion, Look with pity on my pain; +Hear a mournful, broken spirit Prostrate at Thy feet complain; +Many are my foes and mighty; Strength to conquer I have none; +Nothing can uphold my goings But they blessed Self alone. AMEN + +{2nd Stanza} +Saviour, look on Thy beloved, +Triumph over all my foes, +Turn to heavenly joy my mourning, +Turn to gladness all my woes; +Live or die, or work or suffer +Let my weary soul abide, +In all changes whatsoever, +Sure and steadfast by Thy side: + +{3rd Stanza} +When temptations fierce assault me, +When my enemies I find, +Sin and guilt, and death and Satan, +All against my soul combined, +Hold me up in mighty waters, +Keep my eyes on things above-- +Rightousness,{sic} divine atonement +Peace and everlasting love,} + + +{illust. caption = LATITUDE 41.46 NORTH, LONGITUDE 50.14 WEST +WHERE MANHOOD PERISHED NOT} + +{illust. caption = LOWERING OF THE LIFE-BOATS FROM THE TITANIC + +It is easy to understand why...} + +{illust. caption = PASSENGERS LEAVING THE TITANIC IN THE LIFE-BOATS + +The agony and despair which possessed the occupants of these boats +as they were carried away from the doomed giant, leaving husbands and +brothers behind, is almost beyond description. It is little wonder that the +strain of these moments, with the physical and mental suffering which +followed during the early morning hours, left many of the women still +hysterical when they reached New York.} + + + +WHERE MANHOOD PERISHED NOT + + Where cross the lines of forty north + And fifty-fourteen west + There rolls a wild and greedy sea + With death upon its crest. + No stone or wreath from human hands + Will ever mark the spot + Where fifteen hundred men went down, + But Manhood perished not. + + Old Ocean takes but little heed + Of human tears or woe. + No shafts adorn the ocean graves, + Nor weeping willows grow. + Nor is there need of marble slab + To keep in mind the spot + Where noble men went down to death, + But manhood perished not! + + Those men who looked on death and smiled, + And trod the crumbling deck, + Have saved much more than precious lives + From out that awful wreck. + Though countless joys and hopes and fears + Were shattered at a breath, + 'Tis something that the name of Man + Did not go down to death. + + 'Tis not an easy thing to die, + E'en in the open air, + Twelve hundred miles from home and friends, + In a shroud of black despair. + A wreath to crown the brow of man, + And hide a former blot + Will ever blossom o'er the waves + Where Manhood perished not. + HARVEY P. THEW{spelling uncertain due to poor printing} + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE CALL FOR HELP HEARD + +THE VALUE OF THE WIRELESS--OTHER SHIPS ALTER THEIR +COURSE--RESCUERS ON THE WAY + +"WE have struck an iceberg. Badly damaged. +Rush aid." + +Seaward and landward, J. G. Phillips, the +Titanic's wireless man, had hurled the appeal for help. By fits +and starts--for the wireless was working unevenly and blurringly +--Phillips reached out to the world, crying the Titanic's +peril. A word or two, scattered phrases, now and then a +connected sentence, made up the message that sent a thrill +of apprehension for a thousand miles east, west and south +of the doomed liner. + +The early despatches from St. John's, Cape Race, and +Montreal, told graphic tales of the race to reach the Titanic, +the wireless appeals for help, the interruption of the calls, then +what appeared to be a successful conclusion of the race when +the Virginian was reported as having reached the giant liner. + + +MANY LINES HEAR THE CALL + +Other rushing liners besides the Virginian heard the call +and became on the instant something more than cargo carriers +and passenger greyhounds. The big Baltic, 200 miles to the +eastward and westbound, turned again to save life, as she did +when her sister of the White Star fleet, the Republic, was +cut down in a fog in January, 1909. The Titanic's mate, the +Olympic, the mightiest of the seagoers save the Titanic herself, +turned in her tracks. All along the northern lane the miracle +of the wireless worked for the distressed and sinking White +Star ship. The Hamburg-American Cincinnati, the Parisian +from Glasgow, the North German Lloyd Prinz Friedrich +Wilhelm, the Hamburg-American liners Prinz Adelbert and +Amerika, all heard the C. Q. D. and the rapid, condensed +explanation of what had happened. + + +VIRGINIAN IN DESPERATE HASTE + +But the Virginian was nearest, barely 170 miles away, and +was the first to know of the Titanic's danger. She went about +and headed under forced draught for the spot indicated in one +of the last of Phillips' messages--latitude 41.46 N. and longitude +50.14 W. She is a fast ship, the Allan liner, and her +wireless has told the story of how she stretched through the +night to get up to the Titanic in time. There was need for +all the power of her engines and all the experience and skill +of her captain. The final fluttering Marconigrams that were +released from the Titanic made it certain that the great ship +with 2340 souls aboard was filling and in desperate peril. + +Further out at sea was the Cunarder, Carpathia, which +left New York for the Mediterranean on April 13th. Round +she went and plunged back westward to take a hand in +saving life. And the third steamship within short sailing of +the Titanic was the Allan liner Parisian away to the eastward, +on her way from Glasgow to Halifax. + +While they sped in the night with all the drive that steam +could give them, the Titanic's call reached to Cape Race and +the startled operator there heard at midnight a message +which quickly reached New York: + +"Have struck an iceberg. We are badly damaged. Titanic +latitude 41.46 N., 50.14 W." + +Cape Race threw the appeal broadcast wherever his apparatus +could carry. + +Then for hours, while the world waited for a crumb of news +as to the safety of the great ship's people, not one thing more +was known save that she was drifting, broken and helpless +and alone in the midst of a waste of ice. And it was not until +seventeen hours after the Titanic had sunk that the words +came out of the air as to her fate. There was a confusion +and tangle of messages--a jumble of rumors. Good tidings +were trodden upon by evil. And no man knew clearly what +was taking place in that stretch of waters where the giant +icebergs were making a mock of all that the world knew best +in ship-building. + + +TITANIC SENT OUT NO MORE NEWS + +It was at 12.17 A. M., while the Virginian was still plunging +eastward, that all communication from the Titanic ceased. +The Virginian's operator, with the Virginian's captain at his +elbow, fed the air with blue flashes in a desperate effort to +know what was happening to the crippled liner, but no message +came back. The last word from the Titanic was that +she was sinking. Then the sparking became fainter. The +call was dying to nothing. The Virginian's operator labored +over a blur of signals. It was hopeless. So the Allan ship +strove on, fearing that the worst had happened. + +It was this ominous silence that so alarmed the other +vessels hurrying to the Titanic and that caused so much +suspense here. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +IN THE DRIFTING LIFE-BOATS + +SORROW AND SUFFERING--THE SURVIVORS SEE THE TITANIC +GO DOWN WITH THEIR LOVED ONES ON BOARD--A NIGHT +OF AGONIZING SUSPENSE--WOMEN HELP TO ROW--HELP +ARRIVES--PICKING UP THE LIFE-BOATS + +SIXTEEN boats were in the procession which entered +on the terrible hours of rowing, drifting and suspense. +Women wept for lost husbands and sons, sailors sobbed +for the ship which had been their pride. Men choked back +tears and sought to comfort the widowed. Perhaps, they +said, other boats might have put off in another direction. +They strove, though none too sure themselves, to convince +the women of the certainty that a rescue ship would appear. + +In the distance the Titanic looked an enormous length, +her great bulk outlined in black against the starry sky, every +port-hole and saloon blazing with light. It was impossible +to think anything could be wrong with such a leviathan, were +it not for that ominous tilt downwards in the bows, where +the water was now up to the lowest row of port-holes. Presently, +about 2 A. M., as near as can be determined, those in +the life-boats observed her settling very rapidly with the +bows and the bridge completely under water, and concluded +it was now only a question of minutes before she went. So +it proved She slowly tilted straight on end with the stern +vertically upwards, and as she did, the lights in the cabins +and saloons, which until then had not flickered for a moment, +died out, came on again for a single flash, and finally went +altogether. At the same time the machinery roared down +through the vessel with a rattle and a groaning that could +be heard for miles, the weirdest sound surely that could be +heard in the middle of the ocean, a thousand miles away from +land. But this was not yet quite the end. + + +TITANIC STOOD UPRIGHT + +To the amazement of the awed watchers in the life-boats, +the doomed vessel remained in that upright position for a time +estimated at five minutes; some in the boat say less, but it +was certainly some minutes that at least 150 feet of the Titanic +towered up above the level of the sea and loomed black against +the sky. + + +SAW LAST OF BIG SHIP + +Then with a quiet, slanting dive she disappeared beneath +the waters, and the eyes of the helpless spectators had looked +for the last time upon the gigantic vessel on which they had +set out from Southampton. And there was left to the survivors +only the gently heaving sea, the life-boats filled +with men and women in every conceivable condition of +dress and undress, above the perfect sky of brilliant stars +with not a cloud, all tempered with a bitter cold that made +each man and woman long to be one of the crew who toiled +away with the oars and kept themselves warm thereby--a +curious, deadening; bitter cold unlike anything they had +felt before. + + +"ONE LONG MOAN" + +And then with all these there fell on the ear the most appalling +noise that human being has ever listened to--the cries of +hundreds of fellow-beings struggling in the icy cold water, +crying for help with a cry that could not be answered. + +Third Officer Herbert John Pitman, in charge of one of +the boats, described this cry of agony in his testimony before +the Senatorial Investigating Committee, under the questioning +of Senator Smith: + +"I heard no cries of distress until after the ship went +down," he said. + +"How far away were the cries from your life-boat?" + +"Several hundred yards, probably, some of them." + +"Describe the screams." + +"Don't, sir, please! I'd rather not talk about it." + +"I'm sorry to press it, but what was it like? Were the +screams spasmodic?" + +"It was one long continuous moan." + +The witness said the moans and cries continued an hour. + +Those in the life-boats longed to return and pick up some of +the poor drowning souls, but they feared this would mean +swamping the boats and a further loss of life. + +Some of the men tried to sing to keep the women from hearing +the cries, and rowed hard to get away from the scene of +the wreck, but the memory of those sounds will be one of the +things the rescued will find it difficult to forget. + +The waiting sufferers kept a lookout for lights, and several +times it was shouted that steamers' lights were seen, but they +turned out to be either a light from another boat or a star +low down on the horizon. It was hard to keep up hope. + + +WOMEN TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE + +"Let me go back--I want to go back to my husband--I'll +jump from the boat if you don't," cried an agonized voice +in one life-boat. + +"You can do no good by going back--other lives will be +lost if you try to do it. Try to calm yourself for the sake of +the living. It may be that your husband will be picked up +somewhere by one of the fishing boats." + +The woman who pleaded to go back, according to Mrs. +Vera Dick, of Calgary, Canada, later tried to throw herself +from the life-boat. Mrs. Dick, describing the scenes in the +life-boats, said there were half a dozen women in that one boat +who tried to commit suicide when they realized that the +Titanic had gone down. + +"Even in Canada, where we have such clear nights," said +Mrs. Dick, "I have never seen such a clear sky. The stars +were very bright and we could see the Titanic plainly, like a +great hotel on the water. Floor after floor of the lights went +out as we watched. It was horrible, horrible. I can't bear +to think about it. From the distance, as we rowed away, +we could hear the band playing `Nearer, My God to Thee.' + +"Among the life-boats themselves, however, there were +scenes just as terrible, perhaps, but to me nothing could outdo +the tragic grandeur with which the Titanic went to its death. +To realize it, you would have to see the Titanic as I saw it +the day we set sail--with the flags flying and the bands playing. +Everybody on board was laughing and talking about the +Titanic being the biggest and most luxurious boat on the ocean +and being unsinkable. To think of it then and to think of it +standing out there in the night, wounded to death and gasping +for life, is almost too big for the imagination. + + +SCANTILY CLAD WOMEN IN LIFE-BOATS + +"The women on our boat were in nightgowns and bare feet +--some of them--and the wealthiest women mingled with the +poorest immigrants. One immigrant woman kept shouting: +`My God, my poor father! He put me in this boat and would +not save himself. Oh, why didn't I die, why didn't I die? +Why can't I die now?' + +"We had to restrain her, else she would have Jumped over- +board. It was simply awful. Some of the men apparently +had said they could row just to get into the boats. We paid +no attention to cowardice, however. We were all busy with +our own troubles. My heart simply bled for the women who +were separated from their husbands. + +"The night was frightfully cold, although clear. We had +to huddle together to keep warm. Everybody drank sparingly +of the water and ate sparingly of the bread. We did not +know when we would be saved. Everybody tried to remain +cool, except the poor creatures who could think of nothing +but their own great loss. Those with the most brains seemed +to control themselves best." + + +PHILADELPHIA WOMEN HEROINES + +How Mrs. George D. Widener, whose husband and son +perished after kissing her good-bye and helping her into one of +the boats, rowed when exhausted seamen were on the verge +of collapse, was told by Emily Geiger, maid of Mrs. Widener, +who was saved with her. + +The girl said Mrs. Widener bravely toiled throughout the +night and consoled other women who had broken down under +the strain. + +Mrs. William E. Carter and Mrs. John B. Thayer were in +the same life-boat and worked heroically to keep it free from +the icy menace. Although Mrs. Thayer's husband remained +aboard the Titanic and sank with it, and although she had +no knowledge of the safety of her son until they met, hours +later, aboard the Carpathia, Mrs. Thayer bravely labored at +the oars throughout the night. + +In telling of her experience Mrs. Carter said: + +"When I went over the side with my children and got in +the boat there were no seamen in it. Then came a few men, +but there were oars with no one to use them. The boat had +been filled with passengers, and there was nothing else for +me to do but to take an oar. + +"We could see now that the time of the ship had come. She +was sinking, and we were warned by cries from the men above +to pull away from the ship quickly. Mrs. Thayer, wife of +the vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was in my +boat, and she, too, took an oar. + +"It was cold and we had no time to clothe ourselves with +warm overcoats. The rowing warmed me. We started to +pull away from the ship. We could see the dim outlines of the +decks above, but we could not recognize anybody." + + +MANY WOMEN ROWING + +Mrs. William R. Bucknell's account of the part women +played in the rowing is as follows: + +"There were thirty-five persons in the boat in which the +captain placed me. Three of these were ordinary seamen, +supposed to manage the boat, and a steward. + +"One of these men seemed to think that we should not +start away from the sinking ship until it could be learned +whether the other boats would accommodate the rest of the +women. He seemed to think that; more could be crowded +into ours, if necessary. + +" `I would rather go back and go down with the ship than +leave under these circumstances.' he cried. + +"The captain shouted to him to obey orders and to pull +for a little light that could just be discerned miles in the +distance. I do not know what this little light was. It may have +been a passing fishing vessel, which, of course could not know +our predicament. Anyway, we never reached it. + +"We rowed all night, I took an oar and sat beside the Countess +de Rothes. Her maid had an our and so did mine. The +air was freezing cold, and it was not long before the only man +that appeared to know anything about rowing commenced +to complain that his hands were freezing: A woman back of +him handed him a shawl from about her shoulders. + +"As we rowed we looked back at the lights of the Titanic. +There was not a sound from her, only the lights began to get +lower and lower, and finally she sank. Then we heard a +muffled explosion and a dull roar caused by the great suction +of water. + +"There was not a drop of water on our boat. The last +minute before our boat was launched Captain Smith threw +aboard a bag of bread. I took the precaution of taking a good +drink of water before we started, so I suffered no inconvenience +from thirst." + +Mrs. Lucien Smith, whose young husband perished, was +another heroine. It is related by survivors that she took +turns at the oars, and then, when the boat was in danger of +sinking, stood ready to plug a hole with her finger if the cork +stopper became loose. + +In another boat Mrs. Cornell and her sister, who had a +slight knowledge of rowing, took turns at the oars, as did +other women. + +The boat in which Mrs. J. J. Brown, of Denver, Col., was +saved contained only three men in all, and only one rowed. +He was a half-frozen seaman who was tumbled into the boat +at the last minute. The woman wrapped him in blankets +and set him at an oar to start his blood. The second man +was too old to be of any use. The third was a coward. + +Strange to say, there was room in this boat for ten other +people. Ten brave men would have received the warmest +welcome of their lives if they had been there. The coward, +being a quartermaster and the assigned head of the boat, +sat in the stern and steered. He was terrified, and the women +had to fight against his pessimism while they tugged at the +oars. + +The women sat two at each oar. One held the oar in place, +the other did the pulling. Mrs. Brown coached them and +cheered them on. She told them that the exercise would +keep the chill out of their veins, and she spoke hopefully of +the likelihood that some vessel would answer the wireless calls. +Over the frightful danger of the situation the spirit of this +woman soared. + + +THE PESSIMIST + +And the coward sat in his stern seat, terrified, his tongue +loosened with fright. He assured them there was no chance +in the world. He had had fourteen years' experience, and he +knew. First, they would have to row one and a half miles +at least to get out of the sphere of the suction, if they did not +want to go down. They would be lost, and nobody would +ever find them. + +"Oh, we shall be picked up sooner or later," said some of +the braver ones. No, said the man, there was no bread in +the boat, no water; they would starve--all that big boatload +wandering the high seas with nothing to eat, perhaps for days. + +"Don't," cried Mrs. Brown. "Keep that to yourself, +if you feel that way. For the sake of these women and chil- +dren, be a man. We have a smooth sea and a fighting chance. +Be a man." + +But the coward only knew that there was no compass and +no chart aboard. They sighted what they thought was a +fishing smack on the horizon, showing dimly in the early +dawn. The man at the rudder steered toward it, and the +women bent to their oars again. They covered several miles +in this way--but the smack faded into the distance. They +could not see it any longer. And the coward said that everything +was over. + +They rowed back nine weary miles. Then the coward +thought they must stop rowing, and lie in the trough of the +waves until the Carpathia should appear. The women tried +it for a few moments, and felt the cold creeping into their +bodies. Though exhausted from the hard physical labor they +thought work was better than freezing. + +"Row again!" commanded Mrs. Brown. + +"No, no, don't," said the coward. + +"We shall freeze," cried several of the women together. +"We must row. We have rowed all this time. We must +keep on or freeze." + +When the coward still demurred, they told him plainly +and once for all that if he persisted in wanting them to stop +rowing, they were going to throw him overboard and be done +with him for good. Something about the look in the eye of +that Mississippi-bred oarswoman, who seemed such a force +among her fellows, told him that he had better capitulate. +And he did. + +COUNTESS ROTHES AN EXPERT OARSWOMAN + +Miss Alice Farnam Leader, a New York physician, escaped +from the Titanic on the same boat which carried the Countess +Rothes. "The countess is an expert oarswoman," said +Doctor Leader, "and thoroughly at home on the water. She +practically took command of our boat when it was found that +the seaman who had been placed at the oars could not row +skilfully. Several of the women took their place with the +countess at the oars and rowed in turns, while the weak and +unskilled stewards sat quietly in one end of the boat." + + + +MEN COULD NOT ROW + +"With nothing on but a nightgown I helped row one of the +boats for three hours," said Mrs. Florence Ware, of Bristol, +England. + +"In our boat there were a lot of women, a steward and a +fireman. None of the men knew anything about managing +a small boat, so some of the women who were used to boats +took charge. + +"It was cold and I worked as hard as I could at an oar +until we were picked up. There was nothing to eat or drink +on our boat." + + +DEATHS ON THE LIFE-BOATS + +"The temperature must have been below freezing," testified +another survivor, "and neither men nor women in my boat +were warmly clothed. Several of them died. The officer +in charge of the life-boat decided it was better to bury the + + +{illust. caption = SURVIVORS OF THE GREAT MARINE DISASTER + +The first authentic photograph, ...} + + +{illust. caption = +Copyright by Campbell Studio. N. Y. + +COLONEL AND MRS. JOHN JACOB ASTOR + +Mrs, Astor, nee Miss Madeline Force, was rescued. Colonel Astor +who bravely refused to take a place in the life-boats, went down with the +Titanic.} + + +bodies. Soon they were weighted so they would sink and were +put overboard. We could also see similar burials taking +place from other life-boats that were all around us." + + +GAMBLERS WERE POLITE + +In one boat were two card sharps. With the same cleverness +that enabled them to win money on board they obtained +places in the boats with the women. + +In the boat with the gamblers were women in their night- +gowns and women in evening dress. None of the boats were +properly equipped with food, but all had enough bread and +water to keep the rescued from starving until the expected +arrival of help. + +To the credit of the gamblers who managed to escape, it +should be said that they were polite and showed the women +every courtesy. All they wanted was to be sure of getting +in a boat. That once accomplished, they reverted to their +habitual practice of politeness and suavity. They were even +willing; to do a little manual labor, refusing to let women do +any rowing. + +The people on that particular boat were a sad group. +Fathers had kissed their daughters good-bye and husbands +had parted from their wives. The card sharps, however +philosophized wonderfully about the will of the Almighty and +how strange His ways. They said that one must be prepared +for anything; that good always came from evil, and that +every cloud had a silvery lining{.} + +"Who knows?" said one. "It may be that everybody on +board will be saved." Another added: "Our duty is to the +living. You women owe it to your relatives and friends not +to allow this thing to wreck your reason or undermine your +health." And they took pains to see that all the women who +were on the life-boat had plenty of covering to keep them from +the icy blasts of the night. + +HELP IN SIGHT + +The survivors were in the life-boats until about 5.30 A. M. +About 3 A. M. faint lights appeared in the sky and all rejoiced +to see what was supposed to be the coming dawn, but after +watching for half an hour and seeing no change in the intensity +of the light, the disappointed sufferers realized it was the Northern +Lights. Presently low down on the horizon they saw a +light which slowly resolved itself into a double light, and they +watched eagerly to see if the two lights would separate and +so prove to be only two of the boats, or whether these lights +would remain together, in which case they should expect +them to be the lights of a rescuing steamer. + +To the inexpressible joy of all, they moved as one! Immediately +the boats were swung around and headed for the lights. +Someone shouted: "Now, boys, sing!" and everyone not +too weak broke into song with "Row for the shore, boys." +Tears came to the eyes of all as they realized that safety was +at hand. The song was sung, but it was a very poor imitation +of the real thing, for quavering voices make poor songs. A +cheer was given next, and that was better--you can keep in +tune for a cheer. + +THE "LUCKY THIRTEEN" + +"Our rescuer showed up rapidly, and as she swung round +we saw her cabins all alight, and knew she must be a large +steamer. She was now motionless and we had to row to her. +Just then day broke, a beautiful quiet dawn with faint pink +clouds just above the horizon, and a new moon whose crescent +just touched the horizon. `Turn your money over, boys,' +said our cheery steersman, `that is, if you have any with you,' +he added. + +"We laughed at him for his superstition at such a time, but +he countered very neatly by adding: `Well, I shall never +say again that 13 is an unlucky number; boat 13 has been the +best friend we ever had.' Certainly the 13 superstition is +killed forever in the minds of those who escaped from the +Titanic in boat 13. + +"As we neared the Carpathia we saw in the dawning light +what we thought was a full-rigged schooner standing up near +her, and presently behind her another, all sails set, and we +said: `They are fisher boats from the Newfoundland bank +and have seen the steamer lying to and are standing by to +help.' But in another five minutes the light shone pink on +them and we saw they were icebergs towering many feet in +the air, huge, glistening masses, deadly white, still, and peaked +in a way that had easily suggested a schooner. We glanced +round the horizon and there were others wherever the eye +could reach. The steamer we had to reach was surrounded +by them and we had to make a detour to reach her, for between +her and us lay another huge berg." + +A WONDERFUL DAWN + +Speaking of the moment when the Carpathia was sighted. +Mrs. J. J. Brown, who had cowed the driveling quartermaster, +said: + +"Then, knowing that we were safe at last, I looked about +me. The most wonderful dawn I have ever seen came upon +us. I have just returned from Egypt. I have been all over +the world, but I have never seen anything like this. First +the gray and then the flood of light. Then the sun came up +in a ball of red fire. For the first time we saw where we were. +Near us was open water, but on every side was ice. Ice ten +feet high was everywhere, and to the right and left and back +and front were icebergs. Some of them were mountain high. +This sea of ice was forty miles wide, they told me. We did +not wait for the Carpathia to come to us, we rowed to it. +We were lifted up in a sort of nice little sling that was lowered +to us. After that it was all over. The passengers of the +Carpathia were so afraid that we would not have room enough +that they gave us practically the whole ship to ourselves." + +It had been learned that some of the passengers, in fact all +of the women passengers of the Titanic who were rescued, +refer to "Lady Margaret," as they called Mrs. Brown as the +strength of them all. + + +TRANSFERRING THE RESCUED + +Officers of the Carpathia report that when they reached +the scene of the Titanic's wreck there were fifty bodies or +more floating in the sea. Only one mishap attended the transfer +of the rescued from the life-boats. One large collapsible +life-boat, in which thirteen persons were seated, turned turtle +just as they were about to save it, and all in it were lost. + + + +THE DOG HERO + +Not the least among the heroes of the Titanic disaster was +Rigel, a big black Newfoundland dog, belonging to the first +officer, who went down with the ship. But for Rigel the fourth +boat picked up might have been run down by the Carpathia. +For three hours he swam in the icy water where the Titanic +went down, evidently looking for his master, and was instrumental +in guiding the boatload of survivors to the gangway +of the Carpathia. + +Jonas Briggs, a seaman abroad the Carpathia, now has +Rigel and told the story of the dog's heroism. The Carpathia +was moving slowly about, looking for boats, rafts or anything +which might be afloat. Exhausted with their efforts, weak +from lack of food and exposure to the cutting wind and terror- +stricken, the men and women in the fourth boat had drifted +under the Carpathia's starboard bow. They were dangerously +close to the steamship, but too weak to shout a warning loud +enough to reach the bridge. + +The boat might not have been seen were it not for the sharp +barking of Rigel, who was swimming ahead of the craft, and +valiantly announcing his position. The barks attracted the +attention of Captain Rostron; and he went to the starboard +end of the bridge to see where they came from and saw the +boat. He immediately ordered the engines stopped, and the +boat came alongside the starboard gangway. + +Care was taken to get Rigel aboard, but he appeared little +affected by his long trip through the ice-cold water. He +stood by the rail and barked until Captain Rostron called +Briggs and had him take the dog below. + + +A THRILLING ACCOUNT OF RESCUE + +Mr. Wallace Bradford, of San Francisco, a passenger +aboard the Carpathia, gave the following thrilling account +of the rescue of the Titanic's passengers. + +"Since half-past four this morning I have experienced one +of those never-to-be-forgotten circumstances that weighs +heavy on my soul and which shows most awfully what poor +things we mortals are. Long before this reaches you the news +will be flashed that the Titanic has gone down and that our +steamer, the Carpathia, caught the wireless message when +seventy-five miles away, and so far we have picked up twenty +boats estimated to contain about 750 people. + +"None of us can tell just how many, as they have been +hustled to various staterooms and to the dining saloons to be +warmed up. I was awakened by unusual noises and imagined +that I smelled smoke. I jumped up and looked out of my +port-hole, and saw a huge iceberg looming up like a rock off +shore. It was not white, and I was positive that it was a +rock, and the thought flashed through my mind, how in the +world can we be near a rock when we are four days out +from New York in a southerly direction and in mid-ocean. + +"When I got out on deck the first man I encountered told +me that the Titanic had gone down and we were rescuing the +passengers. The first two boats from the doomed vessel +were in sight making toward us. Neither of them was crowded. +This was accounted for later by the fact that it was impossible +to get many to leave the steamer, as they would not believe +that she was going down. It was a glorious, clear morning +and a quiet sea. Off to the starboard was a white area of ice +plain, from whose even surface rose mammoth forts, castles +and pyramids of solid ice almost as real as though they had +been placed there by the hand of man. + +"Our steamer was hove to about two and a half miles from +the edge of this huge iceberg. The Titanic struck about +11.20 P. M. and did not go down until two o'clock. Many +of the passengers were in evening dress when they came +aboard our ship, and most of these were in a most bedraggled +condition. Near me as I write is a girl about eighteen years +old in a fancy dress costume of bright colors, while in another +seat near by is a women in a white dress trimmed with lace +and covered with jaunty blue flowers. + +"As the boats came alongside after the first two all of them +contained a very large proportion of women. In fact, one +of the boats had women at the oars, one in particular containing, +as near as I could estimate, about forty-five women and +only about six men. In this boat two women were handling +one of the oars. All of the engineers went down with the +steamer. Four bodies have been brought aboard. One +is that of a fireman, who is said to have been shot by one +of the officers because he refused to obey orders. Soon after +I got on deck I could, with the aid of my glasses, count seven +boats headed our way, and they continued to come up to half +past eight o'clock. Some were in sight for a long time and +moved very slowly, showing plainly that the oars were being +handled by amateurs or by women. + +"No baggage of any kind was brought by the survivors. +In fact, the only piece of baggage that reached the Carpathia +from the Titanic is a small closed trunk about twenty-four +inches square, evidently the property of an Irish female +immigrant. While some seemed fully dressed, many of the +men having their overcoats and the women sealskin and other +coats, others came just as they had jumped from their berths, +clothed in their pajamas and bath robes." + + +THE SORROW OF THE LIVING + +Of the survivors in general it may be said that they escaped +death and they gained life. Life is probably sweet to them as it +is to everyone, but what physical and mental torture has been +the price of life to those who were brought back to land on the +Carpathia--the hours in life-boats, amid the crashing of ice, +the days of anguish that have succeeded, the horrors of body +and mind still experienced and never to he entirely absent +until death affords them its relief. + +The thought of the nation to-day is for the living. They +need our sympathy, our consolation more than do the dead, +and, perhaps, in the majority of the cases they need our +protecting care as well. + + + +CHAPTER X + +ON BOARD THE CARPATHIA + +AID FOR THE SUFFERING AND HYSTERICAL--BURYING THE DEAD +--VOTE OF THANKS TO CAPTAIN ROSTRON OF THE CARPATHIA-- +IDENTIFYING THOSE SAVED--COMMUNICATING WITH LAND-- +THE PASSAGE TO NEW YORK. + +IF the scenes in the life-boats were tear-bringing, hardly +less so was the arrival of the boats at the Carpathia +with their bands of terror-stricken, grief-ridden survivors, +many of them too exhausted to know that safety was +at hand. Watchers on the Carpathia were moved to tears. + +"The first life-boat reached the Carpathia about half-past +five o'clock in the morning," recorded one of the passengers +on the Carpathia. "And the last of the sixteen boats was +unloaded before nine o'clock. Some of the life-boats were +only half filled, the first one having but two men and eleven +women, when it had accommodations for at least forty. +There were few men in the boats. The women were the gamest +lot I have ever seen. Some of the men and women were in +evening clothes, and others among those saved had nothing +on but night clothes and raincoats." + +After the Carpathia had made certain that there were no +more passengers of the Titanic to be picked up, she threaded +her way out of the ice fields for fifty miles. It was dangerous +work, but it was managed without trouble. + + +AID FOR THE SUFFERING AND HYSTERICAL + +The shrieks and cries of the women and men picked up in +life-boats by the Carpathia were horrible. The women were +clothed only in night robes and wrappers. The men were in +their night garments. One was lifted on board entirely nude. +All the passengers who could bear nourishment were taken +into the dining rooms and cabins by Captain Rostron and given +food and stimulants. Passengers of the Carpathia gave up +their berths and staterooms to the survivors. + +As soon as they were landed on the Carpathia many of the +women became hysterical, but on the whole they behaved +splendidly. Men and women appeared to be stunned all day +Monday, the full force of the disaster not reaching them until +Tuesday night. After being wrapped up in blankets and +filled with brandy and hot coffee, the first thoughts were for +their husbands and those at home. Most of them imagined +that their husbands had been picked up by other vessels, and +they began flooding the wireless rooms with messages. It +was almost certain that those who were not on board the Carpathia +had gone down to death. + +One of the most seriously injured was a woman who had +lost both her children. Her limbs had been severely torn; +but she was very patient. + +WOMEN SEEKING NEWS + +In the first cabin library women of wealth and refinement +mingled their grief and asked eagerly for news of the possible +arrival of a belated boat, or a message from other steamers +telling of the safety of their husbands. Mrs. Henry B. Harris, +wife of a New York theatrical manager, checked her tears +long enough to beg that some message of hope be sent to her +father-in-law. Mrs. G. Thorne, Miss Marie Young, Mrs +Emil Taussig and her daughter, Ruth, Mrs. Martin Rothschild, +Mrs. William Augustus Spencer, Mrs. J. Stewart White +and Mrs. Walter M. Clark were a few of those who lay back, +exhausted, on the leather cushions and told in shuddering +sentences of their experiences. + +Mrs. John Jacob Astor and the Countess of Rothes had been +taken to staterooms soon after their arrival on shipboard. + +Before noon, at the captain's request, the first cabin +passengers of the Titanic gathered in the saloon and the passengers +of other classes in corresponding places on the rescue ship. +Then the collecting of names was begun by the purser and +the stewards. A second table was served in both cabins for +the new guests, and the Carpathia's second cabin, being +better filled than its first, the second class arrivals had be to +sent to the steerage. + + +TEARS THEIR ONLY RELIEF + +Mrs. Jacques Futrelle, wife of the novelist, herself a writer +of note, sat dry eyed in the saloon, telling her friends that she +had given up hope for her husband. She joined with the rest +in inquiries as to the chances of rescue by another ship, and +no one told her what soon came to be the fixed opinion of the +men--that all those saved were on the Carpathia. + +"I feel better," Mrs. Futrelle said hours afterward, "for +I can cry now." + +Among the men conversation centered on the accident +and the responsibility for it. Many expressed the belief +that the Titanic, in common with other vessels, had had +warning of the ice packs, but that in the effort to establish +a record on the maiden run sufficient heed had not been paid +to the warnings + +"God knows I'm not proud to be here," said a rich New +York man. "I got on a boat when they were about to lower +it and when, from delays below, there was no woman to take +the vacant place. I don't think any man who was saved is +deserving of censure, but I realize that, in contrast with those +who went down, we may be viewed unfavorably." He showed +a picture of his baby boy as he spoke. + + +PITIFUL SCENES OF GRIEF + +As the day passed the fore part of the ship assumed some +degree of order and comfort, but the crowded second sabin +and rear decks gave forth the incessant sound of lamentation. +A bride of two months sat on the floor and moaned her widowhood. +An Italian mother shrieked the name of her lost son. + +A girl of seven wept over the loss of her Teddy bear and +two dolls, while her mother, with streaming eyes, dared not +tell the child that her father was lost too, and that the money +for which their home in England had been sold had gone down +with him. Other children clung to the necks of the fathers +who, because carrying them, had been permitted to take the +boats. + +In the hospital and the public rooms lay, in blankets, several +others who had been benumbed by the water. Mrs. +Rosa Abbott, who was in the water for hours, was restored +during the day. K. Whiteman, the Titanic's barber, who +declared he was blown off the ship by the second of the two +explosions after the crash, was treated for bruises. A passenger, +who was thoroughly ducked before being picked up, +caused much amusement on this ship, soon after the doctors +were through with him, by demanding a bath. + + +SURVIVORS AID THE DESTITUTE + +Storekeeper Prentice, the last man off the Titanic to reach +this ship, was also soon over the effects of his long swim in +the icy waters into which he leaped from the poop deck. + +The physicians of the Carpathia were praised, as was Chief +Steward Hughes, for work done in making the arrivals comfortable +and averting serious illness. + +Monday night on the Carpathia was one of rest. The wailing +and sobbing of the day were hushed as widows and orphans +slept. Tuesday, save for the crowded condition of the ship, +matters took somewhat their normal appearance. + +The second cabin dining room had been turned into a +hospital to care for the injured, and the first, second and third +class dining rooms were used for sleeping rooms at night for +women, while the smoking rooms were set aside for men. +All available space was used, some sleeping in chairs and some +on the floor, while a few found rest in the bathrooms. + +Every cabin had been filled, and women and children were +sleeping on the floors in the dining saloon, library and smoking +rooms. The passengers of the Carpathia had divided their +clothes with the shipwrecked ones until they had at least +kept warm. It is true that many women had to appear on +deck in kimonos and some in underclothes with a coat thrown +over them, but their lives had been spared and they had not +thought of dress. Some children in the second cabin were +entirely without clothes, but the women had joined together, +and with needles and thread they could pick up from passenger +to passenger, had made warm clothes out of the blankets +belonging to the Carpathia. + + +WOMEN BEFRIENDED ONE ANOTHER + +The women aboard the Carpathia did what they could by +word and act to relieve the sufferings of the rescued. Most +of the survivors were in great need of clothing, and this the +women of the Carpathia supplied to them as long as their +surplus stock held out. + +J. A. Shuttleworth, of Louisville, Ky., befriended Mrs. +Lucien Smith, whose husband went down with the Titanic. +Mrs. Smith was formerly Miss Eloise Hughes, daughter of +Representative and Mrs. James A. Hughes, of Huntington, W. +Va., and was on her wedding trip. Mr. Shuttleworth asked +her if there wasn't something he could do for her. She said +that all the money she had was lost on the Titanic, so +Mr. Shuttleworth gave her $500 + + +DEATHS ON THE CARPATHIA + +Two of the rescued from the Titanic died from shock and +exposure before they reached the Carpathia, and another +died a few minutes after being taken on board. The dead +were W. H. Hoyte, first cabin; Abraham Hormer, third +class, and S. C. Sirbert, steward, and they were buried at +sea the morning of April 15th, latitude 41.14 north, +longitude 51.24 west. P. Lyon, able seaman, died and +was buried at sea the following morning. + +An assistant steward lost his mind upon seeing one of the +Titanic's rescued firemen expire after being lifted to the deck +of the Carpathia. + +An Episcopal bishop and a Catholic priest from Montreal +read services of their respective churches over the dead. + +The bodies were sewed up in sacks, heavily weighted at the +feet, and taken to an opening in the side of the ship on the +lower deck not far above the water line. A long plank tilted +at one end served as the incline down which the weighted +sacks slid into the sea. + +"After we got the Titanic's passengers on board our ship," +said one of the Carpathia's officers, "it was a question as to +where we should take them. Some said the Olympic would +come out and meet us and take them on to New York, but +others said they would die if they had to be lowered again +into small boats to be taken up by another, so we finally +turned toward New York, delaying the Carpathia's passengers +eight days in reaching Gibraltar." + + +SURVIVORS WATCH NEW BOATS + +There were several children on board, who had lost their +parents--one baby of eleven months with a nurse who, coming +on board the Carpathia with the first boat, watched with +eagerness and sorrow for each incoming boat, but to no avail. +The parents had gone down. + +There was a woman in the second cabin who lost seven +children out of ten, and there were many other losses quite as +horrible. + + +MR. ISMY "PITIABLE SIGHT" + +Among the rescued ones who came on board the Carpathia +was the president of the White Star Line. + +"Mr. Ismay reached the Carpathia in about the tenth +life-boat," said an officer. "I didn't know who he was, but +afterward heard the others of the crew discussing his desire +to get something to eat the minute he put his foot on deck. +The steward who waited on him, McGuire, from London, +says Mr. Ismay came dashing into the dining room, and throwing +himself in a chair, said: `Hurry, for God's sake, and get +me something to eat; I'm starved. I don't care what it +costs or what it is; bring it to me.' + +"McGuire brought Mr. Ismay a load of stuff and when he +had finished it, he handed McGuire a two dollar bill. `Your +money is no good on this ship,' McGuire told him. `Take it,' + + + +{illust. caption = DIAGRAM OF THE TITANIC'S ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT + +The Titanic was far and away the largest and finest vessel ever built, +excepting only her sister-ship, the Olympic. Her dimensions were: Length, +882 1/2 feet; Beam, 92 feet, Depth (from keel to tops of funnels), 175 feet +Tonnage, 45,000. Her huge hull, divided into thirty watertight compartments, +contained nine steel decks, and provided accommodation for 2,500 +passengers, besides a crew of 890.} + +{illust. caption = UPPER DECK OF THE TITANIC, LOOKING FORWARD} + + +insisted Mr. Ismay, shoving the bill in McGuire's hand. I +am well able to afford it. I will see to it that the boys of the +Carpathia are well rewarded for this night's work.' This +promise started McGuire making inquiries as to the identity +of the man he had waited on. Then we learned that he was +Mr. Ismay. I did not see Mr. Ismay after the first few hours. +He must have kept to his cabin." + +A passenger on the Carpathia said there was no wonder +that none of the wireless telegrams addressed to Mr. Ismay +were answered until the one that he sent yesterday afternoon +to his line, the White Star. + +"Mr. Ismay was beside himself," said this woman passenger, +"and on most of the voyage after we had picked him up +he was being quieted with opiates on orders of the ship's +doctor. + + +FIVE DOGS AND ONE PIG SAVED + +"Five women saved their pet dogs, carrying them in their +arms. Another woman saved a little pig, which she said +was her mascot. Though her husband is an Englishman and +she lives in England she is an American and was on her way +to visit her folks here. How she cared for the pig aboard ship +I do not know, but she carried it up the side of the ship in a +big bag. I did not mind the dogs so much, but it seemed to +me to be too much when a pig was saved and human beings +went to death. + +"It was not until noon on Monday that we cleared the last +of the ice, and Monday night a dense fog came up and con- +tinued until the following morning, then a strong wind, a +heavy sea, a thunderstorm and a dense fog Tuesday night, +caused some uneasiness among the more unnerved, the fog +continuing all of Tuesday. + +"A number of whales were sighted as the Carpathia was +clearing the last of the ice, one large one being close by, and +all were spouting like geysers." + + +VOTE OF THANKS TO CARPATHIA + +"On Tuesday afternoon a meeting of the uninjured survivors +was called in the main saloon for the purpose of devising +means of assisting the more unfortunate, many of whom had +lost relatives and all their personal belongings, and thanking +Divine Providence for their deliverance. The meeting was +called to order and Mr. Samuel Goldenberg was elected chairman. +Resolutions were then passed thanking the officers, surgeons, +passengers and crew of the Carpathia for their splendid +services in aiding the rescued and like resolutions for the +admirable work done by the officers, surgeons and crew of the +Titanic. + +"A committee was then appointed to raise funds on board +the Carpathia to relieve the immediate wants of the destitute +and assist them in reaching their destinations and also +to present a loving cup to the officers of the Carpathia and also +a loving cup to the surviving officers of the Titanic. + +"Mr. T. G. Frauenthal, of New York, was made chairman +of the Committee on Subscriptions. + +"A committee, consisting of Mrs. J. J. Brown, Mrs William +Bucknell and Mrs. George Stone, was appointed to look after +the destitute. There was a subscription taken up and up +to Wednesday the amount contributed totaled $15,000. + +"The work of the crew on board the Carpathia in rescuing +was most noble and remarkable, and these four days that the +ship has been overcrowded with its 710 extra passengers +could not have been better handled. The stewards have +worked with undying strength--although one was overcome +with so much work and died and was put to his grave at sea. + +"I have never seen or felt the benefits of such royal treatment. +I have heard the captain criticised because he did not +answer telegrams, but all that I can say is that he showed us +every possible courtesy, and if we had been on our own boats, +having paid our fares there, we could not have had better +food or better accommodations. + +"Men who had paid for the best staterooms on the +Carpathia left their rooms so that we might have them. They +fixed up beds in the smoking rooms, and mattresses everywhere. +All the women who were rescued were given the best +staterooms, which were surrendered by the regular passengers. +None of the regular passengers grumbled because their trip +to Europe was interrupted, nor did they complain that they +were put to the inconvenience of receiving hundreds of strangers. + +"The women on board the Carpathia were particularly +kind. It shows that for every cruelty of nature there is a +kindness, for every misfortune there is some goodness. The +men and women took up collections on board for the rescued +steerage passengers. Mrs. Astor, I believe, contributed $2000, +her check being cashed by the Carpathia. Altogether something +like $15,000 was collected and all the women were provided +with sufficient money to reach their destination after +they were landed in New York." + +Under any other circumstances the suffering would +have been intolerable. But the Good Samaritans on the +Carpathia gave many women heart's-ease. + +The spectacle on board the Carpathia on the return trip +to New York at times was heartrending, while at other times +those on board were quite cheerful. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +PREPARATIONS ON LAND TO RECEIVE THE SUFFERERS + +POLICE ARRANGEMENTS--DONATIONS OF MONEY AND SUPPLIES +--HOSPITALS AND AMBULANCES MADE READY--PRIVATE +HOUSES THROWN OPEN--WAITING FOR THE CARPATHIA TO +ARRIVE--THE SHIP SIGHTED! + +NEW YORK CITY, touched to the heart by the great +ocean calamity and desiring to do what it could +to lighten the woes and relieve the sufferings of +the pitiful little band of men and women rescued from the +Titanic, opened both its heart and its purse. + +The most careful and systematic plans were made for the +reception and transfer to homes, hotels or institutions of the +Titanic's survivors. Mayor Gaynor, with Police Commissioner +Waldo, arranged to go down the bay on the police boat +Patrol, to come up with the Carpathia and take charge of +the police arrangements at the pier. + +In anticipation of the enormous number that would, for +a variety of reasons, creditable or otherwise, surge about the +Cunard pier at the coming of the Carpathia, Mayor Gaynor +and the police commissioner had seen to it that the streets +should be rigidly sentineled by continuous lines of policemen +Under Inspector George McClusky, the man of most experience, +perhaps, in handling large crowds, there were 200 men, +including twelve mounted men and a number in citizens' +clothes. For two blocks to the north, south and east of the +docks lines were established through which none save those +bearing passes from the Government and the Cunard Line +could penetrate. + +With all arrangements made that experience or information +could suggest, the authorities settled down to await the docking +of the Carpathia. No word had come to either the White +Star Line or the Cunard Line, they said, that any of the Titanic's +people had died on that ship or that bodies had been +recovered from the sea, but in the afternoon Mayor Gaynor +sent word to the Board of Coroners that it might be well for +some of that body to meet the incoming ship. Coroners +Feinberg and Holtzhauser with Coroner's Physician Weston +arranged to go down the bay on the Patrol, while Coroner +Hellenstein waited at the pier. An undertaker was notified +to be ready if needed. Fortunately there was no such need. + + +EVERY POSSIBLE MEASURE THOUGHT OF + +Every possible measure of relief for the survivors that +could be thought of by officials of the city, of the Federal +Government, by the heads of hospitals and the Red Cross +and relief societies was arranged for. The Municipal Lodging +House, which has accommodations for 700 persons, agreed +to throw open its doors and furnish lodging and food to any +of the survivors as long as they should need it. Commis- +sioner of Charities Drummond did not know, of course, +just how great the call would be for the services of his +department. He went to the Cunard pier to direct his part +of the work in person. Meanwhile he had twenty ambulances +ready for instant movement on the city's pier at the +foot of East Twenty-sixth Street. They were ready to take +patients to the reception hospital connected with Bellevue +or the Metropolitan Hospital on Blackwell's Island. +Ambulances from the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn were +also there to do their share. All the other hospitals in the +city stood ready to take the Titanic's people and those that +had ambulances promised to send them. The Charities +ferryboat, Thomas S. Brennan, equipped as a hospital craft, +lay off the department pier with nurses and physicians ready +to be called to the Cunard pier on the other side of the city. +St. Vincent's Hospital had 120 beds ready, New York Hospital +twelve, Bellevue and the reception hospital 120 and Flower +Hospital twelve. + +The House of Shelter maintained by the Hebrew Sheltering +and Immigrant Aid Society announced that it was able to +care for at least fifty persons as long as might be necessary. +The German Society of New York, the Irish Immigrant +Society, the Italian Society, the Swedish Immigrant Society +and the Young Men's Christian Association were among the +organizations that also offered to see that no needy survivor +would go without shelter. + +Mrs. W. A. Bastede, whose husband is a member of the +staff of St. Luke's Hospital, offered to the White Star Line +the use of the newly opened ward at St. Luke's, +which will accommodate from thirty to sixty persons. She +said the hospital would send four ambulances with nurses +and doctors and that she had collected clothing enough for +fifty persons. The line accepted her offer and said that the +hospital would be kept informed as to what was needed. +A trustee of Bellevue also called at the White Star offices to +offer ambulances. He said that five or six, with two or three +doctors and nurses on each, would be sent to the pier if required. + +Many other hospitals as well as individuals called at the +mayor's office, expressing willingness to take in anybody +that should be sent to them. A woman living in Fiftieth +Street just off Fifth Avenue wished to put her home at +the disposal of the survivors. D. H. Knott, of 102 Waverley +Place, told the mayor that he could take care of 100 and give +them both food and lodging at the Arlington, Holly and Earl +Hotels. Commissioner Drummond visited the City Hall +and arranged with the mayor the plans for the relief to be +extended directly by the city. Mr. Drummond said that +omnibuses would be provided to transfer passengers from the +ship to the Municipal Lodging House. + + +MRS. VANDERBILT'S EFFORTS + +Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., spent the day telephoning to +her friends, asking them to let their automobiles be used to +meet the Carpathia and take away those who needed surgical +care. It was announced that as a result of Mrs. +Vanderbilt's efforts 100 limousine automobiles and all the Fifth +Avenue and Riverside Drive automobile buses would be at +the Cunard pier. + +Immigration Commissioner Williams said that he +would be at the pier when the Carpathia came in. There +was to be no inspection of immigrants at Ellis Island. Instead, +the commissioner sent seven or eight inspectors to +the pier to do their work there and he asked them to do it +with the greatest possible speed and the least possible bother +to the shipwrecked aliens. The immigrants who had no +friends to meet them were to be provided for until their cases +could be disposed of. Mr. Williams thought that some of +them who had lost everything might have to be sent back +to their homes. Those who were to be admitted to the United +States were to be cared for by the Women's Relief Committee. + + +RED CROSS RELIEF + +Robert W. de Forest, chairman of the Red Cross Relief +Committee of the Charity Organization Society, after +conferring with Mayor Gaynor, said that in addition to an +arrangement that all funds received by the mayor should +be paid to Jacob H. Schiff, the New York treasurer of +the American Red Cross, the committee had decided +that it could turn over all the immediate relief work to the +Women's Relief Committee. + +The Red Cross Committee announced that careful plans +had been made to provide for every possible emergency. + +The emergency committee received a telegram that Ernest +P. Bicknell, director of the American Red Cross, was coming +from Washington. The Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee +was to have several representatives at the pier to look +out for the passengers on the Carpathia. Mr. Persons and Dr. +Devine were to be there and it was planned to have others. + +The Salvation Army offered, through the mayor's office, +accommodation for thirty single men at the Industrial Home, +533 West Forty-eighth Street, and for twenty others at its +hotel, 18 Chatham Square. The army's training school at +124 West Fourteenth Street was ready to take twenty or +thirty survivors. R. H. Farley, head of the White Star +Line's third class department, said that the line would give all +the steerage passengers railroad tickets to their destination. + +Mayor Gaynor estimated that more than 5000 persons +could be accommodated in quarters offered through his orders. +Most of these offers of course would have to be rejected. +The mayor also said that Colonel Conley of the Sixty-ninth +Regiment offered to turn out his regiment to police the pier, +but it was thought that such service would be unnecessary. + + +CROWDS AT THE DOCKS + +Long before dark on Thursday night a few people passed +the police lines and with a yellow card were allowed to go on +the dock; but reports had been published that the Carpathia +would not be in till midnight, and by 8 o'clock there were +not more than two hundred people on the pier. In the next +hour the crowd with passes trebled in number. By 9 o'clock +the pier held half as many as it could comfortably contain. +The early crowd did not contain many women relatives of the +survivors. Few nervous people could be seen, but here and +there was a woman, usually supported by two male escorts, +weeping softly to herself. + +On the whole it was a frantic, grief-crazed crowd. Laborers +rubbed shoulders with millionaires. + +The relatives of the rich had taxicabs waiting outside the +docks. The relatives of the poor went there on foot in the +rain, ready to take their loved ones. + +A special train was awaiting Mrs. Charles M. Hays, widow +of the president of the Grand Trunk Railroad. A private +car also waited Mrs. George D. Widener. + + +EARLY ARRIVALS AT PIER + +Among the first to arrive at the pier was a committee from +the Stock Exchange, headed by R. H. Thomas, and composed +of Charles Knoblauch, B. M. W. Baruch, Charles Holzderber +and J. Carlisle. Mr. Thomas carried a long black +box which contained $5000 in small bills, which was to be +handed out to the needy steerage survivors of the Titanic +as they disembarked. + +With the early arrivals at the pier were the relatives of +Frederick White, who was not reported among the survivors, +though Mrs. White was; Harry Mock, who came to look +for a brother and sister; and Vincent Astor, who arrived in a +limousine with William A. Dobbyn, Colonel Astor's secretary, +and two doctors. The limousine was kept waiting outside +to take Mrs. Astor to the Astor home on Fifth Avenue. + +EIGHT LIMOUSINE CARS + +The Waldorf-Astoria had sent over eight limousine car +to convey to the hotel these survivors: + +Mrs. Mark Fortune and three daughters, Mrs. Lucien P. +Smith, Mrs. J. Stewart White, Mrs. Thornton Davidson, Mrs. +George C. Douglass, Mrs. George D. Widener and maid, Mrs. +George Wick, Miss Bonnell, Miss E. Ryerson, Mrs. Susan +P. Ryerson, Mrs. Arthur Ryerson, Miss Mary Wick, the Misses +Howell, Mrs. John P. Snyder and Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Bishop. + + +THIRTY-FIVE AMBULANCES AT THE PIER + +At one time there were thirty-five ambulances drawn up; +outside the Cunard pier. Every hospital in Manhattan, +Brooklyn and the Bronx was represented. Several of the +ambulances came from as far north as the Lebanon Hospital, +in the Bronx, and the Brooklyn Hospital, in Brooklyn. + +Accompanying them were seventy internes and surgeons +from the staffs of the hospitals, and more than 125 male and +female nurses. + +St. Vincent's sent the greatest number of ambulances, at +one time, eight of them from this hospital being in line at the +pier. + +Miss Eva Booth, direct head of the Salvation Army, was +at the pier, accompanied by Miss Elizabeth Nye and a corps +of her officers, ready to aid as much as possible. The Sheltering +Society and various other similar organizations also were +represented, all ready to take care of those who needed them. + +An officer of the Sixty-ninth Regiment, N. G. N. Y., offered +the White Star Line officials, the use of the regiment's armory +for any of the survivors. + +Mrs. Thomas Hughes, Mrs. August Belmont and Mgrs. +Lavelle and McMahon, of St. Patrick's Cathedral, together +with a score of black-robed Sisters of Charity, representing +the Association of Catholic Churches, were on the pier long +before the Carpathia was made fast, and worked industriously +in aiding the injured and ill. + +The Rev. Dr. William Carter, pastor of the Madison Avenue +Reformed Church, was one of those at the pier with a +private ambulance awaiting Miss Sylvia Caldwell, one of +the survivors, who is known in church circles as a mission +worker in foreign fields + + +FREE RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION + +The Pennsylvania Railroad sent representatives to the pier, +who said that the railroad had a special train of nine cars in +which it would carry free any passenger who wanted to go +immediately to Philadelphia or points west. The Pennsylvania +also had eight taxicabs at the pier for conveyance of +the rescued to the Pennsylvania Station, in Thirty-third +Street. + +Among those who later arrived at the pier before the Carpathia +docked were P. A. B. Widener, of Philadelphia, two +women relatives of J. B. Thayer, William Harris, Jr., the +theatrical man, who was accompanied by Dr Dinkelspiel, and +Henry Arthur Jones, the playwright. + +RELATIVES OF SAVED AND LOST + +Commander Booth, of the Salvation Army, was there +especially to meet Mrs. Elizabeth Nye and Mrs. Rogers +Abbott, both Titanic survivors. Mrs. Abbott's two sons were +supposed to be among the lost. Miss Booth had received a +cablegram from London saying that other Salvation Army +people were on the Titanic. She was eager to get news of +them. + +Also on the pier was Major Blanton, U. S. A., stationed at +Washington, who was waiting for tidings of Major Butt, +supposedly at the instance of President Taft. + +Senator William A. Clark and Mrs. Clark were also in the +company. Dr. John R. MacKenty was waiting for Mr. and +Mrs. Henry S. Harper. Ferdinand W. Roebling and Carl G. +Roebling, cousins of Washington A. Roebling, Jr., whose +name is among the list of dead, went to the pier to see what +they could learn of his fate. + +J. P. Morgan, Jr., arrived at the pier about half an hour +before the Carpathia docked. He said he had many friends +on the Titanic and was eagerly awaiting news of all of them. + +Fire Commissioner Johnson was there with John Peel, of +Atlanta, Gal, a brother of Mrs. Jacques Futrelle. Mrs. Futrelle +has a son twelve years old in Atlanta, and a daughter +Virginia, who has been in school in the North and is at present +with friends in this city, ignorant of her father's death. + + +A MAN IN HYSTERICS + +There was one man in that sad waiting company who +startled those near him about 9 o'clock by dancing across the +pier and back. He seemed to be laughing, but when he was +stopped it was found that he was sobbing. He said that he +had a relative on the Titanic and had lost control of his nerves. + +H. H. Brunt, of Chicago, was at the gangplank waiting +for A. Saalfeld, head of the wholesale drug firm of Sparks, +White & Co., of London, who was coming to this country on +the Titanic on a business trip and whose life was saved. + + +WAITING FOR CARPATHIA + +During the afternoon and evening tugboats, motor boats +and even sailing craft, had been waiting off the Ambrose +Light for the appearance of the Carpathia. + +Some of the waiting craft contained friends and anxious +relatives of the survivors and those reported as missing. + +The sea was rough and choppy, and a strong east wind was +blowing. There was a light fog, so that it was possible to +see at a distance of only a few hundred yards. This lifted +later in the evening. + +First to discover the incoming liner with her pitiful cargo +was one of the tugboats. From out of the mist there loomed +far out at sea the incoming steamer. + + +RESCUE BOAT SIGHTED + +"Liner ahead!" cried the lookout on the tug to the captain. + +"She must be the Carpathia," said the captain, and then +he turned the nose of his boat toward the spot on t he horizon. + +Then the huge black hull and one smokestack could be +distinguished. + +"It's the Carpathia," said the captain. "I can tell her +by the stack." + +The announcement sent a thrill through those who heard +it. Here, at the gate of New York, was a ship whose record +for bravery and heroic work would be a famuliar{sic} name in +history. + + +{illust. caption = Copyright by G. V. Buck. +MRS. LUCIEN P. SMITH + +Formerly Miss Eloise Hughes, daughter of Representative and Mrs. +James A. Hughes, of West Virginia. Mrs. Smith and her husband were +passengers on the Titanic. Mrs. Smith was saved, but her husband went +to a watery grave. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were married only a few months +ago.} + + +{illust. caption = MAJOR ARCHIBALD BUTT + +Military Aide to President Taft. Of Major Butt, who was one of the +victims of the Titanic, one of the survivors said: "Major Butt was the real +leader in all of that rescue work. He made the men stand back and helped +the women and children into the boats. He was surely one of God's +noblemen."} + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE TRAGIC HOME-COMING + +THE CARPATHIA REACHES NEW YORK--AN INTENSE AND +DRAMATIC MOMENT--HYSTERICAL REUNIONS AND CRUSHING +DISAPPOINTMENTS AT THE DOCK--CARING FOR THE SUFFERERS +--FINAL REALIZATION THAT ALL HOPE FOR OTHERS IS +FUTILE--LIST OF SURVIVORS--ROLL OF THE DEAD + +IT was a solemn moment when the Carpathia heaved in +sight. There she rested on the water, a blur of black-- +huge, mysterious, awe-inspiring--and yet withal a thing +to send thrills of pity and then of admiration through the +beholder. + +It was a few minutes after seven o'clock when she arrived +at the entrance to Ambrose Channel. She was coming fast +steaming at better than fifteen knots an hour, and she was +sighted long before she was expected. Except for the usual +side and masthead lights she was almost dark, only the upper +cabins showing a glimmer here and there. + +Then began a period of waiting, the suspense of which +proved almost too much for the hundreds gathered there +to greet friends and relatives or to learn with certainty at +last that those for whom they watched would never come +ashore. + +There was almost complete silence on the pier. Doctors +and nurses, members of the Women's Relief Committee, city +and government officials, as well as officials of the line, moved +nervously about. + +Seated where they had been assigned beneath the big +customs letters corresponding to the initials of the names of +the survivors they came to meet, sat the mass of 2000 on the +pier. + +Women wept, but they wept quietly, not hysterically, and +the sound of the sobs made many times less noise than the +hum and bustle which is usual on the pier among those +awaiting an incoming liner. + +Slowly and majestically the ship slid through the water, +still bearing the details of that secret of what happened and +who perished when the Titanic met her fate. + +Convoying the Carpathia was a fleet of tugs bearing men +and women anxious to learn the latest news. The Cunarder +had been as silent for days as though it, too, were a ship of +the dead. A list of survivors had been given out from its +wireless station and that was all. Even the approximate +time of its arrival had been kept a secret. + + +NEARING PORT + +There was no response to the hail from one tug, and as +others closed in, the steamship quickened her speed a little +and left them behind as she swung up the channel. + +There was an exploding of flashlights from some of the +tugs, answered seemingly by sharp stabs of lightning in the +northwest that served to accentuate the silence and absence +of light aboard the rescue ship. Five or six persons, apparently +members of the crew or the ship's officers, were seen along +the rail; but otherwise the boat appeared to be deserted. + +Off quarantine the Carpathia slowed down and, hailing +the immigration inspection boat, asked if the health officer +wished to board. She was told that he did, and came to a +stop while Dr. O'Connell and two assistants climbed on +board. Again the newspaper men asked for some word of +the catastrophe to the Titanic, but there was no answer, +and the Carpathia continued toward her pier. + +As she passed the revenue cutter Mohawk and the derelict +destroyer Seneca anchored off Tompkinsville the wireless on +the Government vessels was seen to flash, but there was no +answering spark from the Carpathia. Entering the North +River she laid her course close to the New Jersey side in +order to have room to swing into her pier. + +By this time the rails were lined with men and women. +They were very silent. There were a few requests for news +from those on board and a few answers to questions shouted +from the tugs. + +The liner began to slacken her speed, and the tugboat soon +was alongside. Up above the inky blackness of the hull +figures could be made out, leaning over the port railing, as +though peering eagerly at the little craft which was bearing +down on the Carpathia. + +Some of them, perhaps, had passed through that inferno +of the deep sea which sprang up to destroy the mightiest +steamship afloat. + +"Carpathia, ahoy!" was shouted through a megaphone. + +There was an interval of a few seconds, and then, "Aye, +aye," came the reply. + +"Is there any assistance that can be rendered?" was the +next question. + +"Thank you, no," was the answer in a tone that carried +emotion with it. Meantime the tugboat was getting nearer +and nearer to the Carpathia, and soon the faces of those leaning +over the railing could be distinguished. + + +TALK WITH SURVIVORS + +More faces appeared, and still more. + +A woman who called to a man on the tugboat was asked? +"Are you one the Titanic survivors?" + +"Yes," said the voice, hesitatingly. + +"Do you need help?" + +"No," after a pause. + +"If there is anything you want done it will be attended to." + +"Thank you. I have been informed that my relatives will +meet me at the pier." + +"Is it true that some of the life-boats sank with the Titanic?" + +"Yes. There was some trouble in manning them. They +were not far enough away from her." + +All of this questioning and receiving replies was carried +on with the greatest difficulty. The pounding of the liner's +engines, the washing of the sea, the tugboat's engines, made it +hard to understand the woman's replies. + + +ALL CARED FOR ON BOARD + +"Were the women properly cared for after the crash?" +she was asked. + +"Oh, yes," came the shrill reply. "The men were brave-- +very brave." Here her voice broke and she turned and left +the railing, to reappear a few moments later and cry: + +"Please report me as saved." + +"What name?" was asked. She shouted a name that could +not be understood, and, apparently believing that it had been, +turned away again and disappeared. + +"Nearly all of us are very ill," cried another woman. Here +several other tugboats appeared, and those standing at the +railing were besieged with questions. + +"Did the crash come without warning?" a voice on one of +the smaller boats megaphoned. + +"Yes," a woman answered. "Most of us had retired. We +saved a few of our belongings." + +"How long did it take the boat to sink?" asked the voice. + + +TITANIC CREW HEROES + +"Not long," came the reply? "The crew and the men were +very brave. Oh, it is dreadful--dreadful to think of!" + +"Is Mr. John Jacob Astor on board?" + +"No." + +"Did he remain on the Titanic after the collision?" + +"I do not know." + +Questions of this kind were showered at the few survivors +who stood at the railing, but they seemed too confused to +answer them intelligibly, and after replying evasively to some +they would disappear. + + +RUSHES ON TO DOCK + +"Are you going to anchor for the night?" Captain Rostron +was asked by megaphone as his boat approached Ambrose +Light. It was then raining heavily. + +"No," came the reply. "I am going into port. There +are sick people on board." + +"We tried to learn when she would dock," said Dr. Walter +Kennedy, head of the big ambulance corps on the mist- +shrouded pier, "and we were told it would not be before midnight +and that most probably it would not be before dawn +to-morrow. The childish deception that has been practiced +for days by the people who are responsible for the Titanic has +been carried up to the very moment of the landing of the +survivors." + +She proceeded past the Cunard pier, where 2000 persons +were waiting her, and steamed to a spot opposite the White +Star piers at Twenty-first Street. + +The ports in the big inclosed pier of the Cunard Line were +opened, and through them the waiting hundreds, almost +frantic with anxiety over what the Carpathia might reveal, +watched her as with nerve-destroying leisure she swung about +in the river, dropping over the life-boats of the Titanic that +they might be taken to the piers of the White Star Line. + +THE TITANIC LIFE-BOATS + +It was dark in the river, but the lowering away of the life- +boats could be seen from the Carpathia's pier, and a deep +sigh arose from the multitude there as they caught this first +glance of anything associated with the Titanic. + +Then the Carpathia started for her own pier. As she +approached it the ports on the north side of pier 54 were +closed that the Carpathia might land there, but through the +two left open to accommodate the forward and after gangplanks +of the big liner the watchers could see her looming +larger and larger in the darkness till finally she was directly +alongside the pier. + +As the boats were towed away the picture taking and shouting +of questions began again. John Badenoch, a buyer for +Macy & Co., called down to a representative of the firm that +neither Mr. nor Mrs. Isidor Straus were among the rescued +on board the Carpathia. An officer of the Carpathia called +down that 710 of the Titanic's passengers were on board, but +refused to reply to other questions. + +The heavy hawsers were made fast without the customary +shouting of ship's officers and pier hands. From the +crowd on the pier came a long, shuddering murmur. In it +were blended sighs and hundreds of whispers. The burden +of it all was: "Here they come." + + +ANXIOUS MEN AND WOMEN + +About each gangplank a portable fence had been put in +place, marking off some fifty feet of the pier, within which +stood one hundred or more customs officials. Next to the +fence, crowded close against it, were anxious men and women, +their gaze strained for a glance of the first from the ship, +their mouths opened to draw their breaths in spasmodic, +quivering gasps, their very bodies shaking with suppressed +excitement, excitement which only the suspense itself was +keeping in subjection. + +These were the husbands and wives, children, parents, +sweethearts and friends of those who had sailed upon the +Titanic on its maiden voyage. + +They pressed to the head of the pier, marking the boats +of the wrecked ship as they dangled at the side of the Carpathia +and were revealed in the sudden flashes of the photographers +upon the tugs. They spoke in whispers, each group +intent upon its own sad business. Newspaper writers, with +pier passes showing in their hat bands, were everywhere. + +A sailor hurried outside the fence and disappeared, +apparently on a mission for his company. There was a deep- +drawn sigh as he walked away, shaking his head toward +those who peered eagerly at him. Then came a man and +woman of the Carpathia's own passengers, as their orderly +dress showed them to be. + +Again a sigh like a sob swept over the crowd, and again +they turned back to the canopied gangplank. + + +THE FIRST SURVIVORS + +Several minutes passed and then out of the first cabin +gangway; tunneled by a somber awning, streamed the first +survivors. A young woman, hatless, her light brown hair +disordered and the leaden weight of crushing sorrow heavy +upon eyes and sensitive mouth, was in the van. She stopped, +perplexed, almost ready to drop with terror and exhaustion, +and was caught by a customs official. + +"A survivor?" he questioned rapidly, and a nod of the +head answering him, he demanded: + +"Your name." + +The answer given, he started to lead her toward that section +of the pier where her friends would be waiting. + +When she stepped from the gangplank there was quiet +on the pier. The answers of the woman could almost be +heard by those fifty feet away, but as she staggered, rather +than walked, toward the waiting throng outside the fence, a +low wailing sound arose from the crowd. + +"Dorothy, Dorothy!" cried a man from the number. He +broke through the double line of customs inspectors as though +it was composed of wooden toys and caught the woman to +his breast. She opened her lips inarticulately, weakly raised +her arms and would have pitched forward upon her face had +she not been supported. Her fair head fell weakly to one +side as the man picked her up in his arms, and, with tears +streaming down his face, stalked down the long avenue of +the pier and down the long stairway to a waiting taxicab. + +The wailing of the crowd--its cadences, wild and weird-- +grew steadily louder and louder till they culminated in a +mighty shriek, which swept the whole big pier as though at +the direction of some master hand. + +RUMORS AFLOAT + +The arrival of the Carpathia was the signal for the most +sensational rumors to circulate through the crowd on the +pier. + +First, Mrs. John Jacob Astor was reported to have died +at 8.06 o'clock, when the Carpathia was on her way up the +harbor. + +Captain Smith and the first engineer were reported to +have shot themselves when they found that the Titanic was +doomed to sink. Afterward it was learned that Captain +Smith and the engineer went down with their ship in perfect +courage and coolness. + +Major Archibald Butt, President Taft's military aide, was +said to have entered into an agreement with George D. +Widener, Colonel John Jacob Astor and Isidor Straus to +kill them first and then shoot himself before the boat sank. +It was said that this agreement had been carried out. +Later it was shown that, like many other men on the ship, +they had gone down without the exhibition of a sign of fear. + + +MRS. CORNELL SAFE + +Magistrate Cornell's wife and her two sisters were among +the first to leave the ship. They were met at the first cabin +pier entrance by Magistrate Cornell and a party of friends. +None of the three women had hats. One of those who met +them was Magistrate Cornell's son. One of Mrs. Cornell's +sisters was overheard to remark that "it would be a dreadful +thing when the ship began really to unload." + +The three women appeared to be in a very nervous state. +Their hair was more or less dishevelled. They were apparently +fully dressed save for their hats. Clothing had been +supplied them in their need and everything had been done +to make them comfortable. One of the party said that the +collision occurred at 9.45. + +Following closely the Cornell party was H. J. Allison of +Montreal, who came to meet his family. One of the party, +who was weeping bitterly as he left the pier, explained that +the only one of the family that was rescued was the young +brother. + + +MRS. ASTOR APPEARED + +In a few minutes young Mrs. Astor with her maid +appeared. She came down the gangplank unassisted. She +was wearing a white sweater. Vincent Astor and William +Dobbyn, Colonel Astor's secretary, greeted her and hurried +her to a waiting limousine which contained clothing and +other necessaries of which it was thought she might be in +need. The young woman was white-faced and silent. +Nobody cared to intrude upon her thoughts. Her stepson +said little to her. He did not feel like questioning her at +such a time, he said. + + +LAST SEEN OF COLONEL ASTOR + +Walter M. Clark, a nephew of the senator, said that he +had seen Colonel Astor put his wife in a boat, after assuring +her that he would soon follow her in another. Mr. Clark +and others said that Colonel and Mrs. Astor were in their +suite when the crash came, and that they appeared quietly +on deck a few minutes afterward. + +Here and there among the passengers of the Carpathia +and from the survivors of the Titanic the story was gleaned +of the rescue. Nothing in life will ever approach the joy +felt by the hundreds who were waiting in little boats on the +spot where the Titanic foundered when the lights of the +Carpathia were first distinguished. That was at 4 o'clock +on Monday morning. + + +DR. FRAUENTHAL WELCOMED + +Efforts were made to learn from Dr. Henry Franenthal{sic} +something about the details of how he was rescued. Just +then, or as he was leaving the pier, beaming with evident +delight, he was surrounded by a big crowd of his friends. + +"There's Harry! There he is!" they yelled and made a +rush for him. + +All the doctor's face that wasn't covered with red beard +was aglow with smiles as his friends hugged him and slapped +him on the back. They rushed him off bodily through the +crowd and he too was whirled home. + + +A SAD STORY + +How others followed--how heartrending stories of partings +and of thrilling rescues were poured out in an amazing stream-- +this has all been told over and over again in the news that +for days amazed, saddened and angered the entire world. +It is the story of a disaster that nations, it is hoped, will make +impossible in the years to come. + +In the stream of survivors were a peer of the realm, Sir +Cosmo Duff Gordon, and his secretary, side by side with +plain Jack Jones, of Birmingham, able seaman, millionaires +and paupers, women with bags of jewels and others with nightgowns +their only property. + + +MORE THAN SEVENTY WIDOWS + +More than seventy widows were in the weeping company. +The only large family that was saved in its entirety was that +of the Carters, of Philadelphia. Contrasting with this remarkable +salvage of wealthy Pennsylvanians was the sleeping +eleven-months-old baby of the Allisons, whose father, mother +and sister went down to death after it and its nurse had been +placed in a life-boat. + +Millionaire and pauper, titled grandee and weeping immigrant, +Ismay, the head of the White Star Company, and Jack +Jones from the stoke hole were surrounded instantly. Some +would gladly have escaped observation. Every man among +the survivors acted as though it were first necessary to explain +how he came to be in a life-boat. Some of the stories smacked +of Munchausen. Others were as plain and unvarnished as +a pike staff. Those that were most sincere and trustworthy +had to be fairly pulled from those who gave their sad testimony. + +Far into the night the recitals were made. They were +told in the rooms of hotels, in the wards of hospitals and upon +trains that sped toward saddened homes. It was a symposium +of horror and heroism, the like of which has not been known +in the civilized world since man established his dominion over +the sea. + + +STEERAGE PASSENGERS + +The two hundred and more steerage passengers did not +leave the ship until 11 o'clock. They were in a sad condition. +The women were without wraps and the few men there were +wore very little clothing. A poor Syrian woman who said +she was Mrs. Habush, bound for Youngstown, Ohio, carried +in her arms a six-year-old baby girl. This woman had lost +her husband and three brothers. "I lost four of my men +folks," she cried. + + +TWO LITTLE BOYS + +Among the survivors who elicited a large measure of sympathy +were two little French boys who were dropped, almost +naked, from the deck of the sinking Titanic into a life-boat. +From what place in France did they come and to what place +in the New World were they bound? There was not one iota +of information to be had as to the identity of the waifs of the +deep, the orphans of the Titanic. + +The two baby boys, two and four years old, respectively, +were in charge of Miss Margaret Hays, who is a fluent speaker +of French, and she had tried vainly to get from the lisping lips +of the two little ones some information that would lead to +the finding of their relatives. + +Miss Hays, also a survivor of the Titanic, took charge of +the almost naked waifs on the Carpathia. She became +warmly attached to the two boys, who unconcernedly played +about, not understanding the great tragedy that had come +into their lives. + +The two little curly-heads did not understand it all. Had +not their pretty nineteen-year-old foster mother provided +them with pretty suits and little white shoes and playthings +a-plenty? Then, too, Miss Hays had a Pom dog that she +brought with her from Paris and which she carried in her +arms when she left the Titanic and held to her bosom +through the long night in the life-boat, and to which the +children became warmly attached. All three became aliens +on an alien shore. + +Miss Hays, unable to learn the names of the little fellows, +had dubbed the older Louis and the younger "Lump." +"Lump" was all that his name implies, for he weighed almost +as much as his brother. They were dark-eyed and brown +curly-haired children, who knew how to smile as only French +children can. + +On the fateful night of the Titanic disaster and just as the +last boats were pulling away with their human freight, a +man rushed to the rail holding the babes under his arms. +He cried to the passengers in one of the boats and held the +children aloft. Three or four sailors and passengers held up +their arms. The father dropped the older boy. He was +safely caught. Then he dropped the little fellow and saw +him folded in the arms of a sailor. Then the boat pulled +away. + +The last seen of the father, whose last living act was +to save his babes, he was waving his hand in a final parting. +Then the Titanic plunged to the ocean's bed. + + +BABY TRAVERS + +Still more pitiable in one way was the lot of the baby survivor, +eleven-months-old Travers Allison, the only member +of a family of four to survive the wreck. His father, H. J. +Allison, and mother and Lorraine, a child of three, were +victims of the catastrophe. Baby Travers, in the excitement +following the crash, was separated from the rest of the family +just before the Titanic went down. With the party were +two nurses and a maid. + +Major Arthur Peuchen, of Montreal, one of the survivors, +standing near the little fellow, who, swathed in blankets, +lay blinking at his nurse, described the death of Mrs. Allison. +She had gone to the deck without her husband, and, frantically +seeking him, was directed by an officer to the other +side of the ship. + +She failed to find Mr. Allison and was quickly hustled +into one of the collapsible life-boats, and when last seen by +Major Peuchen she was toppling out of the half-swamped +boat. J. W. Allison, a cousin of H. J. Allison, was at the +pier to care for Baby Travers and his nurse. They were +taken to the Manhattan Hotel. + +Describing the details of the perishing of the Allison family, +the rescued nurse said they were all in bed when the Titanic +hit the berg. + +"We did not get up immediately," said she, "for we had + + +{illust. caption = WHITE STAR STEAMER TITANIC GYMNASIUM} + +{illust. caption = +Copyright, 1912, Underwood & Underwood. +CAPTAIN A. H. ROSTROM + +Commander of the Carpathia, which rescued the survivors of the Titanic +from the life-boats in the open sea and brought them to New York. After +the Senatorial Investigating Committee had examined Captain Rostrom, at +which time this specially posed photograph was taken, Senator William +Alden Smith, chairman of the committee, said of Captain Rostrom: "His +conduct of the rescue shows that he is not only an efficient seaman, but one +of nature's noblemen."} + + +not thought of danger. Later we were told to get up, and +I hurriedly dressed the baby. We hastened up on deck, +and confusion was all about. With other women and children +we clambered to the life-boats, just as a matter of precaution, +believing that there was no immediate danger. In +about an hour there was an explosion and the ship appeared +to fall apart. We were in the life-boat about six hours before +we were picked up." + + +THE RYERSON FAMILY + +Probably few deaths have caused more tears than Arthur +Ryerson's, in view of the sad circumstances which called him +home from a lengthy tour in Europe. Mr. Ryerson's eldest +son, Arthur Larned Ryerson, a Yale student, was killed in +an automobile accident Easter Monday, 1912. + +A cablegram announcing the death plunged the Ryerson +family into mourning and they boarded the first steamship +for this country. If{sic} happened to be the Titanic, and the +death note came near being the cause of the blotting out of +the entire family. + +The children who accompanied them were Miss Susan P. +Ryerson, Miss Emily B. Ryerson and John Ryerson. The +latter is 12 years old. + +They did not know their son intended to spend the Easter +holidays at their home at Haverford, Pa. until they were +informed of his death. John Lewis Hoffman, also of Haverford +and a student of Yale, was killed with young Ryerson. + +The two were hurrying to Philadelphia to escort a fellow- +student to his train. In turning out of the road to pass a cart +the motor car crashed into a pole in front of the entrance to the +estate of Mrs. B. Frank Clyde. The college men were picked +up unconscious and died in the Bryn Mawr Hospital. + +G. Heide Norris of Philadelphia, who went to New York +to meet the surviving members of the Ryerson family, told +of a happy incident at the last moment as the Carpathia +swung close to the pier. There had been no positive information +that young "Jack" Ryerson was among those saved-- +indeed, it was feared that he had gone down with the Titanic, +like his father, Arthur Ryerson. + +Mr. Norris spoke of the feeling of relief that came over +him as, watching from the pier, he saw "Jack" Ryerson +come from a cabin and stand at the railing. The name of +the boy was missing from some of the lists and for two days +it was reported that he had perished. + + +CAPTAIN ROSTRON'S REPORT + +Less than 24 hours after the Cunard Line steamship Carpathia +came in as a rescue ship with survivors of the Titanic +disaster, she sailed again for the Mediterranean cruise which +she originally started upon last week. Just before the liner +sailed, H. S. Bride, the second Marconi wireless operator of +the Titanic, who had both of his legs crushed on a life-boat, +was carried off on the shoulders of the ship's officers to St. +Vincent's Hospital. + +Captain A. H. Rostron, of the Carpathia, addressed an +official report, giving his account of the Carpathia's rescue +work, to the general manager of the Cunard Line, Liverpool. +The report read: "I beg to report that at 12.35 A. M. Monday +18th inst. I was informed of urgent message from Titanic +with her position. I immediately ordered ship turned around +and put her in course for that position, we being then 58 +miles S. 52--E. `T' from her; had heads of all departments +called and issued what I considered the necessary orders, to +be in preparation for any emergency. + +"At 2.40 A. M. saw flare half a point on port bow. Taking +this for granted to be ship, shortly after we sighted our first +iceberg. I had previously had lookouts doubled, knowing +that Titanic had struck ice, and so took every care and precaution. +We soon found ourselves in a field of bergs, and had +to alter course several times to clear bergs; weather fine, and +clear, light air on sea, beautifully clear night, though dark. + +"We stopped at 4 A. M., thus doing distance in three hours +and a half, picking up the first boat at 4.10 A. M.; boat in charge +of officer, and he reported that Titanic had foundered. At +8.30 A. M. last boat picked up. All survivors aboard and all +boats accounted for, viz., fifteen life-boats, one boat abandoned, +two Berthon boats alongside (saw one floating upwards +among wreckage), and according to second officer (senior officer +saved) one Berthon boat had not been launched, it having +got jammed, making sixteen life-boats and four Berthon boats +accounted for. By the time we had cleared first boat it was +breaking day, and I could see all within area of four miles. +We also saw that we were surrounded by icebergs, large and +small, huge field of drift ice with large and small bergs in it, +the ice field trending from N. W. round W. and S. to S. E., as +far as we could see either way. + +"At 8 A. M. the Leyland S. S. California came up. I gave +him the principal news and asked him to search and I would +proceed to New York; at 8.50 proceeded full speed while +researching over vicinity of disaster, and while we were getting +people aboard I gave orders to get spare hands along and swing +in all our boats, disconnect the fall and hoist up as many +Titanic boats as possible in our davits; also get some on forecastle +heads by derricks. We got thirteen lifeboats, six on forward +deck and seven in davits. After getting all survivors aboard +and while searching I got a clergyman to offer a short prayer +of thankfulness for those saved, and also a short burial service +for their loss, in saloon. + +"Before deciding definitely where to make for, I conferred +with Mr. Ismay, and as he told me to do what I thought +best, I informed him, I considered New York best. I knew +we should require clean blankets, provisions and clean linen, +even if we went to the Azores, as most of the passsengers{sic} +saved were women and children, and they hysterical, not +knowing what medical attention they might require. I +thought it best to go to New York. I also thought it would +be better for Mr. Ismay to go to New York or England as +soon as possible, and knowing I should be out of wireless +communication very soon if I proceeded to Azores, it left +Halifax, Boston and New York, so I chose the latter. + +"Again, the passengers were all hysterical about ice, and I +pointed out to Mr. Ismay the possibilities of seeing ice if I +went to Halifax. Then I knew it would be best to keep in +touch with land stations as best I could. We have experienced +great difficulty in transmitting news, also names of survivors. +Our wireless is very poor, and again we have had so +many interruptions from other ships and also messages from +shore (principally press, which we ignored). I gave instructions +to send first all official messages, then names of passengers, then +survivors' private messages. We had haze early Tuesday +morning for several hours; again more or less all Wednesday +from 5.30 A. M. to 5 P. M.; strong south-southwesterly +winds and clear weather Thursday, with moderate rough sea. + +"I am pleased to say that all survivors have been very +plucky. The majority of women, first, second and third +class, lost their husbands, and, considering all, have been +wonderfully well. Tuesday our doctor reported all survivors +physically well. Our first class passengers have behaved +splendidly, given up their cabins voluntarily and supplied +the ladies with clothes, etc. We all turned out of our cabins +and gave them to survivors--saloon, smoking room, library, +etc., also being used for sleeping accommodation. Our crew, +also turned out to let the crew of the Titanic take their +quarters. I am pleased to state that owing to preparations made +for the comfort of survivors, none were the worse for exposure, +etc. I beg to specially mention how willing and cheerful the +whole of the ship's company behaved, receiving the highest +praise from everybody. And I can assure you I am very +proud to have such a company under my command. + "A. H. ROSTRON." + + +The following list of the survivors and dead contains the latest revisions and +corrections of the White Star Line officials, and was furnished by them exclusively +for this book. + +LIST OF SURVIVORS +FIRST CABIN + +ANDERSON, HARRY. +ANTOINETTE, MISS. +APPIERANELT, MISS. +APPLETON. MRS. E. D. +ABBOTT, MRS. ROSE. +ALLISON, MASTER, and nurse. +ANDREWS, MISS CORNELIA I. +ALLEN, MISS. E. W. +ASTOR, MRS. JOHN JACOB, and maid. +AUBEART, MME. N., and maid. + +BARRATT, KARL B. +BESETTE, MISS. +BARKWORTH, A. H. +BUCKNELL, MRS. W. +BOWERMAN, MISS E. +BROWN, MRS. J. J. +BURNS, MISS C. M. +BISHOP, MR. AND MRS. D. H. +BLANK, H. +BESSINA, MISS A. +BAXTER, MRS. JAMES. +BRAYTON, GEORGE. +BONNELL, MISS LILY. +BROWN, MRS. J. M. +BOWEN, MISS G. C. +BECKWITH, MR. AND MRS. R. L. +BISLEY, MR. AND MRS. +BONNELL, MISS C. + +CASSEBEER, MRS. H. A. +CARDEZA, MRS. J. W. +CANDELL, MRS. CHURCHILL. +CASE, HOWARD B. +CAMARION, KENARD. +CASSEBORO, MISS D. D. +CLARK, MRS. W. M. + +CHIBINACE, MRS. B. C. +CHARLTON, W. M. +CROSBY, MRS E. G. +CARTER, MISS LUCILLE. +CALDERHEAD, E. P. +CHANDANSON, MISS VICTOTRINE. +CAVENDISH, MRS. TURRELL, and maid. +CHAFEE, MRS. H. I. +CARDEZA, MR. THOMAS. +CUMMINGS, MRS. J. +CHEVRE, PAUL. +CHERRY, MISS GLADYS. +CHAMBERS, MR. AND MRS. N. C. +CARTER, MR. AND MRS. W. E. +CARTER, MASTER WILLIAM. +COMPTON, MRS. A. T. +COMPTON, MISS S. R. +CROSBY, MRS. E. G. +CROSBY, MISS HARRIET. +CORNELL, MRS. R. C. +CHIBNALL, MRS. E. + +DOUGLAS, MRS. FRED. +DE VILLIERS, MME. +DANIEL, MISS SARAH. +DANIEL, ROBERT W. +DAVIDSON, MR. AND MRS. THORNTON, + and family. +DOUGLAS, MRS. WALTER, and maid. +DODGE, MISS SARAH. +DODGE, MRS. WASHINGTON, and son. +DICK, MR. AND MRS. A. A. +DANIELL, H. HAREN. +DRACHENSTED, A. +DALY, PETER D. + +ENDRES, MISS CAROLINE. +ELLIS, MISS + + +LIST OF SURVIVORS--FIRST CABIN (CONTINUED) + +EARNSHAW, MRS. BOULTON. +EUSTIS, MISS E. +EMMOCK, PHILIP E. + +FLAGENHEIM, MRS. ANTOINETTE. +FRANICATELLI, MISY. +FYNN, J. I. +FORTUNE, MISS ALICE +FORTUNE, MISS ETHEL. +FORTUNE, MRS. MARK. +FORTUNE, MISS MABEL. +FRAUENTHAL, DR. AND MRS. H. W. +FRAUENTHAL, MR. AND MRS. T. G +FROLICHER, MISS MABGARET. +FROLICHER, MAY AND MRS. +FROLICHER, MISS N. +FUTRELLE, MRS. JACQUES. + +GRACIE, COLONEL ARCHIBALD. +GRAHAM, MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM. +GRAHAM, MISS M. +GORDON, SIR COSMO DUFF. +GORDON, LADY. +GIBSON, MISS DOROTHY. +GOLDENBERG, MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL. +GOLDENBERG, MISS ELLA. +GREENFIELD, MRS. L. P. +GREENFIELD, G. B. +GREENFIELD, WILLIAM. +GIBSON, MRS. LEONARD. +GOOGHT, JAMES. + +HAVEN, MR. HENRY B. +HARRIS, MRS. H. B. +HOLVERSON, MRS. ALEX. +HOGEBOOM, MRS. J. C. +HAWKSFORD, W. J. +HARPER, HENRY, and man servant. +HARPER, MRS. H. S. +HOLD, MISS J. A. +HOPE, NINA. +HOYT, MR. AND Mrs. FRED. +HORNER, HENRY R. +HARDER, MR. AND MRS. GEORGE. +HAYS, MRS. CHARLES M., and daughter. +HIPPACH, MISS JEAN. +HIPPACH, MRS. IDA S. + +ISMAY, J. BRUCE. + +JENASCO, MRS. J. + +KIMBALL, MR. AND MRS. ED. N. +KENNYMAN, F. A. +KENCHEN, MISS EMILE. + +LONGLEY, MISS G. F. +LEADER, MRS. A. F. +LEAHY, MISS NORA. +LAVORY, MISS BERTHA. +LINES, MRS. ERNEST. +LINES, MISS MARY. +LINDSTROM, MRS. SINGIRD. +LESNEUR, GUSTAVE, JR. + +MADILL, MISS GEORGETTE A. +MAHAN, MRS. +MELICARD, MME. +MENDERSON, MISS LETTA. +MAIAIMY, MISS ROBERTA. +MARVIN, MRS. D. W. +MARECHELL, PIERRE. +MARONEY, MRS. R. +MEYER, MRS. E. I. +MOCK, MR. P. E. +MIDDLE, MME. M. OIJVE. +MINAHAN, MISS DAISY. +MINAHAN, MRS. W. E. +MCGOUGH, JAMES. + +NEWELL, MISS ALICE. +NEWELL, MISS MADELINE. +NEWELL, WASHINGTON. +NEWSON, MISS HELEN. + +O'CONNELL, MISS R. +OSTBY, E. C. + +LIST OF SURVIVORS--FIRST CABIN (CONTINUED) + +OSTBY, MISS HELEN. +OMUND, FIEUNAM. + +PANHART, MISS NINETTE. +PEARS, MRS. E. +POMROY, MISS ELLEN. +POTTER, MRS. THOMAS, JR. +PEUCHEN, MAJOR ARTHUR. +PEERCAULT, MISS A. + +RYERSON, JOHN. +RENAGO, MRS. MAMAM. +RANELT, MISS APPIE. +ROTHSCHILD, MRS. LORD MARTIN. +ROSENBAHM, MISS EDITH. +RHEIMS, MR. AND MRS GEORGE. +ROSIBLE, MISS H. +ROTHES, COUNTESS. +ROBERT, MRS. EDNA. +ROLMANE, C. +RYERSON, AIISS SUSAN P. +RYERSON, MISS EMILY. +RYERSON, MRS. ARTHUR, and maid. + +STONE, MRS. GEORGE M. +SKELLER, MRS. WILLIAM. +SEGESSER, MISS EMMA. +SEWARD, FRED. K. +SHUTTER, MISS. +SLOPER, WILLIAM T. +SWIFT, MRS. F. JOEL. +SCHABERT, MRS. PAUL. +SHEDDEL, ROBERT DOUGLASS. +SNYDER, MR. AND MRS. JOHN. +SEREPECA, AIISS AUGHSTA. +SILVERTIIORN, R. SPENCER. +SAALFELD, ADOLF. +STAHELIN, MAX. +SIMOINUS, ALFONSIU8. +SMITH, MRS. LUCIEN P. +STEPHENSON, MRS. WALTER. +SOLOMON, ABRAHAM. +SILVEY, MRS. WILLIAM B +STENMEL, MR. AND MRS. HELEERY +SPENCER, MBS. W. A., and maid. +SLAYTER, MISS HILDA. +SPEDDEN, MR. AND MRS. F. O., and child. +STEFFANSON, H. B. +STRAUS, MRS., maid of. +SCHABERT, MRS. EMMA. +SLINTER, MRS. E. +SIMMONS, A. + +TAYLOR, MISS. +TUCKER, MRS., and maid. +THAYER, MBS. J. B. +THAYER, J. B., JR. +TAUSSIG, MISS RHTH. +TAUSSIG. MRS. E. +THOR, MISS ELLA. +THORNE, MRS. G. +TAYLOR, MR. AND MRS. E. Z +TROUT, MISS JESSIE. +TUCKER, GILBERT. + +WOOLNER, HUGH. +WARD, MISS ANNA. +WILLIAMS, RICHARD M., JB. +WARREN, MRS. P. +WILSON, MISS HELEN A. +WILLIARD, MISS C. +WICK, MISS MARY. +WICK, GEO. +WIDENER, valet of. +WIDENER, MRS. GEORGE D., and maid. +WHITE, MRS. J. STUART. + +YOUNG, MISS MARIE. + + +LIST OF SURVIVORS--SECOND CABIN + +ABESSON, MRS. MANNA. +ABBOTT, MRS. R. +ARGENIA, MRS., and two children. +ANGEL, F. +ANGLE, WILLIAM. + +BAUMTHORPE, MRS. L. +BALLS, MRS. ADA E. +BUSS, MISS KATE. +BECKER, MRS. A. O., and three children +BEANE, EDWARD. +BEANE, MRS. ETHEL, +BRYHI, MISS D. +BEESLEY, MR. L. +BROWN, MR. T. W. S. +BROWN, MISS E. +BROWN, MRS. +BENTHAN, LILLIAN W. +BYSTRON, KAROLINA +BRIGHT, DAGMAR. +BRIGHT, DAISY. + +CLARKE, MRS. ADA. +CAMERON, MISS. C. +CALDWELL, ALBERT F. +CALDWELL, MRS. SYLVAN +CALDWELL, ALDEN, infant. +CRISTY, MR. AND MRS. +COLLYER, MRS. CHARLOTTE. +COLLYER, MISS MARJORIE +CHRISTY, MRS. ALICE. +COLLET, STITART. +CHRISTA, MISS DIJCIA. +CHARLES, WILLIAM. +CROFT, MILLIE MALL. + +DOLING, MRS. ELSIE. +DREW, MRS. LULU. +DAVIS, MRS. AGNES. +DAVIS, MISS MARY. +DAVIS, JOHN M. +DUVAN, FLORENTINE. +DUVAN, MIBS A. +DAVIDSON, MISS MARY. +DOLING, MISS ADA. +DRISCOLL, MRS. B. +DEYSTROM, CAROLINE. + +EMCARMACION, MRS. RINALDO. + +FAUNTHORPE, MRS. LIZZIE +FORMERY, MISS ELLEN. + +GARSIDE, ETHEL. +GERRECAI, MRS. MARCY. +GENOVESE, ANGERE. + +HART, MRS. ESTHER. +HART, EVA. +HARRIS, GEORGE. +HEWLETT, MRS. MARY. +HEBBER, MISS S. +HOFFMAN, LOLA. +HOFFMAN, LOUIS. +HARPER, NINA. +HOLD, STEPHEN. +HOLD, MRS. ANNA. +HOSONO, MASABTJMI. +HOCKING, MR. AND MRS. GEORGE. +HOCKING, MISS NELLIE. +HERMAN, MRS. JANE, 2 daughters +HEALY, NORA. +HANSON, JENNIE. +HAMATAINEN, W. +HAMATAINEN, ANNA. +HARNLIN, ANNA, and Chjld + +ILETT, BERTHA. + +JACKSON, MRS. AMY. +JULIET, LlnVCHE. +JERWAN, MARY. +JUHON, PODRO. +JACOBSON, MRS. + +KEANE, MISS NORA H. +KELLY, MRS. F. +KANTAR, MRS. S. + +LEITCH, JESSIE. +LAROCHE, MRS. AND MISS SIMMONE. + +LIST OF SURVIVORS--SECOND CABIN (CONTINITED) + +LAROCHE, MISS LOUISE. +LEHMAN, BERTHA. +LAUCH, MRS. ALEX. +LANIORE, AMELIA. +LYSTROM, MRS. C. + +MELLINGER, ELIZABETH. +MELLINGER, child. +MARSHALL, MRS. KATE. +MALLETT, A. +MALLETT, MRS. and child. +MANGE, PAULA. +MARE, MRS. FLORENCE. +MELLOR, W. J. +McDEARMONT, MISS LELA. +McGOWAN, ANNA. + +NYE, ELTZABETB. +NASSER, MRS. DELIA. +NUSSA, MRS. A. + +OXENHAM, PEBCY J. + +PHILLIPS, ALICE. +PALLAS, EMILIO. +PADRO, JITLIAN. +PRINSKY, ROSA. +PORTALTTPPI, EMILIO. +PARSH, MRS. L. +PLETT, B. + +QUICK, MRS. JANE. +QUICK, MRS. VERA W. +QUICK, MISS PHYLLIS. + +REINARDO, MISS E. +RIDSDALE, LUCY. +RENOUF, MRS. LILY. +RUGG, MISS EMILY. +RICHARDS, M. +ROGERS, MISS SELINA. +RICHARDS, MRS. EMILIA, two boys, and + MR. RICHARDS, JR. + +SIMPSON, MISS. +SINCOCK, MISS MAUDE. +SINKKONNEN, ANNA. +SMITH, MISS MARION. +SILVEN, LYLLE. + +TRANT, MRS J. +TOOMEY, MISS. E. +TROUTT, MISS E. +TROUTT, MISS CECELIA. + +WARE, MISS H. +WATTER, MISS N. +WILHELM, CB AS. +WAT, MRS. A., and two children. +WILLIAMS, RICBARD M., JR. +WEISZ, MATBILDE. +WEBBER, MISS SIJSDD. +WRIGHT, MISS MARION. +WATT, MISS BESSIE. +WATT, MISS BEKTHA. +WEST, MRS. E. A. +WEST, MISS CONSTANCE. +WEST, MISS BARBARA. +WELLS, ADDIE. +WELLS, MASTER. + + + +A list of surviving third cabin passengers and crew is omitted owing to the impossibility +of obtaining the correct names of many. + +ROLL OF THE DEAD +FIRST CABIN + +ALLISON, H. J. +ALLISON, MRS., and maid. +ALLISON, MISS. +ANDREWS, THOMAS. +ARTAGAVEYTIA, MR. RAMON. +ASTOR, COL. J. J., and servant. +ANDERSON, WALKER. + +ROLL OF THE DEAD--FIRST CABIN (CONTINUED) + +BEATTIE, T. +BRANDEIS, E. +BVCKNELL, MRS. WlLLIAM, maid of. +BAHMANN, J. +BAXTER, MR. AND MRS. QUIGG. +BJORNSTROM, H. +BIRNBAHM, JACOB. +BLACKWELL, S. W. +BOREBANK, J. J. +BOWEN, MISS. +BRADY, JOHN B. +BREWE, ARLBLIR J. +BUTT, MAJOR A. + +CLARK, WALTER M. +CLLFFORD, GEORGE Q. +COLLEY, E. P. +CARDEZA, T. D. M., servant of. +CARDEZA, MRS. J. W., maid of. +CARLSON, FRANK. +CORRAN, F. M. +CORRAN, J. P. +CHAFEE, MR. H. I. +CHISHOLM, ROBERT. +COMPTON, A. T. +CRAFTON, JOHN B. +CROSBY, EDWARD G. +CUMMINGS, JOBN BRADLEY. + +DULLES, WILLIAM C. +DOUGLAS, W. D. +DOUGLAS, MASTER R., nurse of. + +EVANS, MISS E. + +FORTUNE, MARK. +FOREMAN, B. L. +FORTUNE, CHARLES. +FRANKLIN, T. P. +FUTRELLE, J. + +GEE, ARTHUR. +GOLDENBERG, E. L. +GOLDSCHMIDT, G. B. +GIGLIO, VICTOR. +GUGGENHEIM, BENJAMIN, + +HAYS, CHARLES M. +HAYS, MRS. CHARLES, maid of. +HEAD, CHRISTOPITER. +HILLIARD, H. H. +HIPKINS, W. E. +HOGENHEIM, MRS. A. +HARRI3, HENRY B. +HARP, MR. AND MRS. CHARLES M. +HARP, MISS MARGARET, and maid. +HOLVERSON, A. M. + +ISLAM, MISS A. E. +ISMAY, J. BRUCE, servant of. + +JULIAN, H. F. +JONES, C. C. + +KENT, EDWARD A. +KENYON, MR. AND MRS. F. R. +KLABER, HERMAN. + +LAMBERTH, WILLIAM, F. F. +LAWRENCE, ARTHUR. +LONG, MILTON. +LEWY, E. G. +LOPING, J. H. +LINGREY, EDWARD. + +MAGUIRE, J. E. +McCAFFRY, T. +McCAFFRY, T., JR. +McCARTHY, T. +MIDDLETON, J. C. +MILLET, FRANK D. +MINAHAN, DR. +MEYER, EDGAR J. +MOLSON, H. M. +MOORE, C., servant. + +NATSCH, CHARLES. +NEWALL, MISS T. +NICHOLSON, A. S. + +OVIES, S. +OBNOUT, ALFRED T. + +ROLL OF THE DEAD--FIRST CABIN (CONTINUED) + +PARR, M. H. W. +PEARS, MR. AND MRS. THOMAS. +PENASCO, MR. AND MRS. VICTOR. +PARTNER, M. A. +PAYNE, Y. +POND, FLORENCE, and maid. +PORTER, WALTER. +PUFFER, C. C. + +REUCHLIN, J. +ROBERT, MRS. E., maid of. +ROEBLING, WASHINGTON A., 2d. +ROOD, HUGH R. +ROES, J. HUGO. +ROTHES, COUNTESS, maid of. +ROTHSCHILD, M. +ROWE, ARTHUR. +RYERSON, A. + +SILVEY, WILLIAM B. +SPEDDEN, MRS. F. O., maid of +SPENCER, W. A. +STEAD, W. T. +STEHLI, MR. AND MRS. MAX FBOLICHER. +STONE, MRS. GEORGE, maid of. +STRAUS, MR. AND MRS. ISIDOR. +SUTTON, FREDERICK. +SMART, JOHN M. +SMITH, CLINCH. +SMITET, R. W. +SMITH, L. P. + +TAUSSIC,, EMIL. +THAYER, MRS., maid of. +THAYER, JOHN B. +THORNE, G. + +VANDERHOOF, WYCKOFF. + +WALKER, W. A. +WARREN, F. M. +WHITE, PERCIVAL A. +WHITE, RICHARD F. +WIDENER, G. D. +WIDENER, HARRY. +WOOD, MR. AND MRS. FRANK P. +WEIR, J. +WILLIAMS, DUANE. +WRIGHT, GEORGE. + + +SECOND CABIN + +ABELSON, SAMSON. +ANDREW, FRANK. +ASHBY, JOHN. +ALDWORTH, C. +ANDREW, EDGAR. + +BRACKEN, JAMES H. +BROWN, MRS. +BANFIELD, FRED. +BRIGHT, NARL. +BRAILY, bandsman. +BREICOUX, bandsman. +BAILEY, PERCY. +BAINBRIDGE, C. R. +BYLES, THE REV. THOMAS. +BEAUCHAMP, H. J. +BERG, MISS E. +BENTHAN, I. +BATEMAN, ROBERT J. +BUTLER, REGINALD. +BOTSFORD, HULL. +BOWEENER, SOLOMON. +BERRIMAN, WILLIAM. + +CLARKE, CHARLES. +CLARK, bandsman. +COREY, MRS. C. P. +CARTER, THE REV. ERNEST. +CARTER, MRS. +COLERIDGE, REGINALD, +CHAPMAN, CHARLES. +CUNNINGHAM, ALFRED. +CAMPBELL, WILLIAM. +COLLYER, HARVEY. +CORBETT, MRS. IRENE. + +ROLL OF THE DEAD--SECOND CABIN (CONTINUED) + +CHAPMAN, JOHN E. +CHAPMAN, MRS. E. +COLANDER, ERIC. +COTTERILL, HARBY. + +DEACON, PERCY. +DAVIS, CHARLES. +DIBBEN, WILLIAM. +DE BRITO, JOSE. +DENBORNY, H. +DREW, JAMES. +DREW, MASTER M. +DAVID, MASTER J. W. +DOUNTON, W. J. +DEL VARLO, S. +DEL VARLO, MRS. + +ENANDER, INGVAR. +EITEMILLER, G. F. + +FROST, A. +FYNNERY, MR. +FAUNTHORPE, H. +FILLBROOK, C. +FUNK, ANNIE. +FAHLSTROM, A. +FOX, STANLEY W. + +GREENBERG, S. +GILES, RALPH. +GASKELL, ALFRED. +GILLESPIE, WILLIAM. +GILBERT, WILLIAM. +GALL, S. +GLLL, JOHN. +GILES, EDGAR. +GILES, FRED. +GALE, HARRY. +GALE, PHADRUCH. +GARVEY, LAWRENCE, + +HICKMAN, LEONARD. +HICKMAN, LENVIS. +HUME, bandsman. +HICKMAN, STANLEY. +HOOD, AMBROSE, +HODGES, HENRY P. +HART, BENJAMIN. +HARRIS, WALTER. +HARPER, JOHN. +HARBECK, W. H. +HOFFMAN, MR. +HERMAN, MRS. S. +HOWARD, B. +HOWARD, MRS. E. T. +HALE, REGINALD. +HILTUNEN, M. +HUNT, GEORGE. + +JACOBSON, MR. +JACOBSON, SYDNEY. +JEFFERY, CLIFFORD. +JEFFERY, ERNEST. +JENKIN, STEPHEN. +JARVIS, JOHN D. + +KEANE, DANIEL. +KIRKLAND, REV. C. +KARNES, MRS. F. G. +KEYNALDO, MISS. +KRILLNER, J. H. +KRINS, bandsman. +KARINES, MRS. +KANTAR, SELNA. +KNIGHT, R. + +LENGAM, JOHN. +LEVY, R. J. +LAHTIMAN, WILLIAM. +LAUCH, CHARLES. +LEYSON, R. W. N. +LAROCHE, JOSEPH. +LAMB, J. J + +McKANE, PETER. +MILLING, JACOB. +MANTOILA, JOSEPEI, +MALACHARD, NOLL. +MORAWECK, DR. + +ROLL OF THE DEAD--SECOND CABIN (CONTINUED) + +MANGIOVACCHI, E. +McCRAE, ARTHUR G. +McCRIE, JAMES M. +McKANE, PETER D. +MUDD, THOMAS. +MACK, MRS. MARY. +MARSHALL, HENRY. +MAYBERG, FRANK H. +MEYER, AUGUST. +MYLES, THOMAS. +MITCHELL, HENRY. +MATTHEWS, W. J. + +NESSEN, ISRAEL. +NICHOLLS, JOSEPH C. +NORMAN, ROBERT D. + +OTTER, RICHARD. + +PHILLIPS, ROBERT. +PONESELL, MARTIN. +PAIN, DB. ALFRED. +PARKES, FRANK. +PENGELLY, F. +PERNOT, RENE. +PERUSCHITZ, REV. +PARKER, CLIFFORD. +PULBAUM, FRANK + +RENOUF, PETER H. +ROGERS, HARRY. +REEVES, DAVID. + +SLEMEN, R. J. +SOBEY, HAYDEN. +SLATTER, MISS H. M. +STANTON, WARD. +SWORD, HANS K. +STOKES, PHILIP J. +SHARP, PERCIVAL. +SEDGWICK, MR. F. W. +SMITH, AUGUSTUS. +SWEET, GEORGE. +SJOSTEDT, ERNST. + +TAYLOR, bandsman. +TURPIN, WILLIAM J. +TURPIN, MRS. DOROTHY. +TURNER, JOHN H. +TROUPIANSKY, M. +TIRVAN, MRS. A. + +VEALE, JAMES. + +WATSON, E. +WOODWARD, bandsman. +WARE, WILLIAM J. +WEISZ, LEOPOLD. +WHEADON, EDWARD. +WARE, JOHN J. +WEST, E. ARTHUR. +WHEELER, EDWIN. +WERMAN, SAMUEL. + +The total death list was 1635. Third cabin passengers and crew are not included +in the list here given owing to the impossibility of obtaining the exact names of many. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE STORY OF CHARLES F. HURD + +HOW THE TITANIC SANK--WATER STREWN WITH DEAD BODIES +--VICTIMS MET DEATH WITH HYMN ON THEIR LIPS + +THE Story of how the Titanic sank is told by Charles +F. Hurd, who was a passenger on the Carpathia. + +He praised highly the courage of the crew, hundreds +of whom gave their lives with a heroism which equaled +but could not exceed that of John Jacob Astor, Henry B. +Harris, Jacques Futrelle and others in the long list of first- +cabin passengers. The account continues: + +"The crash against the iceberg, which had been sighted +at only a quarter mile distance, came almost simultaneously +with the click of the levers operated from the bridge, which +stopped the engines and closed the water-tight doors. Captain +Smith was on the bridge a moment later, summoning all on +board to put on life preservers and ordering the life-boats +lowered. + +"The first boats had more male passengers, as the men +were the first to reach the deck. When the rush of frightened +men and women and crying children to the decks began, the +`women first' rule was rigidly enforced. + +"Officers drew revolvers, but in most cases there was no +use for them. Revolver shots heard shortly before the Titanic +went down caused many rumors, one that Captain Smith +had shot himself, another that First Officer Murdock had +ended his life, but members of the crew discredit these rumors. + +"Captain Smith was last seen on the bridge just before the +ship sank, leaping only after the decks had been washed +away. + +"What became of the men with the life-preservers was a +question asked by many since the disaster. Many of these +with life-preservers were seen to go down despite the preservers, +and dead bodies floated on the surface as the boats moved +away. + +"Facts which I have established by inquiries on the Carpathia, +as positively as they could be established in view of the +silence of the few surviving officers, are: + +"That the Titanic's officers knew, several hours before the +crash, of the possible nearness of the icebergs. + +"That the Titanic's speed, nearly 23 knots an hour, was +not slackened. + +"That the number of life-boats on the Titanic was insufficient +to accommodate more than one-third of the passengers, +to say nothing of the crew. Most members of the crew say +there were sixteen life-boats and two collapsibles; none say +there were more than twenty boats in all. The 700 escaped +filled most of the sixteen life-boats and the one collapsible +which got away, to the limit of their capacity. + +"Had the ship struck the iceberg head on at whatever + + +{illust. caption = MRS. GEORGE D. WIDENER + +Mrs. Widener was saved,....} + +{illust. caption = George D. WIDENER + +Who with his son....} + + +{illust. caption = Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. +WILLIAM T. STEAD + +The great English writer, who was a passenger on board the ill-fated +White Star Line Steamer Titanic.} + + +speed and with whatever resulting shock, the bulkhead system +of water-tight compartments would probably have saved the +vessel. As one man expressed it, it was the impossible that +happened when, with a shock unbelievably mild, the ship's +side was torn for a length which made the bulkhead system +ineffective." + +After telling of the shock and the lowering of the boats +the account continues: + +"Some of the boats, crowded too full to give rowers a +chance, drifted for a time. Few had provisions or water, +there was lack of covering from the icy air, and the only +lights were the still undimmed arcs and incandescents of the +settling ship, save for one of the first boats. There a steward, +who explained to the passengers that he had been shipwrecked +twice before, appeared carrying three oranges and +a green light. + +"That green light, many of the survivors say, was to the +shipwrecked hundreds as the pillar of fire by night. Long +after the ship had disappeared, and while confusing false +lights danced about the boats, the green lantern kept them +together on the course which led them to the Carpathia. + +"As the end of the Titanic became manifestly but a matter +of moments, the oarsmen pulled their boats away, and the +chilling waters began to echo splash after splash as passengers +and sailors in life-preservers leaped over and started +swimming away to escape the expected suction. + +"Only the hardiest of constitutions could endure for more +than a few moments such a numbing bath. The first vigor- +ous strokes gave way to heart-breaking cries of `Help! Help!' +and stiffened forms were seen floating on the water all +around us. + +"Led by the green light, under the light of the stars, the +boats drew away, and the bow, then the quarter, then the +stacks and at last the stern of the marvel-ship of a few days +before, passed beneath the waters. The great force of the +ship's sinking was unaided by any violence of the elements, +and the suction, not so great as had been feared, rocked but +mildly the group of boats now a quarter of a mile distant +from it. + +"Early dawn brought no ship, but not long after 5 A. M. +the Carpathia, far out of her path and making eighteen knots, +instead of her wonted fifteen, showed her single red and black +smokestack upon the horizon. In the joy of that moment, +the heaviest griefs were forgotten. + +"Soon afterward Captain Rostron and Chief Steward +Hughes were welcoming the chilled and bedraggled arrivals +over the Carpathia's side. + +"Terrible as were the San Francisco, Slocum and Iroquois +disasters, they shrink to local events in comparison with this +world-catastrophe. + +"True, there were others of greater qualifications and +longer experience than I nearer the tragedy--but they, by +every token of likelihood, have become a part of the tragedy. +The honored--must I say the lamented--Stead, the adroit +Jacques Futrelle, what might they not tell were their hands +able to hold pencil? + +"The silence of the Carpathia's engines, the piercing cold, +the clamor of many voices in the companionways, caused me +to dress hurriedly and awaken my wife, at 5.40 A. M. Monday. +Our stewardess, meeting me outside, pointed to a +wailing host in the rear dining room and said. `From the +Titanic. She's at the bottom of the ocean.' + +"At the ship's side, a moment later, I saw the last of the +line of boats discharge their loads, and saw women, some +with cheap shawls about their heads, some with the costliest +of fur cloaks, ascending the ship's side. And such joy as the +first sight of our ship may have given them had disappeared +from their faces, and there were tears and signs of faltering +as the women were helped up the ladders or hoisted aboard +in swings. For lack of room to put them, several of the +Titanic's boats, after unloading, were set adrift. + +"At our north was a broad ice field, the length of hundreds +of Carpathias. Around us on other sides were sharp and +glistening peaks. One black berg, seen about 10 A. M., was +said to be that which sunk the Titanic." + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THRILLING ACCOUNT BY L. BEASLEY + +COLLISION ONLY A SLIGHT JAR--PASSENGERS COULD NOT +BELIEVE THE VESSEL DOOMED--NARROW ESCAPE OF LIFE- +BOATS--PICKED UP BY THE CARPATHIA + +AMONG the most connected and interesting stories +related by the survivors was the one told by L. Beasley, +of Cambridge, England. He said: + +"The voyage from Queenstown had been quite uneventful; +very fine weather was experienced, and the sea was quite +calm. The wind had been westerly to southwesterly the +whole way, but very cold, particularly the last day; in fact +after dinner on Saturday evening it was almost too cold to +be out on deck at all. + + +ONLY A SLIGHT JAR + +"I had been in my berth for about ten minutes, when, +at about 11.15 P. M., I felt a slight jar, and then soon after a +second one, but not sufficiently violent to cause any anxiety +to anyone, however nervous they may have been. However, +the engines stopped immediately afterward, and my first, +thought was, `She has lost a propeller.' + +"I went up on the top (boat) deck in a dressing gown, +and found only a few persons there, who had come up similarly +to inquire why we had stopped, but there was no sort of +anxiety in the minds of anyone. + +"We saw through the smoking room window a game of +cards going on, and went in to inquire if they knew anything; +it seems they felt more of the jar, and, looking through the +window, had seen a huge iceberg go by close to the side of +the boat. They thought we had just grazed it with a glancing +blow, and that the engines had been stopped to see if +any damage had been done. No one, of course, had any +conception that the vessel had been pierced below by part +of the submerged iceberg. + +"The game went on without any thought of disaster and +I retired to my cabin, to read until we went on again. I +never saw any of the players or the onlookers again. + + +SOME WERE AWAKENED + +"A little later, hearing people going upstairs, I went out +again and found everyone wanting to know why the engines +had stopped. No doubt many were awakened from sleep +by the sudden stopping of a vibration to which they had +become accustomed during the four days we had been on +board. Naturally, with such powerful engines as the +Titanic carried, the vibration was very noticeable all the time, +and the sudden stopping had something the same effect as +the stopping of a loud-ticking grandfather's clock in a +room. + +"On going on deck again I saw that there was an undoubted +list downward from stern to bows, but, knowing nothing of +what had happened, concluded some of the front compartments +had filled and weighed her down. I went down again to put +on warmer clothing, and as I dressed heard an order shouted, +`All passengers on deck with life-belts on.' + +"We all walked slowly up, with the belts tied on over our +clothing, but even then presumed this was only a wise precaution +the captain was taking, and that we should return +in a short time and retire to bed. + +"There was a total absence of any panic or any expressions +of alarm, and I suppose this can be accounted for by the +exceedingly calm night and the absence of any signs of the +accident. + +"The ship was absolutely still, and except for a gentle +tilt downward, which I don't think one person in ten would +have noticed at that time, no signs of the approaching disaster +were visible. She lay just as if she were waiting the order +to go on again when some trifling matter had been adjusted. + +"But in a few moments we saw the covers lifted from the +boats and the crews allotted to them standing by and coiling +up the ropes which were to lower them by the pulley blocks +into the water. + +"We then began to realize it was more serious than had been +supposed, and my first thought was to go down and get some +more clothing and some money, but, seeing people pouring +up the stairs, decided it was better to cause no confusion to +people coming up. Presently we heard the order: + +" `All men stand back away from the boats, and all ladies +retire to next deck below'--the smoking-room deck or B deck. + + +MEN STOOD BACK + +"The men all stood away and remained in absolute silence +leaning against the end railings of the deck or pacing slowly +up and down. + +"The boats were swung out and lowered from A deck. +When they were to the level of B deck, where all the women +were collected, they got in quietly, with the exception of some +who refused to leave their husbands. + +"In some cases they were torn from them and pushed into +the boats, but in many instances they were allowed to remain +because there was no one to insist they should go. + +"Looking over the side, one saw boats from aft already in +the water, slipping quietly away into the darkness, and +presently the boats near me were lowered, and with much +creaking as the new ropes slipped through the pulley blocks +down the ninety feet which separated them from the water. +An officer in uniform came up as one boat went down and +shouted, "When you are afloat row round to the companion +ladder and stand by with the other boats for orders.' + +" `Aye, aye, sir,' came up the reply; but I don't think +any boat was able to obey the order. When they were afloat +and had the oars at work, the condition of the rapidly settling +boat was so much more a sight for alarm for those in the boats +than those on board, that in common prudence the sailors saw +they could do nothing but row from the sinking ship to save +at any rate some lives. They no doubt anticipated that +suction from such an enormous vessel would be more dangerous +than usual to a crowded boat mostly filled with women. + +"All this time there was no trace of any disorder; no panic +or rush to the boats and no scenes of women sobbing hysterically, +such as one generally pictures as happening at such +times everyone seemed to realize so slowly that there was +imminent danger. When it was realized that we might all +be presently in the sea with nothing but our life-belts to +support us until we were picked up by passing steamers, it +was extraordinary how calm everyone was and how completely +self-controlled. + +"One by one, the boats were filled with women and children, +lowered and rowed away into the night. Presently the word +went round among the men, `the men are to be put in boats +on the starboard side.' + +"I was on the port side, and most of the men walked across +the deck to see if this was so I remained where I was and +soon heard the call: + +" `Any more ladies?' + +"Looking over the side of the ship, I saw the boat, No. 13, +swinging level with B deck, half full of ladies. Again the +call was repeated, `Any more ladies?' + +"I saw none come on, and then one of the crew, looking up, +said: + +" `Any more ladies on your deck, sir?' + +" `No,' I replied. + +" `Then you had better jump.' + +"I dropped in, and fell in the bottom, as they cried `lower +away.' As the boat began to descend two ladies were pushed +hurriedly through the crowd on B deck and heaved over into +the boat, and a baby of ten months passed down after them. +Down we went, the crew calling to those lowering each end +to `keep her level,' until we were some ten feet from the water, +and here occurred the only anxious moment we had during +the whole of our experience from leaving the deck to reaching +the Carpathia. + +"Immediately below our boat was the exhaust of the condensers, +a huge stream of water pouring all the time from the +ship's side just above the water line. It was plain we ought +to be quickly away from this, not to be swamped by it when +we touched water. + + +NO OFFICER ABOARD + +"We had no officer aboard, nor petty officer or member of +the crew to take charge. So one of the stokers shouted: +`Someone find the pin which releases the boat from the ropes +and pull it up!' No one knew where it was. We felt on +the floor and sides, but found nothing, and it was hard to +move among so many people--we had sixty or seventy on +board. + +"Down we went and presently floated, with our ropes still +holding us, the exhaust washing us away from the side of +the vessel and the swell of the sea urging us back against the +side again. The result of all these forces was an impetus +which carried us parallel to the ship's side and directly under +boat 14, which had filled rapidly with men and was coming +down on us in a way that threatened to submerge our boat. + +" `Stop lowering 14,' our crew shouted, and the crew of +No. 14, now only twenty feet above, shouted the same. But +the distance to the top was some seventy feet and the creaking +pulleys must have deadened all sound to those above, for +down she came, fifteen feet, ten feet, five feet and a stoker +and I reached up and touched her swinging above our heads. +The next drop would have brought her on our heads, but just +before she dropped another stoker sprang to the ropes, with +his knife. + + +JUST ESCAPED ANOTHER BOAT + +" `One,' I heard him say, `two,' as his knife cut through the +pulley ropes, and the next moment the exhaust stream had +carried us clear, while boat 14 dropped into the water, into +the space we had the moment before occupied, our gunwales +almost touching. + +"We drifted away easily, as the oars were got out, and +headed directly away from the ship. The crew seemed to +me to be mostly stewards or cooks in white jackets, two to +an oar, with a stoker at the tiller. There was a certain +amount of shouting from one end of the boat to the other, +and discussion as to which way we should go, but finally it +was decided to elect the stoker, who was steering, as captain, +and for all to obey his orders. He set to work at once to get +into touch with the other boats, calling to them and getting +as close as seemed wise, so that when the search boats came +in the morning to look for us, there would be more chance +for all to be rescued by keeping together. + +"It was now about 1 A. M.; a beautiful starlight night, with +no moon, and so not very light. The sea was as calm as a +pond, just a gentle heave as the boat dipped up and down +in the swell; an ideal night, except for the bitter cold, for +anyone who had to be out in the middle of the Atlantic +ocean in an open boat. And if ever there was a time when +such a night was needed, surely it was now, with hundreds +of people, mostly women and children, afloat hundreds of +miles from land. + + +WATCHED THE TITANIC + +"The captain-stoker told us that he had been at sea twenty- +six years, and had never yet seen such a calm night on the +Atlantic. As we rowed away from the Titanic, we looked +back from time to time to watch her, and a more striking +spectacle it was not possible for anyone to see. + +"In the distance it looked an enormous length, its great +bulk outlined in black against the starry sky, every port-hole +and saloon blazing with light. It was impossible to think +anything could be wrong with such a leviathan, were it not +for that ominous tilt downward in the bows, where the water +was by now up to the lowest row of port-holes. + +"Presently, about 2 A. M., as near as I can remember, we +observed it settling very rapidly, with the bows and the +bridge completely under water, and concluded it was now +only a question of minutes before it went; and so it proved." + +Mr. Beasley went on to tell of the spectacle of the sinking +of the Titanic, the terrible experiences of the survivors in +the life-boats and their final rescue by the Carpathia as already +related. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +JACK THAYER'S OWN STORY OF THE WRECK + +SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD OFFICIAL +TELLS MOVING STORY OF HIS RESCUE--TOLD MOTHER TO +BE BRAVE--SEPARATED FROM PARENTS--JUMPED WHEN +VESSEL SANK--DRIFTED ON OVERTURNED BOAT PICKED UP +BY CARPATHIA + +ONE of the calmest of the passengers was: young Jack +Thayer, the seventeen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. +John B. Thayer. When his mother was put into +the life-boat he kissed her and told her to be brave, saying +that he and his father would be all right. He and Mr. Thayer +stood on the deck as the small boat in which Mrs. Thayer +was a passenger made off from the side of the Titanic over +the smooth sea. + +The boy's own account of his experience as told to one of +his rescuers is one of the most remarkable of all the wonderful +ones that have come from the tremendous catastrophe: + +"Father was in bed, and mother and myself were about +to get into bed. There was no great shock, I was on my +feet at the time and I do not think it was enough to throw +anyone down. I put on an overcoat and rushed up on A +deck on the port side. I saw nothing there. I then went +forward to the bow to see if I could see any signs of ice. The +only ice I saw was on the well deck. I could not see very +far ahead, having just come out of a brightly lighted room. + +"I then went down to our room and my father and mother +came on deck with me, to the starboard side of A deck. +We could not see anything there. Father thought he saw +small pieces of ice floating around, but I could not see any +myself. There was no big berg. We walked around to the +port side, and the ship had then a fair list to port. We stayed +there looking over the side for about five minutes. The list +seemed very slowly to be increasing. + +"We then went down to our rooms on C deck, all of us +dressing quickly, putting on all our clothes. We all put on +life-preservers, and over these we put our overcoats. Then +we hurried up on deck and walked around, looking out at +different places until the women were all ordered to collect +on the port side. + + +SEPARATED FROM PARENTS + +"Father and I said good-bye to mother at the top of the +stairs on A deck. She and the maid went right out on A +deck on the port side and we went to the starboard side. +As at this time we had no idea the boat would sink we walked +around A deck and then went to B deck. Then we thought +we would go back to see if mother had gotten off safely, and +went to the port side of A deck. We met the chief steward +of the main dining saloon and he told us that mother had +not yet taken a boat, and he took us to her. + +"Father and mother went ahead and I followed. They +went down to B deck and a crowd got in front of me and +I was not able to catch them, and lost sight of them. As +soon as I could get through the crowd I tried to find them +on B deck, but without success. That is the last time I +saw my father. This was about one half an hour before +she sank. I then went to the starboard side, thinking that +father and mother must have gotten off in a boat. All of +this time I was with a fellow named Milton C. Long, of +New York, whom I had just met that evening. + +"On the starboard side the boats were getting away quickly. +Some boats were already off in a distance. We thought of +getting into one of the boats, the last boat to go on the forward +part of the starboard side, but there seemed to be such +a crowd around I thought it unwise to make any attempt +to get into it. He and I stood by the davits of one of the +boats that had left. I did not notice anybody that I knew +except Mr. Lindley, whom I had also just met that evening. +I lost sight of him in a few minutes. Long and I then stood +by the rail just a little aft of the captain's bridge. + + +THOUGHT SHIP WOULD FLOAT + +"The list to the port had been growing greater all the time. +About this time the people began jumping from the stern. +I thought of jumping myself, but was afraid of being stunned +on hitting the water. Three times I made up my mind to +jump out and slide down the davit ropes and try to make the +boats that were lying off from the ship, but each time Long +got hold of me and told me to wait a while. He then sat down +and I stood up waiting to see what would happen. Even +then we thought she might possibly stay afloat. + +"I got a sight on a rope between the davits and a star and +noticed that she was gradually sinking. About this time she +straightened up on an even keel and started to go down +fairly fast at an angle of about 30 degrees. As she started +to sink we left the davits and went back and stood by the rail +about even with the second funnel. + +"Long and myself said good-bye to each other and jumped +up on the rail. He put his legs over and held on a minute +and asked me if I was coming. I told him I would be with +him in a minute. He did not jump clear, but slid down the +side of the ship. I never saw him again. + +"About five seconds after he jumped I jumped out, feet +first. I was clear of the ship; went down, and as I came up +I was pushed away from the ship by some force. I came up +facing the ship, and one of the funnels seemed to be lifted off +and fell towards me about 15 yards away, with a mass of +sparks and steam coming out of it. I saw the ship in a sort +of a red glare, and it seemed to me that she broke in two just +in front of the third funnel. + +"This time I was sucked down, and as I came up I was +pushed out again and twisted around by a large wave, coming +up in the midst of a great deal of small wreckage. As I pushed +my hand from my head it touched the cork fender of an over- + + +{illust. caption = READING ROOM OF THE TITANIC} + +{illust. caption = Copyright, 1912. International News Service. +THE SENATORIAL INVESTIGATION--ISMAY ON THE GRILL + +J. Bruce Ismay, Managing Director of the........} + + +turned life-boat. I looked up and saw some men on the +top and asked them to give me a hand. One of them, who was +a stoker, helped me up. In a short time the bottom was covered +with about twenty-five or thirty men. When I got on +this I was facing the ship. + + + +{illust. caption = SKETCHES OF THE TITANIC BY "JACK" THAYER + +These sketches were outlined by John B. Thayer, Jr., on the day of the +disaster, and afterwards filled in by L. D. Skidmon, of Brooklyn.} + + + +"The stern then seemed to rise in the air and stopped at +about an angle of 60 degrees. It seemed to hold there for a +time and then with a hissing sound it shot right down out +of sight with people jumping from the stern. The stern +either pivoted around towards our boat, or we were sucked +towards it, and as we only had one oar we could not keep +away. There did not seem to be very much suction and most +of us managed to stay on the bottom of our boat. + +"We were then right in the midst of fairly large wreckage, +with people swimming all around us. The sea was very calm +and we kept the boat pretty steady, but every now and then +a wave would wash over it. + + +SAID THE LORD'S PRAYER + +"The assistant wireless operator was right next to me, holding +on to me and kneeling in the water. We all sang a hymn +and said the Lord's Prayer, and then waited for dawn to come. +As often as we saw the other boats in a distance we would +yell, `Ship ahoy!' But they could not distinguish our cries +from any of the others, so we all gave it up, thinking it useless. +It was very cold and none of us were able to move around to +keep warm, the water washing over her almost all the time. + +"Toward dawn the wind sprang up, roughening up the +water and making it difficult to keep the boat balanced. The +wireless man raised our hopes a great deal by telling us that +the Carpathia would be up in about three hours. About +3.30 or 4 o'clock some men on our boat on the bow sighted +her mast lights. I could not see them, as I was sitting down +with a man kneeling on my leg. He finally got up and I stood +up. We had the second officer, Mr. Lightoller, on board. +We had an officer's whistle and whistled for the boats in the +distance to come up and take us off. + +"It took about an hour and a half for the boats to draw +near. Two boats came up. The first took half and the other +took the balance, including myself. We had great difficulty +about this time in balancing the boat, as the men would +lean too far, but we were all taken aboard the already crowded +boat, and in about a half or three-quarters of an hour later +we were picked up by the Carpathia. + +"I have noticed Second Officer Lightoller's statement that +`J. B. Thayer was on our overturned boat,' which would give +the impression that it was father, when he really meant it was +I, as he only learned my name in a subsequent conversation +on the Carpathia, and did not know I was `junior'." + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +INCIDENTS RELATED BY JAMES McGOUGH + +WOMEN FORCED INTO THE LIFE-BOATS--WHY SOME MEN +WERE SAVED BEFORE WOMEN--ASKED TO MAN LIFE- +BOATS + +SURROUNDED by his wife and members of his family, +James McGough, of Philadelphia, a buyer for the Gimbel +Brothers, whose fate had been in doubt, recited a +most thrilling and graphic picture of the disaster. + +As the Carpathia docked, Mrs. McGough, a brother and +several friends of the buyer, met him, and after the touching +reunion had taken place the party proceeded to Philadelphia. + +Vivid in detail, Mr. McGough's story differs essentially +from one the imagination would paint. He declared that the +boat was driving at a high rate of speed at the time of the +accident, and seemed impressed by the calmness and apathy +displayed by the survivors as they tossed on the frozen seas +in the little life-boats until the Carpathia picked them up. + +The Titanic did not plunge into the water suddenly, he +declared, but settled slowly into the deep with its hundreds of +passengers. + +"The collision occurred at 20 minutes of 12," said Mr. +McGough. "I was sleeping in my cabin when I felt a wrench, +not severe or terrifying. + +"It seemed to me to be nothing more serious than the +racing of the screw, which often occurs when a ship plunges +her bow deep into a heavy swell, raising the stern out of water. +We dressed hurriedly and ran to the upper deck. There was +little noise or tumult at the time. + +"The promenade decks being higher from the base of the +ship and thus more insecure, strained and creaked; so we went +to the lower decks. By this time the engines had been reversed, +and I could feel the ship backing off. Officers and +stewards ran through the corridors, shouting for all to be calm, +that there was no danger. We were warned, however, to dress +and put life-preservers on us. I had on what clothing I +could find and had stuffed some money in my pocket. + + +PARTING OF ASTOR AND BRIDE + +"As I passed the gymnasium I saw Colonel Astor and his +young wife together. She was clinging to him, piteously +pleading that he go into the life-boat with her. He refused +almost gruffly and was attempting to calm her by saying that +all her fears were groundless, that the accident she feared +would prove a farce. It proved different, however. + +"None, I believe, knew that the ship was about to sink. +I did not realize it just then. When I reached the upper +deck and saw tons of ice piled upon our crushed bow the full +realization came to me. + +"Officers stood with drawn guns ordering the women into +the boats. All feared to leave the comparative safety of a +broad and firm deck for the precarious smaller boats. Women +clung to their husbands, crying that they would never leave +without them, and had to be torn away. + +"On one point all the women were firm. They would not +enter a Life-boat until men were in it first. They feared to +trust themselves to the seas in them. It required courage to +step into the frail crafts as they swung from the creaking +davits. Few men were willing to take the chance. An officer +rushed behind me and shouted: + +" `You're big enough to pull an oar. Jump into this boat +or we'll never be able to get the women off.' I was forced to +do so, though I admit that the ship looked a great deal safer +to me than any small boat. + +"Our boat was the second off. Forty or more persons were +crowded into it, and with myself and members of the crew at +the oars, were pulled slowly away. Huge icebergs, larger than +the Pennsylvania depot at New York, surrounded us. As we +pulled away we could see boat after boat filled and lowered +to the waves. Despite the fact that they were new and supposedly +in excellent working order, the blocks jammed in +many instances, tilting the boats, loaded with people, at +varying angles before they reached the water. + + +BAND CONTINUED PLAYING + +"As the life-boats pulled away the officers ordered the bands +to play, and their music did much to quell panic. It was a +heart-breaking sight to us tossing in an eggshell three-fourths +of a mile away, to see the great ship go down. First she listed +to the starboard, on which side the collision had occurred, then +she settled slowly but steadily, without hope of remaining +afloat. + +"The Titanic was all aglow with lights as if for a function. +First we saw the lights of the lower deck snuffed out. A +while later and the second deck illumination was extinguished +in a similar manner. Then the third and upper decks were +darkened, and without plunging or rocking the great ship +disappeared slowly from the surface of the sea. + +"People were crowded on each deck as it lowered into the +water, hoping in vain that aid would come in time. Some of +the life-boats caught in the merciless suction were swallowed +with her. + +"The sea was calm--calm as the water in a tumbler. But +it was freezing cold. None had dressed heavily, and all, +therefore, suffered intensely. The women did not shriek or +grow hysterical while we waited through the awful night for +help. We men stood at the oars, stood because there was no +room for us to sit, and kept the boat headed into the swell to +prevent her capsizing. Another boat was at our side, but all +the others were scattered around the water. + +"Finally, shortly before 6 o'clock, we saw the lights of the +Carpathia approaching. Gradually she picked up the survivors +in the other boats and then approached us. When we +were lifted to the deck the women fell helpless. They were +carried to whatever quarters offered themselves, while the +men were assigned to the smoking room. + +"Of the misery and suffering which was witnessed on the +rescue ship I know nothing. With the other men survivors +I was glad to remain in the smoking room until New York +was reached, trying to forget the awful experience. + +"To us aboard the Carpathia came rumors of misstatements +which were being made to the public. The details of the wreck +were wofully misunderstood. + +"Let me emphasize that the night was not foggy or cloudy. +There was just the beginning of the new moon, but every star +in the sky was shining brightly, unmarred by clouds. The +boats were lowered from both sides of the Titanic in time to +escape, but there was not enough for all. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +WIRELESS OPERATOR PRAISES HEROIC WORK + +STORY OF HAROLD BRIDE, THE SURVIVING WIRELESS OPERATOR +OF THE TITANIC, WHO WAS WASHED OVERBOARD AND RESCUED +BY LIFE-BOAT--BAND PLAYED RAG-TIME AND "AUTUMN" + +ONE of the most connected and detailed accounts of +the horrible disaster was that told by Harold Bride, +the wireless operator. Mr. Bride said: + +"I was standing by Phillips, the chief operator, telling +him to go to bed, when the captain put his head in the cabin. + +" `We've struck an iceberg,' the captain said, `and I'm +having an inspection made to tell what it has done for us. +You better get ready to send out a call for assistance. But +don't send it until I tell you.' + +"The captain went away and in ten minutes, I should +estimate the time, he came back. We could hear a terrific +confusion outside, but there was not the least thing to indicate +that there was any trouble. The wireless was working +perfectly. + +" `Send the call for assistance,' ordered the captain, barely +putting his head in the door. + +" `What call shall I send?' Phillips asked. + +" `The regulation international call for help. Just that.' + +"Then the captain was gone Phillips began to send `C. +Q. D.' He flashed away at it and we joked while he did so. +All of us made light of the disaster. + +"The Carpathia answered our signal. We told her our +position and said we were sinking by the head. The operator +went to tell the captain, and in five minutes returned and told +us that the captain of the Carpathia, was putting about and +heading for us + + +GREAT SCRAMBLE ON DECK + +"Our captain had left us at this time and Phillips told +me to run and tell him what the Carpathia had answered. +I did so, and I went through an awful mass of people to his +cabin. The decks were full of scrambling men and women. +I saw no fighting, but I heard tell of it. + +"I came back and heard Phillips giving the Carpathia +fuller directions. Phillips told me to put on my clothes. +Until that moment I forgot that I was not dressed. + +"I went to my cabin and dressed. I brought an overcoat +to Phillips. It was very cold. I slipped the overcoat upon +him while he worked. + +"Every few minutes Phillips would send me to the captain +with little messages. They were merely telling how the +Carpathia was coming our way and gave her speed. + +"I noticed as I came back from one trip that they were +putting off women and children in life-boats. I noticed that +the list forward was increasing. + +"Phillips told me the wireless was growing weaker. The +captain came and told us our engine rooms were taking +water and that the dynamos might not last much longer. +We sent that word to the Carpathia. + +"I went out on deck and looked around. The water was +pretty close up to the boat deck. There was a great scramble +aft, and how poor Phillips worked through it right to the end +I don't know. + +"He was a brave man. I learned to love him that night +and I suddenly felt for him a great reverence to see him standing +there sticking to his work while everybody else was raging +about. I will never live to forget the work of Phillips for +the last awful fifteen minutes. + +"I thought it was about time to look about and see if there +was anything detached that would float. I remembered +that every member of the crew had a special life-belt and +ought to know where it was. I remembered mine was under +my bunk. I went and got it. Then I thought how cold +the water was. + +"I remembered I had an extra jacket and a pair of boots, +and I put them on. I saw Phillips standing out there +still sending away, giving the Carpathia details of just how +we were doing. + +"We picked up the Olympic and told her we were sinking +by the head and were about all down. As Phillips was sending +the message I strapped his life-belt to his back. I had +already put on his overcoat. Every minute was precious, so +I helped him all I could. + +BAND PLAYS IN RAG-TIME + +"From aft came the tunes of the band. It was a rag-time +tune, I don't know what. Then there was `Autumn.' Phillips +ran aft and that was the last I ever saw of him. + +"I went to the place where I had seen a collapsible boat on +the boat deck, and to my surprise I saw the boat and the men +still trying to push it off. I guess there wasn't a sailor in the +crowd. They couldn't do it. I went up to them and was just +lending a hand when a large wave came awash of the deck. + +"The big wave carried the boat off. I had hold of a row- +lock and I went off with it. The next I knew I was in the +boat. + +"But that was not all. I was in the boat and the boat was +upside down and I was under it. And I remember realizing +I was wet through, and that whatever happened I must not +breathe, for I was under water. + +"I knew I had to fight for it and I did. How I got out from +under the boat I do not know, but I felt a breath of air at last. + +"There were men all around me hundreds of them. The +sea was dotted with them, all depending on their life-belts. +I felt I simply had to get away from the ship. She was a +beautiful sight then. + +"Smoke and sparks were rushing out of her funnel, and there +must have been an explosion, but we had heard none. We only +saw the big stream of sparks. The ship was gradually turning +on her nose just like a duck does that goes down for a dive. +I had one thing on my mind--to get away from the suction. +The band was still playing, and I guess they all went down. + +"They were playing `Autumn' then. I swam with all my +might. I suppose I was 150 feet away when the Titanic, +on her nose, with her after-quarter sticking straight up in +the air, began to settle slowly. + +"When at last the waves washed over her rudder there +wasn't the least bit of suction I could feel. She must have +kept going just as slowly as she had been. + +"I forgot to mention that, besides the Olympic and Carpathia, +we spoke some German boat, I don't know which, +and told them how we were. We also spoke the Baltic. I +remembered those things as I began to figure what ships would +be coming toward us. + +"I felt, after a little while, like sinking. I was very cold. +I saw a boat of some kind near me and put all my strength +into an effort to swim to it. It was hard work. I was all +done when a hand reached out from the boat and pulled me +aboard. It was our same collapsible. + +"There was just room for me to roll on the edge. I lay there, +not caring what happened. Somebody sat on my legs; they +were wedged in between slats and were being wrenched. I +had not the heart left to ask the man to move. It was a terrible +sight all around--men swimming and sinking. + +"I lay where I was, letting the man wrench my feet out +of shape. Others came near. Nobody gave them a hand. +The bottom-up boat already had more men than it would +hold and it was sinking. + +"At first the larger waves splashed over my head and I had +to breathe when I could. + +"Some splendid people saved us. They had a right-side- +up boat, and it was full to its capacity. Yet they came to us +and loaded us all into it. I saw some lights off in the distance +and knew a steamship was coming to our aid. + +"I didn't care what happened. I just lay, and gasped when +I could and felt the pain in my feet. At last the Carpathia +was alongside and the people were being taken up a rope +ladder. Our boat drew near, and one b{y} one the men were +taken off of it. + +"The way the band kept playing was a noble thing. I +heard it first while we were working wireless, when there was a +rag-time tune for us, and the last I saw of the band, when I +was floating out in the sea, with my life-belt on, it was still +on deck playing `Autumn.' How they ever did it I cannot +imagine. + +"That and the way Phillips kept sending after the captain +told him his life was his own, and to look out for himself, are +two things that stand out in my mind over all the rest." + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +STORY OF THE STEWARD + +PASSENGERS AND CREW DYING WHEN TAKEN ABOARD CARPATHIA +--ONE WOMAN SAVED A DOG--ENGLISH COLONEL +SWAM FOR HOURS WHEN BOAT WITH MOTHER CAPSIZED + +SOME of the most thrilling incidents connected with the +rescue of the Titanic's survivors are told in the following +account given by a man trained to the sea, a +steward of the rescue ship Carpathia: + +"At midnight on Sunday, April 14th, I was promenading +the deck of the steamer Carpathia, bound for the Mediterranean +and three days out from New York, when an urgent +summons came to my room from the chief steward, E. Harry +Hughes. I then learned that the White Star liner Titanic, +the greatest ship afloat, had struck an iceberg and was in +serious difficulties. + +"We were then already steaming at our greatest power to +the scene of the disaster, Captain Rostron having immediately +given orders that every man of the crew should stand by to +exert his utmost efforts. Within a very few minutes every +preparation had been made to receive two or three thousand +persons. Blankets were placed ready, tables laid with hot +soups and coffee, bedding, etc., prepared, and hospital +supplies laid out ready to attend to any injured. + +"The men were then mustered in the saloon and addressed +by the chief steward. He told them of the disaster and +appealed to them in a few words to show the world what stuff +Britishers were made of, and to add a glorious page to the +history of the empire; and right well did the men respond +to the appeal. Every life-boat was manned and ready to be +launched at a moment's notice. Nothing further could be +done but anxiously wait and look out for the ship's distress +signal. + +"Our Marconi operator, whose unceasing efforts for many +hours deserve the greatest possible praise, was unable at +this time to get any reply to the urgent inquiries he was +sending out, and he feared the worst. + +"At last a blue flare was observed, to which we replied +with a rocket. Day was just dawning when we observed a +boat in the distance. + + +ICEBERG AND FIRST BOAT SIGHTED + +"Eastward on the horizon a huge iceberg, the cause of +the disaster, majestically reared two noble peaks to heaven. +Rope ladders were already lowered and we hove to near the +life-boat, which was now approaching us as rapidly as the +nearly exhausted efforts of the men at the oars could bring +her. + +"Under the command of our chief officer, who worked +indefatigably at the noble work of rescue, the survivors in + + +{illust. caption = +Above: MAIN STAIRWAY ON TITANIC. TOP E DECK +Below: SECOND LANDING. C DECK. GRAND STAIRWAY} + + +{illust. caption = MRS. JOHN B. THAYER + +Mrs. Thayer and her son were....} + + +{illust. caption = JOHN B. THAYER + +Second Vice-President of the...} + + +the boat were rapidly but carefully hauled aboard and given +into the hands of the medical staff under the organization +of Dr. McGee. + +"We then learned the terrible news that the gigantic vessel, +the unsinkable Titanic, had gone down one hour and ten +minutes after striking. + +"From this time onward life-boats continued to arrive at +frequent intervals. Every man of the Carpathia's crew was +unsparing in his efforts to assist, to tenderly comfort each +and every survivor. In all, sixteen boatloads were receives, +containing altogether 720 persons, many in simply their +night attire, others in evening dress, as if direct from an +after-dinner reception, or concert. Most conspicuous was +the coolness and self-possession, particularly of the women. + +"Pathetic and heartrending incidents were many. There +was not a man of the rescue party who was not moved almost +to tears. Women arrived and frantically rushed from one +gangway to another eagerly scanning the fresh arrivals in +the boats for a lost husband or brother. + + +A CAPSIZED BOAT + +"One boat arrived with the unconscious body of an English +colonel. He had been taking out his mother on a visit, +to three others of her sons. He had succeeded in getting +her away in one of the boats and he himself had found a +place in another. When but a few-yards from the ill-fated +ship the boat containing his mother capsized before his eyes. + +"Immediately he dived into the water and commenced a +frantic search for her. But in vain. Boat after boat endeavored +to take him aboard, but he refused to give up, continuing +to swim for nearly three hours until even his great +strength of body and mind gave out and he was hauled unconscious +into a passing boat and brought aboard the Carpathia. +The doctor gives little hope of his recovery. + +"There were, I understand, twelve newly married couples +aboard the big ship. The twelve brides have been saved, +but of the husbands all but one have perished. That one +would not have been here, had he not been urged to assist +in manning a life-boat. Think of the self-sacrifice of these +eleven heroes, who stood on the doomed vessel and parted +from their brides forever, knowing full well that a few brief +minutes would end all things for themselves. + +"Many similar pathetic incidents could be related. Sad- +eyed women roam aimlessly about the ship still looking +vainly for husband, brother or father. To comfort them is +impossible. All human efforts are being exerted on their +behalf. Their material needs are satisfied in every way. +But who can cure a broken heart? + + +SAVED HER POMERANIAN + +"One of the earliest boats to arrive was seen to contain a +woman tenderly clasping a pet Pomeranian. When assisted +to the rope ladder and while the rope was being fastened +around her she emphatically refused to give up for a second +the dog which was evidently so much to her. He is now +receiving as careful and tender attention as his mistress. + +"A survivor informs me that there was on the ship a lady +who was taking out a huge great Dane dog. When the +boats were rapidly filling she appeared on deck with her +canine companion and sadly entreated that he should be +taken off with her. It was impossible. Human lives, those +of women and children, were the first consideration. She +was urged to seize the opportunity to save her own life and +leave the dog. She refused to desert him and, I understand, +sacrificed her life with him. + +"One elderly lady was bewailing to a steward that she +had lost everything. He indignantly replied that she should +thank God her life was spared, never mind her replaceable +property. The reply was pathetic: + +" `I have lost everything--my husband,' and she broke +into uncontrollable grief. + + +FOUR BOATS ADRIFT HE SAYS + +"One incident that impressed me perhaps more than any +other was the burial on Tuesday afternoon of four of the +poor fellows who succeeded in safely getting away from the +doomed vessel only to perish later from exhaustion and +exposure as a result of their gallant efforts to bring to safety +the passengers placed in their charge in the life-boats. They +were: + +"W. H. Hoyte, Esq., first class passenger. + +"Abraham Hornner, third class passenger. + +"S. C. Siebert, steward. + +"P. Lyons, sailor. + +"The sailor and steward were unfortunately dead when +taken aboard. The passengers lived but a few minutes +after. They were treated with the greatest attention. The +funeral service was conducted amid profound silence and +attended by a large number of survivors and rescuers. The +bodies, covered by the national flag, were reverently consigned +to the mighty deep from which they had been, alas, vainly, +saved. + +"Most gratifying to the officers and men of the Carpathia +is the constantly expressive appreciation of the survivors." + +He then told of the meeting of the survivors in the cabin +of the Carpathia and of the resolution adopted, a statement +of which has already been given in another chapter. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +HOW THE WORLD RECEIVED THE NEWS + +NATIONS PROSTRATE WITH GRIEF--MESSAGES FROM KINGS +AND CARDINALS--DISASTER STIRS WORLD TO NECESSITY +OF STRICTER REGULATIONS + +YOUNG and old, rich and poor were prostrated by the +news of the disaster. Even Wall Street was neglected. +Nor was the grief confined to America. European +nations felt the horror of the calamity and sent expressions of +sympathy. President Taft made public cablegrams received +from the King and Queen of England, and the King of Belgium, +conveying their sympathy to the American people in +the sorrows which have followed the Titanic disaster. The +President's responses to both messages were also made public. + +The following was the cablegram from King George, dated +at Sandringham: + + +"The Queen and I are anxious to assure you and the American +nation of the great sorrow which we experienced at +the terrible loss of life that has occurred among the American +citizens, as well as among my own subjects, by the foundering +of the Titanic. Our two countries are so intimately +allied by ties of friendship and brotherhood that any mis- +fortunes which affect the one must necessarily affect the +other, and on the present terrible occasion they are both +equally sufferers. + "GEORGE R. AND I." + + + +President Taft's reply was as follows: + + +"In the presence of the appalling disaster to the Titanic +the people of the two countries are brought into community +of grief through their common bereavement. The American +people share in the sorrow of their kinsmen beyond the sea. +On behalf of my countrymen I thank you for your sympathetic +message. + "WILLIAM H. TAFT." + + +The message from King Albert of Belgium was as follows: + + +"I beg Your Excellency to accept my deepest condolences +on the occasion of the frightful catastrophe to the Titanic, +which has caused such mourning in the American nation." + + +The President's acknowledgment follows: + + +"I deeply appreciate your sympathy with my fellow-countrymen +who have been stricken with affliction through the +disaster to the Titanic." + + +MESSAGE PROM SPAIN + +King Alfonso and Queen Victoria sent the following cablegram +to President Taft: + +"We have learned with profound grief of the catastrophe +to the Titanic, which has plunged the American nation in +mourning. We send you our sincerest condolence, and wish +to assure you and your nation of the sentiments of friendship +and sympathy we feel toward you." + + +A similar telegram was sent to the King of England. + +The many expressions of grief to reach President Taft +included one signed jointly by the three American Cardinals, +who were in New York attending the meeting of the trustees +of the Catholic University. It said: + +"TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: + +"The archbishops of the country, in joint session with the +trustees of the Catholic University of America, beg to offer +to the President of the United States their expression of their +profound grief at the awful loss of human lives attendant +upon the sinking of the steamship Titanic, and at the same +time to assure the relatives of the victims of this horrible disaster +of our deepest sympathy and condolence. + +"They wish also to attest hereby to the hope that the law- +makers of the country will see in this sad accident the obvious +necessity of legal provisions for greater security of ocean travel. + "JAMES CARDINAL GIBBONS," Archbishop of Baltimore. + "JOHN CARDINAL FARLEY," Archbishop of New York. + "WILLIAM CARDINAL O'CONNELL," Archbishop of Boston. + + +HOUSE ADJOURNED + +Formal tribute to the Titanic's dead was paid by the House +of Representatives when it adjourned for twenty-four hours. + +The prayer of the Rev. Henry N. Couden in opening the +House session was, in part: + + +"We thank Thee that though in the ordinary circumstances +of life selfishness and greed seem to be in the ascendancy, +yet in times of distress and peril, then it is that the nobility +of soul, the Godlike in man, asserts itself and makes heroes." + + +The flags on the White House and other Government +buildings throughout the country were at half-staff. + + +ROME MOURNED MAJOR BUTT + +A special telegram from Rome stated that one of the victims +most regretted was Major Butt, whose jovial, bright +character made many friends there. Besides autograph +letters from the Pope and Cardinal Merry del VaI{sic?} to President +Taft, the major had with him a signed photograph of the +Pontiff, given by him personally. + +Cardinal Merry del Val had several conversations with +Major Butt, who declared that the cardinal was "the first +gentleman of Europe." Shortly before he was leaving Rome, +regretting that he had not a signed picture of Cardinal Merry +del Val, Major Butt entrusted a friend to ask for one. The +cardinal willingly put an autograph dedication on a picture, +recalling their pleasant intercourse. + + +LONDON NEWSPAPERS CONDEMN LAXITY OF LAW + +British indignation, which is not easily excited, was aroused +over the knowledge that an antiquated law enables steamship +companies to fail to provide sufficient life-boats to accommodate +the passengers and crew of the largest liners in the event of +such a disaster as that which occurred to the Titanic. It will +be insisted that there be an investigation of the loss of life +in the Titanic and that the shortage of boats be gone into +thoroughly. + +The newspapers commented adversely on the lack of boats +and their views were emphasized by the knowledge that no +attempt has been made to change the regulations in the face +of the fact that the inadequacy of boats in such an emergency +was called to the attention of Parliament at the time of the +collision between the White Star liner Olympic and the cruiser +Hawke. It was pointed out at this time that German vessels, +much smaller in size than the Olympic, carried more boats +and also that these boats were of greater capacity. + +T. W. Moore, Secretary of the Merchant Service Guild, +when seen at the guild's rooms in Liverpool, said: + +"The Titanic disaster is an example, on a colossal scale, +of the pernicious and supine system of officials, as represented +by the Board of Trade. Modern liners are so designed that +they have no accommodations for more life-boats. Among +practical seamen it has long been recognized that the modern +passenger ship has nothing like adequate boat capacity. + +"The Board of Trade has its own views, and the shipowners +also have their views, which are largely based upon the economical +factor. The naval architects have their opinions, +but the practical merchant seaman is not consulted. + +"The Titanic disaster is a complete substantiation of the +agitation that our guild has carried on for nearly twenty +years against the scheme that has precluded practical seamen +from being consulted with regard to boat capacity and +life-saving appliances. + + +HOUSE OF COMMONS INVESTIGATION + +Immediate and searching inquiry into the Titanic disaster +was promised on the floor of the House of Commons April +18th, by President Sidney Buxton, of the Board of Trade, +which controls all sea-going vessels. + +Buxton, in discussing the utterly inadequate life-saving +equipment of the big liner, declared that the committee of +the board in charge of life-saving precautions had recently +recommended increased life-boats, rafts and life-preservers +on all big ships, but that the requirements had been found +unsatisfactory and had not been put in force. He frankly +admitted the necessity for increased equipment without +delay. + +The board, he said, was utterly unable to compel the transatlantic +vessels to reduce their speed in the contest for "express +train" ships. He also said the board could not force +ships to take the southerly passage in the spring to avoid ice. + +The regulations under which the Titanic carried life-boat +accommodations for only about one-third of her passengers +and crew had not been revised by the committee since 1894. +At that time the regulations were made for ships of "10,000 +tons or more." The Titanic's tonnage was 45,000, for which +the present requirements are altogether insufficient. + +WORK OF RAISING RELIEF FUNDS PROMPT + +Several foreign governments telegraphed to the British +Government messages of condolence for the sufferers. The +King sent a donation of $2625 to the Mansion House fund. +Queen Mary donated $1310 and Queen Alexandra $1000 +to the same fund. + +Oscar Hammerstein proffered, and the lord mayor accepted, +the use of his opera house for an entertainment in aid of the +fund. + +The Shipping Federation donated $10,500 to the Mayor +of Southampton's fund, taking care to explain that the White +Star Line was not affiliated with the Federation. + +Some public institutions also offered to take care of the +orphaned children of the crew. + +Large firms contributed liberally to the various relief funds, +while Covent Garden and other leading theaters prepared +special performances to aid in the relief work. + + +INDIGNANT GERMANY DEMANDS REFORMS + +All Germany as well as England was stunned and grieved +by the magnitude of the horror of the Titanic catastrophe. +Anglo-German recriminations for the moment ceased, as far +as the Fatherland was concerned, and profound and sincere +compassion for the nation on whom the blow had fallen more +heavily was the supreme note of the hour. + +The Kaiser, with his characteristic promptitude, was one +of the first to communicate his sympathy by telegraph to +King George and to the White Star Line. Admiral Prince +Henry of Prussia did likewise, and the first act of the +Reichstag, after reassembling on Tuesday, was to pass a +standing vote of condolence with the British people in their +distress. + + +GERMAN LAWS ALSO INADEQUATE + +The German laws, governing the safety appliances on board +trans-oceanic vessels, seem to be as archaic and inadequate +as those of the British Board of Trade. The maximum +provision contained in the German statutes refers to vessels +with the capacity of 50,000 cubic metres, which must carry +sixteen life-boats. The law also says that if this number of +life-boats be insufficient to accommodate all the persons on +board, including the crew, there shall be carried elsewhere +in the vessel a correspondingly additional number of collapsible +life-boats, suitable rafts, floating deck-chairs and life-buoys, +as well as a generous supply of life-belts. + +A vessel of 10,000 tons was a "leviathan" in the days when +the German law was passed, and it appears to have undergone +no change to meet the conditions, imposed by the construction +of vessels twice or three times 10,000 tons, like the +Hamburg-American Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, or the North +German Lloyd George Washington, to say nothing of the +50,000-ton Imperator, which is to be added to the Hamburg +fleet next year. + +The German lines seem, like the White Star Company, to +have reckoned simply with the practical impossibility of a +ship like the Titanic succumbing to the elements + +PERSONAL ANXIETY + +Although Germany's and Berlin's direct interest in the +passengers aboard the Titanic was less than that of London, +New York or Paris, there was the utmost concern for their +fate. + +Ambassador Leishman and other members of the American +Embassy were particularly interested in hearing about Major +"Archie" Butt, who passed through Berlin, less than a month +before the disaster, en route from Russia and the Far East. +Vice-president John B. Thayer and family, of Philadelphia, +were also in Berlin a fortnight ago and were guests of the +American Consul General and Mrs. Thackara. A score of +other lesser known passengers had recently stayed in Berlin +hotels, and it was local friends or kinsmen of theirs who were +in a state of distressing unrest over their fate. + +Their anxiety was aggravated by the old-fogey methods of +the German newspapers, which are invariably twelve or fifteen +hours later than journals elsewhere in Europe on world news +events. Although New York, London and Paris had the +cruel truth with their morning papers on Tuesday, it was +not until the middle of the forenoon that "extras" made the +facts public in Berlin. + +William T. Stead was well and favorably known in Germany, +and his fate was keenly and particularly mourned. +Germans have also noted that many Americans of direct +Teutonic ancestry or origin were among the shining +marks in the death list. Colonel John Jacob Astor is claimed +as of German, extraction, as well as Isidor Straus, Benjamin +Guggenheim, Washington Roebling and Henry B. Harris. +All of them had been in Germany frequently and had a wide +circle of friends and acquaintances. + +Only one well-known resident of Berlin was aboard the +Titanic, Frau Antoinette Flegenheim, whose name appears +among the rescued. + + + +CHAPTER XX + +BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW + +ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER OF CAPTAIN E. J. SMITH--BRAVE TO THE +LAST--MAINTENANCE OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE--ACTS OF +HEROISM--ENGINEERS DIED AT POSTS--NOBLE-HEARTED +BAND + +IN the anxious hours of uncertainty, when the air cracked +and flashed with the story of disaster, there was never +doubt in the minds of men ashore about the master of +the Titanic. Captain Smith would bring his ship into port +if human power could mend the damage the sea had wrought, +or if human power could not stay the disaster he would never +come to port. There is something Calvinistic about such men +of the old-sea breed. They go down with their ships, of their +own choice. + +Into the last life-boat that was launched from the ship Captain +Smith with his own hand lifted a small child into a seat +beside its mother. As the gallant, officer performed his simple +act of humanity several who were already in the boat tried +to force the captain to join them, but he turned away resolutely +toward the bridge. + +That act was significant. Courteous, kindly, of quiet +demeanor and soft words, he was known and loved by thousands +of travelers. + +When the English firm, A. Gibson & Co.9 of Liverpool, +purchased the American clipper, Senator Weber, in 1869, +Captain Smith, then a boy, sailed on her. For seven years +he was an apprentice on the Senator Weber, leaving that vessel +to go to the Lizzie Fennell, a square rigger, as fourth officer. +From there he went to the old Celtic of the White Star Line +as fourth officer and in 1887 he became captain of that vessel. +For a time he was in command of the freighters Cufic and +Runic; then he became skipper of the old Adriatic. +Subsequently he assumed command of the Celtic, Britannic, +Coptic (which was in the Australian trade), Germanic, Baltic, +Majestic, Olympic and Titanic, an illustrious list of vessels +for one man to have commanded during his career. + +It was not easy to get Captain Smith to talk of his +experiences. He had grown up in the service, was his comment, +and it meant little to him that he had been transferred from a +small vessel to a big ship and then to a bigger ship and finally +to the biggest of them all. + +"One might think that a captain taken from a small ship +and put on a big one might feel the transition," he once said. +"Not at all. The skippers of the big vessels have grown up +to them, year after year, through all these years. First there +was the sailing vessel and then what we would now call small +ships--they were big in the days gone by--and finally the +giants to-day." + + +{illust. caption = VESSEL WITH BOTTOM OF HULL RIPPED OPEN + + +A view of the torpedo destroyer Tiger, taken in drydock after her +collision with the Portland Breakwater last September; the damage to the +Tiger, which is plainly shown in the photograph, is of the same character, +though on a smaller scale, as that which was done to the Titanic.} + + +{illust. caption = A VIEW OF THE OLYMPIC + +The sister-ship of the Titanic, showing the damage done to her hull in +the collision with British war vessel, Hawke, in the British Channel.} + + +DISASTER TO OLYMPIC + +Only once during all his long years of service was he in +trouble, when the Olympic, of which he was in command, was +rammed by the British cruiser Hawke in the Solent on September +20, 1911. The Hawke came steaming out of Portsmouth +and drew alongside the giantess. According to some +of the passengers on the Olympic the Hawke swerved in the +direction of the big liner and a moment later the bow of the +Hawke was crunching steel plates in the starboard quarter +of the Olympic, making a thirty-foot hole in her. She was +several months in dry dock. + +The result of a naval court inquiry was to put all the blame +for the collision on the Olympic. Captain Smith, in his testimony +before the naval court, said that he was on the bridge +when he saw the Hawke overhauling him. The Olympic +began to draw ahead later or the Hawke drop astern, the +captain did not know which. Then the cruiser turned very +swiftly and struck the Olympic at right angles on the quarter. +The pilot gave the signal for the Olympic to port, which was +to minimize the force of the collision. The Olympic's engines +had been stopped by order of the pilot. + +Up to the moment the Hawke swerved, Captain Smith +said, he had no anxiety. The pilot, Bowyer, corroborated +the testimony of Captain Smith. That the line did not believe +Captain Smith was at fault, notwithstanding the verdict of +the board of naval inquiry, was shown by his retention as the +admiral of the White Star fleet and by his being given the +command of the Titanic. + +Up to the time of the collision with the Hawke Captain +Smith when asked by interviewers to describe his experiences +at sea would say one word, "uneventful." Then he would +add with a smile and a twinkle of his eyes: + +"Of course there have been winter gales and storms and +fog and the like in the forty years I have been on the seas, but +I have never been in an accident worth speaking of. In all +my years at sea (he made this comment a few years ago) I +have seen but one vessel in distress. That was a brig the crew +of which was taken off in a boat by my third officer. I never +saw a wreck. I never have been wrecked. I have never been +in a predicament that threatened to end in disaster of any +sort." + + +THE CAPTAIN'S LOVE OF THE SEA + +Once the interviewer stopped asking personal questions, +Captain Smith would talk of the sea, of his love for it, how its +appeal to him as a boy had never died. + +"The love of the ocean that took me to sea as a boy has +never died." he once said. "When I see a vessel plunging up +and down in the trough of the sea, fighting her way through +and over great waves, and keeping her keel and going on and +on--the wonder of the thing fills me, how she can keep afloat +and get safely to port. I have never outgrown the wild +grandeur of the sea." + +When he was in command of the Adriatic, which was built +before the Olympic, Captain Smith said he did not believe a +disaster with loss of life could happen to the Adriatic. + +"I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to the +Adriatic," he said. "Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond +that. There will be bigger boats. The depth of harbors +seems to be the great drawback at present. I cannot say, of +course, just what the limit will be, but the larger boat will +surely come. But speed will not develop with size, so far as +merchantmen are concerned. + +"The traveling public prefers the large comfortable boat +of average speed, and anyway that is the boat that pays. +High speed eats up money mile by mile, and extreme high +speed is suicidal. There will be high speed boats for use as +transports and a wise government will assist steamship companies +in paying for them, as the English Government is now +doing in the cases of the Lusitania and Mauretania, twenty- +five knot boats; but no steamship company will put them out +merely as a commercial venture." + +Captain Smith believed the Titanic to be unsinkable. + + +BRAVE TO THE LAST + +And though the ship turned out to be sinkable, the captain, +by many acts of bravery in the face of death, proved that his +courage was equal to any test. + +Captain Inman Sealby, commander of the steamer Republic, +which was the first vessel to use the wireless telegraph to +save her passengers in a collision, spoke highly of the commander +of the wrecked Titanic, calling him one of the ablest +seamen in the world. + +"I am sure that Captain Smith did everything in his power +to save his passengers. The disaster is one about which he +could have had no warning. Things may happen at sea that +give no warning to ships' crews and commanders until the +harm comes. I believe from what I read that the Titanic hit +an iceberg and glanced off, but that the berg struck her from +the bottom and tore a great hole." + +Many survivors have mentioned the captain's name and +narrated some incident to bring out his courage and helpfulness +in the emergency; but it was left to a fireman on +board the Titanic to tell the story of his death and to record +his last message. This man had gone down with the White +Star giantess and was clinging to a piece of wreckage for +about half an hour before he finally joined several members of +the Titanic's company on the bottom of a boat which was +floating about among other wreckage near the Titanic. + +Harry Senior, the fireman, with his eight or nine companions +in distress, had just managed to get a firm hold in the +upturned boat when they saw the Titanic rearing preparatory +to her final plunge. At that moment, according to the fireman's +story, Captain Smith jumped into the sea from the +promenade deck of the Titanic with a little girl clutched in +his arms. It took only a few strokes to bring him to the +upturned boat, where a dozen hands were stretched out to take +the little child from his arms and drag him to a point of +safety. + +"Captain Smith was dragged onto the upturned boat," said +the fireman. "He had a life-buoy and a life-preserver. He +clung there for a moment and then he slid off again. For a +second time he was dragged from the icy water. Then he took +off his life-preserver, tossed the life-buoy on the inky waters, +and slipped into the water again with the words: "I will +follow the ship." + + +OTHER FAITHFUL MEN + +Nor was the captain the only faithful man on the ship. Of +the many stories told by survivors all seem to agree that both +officers and crew behaved with the utmost gallantry and that +they stuck by the ship nobly to the last. + +"Immediately after the Titanic struck the iceberg," said +one of the survivors, "the officers were all over the ship +reassuring the passengers and calming the more excitable. +They said there was no cause for alarm. When everything +was quieted they told us we might go back to bed, as the ship +was safe. There was no confusion and many returned to +their beds. + +"We did not know that the ship was in danger until a +comparatively short time before she sank. Then we were called +on deck and the life-boats were filled and lowered. + +"The behavior of the ship's officers at this time was wonderful. +There was no panic, no scramble for places in the boats." + +Later there was confusion, and according to most of the +passengers' narratives, there were more than fifty shots fired +upon the deck by officers or others in the effort to maintain +the discipline. + + +FIFTH OFFICER LOWE + +A young English woman who requested that her name be +omitted told a thrilling story of her experience in one of the +collapsible boats which had been manned by eight of the crew +from the Titanic. The boat was in command of the fifth +officer, H. Lowe, whose actions she described as saving the +lives of many people. Before the life-boat was launched he +passed along the port deck of the steamer, commanding the +people not to jump in the boats, and otherwise restraining +them from swamping the craft. When the collapsible was +launched Officer Lowe succeeded in putting up a mast and a +small sail. He collected the other boats together, in some +cases the boats were short of adequate crews, and he directed +an exchange by which each was adequately manned. He +threw lines connecting the boats together, two by two, and +thus all moved together. Later on he went back to the wreck +with the crew of one of the boats and succeeded in picking up +some of those who had jumped overboard and were swimming +about. On his way back to the Carpathia he passed one of +the collapsible boats which was on the point of sinking with +thirty passengers aboard, most of them in scant night-clothing. +They were rescued just in the nick of time. + + +ENGINEERS DIED AT POSTS + +There were brave men below deck, too. "A lot has been +printed in the papers about the heroism of the officers," said +one survivor, "but little has been said of the bravery of the +men below decks. I was told that seventeen enginemen who +were drowned side by side got down on their knees on the +platform of the engine room and prayed until the water surged +up to their necks. Then they stood up, clasped hands so as +to form a circle and died together. All of these men helped +rake the fires out from ten of the forward boilers after the +crash. This delayed the explosion and undoubtedly permitted +the ship to remain afloat nearly an hour longer, and +thus saved hundreds of lives." + +In the list of heroes who went down on the Titanic the +names of her engineers will have a high place, for not a single +engineer was saved. Many of them, no doubt, could not get +to the deck, but they had equally as good a chance as the +firemen, sixty-nine of whom were saved. + +The supposition of those who manned the Titanic was that +the engineers, working below, were the first to know the desperate +character of the Titanic's injury. The watch called +the others, and from that time until the vessel was ready for +her last plunge they were too hard at work to note more than +that there was a constant rise of water in the hull, and that +the pumps were useless. + +It was engineers who kept the lights going, saw to the proper +closing of bulkhead doors and kept the stoke hole at work +until the uselessness of the task was apparent. Most of them +probably died at their post of duty. + +The Titanic carried a force of about sixty engineers, and in +addition she had at least twenty-five "guarantee" engineers, +representatives of Harland and Wolff, the builders, and those +who had the contract for the engineering work. This supplementary +force was under Archie Frost, the builders' chief +engineer, and the regular force was under Chief Engineer William +Bell, of the White Star Line. + +On the line's ships there is the chief engineer, senior and +junior second, senior and junior third, and senior and junior +fourth engineers. The men are assigned each to his own task. +There are hydraulic, electric, pump and steam packing men, +and the "guarantee" engineers, representing the builders and +the contractors. + +The duty of the "guarantee" engineers is to watch the +working of the great engines, and to see that they are tuned up +and in working order. They also watch the working of each +part of the machinery which had nothing to do with the actual +speed of the ship, principally the electric light dynamos and +the refrigerating plant. + + +NOBLE-HEARTED BAND + + +"But what of the bandsmen? Who were they?" + +This question was asked again and again by all who read +the story of the Titanic's sinking and of how the brave musicians +played to the last, keeping up the courage of those who +were obliged to go down with the ship. + +Many efforts were made to find out who the men were, but +little was made public until the members of the orchestra of +the steamship Celtic reached shore for the first time after the +disaster. One of their first queries was about the musicians +of the Titanic. Their anxiety was greater than that of any +New Yorker, for the members of the band of the Celtic knew +intimately the musicians of the ill-fated liner. + +"Not one of them saved!" cried John S. Carr, 'cellist on +the Celtic. "It doesn't seem possible they have all gone. + +"We knew most of them well. They were Englishmen, you +know--every one of them, I think. Nearly all the steamship +companies hire their musicians abroad, and the men interchange +between the ships frequently, so we get a chance to +know one another pretty well. The musicians for the Titanic +were levied from a number of other White Star ships, but +most of the men who went down with the Titanic had bunked +with us at some time." + +"The thing I can't realize is that happy `Jock' Hume is +dead," exclaimed Louis Cross, a player of the bass viol. "He +was the merriest, happiest young Scotchman you ever saw. +His family have been making musical instruments in Scotland +for generations. I heard him say once that they were +minstrels in the old days. It is certainly hard to believe that +he is not alive and having his fun somewhere in the world." + +At least he helped to make the deaths of many less cruel. + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +SEARCHING FOR THE DEAD + +SENDING OUT THE MACKAY-BENNETT AND MINIA--BREMEN +PASSENGERS SEE BODIES--IDENTIFYING BODIES--CONFUSION +IN NAMES--RECOVERIES + +A FEW days after the disaster the cable steamer Mackay- +Bennett was sent out by the White Star Line to +cruise in the vicinity of the disaster and search for +missing bodies. + +Two wireless messages addressed to J. Bruce Ismay, president +of the International Mercantile Marine Company, were +received on April 21st at the offices of the White Star Line +from the cable ship Mackay-Bennett, via Cape Race, one of +which reported that the steamship Rhein had sighted bodies +near the scene of the Titanic wreck. The first message, +which was dated April 20th, read: + +"Steamer Rhein reports passing wreckage and bodies 42.1 +north, 49.13 west, eight miles west of three big icebergs. Now +making for that position. Expect to arrive 8 o'clock to-night. + (Signed) "MACKAY-BENNETT." + + +The second message read: + +"Received further information from Bremen (presumably +steamship Bremen) and arrived on ground at 8 o'clock P. M. +Start on operation to-morrow. Have been considerably +delayed on passage by dense fog. + (Signed) "MACKAY-BENNETT." + +After receiving these messages Mr. Ismay issued the following +statement: + +"The cable ship Mackay-Bennett has been chartered by +the White Star Line and ordered to proceed to the scene of +the disaster and do all she could to recover the bodies and +glean all information possible. + +"Every effort will be made to identify bodies recovered, +and any news will be sent through immediately by wireless. +In addition to any such message as these, the Mackay-Bennett +will make a report of its activities each morning by wireless, +and such reports will be made public at the offices of the +White Star Line. + +"The cable ship has orders to remain on the scene of the +wreck for at least a week, but should a large number of +bodies be recovered before that time she will return to +Halifax with them. The search for bodies will not be +abandoned until not a vestige of hope remains for any more +recoveries. + +"The Mackay-Bennett will not make any soundings, as +they would not serve any useful purpose, because the depth +where the Titanic sank is more than 2000 fathoms." + +On April 22d the first list of twenty-seven names of bodies +recovered was made public. It contained that of Frederick +Sutton, a well-known member of the Union League of Philadelphia. +It did not contain the name of any other prominent +man who perished, although it was thought that the +name "George W. Widen" might refer to George D. Widener, +son of P. A. B. Widener, of Philadelphia. The original passenger +lists of the Titanic did not mention "Widen," which +apparently established the identity of the body as that of +Mr. Widener, who, together with his son, Harry, was lost. + +The wireless message, after listing the names, concluded, +"All preserved," presumably referring to the condition +of the bodies. + +A number of the names in the list did not check up with +the Titanic's passenger list, which led to the belief that a +number of the bodies recovered were members of the Titanic's +crew. + + +MINIA SENT TO ASSIST + +At noon, April 23d, there was posted on the bulletin in the +White Star office this message from the Mackay-Bennett +dated Sunday, April 21st: + +"Latitude, 41.58; longitude, 49.21. Heavy southwest swell +has interfered with operations. Seventy-seven bodies recovered. +All not embalmed will be buried at sea at 8 o'clock +to-night with divine service. Can bring only embalmed +bodies to port." + +To Captain Lardner, master of the Mackay-Bennett, +P. A. S. Franklin, vice-president of the White Star Line, sent +an urgent message asking that the company be advised at +once of all particulars concerning the bodies identified, and +also given any information that might lead to the identification +of others. He said it was very important that every effort +be made to bring all of the bodies possible to port. + +Mr. Franklin then directed A. G. Jones, the Halifax agent +of the White Star Line, to charter the Minia and send her to +the assistance of the Mackay-Bennett. Mr. Jones answered +this telegram, and said that the Minia was ready to proceed +to sea, but that a southeast gale, which generally brings fog, +might delay her departure. She left for Halifax. + + +NAMES BADLY GARBLED + +On April 24th no wireless message was received from the +Mackay-Bennett, but the White Star Line officials and telegraphers +familiar with the wireless alphabet were busy trying +to reconcile some of the names received with those of +persons who went down on the Titanic. That the body of +William T. Stead, the English journalist and author, had been +recovered by the Mackay-Bennett, but through a freakish +error in wireless transmission the name of another was reported +instead, was one of the theories advanced by persons +familiar with the Morse code. + + +BREMEN SIGHTED MORE THAN A HUNDRED BODIES + +When the German liner Bremen reached New York the +account of its having sighted bodies of the Titanic victims was +obtained. + +From the bridge, officers of the ship saw more than a hun- +dred bodies floating on the sea, a boat upside down, together +with a number of small pieces of wood, steamer chairs and +other wreckage. As the cable ship Mackay-Bennett was in +sight, and having word that her mission was to look for bodies, +no attempt was made by the Bremen's crew to pick up the +corpses. + +In the vicinity was seen an iceberg which answered the +description of the one the Titanic struck. Smaller bergs +were sighted the same day, but at some distance from where +the Titanic sank. + +The officers of the Bremen did not care to talk about the +tragic spectacle, but among the passengers several were found +who gave accounts of the dismal panorama through which +their ship steamed. + +Mrs. Johanna Stunke, a first-cabin passenger, described the +scene from the liner's rail. + +"It was between 4 and 5 o'clock, Saturday, April 20th," +she said, "when our ship sighted an iceberg off the bow to +the starboard. As we drew nearer, and could make out small +dots floating around in the sea, a feeling of awe and sadness +crept over everyone on the ship. + +"We passed within a hundred feet of the southernmost +drift of the wreckage, and looking down over the rail we distinctly +saw a number of bodies so clearly that we could make +out what they were wearing and whether they were men or +women. + +"We saw one woman in her night dress, with a baby clasped +closely to her breast. Several women passengers screamed +and left the rail in a fainting condition. There was another +woman, fully dressed, with her arms tight around the body +of a shaggy dog. + +"The bodies of three men in a group, all clinging to one +steamship chair, floated near by, and just beyond them were +a dozen bodies of men, all of them encased in life-preservers, +clinging together as though in a last desperate struggle for +life. We couldn't see, but imagined that under them was +some bit of wreckage to which they all clung when the ship +went down, and which didn't have buoyancy enough to +support them. + +"Those were the only bodies we passed near enough to +distinguish, but we could see the white life-preservers of many +more dotting the sea, all the way to the iceberg. The officers +told us that was probably the berg hit by the Titanic, and that +the bodies and ice had drifted along together." + +Mrs. Stunke said a number of the passengers demanded +that the Bremen stop and pick up the bodies, but the officers +assured them that they had just received a wireless message +saying the cable ship Mackay-Bennett was only two hours +away fron{sic} the spot, and was coming for that express purpose. + +Other passengers corroborated Mrs. Stunke. + + +THE IDENTIFED{sic} DEAD. + +On April 25th the White Star Line officials issued a corrected +list of the identified dead. While the corrected list cleared +up two or more of the wireless confusions that caused so +much speculation in the original list, there still remained a +few names that so far as the record of the Titanic showed +were not on board that ship when she foundered. + +The new list, however, established the fact that the body +of George D. Widener, of Philadelphia, was among those on +the Mackay-Bennett, and two of the bodies were identified +as those of men named Butt. + + +THE MACKAY-BENNETT RETURNS TO PORT + +After completing her search the Mackay-Bennett steamed +for Halifax, reaching that port on Tuesday, April 30th. +With her flag at half mast, the death ship docked slowly. +Her crew manned the rails with bared heads, and on the aft +deck were stacked the caskets with the dead. The vessel +carried on board 190 bodies, and announcement was made +that 113 other bodies had been buried at sea. + +Everybody picked up had been in a life-belt and there were +no bullet holes in any. Among those brought to port were +the bodies of two women. + + +THE MINIA GIVES UP THE SEARCH + +When at last the Minia turned her bow toward shore only +thirteen additional bodies had been recovered, making a total +of 316 bodies found by the two ships. + +Further search seemed futile. Not only had the two vessels +gone thoroughly over as wide a field as might likely +prove fruitful, but, in addition, the time elapsed made it +improbable that other bodies, if found, could be brought to +shore. Thus did the waves completely enforce the payment of +their terrible toll. + + +{illust. caption = ISADOR STRAUS + +The New York millionaire merchant and philanthropist who lost his +life when the giant Titanic foundered at sea after hitting an iceberg.} + + +{illust. caption = ICEBERG PHOTOGRAPHED NEAR SCENE OF DISASTER + +This photograph shows what is quite...} + + +LIST OF IDENTIFIED DEAD + +Following is a list of those whose identity was wholly or +partially established: + +ASTOR, JOHN JACOB. +ADONIS, J. +ALE, WILLIAM. +ARTAGAVEYTIA, RAMON. +ASHE, H. W. +ADAHL, MAURITZ. +ANDERSON, THOMAS. +ADAMS, J. +ASPALANDE, CARL. +ALLEN, H. +ANDERSON, W. Y. +ALLISON, H. J. + +BUTT, W. (seaman). +BUTT, W. (may be Major Butt). +BUTTERWORTH, ABELJ. +BAILEY, G. F. +BARKER, E. T. +BUTLER, REGINALD. +BIRNBAUM, JACOB. +BRISTOW, R. C. +BUCKLEY, KATHERINE. + +CHAPMAN, JOHN H. +CHAPMAN, CHARLES. +CONNORS, P. +CLONG, MILTON. +COX, DENTON. +CAVENDISH, TYRRELL w. +CARBINES, W. + +DUTTON, F. +DASHWOOD, WILLIAM. +DULLES, W. C. +DOUGLAS, W. D. +DRAZENOUI, YOSIP (referring probably to + Joseph Draznovic). +DONATI, ITALO (waiter). + +ENGINEER, A. E. F. +ELLIOTT, EDWARD. + +FARRELL, JAMES. +FAUNTHORPE, H. + +GILL, J. H. +GREENBERG, H. +GILINSKI, LESLIE. +GRAHAM, GEORGE. +GILES, RALPH. +GIVARD, HANS C. + +HANSEN, HENRY D. +HAYTOR, A. +HAYS, CHALES M. +HODGES, H. P. +HELL, J. C. +HEWITT, T. +HARRISON, H. H. +HALE, REG. +HENDEKERIC, TOZNAI. +HINTON, W. +HARBECK, W. H. +HOLVERDON, A. O. (probably A. M. + Halverson of Troy). +HOFFMAN, LOUIS M. +HINCKLEY, G. +Hospital Attendant, no name given. + +JOHANSEN, MALCOLM. +JOHANSEN, ERIC. +JOHANSSON, GUSTAF J. +JOHANSEN, A. F. +JONES, C. C. + +KELLY, JAMES, + +LAURENCE, A. +LOUCH, CHARLES. +LONG, MILTON C. +LILLY, A. +LINHART, WENZELL. +MARRIORTT, W. H. (no such name appears + on the list of passengers or crew). +MANGIN, MARY. +McNAMEE, MRS. N. (probably Miss + Elleen McNamee.) +MACK, MRS. +MONROE, JEAN. +McCAFFRY, THOMAS. +MORGAN, THOMAS. +MOEN, SEGURD H. + +NEWELL, T. H. +NASSER, NICOLAS. +NORMAN, ROBERT D. + +PETTY, EDWIN H. +PARTNER, AUSTIN. +PENNY, OLSEN F. +POGGI, ----. + +RAGOZZI, A. BOOTHBY. +RICE, J. R. +ROBINS, A. +ROBINSON, J. M. +ROSENSHINE, GEORGE. + +STONE, J. +STEWARD, 76. +STOKES, PHILIP J. +STANTON, W. + +STRAUS, ISIDOR. +SAGE, WILLIAM. +SHEA, ----. +SUTTON, FREDERICK. +SOTHER, SIMON. +SCHEDID, NIHIL. +SWANK, GEORGE. +SEBASTIANO, DEL CARLO. +STANBROCKE, A. + +TOMLIN, ETNEST P. +TALBOT, G. + +VILLNER, HENDRICK K. +VASSILIOS, CATALEVAS (thought to be a + confusion of two surnames). +VEAR, W. (may be W. J. Ware or W. T. + Stead). + +WIDENER, GEORGE W. +WILLIAMS, LESLIE. +WIRZ, ALBERT +WIKLUND, JACOB A. +WAILENS, ACHILLE. +WHITE, F. F. +WOODY, O. S. +WERSZ, LEOPOLD. + +ZACARIAN, MAURI DER. + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +CRITICISM OF ISMAY + +CRIMINAL AND COWARDLY CONDUCT CHARGED--PROPER CAUTION +NOT EXERCISED WHEN PRESENCE OF ICEBERGS WAS +KNOWN--SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON BOARD TO HELP IN +WORK OF RESCUE--SELFISH AND UNSYMPATHETIC ACTIONS +ON BOARD THE CARPATHIA--ISMAY'S DEFENSE--WILLIAM E. +CARTER'S STATEMENT + +FROM the moment that Bruce Ismay's name was seen +among those of the survivors of the Titanic he became +the object of acrid attacks in every quarter +where the subject of the disaster was discussed. Bitter +criticism held that he should have been the last to leave the +doomed vessel. + +His critics insisted that as managing director of the White +Star Line his responsibility was greater even than Captain +Smith's, and while granting that his survival might still be +explained, they condemned his apparent lack of heroism. +Even in England his survival was held to be the one great +blot on an otherwise noble display of masculine courage. + +A prominent official of the White Star Line shook his head +meaningly when asked what he thought of Ismay's escape +with the women and children. The general feeling seemed +to be that he should have stayed aboard the sinking vessel, +looking out for those who were left, playing the man like +Major Butt and many another and going down with the +ship like Captain Smith. + +He was also charged with urging a speed record and with +ignoring information received with regard to icebergs. + + +FEELING IN ENGLAND + +The belief in England was that the captain of the Carpathia +had acted under Ismay's influence in refusing to permit any +account of the disaster to be transmitted previous to the arrival +of the vessel in New York. Ismay's telegram making arrangements +for the immediate deportation of the survivors among +the Titanic's crew was taken to be part of the same scheme to +delay if not to prevent their stories of the wreck from being +obtained in New York. + +Another circumstance which created a damaging impression +was Ismay's failure to give the names of the surviving crew, +whose distraught families were entitled to as much consideration +as those whose relatives occupied the most expensive +suites on the Titanic. The anguish endured by the families +of members of the crew was reported as indescribable, and +Southampton was literally turned into a city of weeping and +tragic pathos. The wives of two members of the crew died of +shock and suspense. + + +CRIED FOR FOOD + +Mr. Ismay's actions while on the Carpathia were also +criticised as selfish and unwarrantable. + +"For God's sake get me something to eat, I'm starved. +I don't care what it costs or what it is. Bring it to me." + +This was the first statement made by Mr. Ismay a few +minutes after he was landed on the Carpathia. It is vouched +for by an officer of the Carpathia who requested that his name +be withheld. This officer gave one of the most complete +stories of the events that took place on the Carpathia from +the time she received the Titanic's appeal for assistance until +she landed the survivors at the Cunard Line pier. + +"Ismay reached the Carpathia in about the seventh life- +boat," said the officer. "I didn't know who he was, but afterward +I heard the other members of the crew discussing his +desire to get something to eat the minute he put his foot on +deck. The steward who waited on him reported that Ismay +came dashing into the dining room and said. + +" `Hurry, for God's sake, and get me something to eat, I'm +starved. I don't care what it costs or what it is. Bring it to +me.' " + +"The steward brought Ismay a load of stuff and when he +had finished it he handed the man a two dollar bill. `Your +money is no good on this ship,' the steward told him. + +" `Take it,' insisted Ismay. `I am well able to afford it. +I will see to it that the boys of the Carpathia are well rewarded +for this night's work.' + +"This promise started the steward making inquiries as to the +identity of the man he had waited on. Then we learned that +he was Ismay. I did not see Ismay after the first few hours. +He must have kept to his cabin." + +REPLY TO CHARGES + +Mr. Ismay's plans had been to return immediately to +England, and he had wired that the steamer Cedric be held +for himself and officers and members of the crew; but public +sentiment and subpoenas of the Senate's investigating committee +prevented. In the face of the criticism aimed against +him Mr. Ismay issued a long statement in which he not +only disclaimed responsibility for the Titanic's fatal collision, +but also sought to clear himself of blame for everything that +happened after the big ship was wrecked. + +He laid the responsibility for the tragedy on Captain +Smith. + +He expressed astonishment that his own conduct in the +disaster had been made the subject of inquiry. He denied +that he gave any order to Captain Smith. His position aboard +was that of any other first cabin passenger, he insisted, and +he was never consulted by the captain. He denied telling +anyone that he wished the ship to make a speed record. He +called attention to the routine clause in the instructions to +White Star captains ordering them to think of safety at all +times. He did not dine with the captain, he said, and when +the ship struck the berg, he was not sitting with the captain +in the saloon. + +The managing director added that he was in his stateroom +when the collision occurred. He told of helping to send +women and children away in life-boats on the starboard side, +and said there was no woman in sight on deck when he and +William E. Carter, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., entered the collapsible +boat--the last small craft left on that side of the vessel. He +asserted that he pulled an oar and denied that in sending the +three messages from the Carpathia, urging the White Star +officials to hold the Cedric for the survivors of the Titanic's +officers and crew, he had any intention to block investigation +of the tragedy. Ismay asserted that he did not know there +was to be an investigation until the Cunarder docked. + +Mr. William E. Carter, of Bryn Mawr, who, with his +family, was saved, confirmed Mr. Ismay's assertions. + +"Mr. Ismay's statement is absolutely correct," said Mr. +Carter. "There were no women on the deck when that +boat was launched. We were the very last to leave the deck, +and we entered the life-boat because there were no women +to enter it. + +"The deck was deserted when the boat was launched, +and Mr. Ismay and myself decided that we might as well +enter the boat and pull away from the wreck. If he wants +me, I assume that he will write to me. + +"I can say nothing, however, that he has not already said, +as our narratives are identical; the circumstances under +which we were rescued from the Titanic were similar. We +left the boat together and were picked up together, and, further +than that, we were the very last to leave the deck. + +"I am ready to go to Washington to testify to the truth +of Mr. Ismay's statement, and also to give my own account +at any time I may be called upon. If Mr. Ismay writes to +me, asking that I give a detailed account of our rescue I +will do so." + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE FINANCIAL LOSS + +TITANIC NOT FULLY INSURED--VALUABLE CARGO AND MAIL +--NO CHANCE FOR SALVAGE--LIFE INSURANCE LOSS--LOSS +TO THE CARPATHIA + +SO great was the interest in the tragedy and so profound +the grief at the tremendous loss of life that for a time +the financial loss was not considered. It was, however, +the biggest ever suffered by marine insurance brokers. + +The value of the policy covering the vessel against all +ordinary risks was $5,000,000, but the whole of this amount +was not insured, because British and Continental markets +were not big enough to swallow it. The actual amount of +insurance was $3,700,000, of which the owners themselves +held $750,000. + +As to the cargo, it was insured by the shippers. The +company has nothing to do with the insurance of the cargo, +which, according to the company's manifest, was conservatively +estimated at about $420,000. Cargo, however, was a +secondary matter, so far as the Titanic was concerned. The +ship was built for high-priced passengers, and what little +cargo she carried was also of the kind that demanded quick +transportation. The Titanic's freight was for the most part +what is known as high-class package freight, consisting of +such articles as fine laces, ostrich feathers, wines, liquors +and fancy food commodities. + + +LOST MAIL MAY COST MILLIONS + +Prior to the sailing of the vessel the postal authorities of +Southampton cabled the New York authorities that 3435 +bags of mail matter were on board. + +"In a load of 3500 bags," said Postmaster Morgan, of New +York, "it is a safe estimate to say that 200 contained registered +mail. The size of registered mail packages varies greatly, +but 1000 packages for each mail bag should be a conservative +guess. That would mean that 200,000 registered packages +and letters went down with the Titanic. + +"This does not mean, however, that Great Britain will be +held financially responsible for all these losses. There were +probably thousands of registered packages from the Continent, +and in such cases the countries of origin will have to +reimburse the senders. Moreover, in the case of money +being sent in great quantities, it is usual to insure the registry +over and above the limit of responsibility set by the country +of origin. + +"Probably if there were any shipping of securities mounting +up to thousands of dollars, it will be the insurance companies +which will bear the loss, and not the European post- +offices at all." + +In the case of money orders, the postmaster explained, +there would be no loss, except of time, as duplicates promptly +would be shipped without further expense. + +The postmaster did not know the exact sum which the +various European countries set as the limit of their guarantee +in registered mail. In America it is $50. + +Underwriters will probably have to meet heavy claims of +passengers for luggage, including jewelry. Pearls of one +American woman insured in London were valued at $240,000. + + +NO CHANCE FOR SALVAGE + +The Titanic and her valuable cargo can never be recovered, +said the White Star Line officials. + +"Sinking in mid-ocean, at the depth which prevails where +the accident occurred," said Captain James Parton, manager +of the company, "absolutely precludes any hopes of salvage." + + +LIFE INSURANCE LOSS + +In the life insurance offices there was much figuring over +the lists of those thought to be lost aboard the Titanic. +Nothing but rough estimates of the company's losses through +the wreck were given out. + + +LOSS TO THE CARPATHIA + +The loss to the Carpathia, too, was considerable. It is, of +course, the habit of all good steamship lines to go out of their +way and cheerfully submit to financial loss when it comes +to succoring the distressed or the imperiled at sea. Therefore, +the Cunard line in extending the courtesies of the sea to the +survivors of the Titanic asked for nothing more than the mere +acknowledgment of the little act of kindness. The return +of the Carpathia cost the line close to $10,000. + +She was delayed on her way to the Mediterranean at least +ten days and was obliged to coal and provision again, as the +extra 800 odd passengers she was carrying reduced her large +allowance for her long voyage to the Mediterranean and the +Adriatic very much. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +OPINIONS OF EXPERTS + +CAPTAIN E. K. RODEN, LEWIS NIXON, GENERAL GREELY AND +ROBERT H. KIRK POINT OUT LESSONS TAUGHT BY TITANIC +DISASTER AND NEEDED CHANGES IN CONSTRUCTION + +THE tremendous loss of life necessarily aroused a discussion +as to the cause of the disaster, and the +prevailing opinion seemed to be that the present +tendency in shipbuilding was to sacrifice safety to luxury. + +Captain Roden, a well-known Swedish navigator, had +written an article maintaining this theory in the Navy, a +monthly service magazine, in November, 1910. With seeming +prophetic insight he had mentioned the Titanic by name +and portrayed some of the dangers to which shipbuilding for +luxury is leading. + +He pointed out that the new steamships, the Olympic and +Titanic, would be the finest vessels afloat, no expense being +spared to attain every conceivable comfort for which men or +women of means could possibly ask--staterooms with private +shower-baths, a swimming pool large enough for diving, a +ballroom covering an entire upper deck, a gymnasium, +elaborate cafes, a sun deck representing a flower garden, +and other luxuries. + +After forcibly pointing out the provisions that should be +made for the protection of life, Captain Roden wrote in +conclusion: + +"If the men controlling passenger ships, from the ocean +liner down to the excursion barge, were equally disposed to +equip their vessels with the best safety appliances as they +are to devise and adopt implements of comfort and luxury, +the advantage to themselves as well as to their patrons would +be plainly apparent." + + +VIEW OF LEWIS NIXON + +Lewis Nixon, the eminent naval architect and designer of +the battleship Oregon, contributed a very interesting comment. +He said in part: + +"Here was a vessel presumed, and I think rightly so, to be +the perfection of the naval architect's art, yet sunk in a few +hours by an accident common to North Atlantic navigation. + + +THE UNSINKABLE SHIP + +"An unsinkable ship is possible, but it would be of little +use except for flotation. It may be said that vessels cannot +be built to withstand such an accident. + +"We might very greatly subdivide the forward compartments, +where much space is lost at best, making the forward +end, while amply strong for navigation purposes, of such +construction that it would collapse and take up some of the energy +of impact; then tie this to very much stronger sections farther +aft. Many such plans will be proposed by those who do not +realize the momentum of a great vessel which will snap great +cables like ribbons, when the motion of the vessel is not perceptible +to the eye. + +"The proper plan is to avoid the accident, and if an accident +is unavoidable to minimize the loss of life and property." + + +VIEW OF ROBERT H. KIRK + +The Titanic disaster was discussed by Robert H. Kirk, who +installed the compartment doors in the ships of the United +States Navy. Mr. Kirk's opinion follows: + +"The Titanic's disaster will cause endless speculation as to +how similar disasters may be avoided in the future. + + +BULKHEAD DOORS PROBABLY OPEN + +"The Titanic had bulkheads, plenty of them, for the rules +of the British Board of Trade and of Lloyds are very specific +and require enough compartments to insure floating of the +ship though several may be flooded. She also had doors in +the bulkheads, and probably plenty of them, for she was +enormous and needed easy access from one compartment to +another. It will probably never be known how _FEW_ of these +doors were closed when she struck the iceberg, but the probability +is that many were open, for in the confusion attending +such a crash the crews have a multitude of duties to perform, +and closing a door with water rushing through it is more of a +task than human muscle and bravery can accomplish. + +"A Lloyds surveyor in testing one of these hand-operated +doors started two men on the main deck to close it. They +worked four hours before they had carried out his order. If +all the doors on the ship had worked as badly as this one, +what would have happened in event of accident?" + + +MANIA FOR SPEED + +General Adolphus W. Greely, U. S. A., noted American +traveler and Arctic explorer, vehemently denounced the sinking +of the Titanic and the loss of over 1600 souls as a terrible +sacrifice to the American mania for speed. He gave his +opinion that the Titanic came to grief through an attempt on +the part of the steamship management to establish a new +record by the vessel on her maiden voyage. + +The Titanic, General Greely declared, had absolutely no +business above Cape Race and north of Sable Island on the +trip on which she went to her doom. Choosing the northern +route brought about the dire disaster, in his mind, and it was +the saving of three hours for the sake of a new record that +ended in the collision with the tragic victory for the ghostlike +monster out of the far north. + +It was the opinion of General Greely, capable of judging +after his many trips in quest of the pole, that neither Captain +Smith nor any of his officers saw the giant iceberg which +encompassed their ruin until they were right upon it. Then, the +ship was plunging ahead at such frightful velocity that the +Titanic was too close to avert striking the barrier lined up +across its path. + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +OTHER GREAT MARINE DISASTERS + +DEADLY DANGER OF ICEBERGS--DOZENS OF SHIPS PERISH IN +COLLISION--OTHER DISASTERS + +THE danger of collision with icebergs has always been +one of the most deadly that confront the mariner. +Indeed, so well recognized is this peril of the +Newfoundland Banks, where the Labrador current in the +early spring and summer months floats southward its ghostly +argosy of icy pinnacles detached from the polar ice caps, that +the government hydrographic offices and the maritime exchanges +spare no pains to collate and disseminate the latest +bulletins on the subject. + + +THE ARIZONA + +A most remarkable case of an iceberg collision is that of the +Guion Liner, Arizona, in 1879. She was then the greyhound of +the Atlantic, and the largest ship afloat--5750 tons except +the Great Eastern. Leaving New York in November for +Liverpool, with 509 souls aboard, she was coursing across the +Banks, with fair weather but dark, when, near midnight, +about 250 miles east of St. John's, she rammed a monster +ice island at full speed eighteen knots. Terrific was the +impact. + +The welcome word was passed along that the ship, though +sorely stricken, would still float until she could make +harbor. The vast white terror had lain across her course, + + +{illust. caption = THE SHAPE OF AN ICEBERG + +Showing the bulk and formation under water and the consequent danger +to vessels even without actual contact with the visible part of the iceberg.} + + +stretching so far each way that, when described, it was too +late to alter the helm. Its giant shape filled the foreground, +towering high above the masts, grim and gaunt and ghastly, +immovable as the adamantine buttresses of a frowning seaboard, +while the liner lurched and staggered like a wounded +thing in agony as her engines slowly drew her back from the +rampart against which she had flung herself. + +She was headed for St. John's at slow speed, so as not to +strain the bulkhead too much, and arrived there thirty-six +hours later. That little port--the crippled ship's hospital-- +has seen many a strange sight come in from the sea, but never +a more astounding spectacle than that which the Arizona +presented the Sunday forenoon she entered there. + +"Begob, captain!" said the pilot, as he swung himself over +the rail. "I've heard of carrying coals to Newcastle, but this +is the first time I've seen a steamer bringing a load of ice into +St. John's." + +They are a grim race, these sailors, and, the danger over, +the captain's reply was: "We were lucky, my man, that we +didn't all go to the bottom in an ice box." + + +DOZENS OF SHIPS PERISH + +But to the one wounded ship that survives collision with a +berg, a dozen perish. Presumably, when the shock comes, it +loosens their bulkheads and they fill and founder, or the crash +may injure the boilers or engines, which explode and tear out +the sides, and the ship goes down like a plummet. As long +ago as 1841, the steamer President, with 120 people aboard, +crossing from New York to Liverpool in March, vanished +from human ken. In 1854, in the same month, the City of +Glasgow left Liverpool for Philadelphia with 480 souls, and +was never again heard of. In February, 1856, the Pacific, +from Liverpool for New York, carrying 185 persons, passed +away down to a sunless sea. In May, 1870, the City of Boston, +from that port for Liverpool, mustering 191 souls, met a +similar fate. It has always been thought that these ships +were sunk by collision with icebergs or floes. As shipping +traffic has expanded, the losses have been more frequent. In +February, 1892, the Naronic, from Liverpool for New York; +in the same month in 1896, the State of Georgia, from Aberdeen +for Boston; in February, 1899, the Alleghany, from New +York for Dover; and once more in February, 1902, the +Huronian, from Liverpool for St. John's--all disappeared without +leaving a trace. Between February and May, the Grand +Banks are most infested with ice, and collision therewith is' +the most likely explanation of the loss of these steamers, all +well manned and in splendid trim, and meeting only the storms +which scores of other ships have braved without a scathe. + + +TOLL OF THE SEA + +Among the important marine disasters recorded since 1866 +are the following: + +1866, Jan. 11.--Steamer London, on her way to Melbourne, +foundered in the Bay of Biscay; 220 lives lost. + +1866, Oct. 3.--Steamer Evening Star, from New York to +New Orleans, foundered; about 250 lives lost. + +1867, Oct. 29.--Royal Mail steamers Rhone and Wye and +about fifty other vessels driven ashore and wrecked at St +Thomas, West Indies, by a hurricane; about 1,000 lives lost. + +1873, Jan. 22.--British steamer Northfleet sunk in collision +off Dungeness; 300 lives lost + +1873, Nov. 23.--White Star liner Atlantic wrecked off +Nova Scotia; 547 lives lost. + +1873, Nov. 23.--French line Ville du Havre, from New +York to Havre, in collision with ship Locharn and sunk in +sixteen minutes; 110 lives lost. + +1874, Dec. 24.--Emigrant vessel Cospatrick took fire and +sank off Auckland; 476 lives lost. + +1875, May 7.--Hamburg Mail steamer Schiller wrecked +in fog on Scilly Islands; 200 lives lost. + +1875, Nov. 4.--American steamer Pacific in collision thirty +miles southwest of Cape Flattery; 236 lives lost. + +1878, March 24.--British training ship Eurydice, a frigate, +foundered near the Isle of Wight; 300 lives lost. + +1878, Sept. 3.--British iron steamer Princess Alice sunk +in the Thames River; 700 lives lost. + +1878, Dec. 18.--French steamer Byzantin sunk in collision +in the Dardanelles with the British steamer Rinaldo; 210 +lives lost. + +1879, Dec. 2.--Steamer Borussia sank off the coast of Spain; +174 lives lost. + +1880, Jan. 31.--British trading ship Atlanta left Bermuda +with 290 men and was never heard from. + +1881, Aug. 30.--Steamer Teuton wrecked off the Cape of +Good Hope; 200 lives lost. + +1883, July 3.--Steamer Daphne turned turtle in the Clyde; +124 lives lost. + +1884, Jan. 18.--American steamer City of Columbus +wrecked off Gay Head Light, Massachusetts; 99 lived lost. + +1884, July 23.--Spanish steamer Gijon and British steamer +Lux in collision off Finisterre; 150 lives lost. + +1887, Jan. 29.--Steamer Kapunda in collision with bark +Ada Melore off coast of Brazil; 300 lives lost. + +1887, Nov. 15.--British steamer Wah Young caught fire +between Canton and Hong Kong; 400 lives lost. + +1888, Sept. 13.--Italian steamship Sud America and steamer +La France in collision near the Canary Islands; 89 lives +lost. + +1889, March 16.--United States warships Trenton, Vandalia +and Nipsic and German ships Adler and Eber wrecked +on Samoan Islands; 147 lives lost. + +1890, Jan. 2.--Steamer Persia wrecked on Corsica; 130 +lives lost. + +1890, Feb. 17.--British steamer Duburg wrecked in the +China Sea; 400 lives lost. + +1890, March 1.--British steamship Quetta foundered in +Torres Straits; 124 lives lost. + +1890, Dec. 27.--British steamer Shanghai burned in China +Seas; 101 lives lost. + +1891, March 17.--Anchor liner Utopia in collision with +British steamer Anson off Gibraltar and sunk; 574 lives lost. + +1892, Jan. 13.--Steamer Namehow wrecked in China Sea; +414 lives lost. + +1892, Oct. 28.--Anchor liner Romania, wrecked off Portugal; +113 lives lost. + +1893, Feb. 8.--Anchor liner Trinairia, wrecked off Spain; +115 lives lost. + +1894, June 25.--Steamer Norge, wrecked on Rockall Reef, +in the North Atlantic; nearly 600 lives lost. + +1895, Jan. 30.--German steamer Elbe sunk in collision with +British steamer Crathie in North Sea; 335 lives lost. + +1898, July 4.--French line steamer La Bourgogne in collision +with British sailing vessel Cromartyshire; 571 lives lost. + +1898, Nov. 27.--American steamer Portland, wrecked off +Cape Cod, Mass.; 157 lives lost. + +1901, April 1.--Turkish transport Aslam wrecked in the +Red Sea; over 180 lives lost. + +1902, July 21.--Steamer Primus sunk in collision with the +steamer Hansa on the Lower Elbe; 112 lives lost. + +1903, June 7.--French steamer Libau sunk in collision with +steamer Insulerre near Marseilles; 150 lives lost. + +1904, June 15. General Slocum, excursion steamboat, took +fire going through Hell Gate, East River; more than 1000 +lives lost. + +1906, Jan. 21.--Brazilian battleship Aquidaban sunk near +Rio Janeiro by an explosion of the powder magazines; 212 +lives lost. + +1906, Jan. 22.--American steamer Valencia lost off Cloose, +Pacific Coast; 140 lives lost. + +1906, Aug. 4.--Italian emigrant ship Sirio struck a rock off +Cape Palos; 350 lives lost. + +1906, Oct. 21.--Russian steamer Variag, on leaving Vladivostock, +struck by a torpedo and sunk; 140 lives lost. + +1907, Feb. 12.--American steamer Larchmond sunk in collision +off Rhode Island coast; 131 lives lost. + +1907, July 20.--American steamers Columbia and San +Pedro collided on the Californian coast; 100 lives lost. + +1907, Nov. 26.--Turkish steamer Kaptain foundered in the +North Sea; 110 lives lost. + +1908, March 23.--Japanese steamer Mutsu Maru sunk in +collision near Hakodate; 300 lives lost. + +1908, April 30.--Japanese training cruiser Matsu Shima +sunk off the Pescadores owing to an explosion; 200 lives lost. + +1909, Jan. 24.--Collision between the Italian steamer +Florida and the White Star liner Republic, about 170 miles +east of New York during a fog; a large number of lives were +saved by the arrival of the steamer Baltic, which received the +"C. Q. D.," or distress signal sent up by wireless by the +Republic January 22. The Republic sank while being towed; +6 lives lost. + +1910, Feb. 9.--French line steamer General Chanzy off +Minorca; 200 lives lost. + +1911, Sept. 25.--French battleship Liberte sunk by explosion +in Toulon harbor; 223 lives lost. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBUILDING + +EVOLUTION OF WATER TRAVEL--INCREASES IN SIZE OF VESSELS +--IS THERE ANY LIMIT?--ACHIEVEMENTS IN SPEED--TITANIC +NOT THE LAST WORD. + +THE origin of travel on water dates back to a very +early period in human history, men beginning with +the log, the inflated skin, the dug-out canoe, and +upwards through various methods of flotation; while the +paddle, the oar, and finally the sail served as means of +propulsion. This was for inland water travel, and many +centuries passed before the navigation of the sea was dreamed +of by adventurous mariners. + +The paintings and sculptures of early Egypt show us boats +built of sawn planks, regularly constructed and moved both +by oars and sails. At a later period we read of the Phoenicians, +the most daring and enterprising of ancient navigators, +who braved the dangers of the open sea, and are said by +Herodotus to have circumnavigated Africa as early as 604 +B. C. Starting from the Red Sea, they followed the east +coast, rounded the Cape, and sailed north along the west +coast to the Mediterranean, reaching Egypt again in the +third year of this enterprise. + +The Carthaginians and Romans come next in the history +of shipbuilding, confining themselves chiefly to the Mediterranean, +and using oars as the principal means of propulsion. +Their galleys ranged from one to five banks of oars. The +Roman vessels in the first Punic war were over 100 feet +long and had 300 rowers, while they carried 120 soldiers. +They did not use sails until about the beginning of the fourteenth +century B. C. + +Portugal was the first nation to engage in voyages of discovery, +using vessels of small size in these adventurous journeys. +Spain, which soon became her rival in this field, built +larger ships and long held the lead. Yet the ships with which +Columbus made the discovery of America were of a size and +character in which few sailors of the present day would care +to venture far from land. + +England was later in coming into the field of adventurous +navigation, being surpassed not only by the Portuguese and +Spanish, but by the Dutch, in ventures to far lands. + +Europe long held the precedence in shipbuilding and enterprise +in navigation, but the shores of America had not long +been settled before the venturous colonists had ships upon +the seas. The first of these was built at the mouth of the +Kennebec River in Maine. This was a staunch little two- +masted vessel, which was named the Virginia, supposed to +have been about sixty feet long and seventeen feet in beam. +Next in time came the Restless, built in 1614 or 1615 at +New York, by Adrian Blok, a Dutch captain whose ships +had been burned while lying at Manhattan Island. This +vessel, thirty-eight feet long and of eleven feet beam, was +employed for several years in exploring the Atlantic coast. + +With the advent of the nineteenth century a new ideal in +naval architecture arose, that of the ship moved by steam- +power instead of wind-power, and fitted to combat with the +seas alike in storm and calm, with little heed as to whether +the wind was fair or foul. The steamship appeared, and grew +in size and power until such giants of the wave as the Titanic +and Olympic were set afloat. To the development of this +modern class of ships our attention must now be turned. + +As the reckless cowboy of the West is fast becoming a thing +of the past, so is the daring seaman of fame and story. In his +place is coming a class of men miscalled sailors, who never +reefed a sail or coiled a cable, who do not know how to launch +a life-boat or pull an oar, and in whose career we meet the +ridiculous episode of the life-boats of the Titanic, where women +were obliged to take the oars from their hands and row the +boats. Thus has the old-time hero of the waves been transformed +into one fitted to serve as a clown of the vaudeville +stage. + +The advent of steam navigation came early in the nineteenth +century, though interesting steps in this direction +were taken earlier. No sooner was the steam-engine developed +than men began to speculate on it as a moving power on sea +and land. Early among these were several Americans, Oliver +Evans, one of the first to project steam railway travel, and +James Rumsey and John Fitch, steamboat inventors of early +date. There were several experimenters in Europe also, but +the first to produce a practical steamboat was Robert Fulton, +a native of Pennsylvania, whose successful boat; the Clermont, +made its maiden trip up the Hudson in 1807. A crude +affair was the Clermont, with a top speed of about seven +miles an hour; but it was the dwarf from which the giant +steamers of to-day have grown. + +Boats of this type quickly made their way over the American +rivers and before 1820 regular lines of steamboats were +running between England and Ireland. In 1817 James Watt, +the inventor of the practical steam-engine, crossed in a steamer +from England to Belgium. But these short voyages were far +surpassed by an American enterprise, that of the first ocean +steamship, the Savannah, which crossed the Atlantic from +Savannah to Liverpool in 1819. + +Twelve years passed before this enterprise was repeated, +the next steam voyage being in 1831, when the Royal William +crossed from Quebec to England. She used coal for fuel, +having utilized her entire hold to store enough for the voyage. +The Savannah had burned pitch-pine under her engines, for +in America wood was long used as fuel for steam-making +purposes. As regards this matter, the problem of fuel was of +leading importance, and it was seriously questioned if a ship +could be built to cross the Atlantic depending solely upon +steam power. Steam-engines in those days were not very +economical, needing four or five times as much fuel for the +same power as the engines of recent date. + +It was not until 1838 that the problem was solved. On +April 23d of that year a most significant event took place. +Two steamships dropped anchor in the harbor of New York, +the Sirius and the Great Western. Both of these had made the +entire voyage under steam, the Sirius, in eighteen and a half +and the Great Western in fourteen and a half days, measuring +from Queenstown. The Sirius had taken on board 450 tons +of coal, but all this was burned by the time Sandy Hook was +reached, and she had to burn her spare spars and forty-three +barrels of rosin to make her way up the bay. The Great +Western, on the contrary, had coal to spare. + +Two innovations in shipbuilding were soon introduced. +These were the building of iron instead of wooden ships and the +replacing of the paddle wheel by the screw propeller. The +screw-propeller was first successfully introduced by the famous +Swede, John Ericsson, in 1835. His propeller was tried in a +small vessel, forty-five feet long and eight wide, which was +driven at the rate of ten miles an hour, and towed a large +packet ship at fair speed. Ericsson, not being appreciated +in England, came to America to experiment. Other inventors +were also at work in the same line. + +Their experiments attracted the attention of Isambard +Brunel, one of the greatest engineers of the period, who was +then engaged in building a large paddle-wheel steamer, the +Great Britain. Appreciating the new idea, he had the engines +of the new ship changed and a screw propeller introduced. +This ship, a great one for the time, 322 feet long and of +3443 tons, made her first voyage from Liverpool to New York +in 1845, her average speed being 12 1/4 knots an hour, the +length of the voyage 14 days and 21 hours. + +By the date named the crossing of the Atlantic by steamships +had become a common event. In 1840 the British +and Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was organized, its +chief promoter being Samuel Cunard, of Halifax, Nova +Scotia, whose name has long been attached to this famous +line. + +The first fleet of the Cunard Line comprised four vessels, +the Britannia, Acadia, Caledonia and Columbia. The Unicorn, +sent out by this company as a pioneer, entered Boston +harbor on June 2, 1840, being the first steamship from Europe +to reach that port. Regular trips began with the Britannia, +which left Liverpool on July 4, 1840. For a number of +years later this line enjoyed a practical monopoly of the +steam carrying trade between England and the United States. +Then other companies came into the field, chief among them +being the Collins Line, started in 1849, and of short duration, +and the Inman Line, instituted in 1850. + +We should say something here of the comforts and conveniences +provided for the passengers on these early lines. +They differed strikingly from those on the leviathans of recent +travel and were little, if any, superior to those on the packet +ships, the active rivals at that date of the steamers. Then +there were none of the comfortable smoking rooms, well- +filled libraries, drawing rooms, electric lights, and other modern +improvements. The saloons and staterooms were in the +extreme after part of the vessel, but the stateroom of that +day was little more than a closet, with two berths, one above +the other, and very little standing room between these and +the wall. By paying nearly double fare a passenger might +secure a room for himself, but the room given him did not +compare well even with that of small and unpretentious +modern steamers. + +Other ocean steamship companies gradually arose, some +of which are still in existence. But no especial change in ship- +building was introduced until 1870, when the Oceanic Company, +now known as the White Star Line, built the Britannic +and Germanic. These were the largest of its early ships. +They were 468 feet long and 35 feet wide, constituting +a new type of extreme length as compared with their +width. In the first White Star ship, the Oceanic, the +improvements above mentioned were introduced, the saloons +and staterooms being brought as near as possible to the center +of the ship. All the principal lines built since that date have +followed this example, thus adding much to the comfort of +the first-class passengers. + +Speed and economy in power also became features of +importance, the tubular boiler and the compound engine +being introduced. These have developed into the cylindrical, +multitubular boiler and the triple expansion engine, in which +a greater percentage of the power of the steam is utilized and +four or five times the work obtained from coal over that of the +old system. The side-wheel was continued in use in the older +ships until this period, but after 1870 it disappeared. + +It has been said that the life of iron ships, barring disasters +at sea, is unlimited, that they cannot wear out. This +statement has not been tested, but the fact remains that the +older passenger ships have gone out of service and that steel +has now taken the place of iron, as lighter and more durable. + +Something should also be said here of the steam turbine +engine, recently introduced in some of the greatest liners, and of +proven value in several particulars, an important one of these +being the doing away with the vibration, an inseparable +accompaniment of the old style engines. The Olympic and +Titanic engines were a combination of the turbine and reciprocating +types. In regard to the driving power, one of the recent +introductions is that of the multiple propeller. The twin +screw was first applied in the City of New York, of the Inman +line, and enabled her to make in 1890 an average speed of a +little over six days from New York to Queenstown. The best +record up to October, 1891, was that of the Teutonic, +of five days, sixteen hours, and thirty minutes. Triple-screw +propellers have since then been introduced in some of the +greater ships, and the record speed has been cut down to the +four days and ten hours of the Lusitania in 1908 and the +four days, six hours and forty-one minutes of the Mauretania +in 1910. + +The Titanic was not built especially for speed, but in every +other way she was the master product of the shipbuilders' art. +Progress through the centuries has been steady, and perhaps +the twentieth century will prepare a vessel that will be unsinkable +as well as magnificent. Until the fatal accident the +Titanic and Olympic were considered the last words on ship- +building; but much may still remain to be spoken. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +SAFETY AND LIFE-SAVING DEVICES + +WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY--WATER-TIGHT BULKHEADS--SUBMARINE +SIGNALS--LIFE-BOATS AND RAFTS--NIXON'S PONTOON +--LIFE-PRESERVERS AND BUOYS--ROCKETS + +THE fact that there are any survivors of the Titanic +left to tell the story of the terrible catastrophe is +only another of the hundreds of instances on record +of the value of wireless telegraphy in saving life on shipboard. +Without Marconi's invention it is altogether probable that +the world would never have known of the nature of the +Titanic's fate, for it is only barely within the realm of +possibility that any of the Titanic's passengers' poorly clad, +without proper provisions of food and water, and exposed +in the open boats to the frigid weather, would have survived +long enough to have been picked up by a transatlantic liner +in ignorance of the accident to the Titanic. + +Speaking (since the Titanic disaster) of the part which +wireless telegraphy has played in the salvation of distressed +ships, Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of this wonderful +science, has said: + +"Fifteen years ago the curvature of the earth was looked +upon as the one great obstacle to wireless telegraphy. By +various experiments in the Isle of Wight and at St. John's +I finally succeeded in sending the letter S 2000 miles. + +"We have since found that the fog and the dull skies in +the vicinity of England are exceptionally favorable for wireless +telegraphy." + +Then the inventor told of wireless messages being transmitted +2500 miles across the Abyssinian desert, and of preparation +for similar achievements. + +"The one necessary requirement for continued success is +that governments keep from being enveloped in political red +tape," said he. + +"The fact that a message can be flashed across the wide +expanse of ocean in ten minutes has exceeded my fondest +expectations. Some idea of the progress made may be had +by citing the fact that in eleven years the range of wireless +telegraphy has increased from 200 to 3000 miles. + +"Not once has wireless telegraphy failed in calling and +securing help on the high seas. A recognition of this is shown +in the attitude of the United States Government in compelling +all passenger-carrying vessels entering our ports to be equipped +with wireless apparatus." + +Of the Titanic tragedy, Marconi said: + +"I know you will all understand when I say that I entertain +a deep feeling of gratitude because of the fact that wireless +telegraphy has again contributed to the saving of life." + + +WATER-TIGHT BULKHEADS + +One of the most essential factors in making ships safe is +the construction of proper bulkheads to divide a ship into +water-tight compartments in case of injury to her hull. Of +the modern means of forming such compartments, and of +the complete and automatic devices for operating the watertight +doors which connect them, a full explanation has already +been given in the description of the Titanic's physical features, +to which the reader is referred. A wise precaution usually +taken in the case of twin and triple screw ships is to arrange the +bulkheads so that each engine is in a separate compartment, +as is also each boiler or bank of boilers and each coal bunker. + + +SUBMARINE SIGNALS + +Then there are submarine signals to tell of near-by vessels +or shores. This signal arrangement includes a small tank +on either side of the vessel, just below the water line. Within +each is a microphone with wires leading to the bridge. If +the vessel is near any other or approaching shore, the sounds; +conveyed through the water from the distant object are +heard through the receiver of the microphone. These arrangements +are called the ship's ears, and whether the sounds come +from one side of the vessel or the other, the officers can tell the +location of the shore or ship near by. If both ears record, +the object is ahead. + + +LIFEBOATS AND RAFTS + +The construction of life-boats adapts them for very rough +weather. The chief essentials, of course, are ease in launching, +strength in withstanding rough water and bumping when +beached; also strength to withstand striking against wreckage +or a ship's side; carrying capacity and lightness. Those +carried on board ship are lighter than those used in life-saving +service on shore. Safety is provided by air-tight tanks which +insure buoyancy in case the boat is filled with water. They +have also self-righting power in case of being overturned; likewise +self-emptying power. Life-boats are usually of the whaleboat +type, with copper air-tight tanks along the side beneath +the thwarts, and in the ends. + +Life-boats range from twenty-four to thirty feet in length +and carry from thirty to sixty persons. The rafts carry from +twenty to forty persons. The old-fashioned round bar +davits can be got for $100 to $150 a set. The new style davits, +quick launchers in type, come as low as $400 a set. + +According to some naval constructors, an ocean steamship +can carry in davits enough boats to take care of all the passengers +and crew, it being simply a question as to whether the +steamship owners are willing to take up that much deck room +which otherwise would be used for lounging chairs or for a +promenade. + +Nowadays all life-boats are equipped with air tanks to +prevent sinking, with the result that metal boats are as +unsinkable as wooden ones. The metal boats are considered +in the United States Navy as superior to wooden ones, for +several reasons: They do not break or collapse; they do not, +in consequence of long storage on deck, open at the seams and +thereby spring a leak; and they are not eaten by bugs, as is +the case with wooden boats. + +Comparatively few of the transatlantic steamships have +adopted metal life-boats. Most of the boats are of wood, +according to the official United States Government record +of inspection. The records show that a considerable +proportion of the entire number of so-called "life-boats" +carried by Atlantic Ocean liners are not actually life-boats +at all, but simply open boats, without air tanks or other special +equipment or construction. + + +{illust. caption = CHAMBERS COLLAPSIBLE LIFE RAFT} + + +Life-rafts are of several kinds. They are commonly used +on large passenger steamers where it is difficult to carry sufficient +life-boats. In most cases they consist of two or more +hollow metal or inflated rubber floats which support a wooden +deck. The small rafts are supplied with life-lines and oars, +and the larger ones with life-lines only, or with life-lines and +sails. + +The collapsible feature of the Chambers raft consists of +canvas-covered steel frames extending up twenty-five inches +from the sides to prevent passengers from being pitched off. +When the rafts are not in use these side frames are folded +down on the raft. + +The collapsible rafts are favored by the ship-owners because +such boats take up less room; they do not have to be carried +in the davits, and they can be stowed to any number required. +Some of the German lines stack their collapsible rafts one +above another on deck. + + +NIXON'S PONTOON + +Lewis Nixon, the well-known ship designer, suggests the +construction of a pontoon to be carried on the after end of the +vessel and to be made of sectional air-tight compartments. +One compartment would accommodate the wireless outfit. +Another compartment would hold drinking water, and still +another would be filled with food. + +The pontoon would follow the line of the ship and seem to +be a part of it. The means for releasing it before the sinking of +the vessel present no mechanical problem. It would be too +large and too buoyant to be sucked down with the wreck. + +The pontoon would accommodate, not comfortably but +safely, all those who failed to find room in the life-boats. + +It is Mr. Nixon's plan to instal a gas engine in one of the +compartments. With this engine the wireless instrument +would remain in commission and direct the rescuers after the +ship itself had gone down. + + +LIFE PRESERVERS AND BUOYS + +Life-preservers are chiefly of the belt or jacket type, made +to fit about the body and rendered buoyant by slabs of cork +sewed into the garment, or by rubber-lined air-bags. The +use of cork is usually considered preferable, as the inflated +articles are liable to injury, and jackets are preferable to belts +as they can be put on more quickly. + +Life-buoys are of several types, but those most common +are of the ring type, varying in size from the small one designed +to be thrown by hand to the large hollow metal buoy capable +of supporting several people. The latter are usually carried +by sea-going vessels and are fitted with lamps which are +automatically lighted when the buoy is dropped into the water. + + +ROCKETS + +American ocean-going steamers are required to have some +approved means of firing lines to the shore. Cunningham +rockets and the Hunt gun are largely used. The inaccuracy +of the rocket is of less importance when fired from a ship than +when fired from shore. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +TIME FOR REFLECTION AND REFORMS + +SPEED AND LUXURY OVEREMPHASIZED--SPACE NEEDED FOR +LIFE-BOATS DEVOTED TO SWIMMING POOLS AND SQUASH- +COURTS--MANIA FOR SPEED RECORDS COMPELS USE OF DANGEROUS +ROUTES AND PREVENTS PROPER CAUTION IN FOGGY +WEATHER--LIFE MORE VALUABLE THAN LUXURY--SAFETY +MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEED--AN AROUSED PUBLIC OPINION +NECESSARY--INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE RECOMMENDED-- +ADEQUATE LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE +COMPULSORY--SPEED REGULATIONS IN BAD WEATHER-- +COOPERATION IN ARRANGING SCHEDULES TO KEEP VESSELS +WITHIN REACH OF EACH OTHER--LEGAL REGULATIONS + +IT is a long time since any modern vessel of importance +has gone down under Nature's attack, and in general +the floating city of steel laughs at the wind and waves. +She is not, however, proof against disaster. The danger +lies in her own power--in the tens of thousands of horse power +with which she may be driven into another ship or into an +iceberg standing cold and unyielding as a wall of granite. +In view of this fact it is of the utmost importance that +present-day vessels should be thoroughly provided with the +most efficient life-saving devices. These would seem more +important than fireplaces, squash-courts and many other +luxuries with which the Titanic was provided. The comparatively +few survivors of the ill-fated Titanic were saved +by the life-boats. The hundreds of others who went down +with the vessel perished because there were no life-boats to +carry them until rescue came. + + +SURVIVORS URGE REFORM + +The survivors urge the need of reform. In a resolution +drawn up after the disaster they said: + +"We feel it our duty to call the attention of the public to +what we consider the inadequate supply of life-saving appliances +provided for the modern passenger steamships and +recommend that immediate steps be taken to compel passenger +steamers to carry sufficient boats to accommodate the +maximum number of people carried on board. The following +facts were observed and should be considered in this connection: +The insufficiency of life-boats, rafts, etc.; lack of +trained seamen to man same (stokers, stewards, etc., are not +efficient boat handlers); not enough officers to carry out +emergency orders on the bridge and superintend the launching +and control of life-boats; the absence of search lights. + +"The Board of Trade allows for entirely too many people +in each boat to permit the same to be properly handled. On +the Titanic the boat deck was about seventy-five feet from +the water and consequently the passengers were required to +embark before lowering the boats, thus endangering the +operation and preventing the taking on of the maximum +number the boats would hold. Boats at all times should be +properly equipped with provisions, water, lamps, compasses, +lights, etc. Life-saving boat drills should be more frequent +and thoroughly carried out and officers should be armed at +both drills. There should be greater reduction of speed in fog +and ice, as damage if collision actually occurs is liable to be +less. + + +INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE RECOMMENDED + +"In conclusion we suggest that an international conference +be called to recommend the passage of identical laws providing +for the safety of all at sea, and we urge the United States +Government to take the initiative as soon as possible." + +That ocean liners take chances with their passengers, +though known to the well informed, is newly revealed and +comes with a shock of surprise and dismay to most people. +If boats are unsinkable as well as fireproof there is no need +of any life-boats at all. But no such steamship has ever been +constructed. + +That it is realized that life-boats may be necessary on +the best and newest steamships is proved by the fact that they +carry them even beyond the law's requirements. But if +life-boats for one-third of those on the ship are necessary, +life-boats for all on board are equally necessary. The law of +the United States requires this, but the law and trade regulations +of England do not, and these controlled the Titanic +and caused the death of over sixteen hundred people. + +True, a steamship is rarely crowded to her capacity, and +ordinarily accommodations in life-boats for a full list would +not be needed. But that is no argument against maximum +safety facilities, for when disaster comes it comes unexpectedly, +and it might come when every berth was occupied. So there +must be life-boats for use in every possible emergency. Places +must be found for them and methods for handling them +promptly. + +Suppose a vessel to be thus equipped, would safety be +insured? In calm weather such as the Titanic had, yes, for +all that would be needed would be to keep the small boats +afloat until help came. The Titanic could have saved everyone +aboard. In heavy weather, no. As at present arranged, +if a vessel has a list, or, in non-nautical language, has tipped +over on one side, only the boats upon the lower side can be +dropped, for they must be swung clear of the vessel to be +lowered from the davits. + +So there is a problem which it is the duty of marine +designers to solve. They have heretofore turned their attention +to the invention of some new contrivance for comfort and +luxury. Now let them grasp the far more important question +of taking every soul from a sinking ship. They can do it, +and while they are about it, it would be well to supplement +life-boats with other methods. + +We like to think and to say that nothing is impossible in +these days of ceaseless and energetic progress. Certainly +it is possible for the brains of marine designers to find a better +way for rescue work. Lewis Nixon, ship-builder and designer +for years, is sure that we can revolutionize safety appliances. +He has had a plan for a long time for the construction of a +considerable section of deck that could be detached and +floated off like an immense raft. He figures that such a deck- +raft could be made to carry the bulk of the passengers. + +That may seem a bit chimerical to laymen, but Nixon is +no layman. His ideas are worthy of every consideration. +Certain it is that something radical must be done, and that +the maritime nations must get together, not only in the way +of providing more life-saving facilities, but in agreeing upon +navigation routes and methods. + +Captain William S. Sims, of the United States Navy, who is +in a position to know what he is talking about, has made some +very pointed comments on the subject. He says: + +"The truth of the matter is that in case any large passenger +steamship sinks, by reason of collision or other fatal +damage to her flotability, more than half of her passengers +are doomed to death, even in fair weather, and in case there +is a bit of a sea running none of the loaded boats can long +remain afloat, even if they succeed in getting safely away +from the side, and one more will be added to the long list +of `the ships that never return.' + +"Most people accept this condition as one of the inevitable +perils of the sea, but I believe it can be shown that the terrible +loss of life occasioned by such disasters as overtook the Bourgogne +and the Titanic and many other ships can be avoided +or at least greatly minimized. Moreover, it can be shown +that the steamship owners are fully aware of the danger to +their passengers; that the laws on the subject of life-saving +appliances are wholly inadequate; that the steamship companies +comply with the law, though they oppose any changes +therein, and that they decline to adopt improved appliances; +because there is no public demand for them, the demand +being for high schedule speed and luxurious conditions of +travel. + +"In addition to installing efficient life-saving appliances, +if the great steamship lines should come to an agreement to +fix a maximum speed for their vessels of various classes and +fix their dates and hours of steaming so that they would cross +the ocean in pairs within supporting distances of each other, +on routes clear of ice, all danger of ocean travel would practically +be eliminated. + +"The shortest course between New York and the English +Channel lies across Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Consequently +the shortest water route is over seas where navigation +is dangerous by reason of fog and ice. It is a notorious +fact that the transatlantic steamships are not navigated with +due regard to safety; that they steam at practically full +speed in the densest fogs. But the companies cannot properly +be blamed for this practice, because if the `blue liners' slow +down in a fog or take a safe route, clear of ice, the public will +take passage on the `green liners,' which take the shortest +route, and keep up their schedule time; regardless of the risks +indicated." + + +PROMPT REFORMS + +The terrible sacrifice of the Titanic, however, is to have its +fruit in safety for the future. The official announcement is + + +{illust. caption = A diagrammatic map showing how...} + + +made by the International Mercantile Marine that all its +ships will be equipped with sufficient life-boats and rafts +for every passenger and every member of the crew, without +regard to the regulations in this country and England or Belgium. +One of the German liners already had this complement +of life-boats, though the German marine as a whole is sufficiently +deficient at this point to induce the Reichstag to order +an investigation. + +Prompt, immediate and gratifying reform marks this action +of the International Mercantile Marine. It is doubtless +true that this precaution ought to have been taken without +waiting for a loss of life such as makes all previous marine +disasters seem trivial. But the public itself has been inert. +For thirty years, since Plimsoll's day, every intelligent passenger +knew that every British vessel was deficient in life- +boats, but neither public opinion nor the public press took +this matter up. There were no questions in Parliament and +no measures introduced in Congress. Even the legislation +by which the United States permitted English vessels reaching +American ports to avoid the legal requirements of American +statute law (which requires a seat in the life-boats for every +passenger and every member of the crew) attracted no public +attention, and occasional references to the subject by those +better informed did nothing to awake action. + +But this is past. Those who died bravely without complaint +and with sacrificing regard for others did not lose their +lives in vain. The safety of all travelers for all times to come +under every civilized flag is to be greater through their sac- +rifice. Under modern conditions life can be made as safe at +sea as on the land. It is heartrending to stop and think that +thirty-two more life-boats, costing only about $16,000, which +could have been stowed away without being noticed on the +broad decks of the Titanic, would have saved every man, +woman and child on the steamer. There has never been so +great a disaster in the history of civilization due to the +neglect of so small an expenditure. + +It would be idle to think that this was due simply to parsimony. +It was really due to the false and vicious notion +that life at sea must be made showy, sumptuous and magnificent. +The absence of life-boats was not due to their cost, +but to the demand for a great promenade deck, with ample +space to look out on the sea with which a continuous row of +life-boats would have interfered, and to the general tendency +to lavish money on the luxuries of a voyage instead of first +insuring its safety. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE SENATORIAL INVESTIGATION + +PROMPT ACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT--SENATE COMMITTEE +PROBES DISASTER AND BRINGS OUT DETAILS--TESTIMONY +OF ISMAY, OFFICERS, CREW, PASSENGERS AND OTHER +WITNESSES + +PUBLIC sentiment with regard to the Titanic disaster +was reflected in the prompt action of the +United States Government. + +On April 17th the Senate, without a dissenting vote, +ordered an investigation of the wreck of the Titanic, with +particular reference to the inadequacy of life-saving boats +and apparatus. The resolution also directed inquiry into the +use by the Titanic of the northern course "over a route +commonly regarded as dangerous from icebergs." + +Besides investigating the disaster, the committee was +directed to look into the feasibility of international agreements +for the further protection of ocean traffic. + +The Senate Committee on Commerce, in whose charge the +investigation was placed, immediately appointed the following +sub-committee to conduct the gathering of evidence and the +examination of witnesses: + +Senator William Alden Smith of Michigan, chairman; +Senator Francis Newlands of Nevada, Senator Jonathan +Bourne, Jr., of Oregon, Senator George C. Perkins of California, +Senator Theodore E. Burton of Ohio, Senator Furnifold +McL. Simmons of North Carolina and Senator Duncan U. +Fletcher of Florida. + +The Senate Committee began its investigation in New +York on Friday, April 19th, the morning after the arrival of +the Carpathia. + +Ismay, the first witness, came to the witness chair with +a smile upon his face. He was sworn and then told the +committee that he made the voyage on the Titanic only as +a voluntary passenger. Nobody designated him to come +to see how the newly launched monster would behave on +the initial trip. He said that no money was spared in the +construction, and as she was built on commission there +was no need for the builders to slight the work for their +own benefit. The accident had happened on Sunday night, +April 14th. + +"I was in bed and asleep," he said. "The ship was not +going at full speed, as has been printed, because full speed +would be from seventy-eight to eighty revolutions, and we were +making only seventy-five. After the impact with the iceberg +I dressed and went on deck. I asked the steward what +the matter was and he told me. Then I went to Captain +Smith and asked him if the ship was in danger and he told +me he thought she was." + +Ismay said that he went on the bridge and remained there +for some time and then lent a hand in getting the life-boats +ready. He helped to get the women and children into the +boats. + +Ismay said that no other executive officer of the steamship +company was on board, which practically made him the +sole master of the vessel the minute it passed beyond the +control of the captain and his fellow-officers. But Ismay, +seeming to scent the drift of the questions, said that he never +interfered in any way with the handling of the ship. + +Ismay was asked to give more particulars about his departure +from the ship. He said: + +"The boat was ready to be lowered away and the officer +called out if there were any more women or children to go +or any more passengers on deck, but there was none, and I +got on board." + + +CAPTAIN ROSTRON'S TESTIMONY + +Captain Rostron, of the Carpathia, followed Mr. Ismay. +He said the first message received from the Titanic was +that she was in immediate danger. "I gave the order to +turn the ship around as soon as the Titanic had given her +position. I set a course to pick up the Titanic, which was +fifty-eight miles west of my position. I sent for the chief +engineer, told him to put on another watch of stokers and +make all speed for the Titanic. I told the first officer to stop +all deck work, get out the life-boats and be ready for any +emergency. The chief steward and doctors of the Carpathia +I called to my office and instructed as to their duties. The +English doctor was assigned to the first class dining room, +the Italian doctor to the second class dining room, the Hungarian +doctor to the third class dining room. They were +instructed to be ready with all supplies necessary for any +emergency." + + +{illust. caption = DIAGRAM SHOWING THE PROXIMITY OF OTHER STEAMSHIPS TO +THE TITANIC ON NIGHT OF DISASTER.} + + + +The captain told in detail of the arrangements made to +prepare the life-boats and the ship for the receipt of the +survivors. + + +WEEPS AS HE TELLS STORY + +Then with tears filling his eyes, Captain Rostron said he +called the purser. "I told him," said Captain Rostron, +"I wanted to hold a service of prayer--thanksgiving for the +living and a funeral service for the dead. I went to Mr. +Ismay. He told me to take full charge. An Episcopal +clergyman was found among the passengers and he conducted +the services." + + +TITANIC WAS A "LIFE-BOAT." + +Captain Rostron said that the Carpathia had twenty lifeboats +of her own, in accordance with the British regulations. + +"Wouldn't that indicate that the regulations are out of +date, your ship being much smaller than the Titanic, which +also carried twenty life-boats?" Senator Smith asked. + +"No. The Titanic was supposed to be a life-boat herself." + + +WIRELESS FAILED + +Why so few messages came from the Carpathia was gone +into. Captain Rostron declared the first messages, all substantially +the same, were sent to the White Star Line, the Cunard +Line and the Associated Press. Then the first and +second cabin passenger lists were sent, when the wireless +failed. + +Senator Smith said some complaint had been heard that +the Carpathia had not answered President Taft's inquiry for +Major Butt. Captain Rostron declared a reply was sent, +"Not on board." + +Captain Rostron declared he issued orders for no messages +to be sent except upon orders from him, and for official business +to go first, then private messages from the Titanic survivors +in order of filing. + +Absolutely no censorship was exercised, he said. The wire- +less continued working all the way in, the Marconi operator +being constantly at the key. + +Guglielmo Marconi, the wireless inventor, was the next +witness. + +Marconi said he was chairman of the British Marconi Company. +Under instructions of the company, he said, operators +must take their orders from the captain of the ship on which +they are employed. + +"Do the regulations prescribe whether one or two operators +should be aboard the ocean vessels?" + +"Yes, on ships like the late Titanic and Olympic two are +carried," said Marconi. "The Carpathia, a smaller boat, +carries one. The Carpathia's wireless apparatus is a short- +distance equipment." + + +TITANIC WELL EQUIPPED + +"Do you consider that the Titanic was equipped with the +latest improved wireless apparatus?" + +"Yes; I should say that it had the very best." + +"Did you hear the captain of the Carpathia say, in his testimony, +that they caught this distress message from the Titanic +almost providentally?" asked Senator Smith. + +"Yes, I did. It was absolutely providential." + +"Is there any signal for the operator if he is not at his post?'{'} + +"I think there is none," said Marconi. + +"Ought it not be incumbent upon ships to have an operator +always at the key?" + +"Yes; but ship-owners don't like to carry two operators +when they can get along with one. The smaller boat owners +do not like the expense of two operators." + + +SECOND OFFICER TESTIFIES + +Charles Herbert Lightoller, second officer of the Titanic, +followed Marconi on the stand. Mr. Lightoller said he +understood the maximum speed of the Titanic, as shown by +its trial tests, to have been twenty-two and a half to twenty- +three knots. Senator Smith asked if the rule requiring life- +saving apparatus to be in each room for each passenger was +complied with. + +"Everything was complete," said Lightoller. "Sixteen +life-boats, of which four were collapsible, were on the Titanic," +he added. During the tests, he said, Captain Clark, of +the British Board of Trade, was aboard the Titanic to inspect +its life-saving equipment. + +"How thorough are these captains of the Board of Trade +in inspecting ships?" asked Senator Smith. + +"Captain Clark is so thorough that we called him a nuisance." + + +TITANIC KILLED RAPIDLY + +After testifying to the circumstances under which the life- +boats were filled and lowered, Lightoller continued. "The +boat's deck was only ten feet from the water when I lowered +the sixth boat. When we lowered the first, the distance to +the water was seventy feet." + +"If the same course was pursued on the starboard side as +you pursued on the port, in filling boats, how do you account +for so many members of the crew being saved?" asked Chairman +Smith. + +"I have inquired especially and have found that for every +six persons picked up, five were either firemen or stewards." + + +COTTAM TELLS HIS STORY + +Thomas Cottam, of Liverpool, the Marconi operator on +the Carpathia, was the next witness. + +Cottam said that he was about ready to retire Sunday night, +having partially removed his clothes, and was waiting for a +reply to a message to the Parisian when he heard Cape Cod +trying to call the Titanic. Cottam called the Titanic operator +to inform him of the fact, and received the reply. `Come +at once; this is a distress message. C. Q. D.' " + +"What did you do then?" + +"I confirmed the distress message by asking the Titanic +if I should report the distress message to the captain of the +Carpathia." + +"How much time elapsed after you received the Titanic's +distress message before you reported it to Captain Rostron?" + +"About a couple of minutes," Cottam answered. + + +COTTAM RECALLED + +When the committee resumed the investigation on April +20th, Cottam was recalled to the stand. + +Senator Smith asked the witness if he had received any +messages from the time the Carpathia left the scene of the +disaster until it reached New York. The purpose of this +question was to discover whether any official had sought to +keep back the news of the disaster. + +"No, sir," answered Cottam. "I reported the entire +matter myself to the steamship Baltic at 10.30 o'clock Monday +morning. I told her we had been to the wreck and had picked +up as many of the passengers as we could." + +Cottam denied that he had sent any message that all +passengers had been saved, or anything on which such a +report could be based. + +Cottam said he was at work Monday and until Wednesday. +He repeated his testimony of the previous day and said he +had been without sleep throughout Sunday, Monday, Tuesday +and until late Wednesday afternoon when he had been +relieved by Bride. + +"Did you or Bride send any message declaring that the +Titanic was being towed into Halifax?" + +"No, sir," said the witness, with emphasis. + + +MARCONI EXPLAINS + +In an effort to determine whether the signal "C. Q. D." +might not have been misunderstood by passing ships, Senator +Smith called upon Mr. Marconi. + +"The `C. Q.,' " said Marconi, "is an international signal +which meant that all stations should cease sending except +the one using the call. The `D.' was added to indicate danger. +The call, however, now has been superseded by the universal +call, `S. O. S.' " + +BRIDE ON THE STAND + +Harold S. Bride, the sole surviving operator of the Titanic, +was then called. + +Bride said he knew the Frankfurt was nearer than the +Carpathia when he called for assistance, but that he ceased +his efforts to communicate with the former because her operator +persisted in asking, "What is the matter?" despite Bride's +message that the ship was in distress. + +Time after time Senator Smith asked in varying forms why +the Titanic did not explain its condition to the Frankfurt. + +"Any operator receiving `C. Q. D.' and the position of the +ship, if he is on the job," said Bride, "would tell the captain at +once." + +Marconi again testified to the distress signals, and said +that the Frankfurt was equipped with Marconi wireless. +He said that the receipt of the signal "C. Q. D." by the +Frankfurt's operator should have been all-sufficient to send +the Frankfurt to the immediate rescue. + + +ALL APPEALS RECEIVED + +Under questioning by Senator Smith, Bride said that +undoubtedly the Frankfurt received all of the urgent appeals +for help sent subsequently to the Carpathia. + + +INVESTIGATION CARRIED TO WASHINGTON + +The first witness when the investigation was resumed in +Washington on April 22d was P. A. S. Franklin, vice-president +of the International Mercantile Marine Company. + +Franklin testified that he had had no communication +with Captain Smith during the Titanic's voyage, nor with +Ismay, except one cable from Southampton. + +Senator Smith then showed Mr. Franklin the telegram +received by Congressman Hughes, of West Virginia, from +the White Star Line, dated New York, April 15th, and addressed +to J. A. Hughes, Huntington, W. Va., as follows: + + +"Titanic proceeding to Halifax. Passengers probably +land on Wednesday. All safe. + (Signed) "THE WHITE STAR LINE. " + + +TELEGRAM A MYSTERY + +"I ask you," continued the senator, "whether you know +about the sending of that telegram, by whom it was authorized +and from whom it was sent?" + +"I do not, sir," said Franklin. "Since it was mentioned +at the Waldorf Saturday we have had the entire passenger +staff examined and we cannot find out." + +Asked when he first knew that the Titanic had sunk, +Franklin said he first knew it about 6.27 P.M., Monday. + +Mr. Franklin then produced a thick package of telegrams +which he had received in relation to the disaster. + +"About twenty minutes of two on Monday morning," +said he, "I was awakened by a telephone bell, and was called +by a reporter for some paper who informed me that the +Titanic had met with an accident and was sinking. I asked +him where he got the information. He told me that it had +come by wireless from the steamship Virginian, which had +been appealed to by the Titanic for aid." + +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. + +"It was such a terrible shock that it took me several +moments to think what to do. Then I went downstairs to +the reporters, I began to read the message, holding it high +in my hand. I had read only to the second line, which said +that the Titanic had sunk, when there was not a reporter +left--they were so anxious to get to the telephones. + + +SAFETY EQUIPMENT + +"The Titanic's equipment was in excess of the law," said +the witness. "It carried its clearance in the shape of a +certificate from the British Board of Trade. I might say that +no vessel can leave a British port without a certificate that +it is equipped to care for human lives aboard in case of +accident. It is the law." + +"Do you know of anyone, any officer or man or any official, +whom you deem could be held responsible for the accident +and its attendant loss of life?" + +"Positively not. No one thought such an accident could +happen. It was undreamed of. I think it would be absurd +to try to hold some individual responsible. Every precaution +was taken; that the precautions were of no avail is a +source of the deepest sorrow. But the accident was unavoidable." + + +FOURTH OFFICER TESTIFIES + +J. B. Boxhall, the fourth officer, was then questioned. + +"Were there any drills or any inspection before the Titanic +sailed?" he was asked. + +"Both," said the witness. "The men were mustered and +the life-boats lowered in the presence of the inspectors from +the Board of Trade." + +"How many boats were lowered?" + +"Just two, sir." + +"One on each side of the ship?" + +"No, sir. They were both on the same side. We were +lying in dock." + +The witness said he did not know whether the lowering +tackle ran free or not on that occasion. + +"In lowering the life-boats at the test, did the gear work +satisfactorily?" + +"So far as I know." + +In lowering a life-boat, he said, first the boat has to be +cleared, chocks knocked down and the boat hangs free. +Then the davits are screwed out to the ship's side and the +boat lowered. + +At the time of the tests all officers of the Titanic were +present. + +Boxhall said that under the weather conditions experienced +at the time of the collision the life-boats were supposed +to carry sixty-five persons. Under the regulations of the +British Board of Trade, in addition to the oars, there were +in the boats water breakers, water dippers, bread, bailers, +mast and sail and lights and a supply of oil. All of these +supplies, said Boxhall, were in the boats when the Titanic +left Belfast. He could not say whether they were in when +the vessel left Southampton. + +"Now," repeated Senator Smith, "suppose the weather +was clear and the sky unruffled, as it was at the time of the +disaster, how many would the boat hold?" + +"Really, I don't know. It would depend largely upon the +people who were to enter. If they did as they were told I +believe each boat could accommodate sixty-five persons." + +Boxhall testified to the sobriety and good habits of his +superior and brother officers. + + +NO TRACE OF DAMAGE INSIDE + +Boxhall said he went down to the steerage, inspected all the +decks in the vicinity of where the ship had struck, found no +traces of any damage and went directly to the bridge and so +reported. + + +CARPENTER FOUND LEAKS + +"The captain ordered me to send a carpenter to sound the +ship, but I found a carpenter coming up with the announcement +that the ship was taking water. In the mail room I +found mail sacks floating about while the clerks were at work. +I went to the bridge and reported, and the captain ordered +the life-boats to be made ready." + +Boxhall testified that at Captain Smith's orders he took +word of the ship's position to the wireless operators. + +"What position was that?" + +"Forty-one forty-six north, fifty fourteen west." + +"Was that the last position taken?" + +"Yes, the Titanic stood not far from there when she sank." + +After that Boxhall went back to the life-boats, where there +were many men and women. He said they had been provided +with life-belts. + + +{illust. caption = THE EFFECTS OF STRIKING AN ICEBERG + +(1) Shows normal....} + + +DISTRESS ROCKETS FIRED + +"After that I was on the bridge most of the time sending +out distress signals, trying to attract the attention of boats +ahead," he said. "I sent up distress rockets until I left the +ship, to try to attract the attention of a ship directly ahead. +I had seen her lights. She seemed to be meeting us and was +not far away. She got close enough, so she seemed to me, to +read our Morse electric signals." + +"Suppose you had a powerful search light on the Titanic, +could you not have thrown a beam on the vessel and have +compelled her attention?" + +"We might." + +H. J. Pitman, the third officer of the ship, was the first +witness on April 23d. By a series of searching questions +Senator Fletcher brought out the fact that when the collision +occurred the Titanic was going at the greatest speed attained +during the trip, even though the ship was entering the Grand +Banks and had been advised of the presence of ice. + +Frederick Fleet, a sailor and lookout man on the Titanic, +followed Pitman on the stand. Fleet said he had had five or +six years' experience at sea and was lookout on the Oceanic +prior to going on the Titanic. He was in the crow's nest +at the time of the collision. + +Fleet stated that he had kept a sharp lookout for ice, and +testified to seeing the iceberg and signaling the bridge. + +Fleet acknowledged that if he had been aided in his +observations by a good glass he probably could have spied +the berg into which the ship crashed in time to have warned +the bridge to avoid it. Major Arthur Peuchen, of Toronto, +a passenger who followed Fleet on the stand, also testified +to the much greater sweep of vision afforded by binoculars +and, as a yachtsman, said he believed the presence of the iceberg +might have been detected in time to escape the collision +had the lookout men been so equipped. + + +HAD ASKED FOR BINOCULARS + +It was made to appear that the blame for being without +glasses did not rest with the lookout men. Fleet said they +had asked for them at Southampton and were told there were +none for them. One glass, in a pinch, would have served in +the crow's nest. + +The testimony before the committee on April 24th showed +that the big steamship was on the verge of a field of ice twenty +or thirty miles long, if she had not actually entered it, when +the accident occurred. + +The committee tried to discover whether it would add to +human safety if the ships were fitted with search lights so that +at night objects could be seen at a greater distance. The +testimony so far along this line had been conflicting. Some +of the witnesses thought it would be no harm to try it, but +they were all skeptical as to its value, as an iceberg would +not be especially distinguishable because its bulk is mostly +below the surface. + +One of the witnesses said that much dependence is not +placed upon the lookout, and that those lookouts who used +binoculars constantly found them detrimental. + +Harold G. Lowe, fifth officer of the Titanic, told the +committee his part in the struggle of the survivors for life +following the catastrophe. The details of this struggle have +have already been told in a previous chapter. + + +AUTHORIZED TO SELL STORY + +In great detail Guglielmo Marconi, on April 25th, +explained the operations of his system and told how he had +authorized Operator Bride of the Titanic, and Operator +Cottam, of the Carpathia, to sell their stories of the disaster +after they came ashore. + +In allowing the operator's to sell their stories, said Mr. +Marconi, there was no question of suppressing or monopolizing +the news. He had done everything he could, he said, +to have the country informed as quickly as possible of the +details of the disaster. That was why he was particularly +glad for the narratives of such important witnesses as the +operators to receive publication, regardless of the papers that +published them. + +He repeated the testimony of Cottam that every effort +had been made to get legitimate dispatches ashore. The +cruiser Chester, he said, had been answered as fully as +possible, though it was not known at the time that its queries +came from the President of the United States. The Salem, +he said, had never got in touch with the Carpathia operator. + +Senator Newlands suggested that the telegrams, some +signed by the name of Mr. Sammis and some with the name +of Marconi, directing Cottam to "keep his mouth shut" +and hold out for four figures on his story, was sent only as +the Carpathia was entering New York harbor, when there +was no longer need for sending official or private messages +from the rescuing ship. There had been an impression before, +he said, that the messages had been sent to Cottam when +the ship was far at sea, when they might have meant that +he was to hold back messages relieving the anxiety of those +on shore. + + +SAW DISTRESS ROCKETS + +Ernest Gill, a donkey engineman on the steamship Californian, +was the first witness on April 26th. He said that Captain +Stanley Lord, of the Californian, refused later to go to the aid +of the Titanic, the rockets from which could be plainly seen. +He says the captain was apprised of these signals, but made no +effort to get up steam and go to the rescue. The Californian +was drifting with the floe. So indignant did he become, said +Gill, that he endeavored to recruit a committee of protest +from among the crew, but the men failed him. + +Captain Lord entered a sweeping denial of Gill's accusations +and read from the Californian's log to support his contention. +Cyril Evans, the Californian's wireless operator, +however, told of hearing much talk among the crew, who +were critical of the captain's course. Gill, he said, told him +he expected to get $500 for his story when the ship reached +Boston. + +Evans told of having warned the Titanic only a brief time +before the great vessel crashed into the berg that the sea was +crowded with ice. The Titanic's operators, he said, at the +time were working with the wireless station at Cape Race, +and they told him to "shut up" and keep out. Within a +half hour the pride of the sea was crumpled and sinking. + +Members of the committee who examined individually +the British sailors and stewards of the Titanic's crew prepared +a report of their investigations for the full committee. This +testimony was ordered to be incorporated in the record of the +hearings. + +Most of this testimony was but a repetition of experiences +similar to the many already related by those who got away +in the life-boats. + +On April 27th Captain James H. Moore, of the steamship +Mount Temple, who hurried to the Titanic in response to +wireless calls for help, told of the great stretch of field ice +which held him off. Within his view from the bridge he +discerned, he said, a strange steamship, probably a "tramp," +and a schooner which was making her way out of the ice. +The lights of this schooner, he thought, probably were those +seen by the anxious survivors of the Titanic and which they +were frantically trying to reach. + + +WOMEN AT HEARING WEEP + +Steward Crawford also related a thrilling story in regard +to loading the life-boats with women first. He told of several +instances that came under his observation of women throwing +their arms around their husbands and crying out that they +would not leave the ship without them. The pathetic recital +caused several women at the hearing to weep, and all within +earshot of the steward's story were thrilled. + + +ANDREWS WAS BRAVE + +Stories that Mr. Andrews, the designer of the ship, had +tried to disguise the extent of danger were absolutely denied +by Henry Samuel Etches, his bedroom steward, who told +the committee how Mr. Andrews urged women back to their +cabins to dress more warmly and to put on life-belts. + +The steward, whose duty it was to serve Major Butt and +his party, told how he did not see the Major at dinner the +evening of the disaster as he was dining with a private party +in the restaurant. William Burke, a first class steward, told +of serving dinner at 7.15 o'clock to Mr. and Mrs. Straus, +and later Mrs. Straus' refusal to leave her husband was +again told to the committee. A bedroom steward told of a +quiet conversation with Benjamin Guggenheim, Senator +Guggenheim's brother, after the accident and shortly before +the Titanic settled in the plunge that was to be his death. + +On April 29th Marconi produced copies of several messages +which passed between the Marconi office and the +Carpathia in an effort to get definite information of the +wreck and the survivors. + +Marconi and F. M. Sammis, chief engineer of the American +Marconi Company, both acknowledged that a mistake +had been made in sending messages to Bride and Cottam on +board the Carpathia not to give out any news until they had +seen Marconi and Sammis. + +The senatorial committee investigating the Titanic disaster +has served several good purposes. It has officially established +the fact that all nations are censurable for insufficient, antiquated +safety regulations on ocean vessels, and it has emphasized +the imperative necessity for united action among +all maritime countries to revise these laws and adapt them to +changed conditions. + + +The committee reported its findings as follows: + +GENERAL CONCLUSIONS + +No particular person is named as being responsible, though attention +is called to the fact that on the day of the disaster three distinct warnings +of ice were sent to Captain Smith. J. Bruce Ismay, managing director +of the White Star Line, is not held responsible for the ship's high speed. +In fact, he is barely mentioned in the report. + +Ice positions, so definitely reported to the Titanic just preceding the +accident, located ice on both sides of the lane in which she was traveling. +No discussion took place among the officers, no conference was called to +consider these warnings, no heed was given to them. The speed was not +relaxed, the lookout was not increased. + +The supposedly water-tight compartments of the Titanic were not water- +tight, because of the non-water-tight condition of the decks where the +transverse bulkheads ended. + +The steamship Californian, controlled by the same concern as the Titanic, +was nearer the sinking steamship than the nineteen miles reported by her +captain, and her officers and crew saw the distress signals of the Titanic +and failed to respond to them in accordance with the dictates of humanity, +international usage and the requirements of law. Had assistance been +promptly proffered the Californian might have had the proud distinction +of rescuing the lives of the passengers and crew of the Titanic. + +The mysterious lights on an unknown ship, seen by the passengers on +the Titanic, undoubtedly were on the Californian, less than nineteen miles +away. + +Eight ships, all equipped with wireless, were in the vicinity of the Titanic, +the Olympic farthest away--512 miles. + +The full capacity of the Titanic's life-boats was not utilized, because, while +only 705 persons were saved, the ship's boats could have carried 1176. + +No general alarm was sounded, no whistle blown and no systematic +warning was given to the endangered passengers, and it was fifteen or +twenty minutes after the collision before Captain Smith ordered the +Titanic's wireless operator to send out a distress message. + +The Titanic's crew were only meagerly acquainted with their positions +and duties in an accident and only one drill was held before the maiden +trip. Many of the crew joined the ship only a few hours before she sailed +and were in ignorance of their positions until the following Friday. + +Many more lives could have been saved had the survivors been concentrated +in a few life-boats, and had the boats thus released returned to the +wreck for others. + +The first official information of the disaster was the message from +Captain Haddock, of the Olympic, received by the White Star Line at +6.16 P. M., Monday, April 15. In the face of this information a message +reporting the Titanic being towed to Halifax was sent to Representative +J. A. Hughes, at Huntington, W. Va., at 7.51 P. M. that day. The +message was delivered to the Western Union office in the same building as +the White Star Line offices. + +"Whoever sent this message," says the report, "under the circumstances, +is guilty of the most reprehensible conduct." + +The wireless operator on the Carpathia was not duly vigilant in handling +his messages after the accident. + +The practice of allowing wireless operators to sell their stories should +be stopped. + + +RECOMMENDATIONS. + +It is recommended that all ships carrying more than 100 passengers +shall have two searchlights. + +That a revision be made of steamship inspection laws of foreign countries +to conform to the standard proposed in the United States. + +That every ship be required to carry sufficient life-boats for all passengers +and crew. + +That the use of wireless be regulated to prevent interference by amateurs, +and that all ships have a wireless operator on constant duty. + +Detailed recommendations are made as to water-tight bulkhead construction +on ocean-going ships. Bulkheads should be so spaced that any +two adjacent compartments of a ship might be flooded without sinking. + +Transverse bulkheads forward and abaft the machinery should be +continued watertight to the uppermost continuous structural deck, and +this deck should be fitted water-tight. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Sinking of the Titanic + |