diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6675-8.txt | 5010 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6675-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 112162 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6675-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 113947 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6675-h/6675-h.htm | 5793 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6675.txt | 5010 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6675.zip | bin | 0 -> 112140 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/lsttn10.txt | 4979 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/lsttn10.zip | bin | 0 -> 111627 bytes |
11 files changed, 20808 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6675-8.txt b/6675-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3934f74 --- /dev/null +++ b/6675-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5010 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Loss of the SS. Titanic + +Author: Lawrence Beesley + +Posting Date: March 16, 2014 [EBook #6675] +Release Date: October, 2004 +First Posted: January 12, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + + + + +Produced by Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from +images generously made available by the CWRU Preservation +Department Digital Library. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + + + +THE LOSS OF THE S. S. TITANIC + + +ITS STORY AND ITS LESSONS + +BY + +LAWRENCE BEESLEY + +B. A. (_Cantab_.) + +Scholar of Gonville and Caius College + +ONE OF THE SURVIVORS + + + +PREFACE + +The circumstances in which this book came to be written are as +follows. Some five weeks after the survivors from the Titanic landed +in New York, I was the guest at luncheon of Hon. Samuel J. Elder and +Hon. Charles T. Gallagher, both well-known lawyers in Boston. After +luncheon I was asked to relate to those present the experiences of the +survivors in leaving the Titanic and reaching the Carpathia. + +When I had done so, Mr. Robert Lincoln O'Brien, the editor of the +_Boston Herald_, urged me as a matter of public interest to write +a correct history of the Titanic disaster, his reason being that he +knew several publications were in preparation by people who had not +been present at the disaster, but from newspaper accounts were piecing +together a description of it. He said that these publications would +probably be erroneous, full of highly coloured details, and generally +calculated to disturb public thought on the matter. He was supported +in his request by all present, and under this general pressure I +accompanied him to Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company, where we +discussed the question of publication. + +Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company took at that time exactly the same +view that I did, that it was probably not advisable to put on record +the incidents connected with the Titanic's sinking: it seemed better +to forget details as rapidly as possible. + +However, we decided to take a few days to think about it. At our next +meeting we found ourselves in agreement again,--but this time on the +common ground that it would probably be a wise thing to write a +history of the Titanic disaster as correctly as possible. I was +supported in this decision by the fact that a short account, which I +wrote at intervals on board the Carpathia, in the hope that it would +calm public opinion by stating the truth of what happened as nearly as +I could recollect it, appeared in all the American, English, and +Colonial papers and had exactly the effect it was intended to have. +This encourages me to hope that the effect of this work will be the +same. + +Another matter aided me in coming to a decision,--the duty that we, as +survivors of the disaster, owe to those who went down with the ship, +to see that the reforms so urgently needed are not allowed to be +forgotten. + +Whoever reads the account of the cries that came to us afloat on the +sea from those sinking in the ice-cold water must remember that they +were addressed to him just as much as to those who heard them, and +that the duty, of seeing that reforms are carried out devolves on +every one who knows that such cries were heard in utter helplessness +the night the Titanic sank. + + + +CONTENTS + +I. CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE + +II. FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION + +III. THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS + +IV. THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT + +V. THE RESCUE + +VI. THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM HER DECK + +VII. THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK + +VIII. THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC + +IX. SOME IMPRESSIONS + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +THE TITANIC From a photograph taken in Belfast Harbour. Copyrighted by +Underwood and Underwood, New York. + +VIEW OF FOUR DECKS OF THE OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF THE TITANIC From a +photograph published in the "Sphere," May 4,1918 TRANSVERSE (amidship) +SECTION THROUGH THE TITANIC After a drawing furnished by the White +Star Line. + +LONGITUDINAL SECTIONS AND DECK PLAN OF THE TITANIC After plans +published in the "Shipbuilder." + +THE CARPATHIA From a photograph furnished by the Cunard Steamship Co. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE + + +The history of the R.M.S. Titanic, of the White Star Line, is one of +the most tragically short it is possible to conceive. The world had +waited expectantly for its launching and again for its sailing; had +read accounts of its tremendous size and its unexampled completeness +and luxury; had felt it a matter of the greatest satisfaction that +such a comfortable, and above all such a safe boat had been designed +and built--the "unsinkable lifeboat";--and then in a moment to hear +that it had gone to the bottom as if it had been the veriest tramp +steamer of a few hundred tons; and with it fifteen hundred passengers, +some of them known the world over! The improbability of such a thing +ever happening was what staggered humanity. + +If its history had to be written in a single paragraph it would be +somewhat as follows:-- + +"The R.M.S. Titanic was built by Messrs. Harland & Wolff at their +well-known ship-building works at Queen's Island, Belfast, side by +side with her sister ship the Olympic. The twin vessels marked such an +increase in size that specially laid-out joiner and boiler shops were +prepared to aid in their construction, and the space usually taken up +by three building slips was given up to them. The keel of the Titanic +was laid on March 31, 1909, and she was launched on May 31, 1911; she +passed her trials before the Board of Trade officials on March 31, +1912, at Belfast, arrived at Southampton on April 4, and sailed the +following Wednesday, April 10, with 2208 passengers and crew, on her +maiden voyage to New York. She called at Cherbourg the same day, +Queenstown Thursday, and left for New York in the afternoon, expecting +to arrive the following Wednesday morning. But the voyage was never +completed. She collided with an iceberg on Sunday at 11.45 P.M. in +Lat. 41° 46' N. and Long. 50° 14' W., and sank two hours and a half +later; 815 of her passengers and 688 of her crew were drowned and 705 +rescued by the Carpathia." + +Such is the record of the Titanic, the largest ship the world had ever +seen--she was three inches longer than the Olympic and one thousand +tons more in gross tonnage--and her end was the greatest maritime +disaster known. The whole civilized world was stirred to its depths +when the full extent of loss of life was learned, and it has not yet +recovered from the shock. And that is without doubt a good thing. It +should not recover from it until the possibility of such a disaster +occurring again has been utterly removed from human society, whether +by separate legislation in different countries or by international +agreement. No living person should seek to dwell in thought for one +moment on such a disaster except in the endeavour to glean from it +knowledge that will be of profit to the whole world in the future. +When such knowledge is practically applied in the construction, +equipment, and navigation of passenger steamers--and not until +then--will be the time to cease to think of the Titanic disaster and +of the hundreds of men and women so needlessly sacrificed. + +A few words on the ship's construction and equipment will be necessary +in order to make clear many points that arise in the course of this +book. A few figures have been added which it is hoped will help the +reader to follow events more closely than he otherwise could. + +The considerations that inspired the builders to design the Titanic on +the lines on which she was constructed were those of speed, weight of +displacement, passenger and cargo accommodation. High speed is very +expensive, because the initial cost of the necessary powerful +machinery is enormous, the running expenses entailed very heavy, and +passenger and cargo accommodation have to be fined down to make the +resistance through the water as little as possible and to keep the +weight down. An increase in size brings a builder at once into +conflict with the question of dock and harbour accommodation at the +ports she will touch: if her total displacement is very great while +the lines are kept slender for speed, the draught limit may be +exceeded. The Titanic, therefore, was built on broader lines than the +ocean racers, increasing the total displacement; but because of the +broader build, she was able to keep within the draught limit at each +port she visited. At the same time she was able to accommodate more +passengers and cargo, and thereby increase largely her earning +capacity. A comparison between the Mauretania and the Titanic +illustrates the difference in these respects:-- + + + Displacement Horse power Speed in knots + Mauretania 44,640 70,000 26 + Titanic 60,000 46,000 21 + +The vessel when completed was 883 feet long, 92 1/2 feet broad; her +height from keel to bridge was 104 feet. She had 8 steel decks, a +cellular double bottom, 5 1/4 feet through (the inner and outer +"skins" so-called), and with bilge keels projecting 2 feet for 300 +feet of her length amidships. These latter were intended to lessen the +tendency to roll in a sea; they no doubt did so very well, but, as it +happened, they proved to be a weakness, for this was the first portion +of the ship touched by the iceberg and it has been suggested that the +keels were forced inwards by the collision and made the work of +smashing in the two "skins" a more simple matter. Not that the final +result would have been any different. + +Her machinery was an expression of the latest progress in marine +engineering, being a combination of reciprocating engines with +Parsons's low-pressure turbine engine,--a combination which gives +increased power with the same steam consumption, an advance on the use +of reciprocating engines alone. The reciprocating engines drove the +wing-propellers and the turbine a mid-propeller, making her a +triple-screw vessel. To drive these engines she had 29 enormous +boilers and 159 furnaces. Three elliptical funnels, 24 feet 6 inches +in the widest diameter, took away smoke and water gases; the fourth +one was a dummy for ventilation. + +She was fitted with 16 lifeboats 30 feet long, swung on davits of the +Welin double-acting type. These davits are specially designed for +dealing with two, and, where necessary, three, sets of lifeboats,--i.e., +48 altogether; more than enough to have saved every soul on board +on the night of the collision. She was divided into 16 compartments by +15 transverse watertight bulkheads reaching from the double bottom +to the upper deck in the forward end and to the saloon deck in the +after end (Fig. 2), in both cases well above the water line. +Communication between the engine rooms and boiler rooms was +through watertight doors, which could all be closed instantly from the +captain's bridge: a single switch, controlling powerful electro-magnets, +operated them. They could also be closed by hand with a lever, +and in case the floor below them was flooded by accident, a +float underneath the flooring shut them automatically. These +compartments were so designed that if the two largest were flooded +with water--a most unlikely contingency in the ordinary way--the ship +would still be quite safe. Of course, more than two were flooded the +night of the collision, but exactly how many is not yet thoroughly +established. + +Her crew had a complement of 860, made up of 475 stewards, cooks, +etc., 320 engineers, and 65 engaged in her navigation. The machinery +and equipment of the Titanic was the finest obtainable and represented +the last word in marine construction. All her structure was of steel, +of a weight, size, and thickness greater than that of any ship yet +known: the girders, beams, bulkheads, and floors all of exceptional +strength. It would hardly seem necessary to mention this, were it not +that there is an impression among a portion of the general public that +the provision of Turkish baths, gymnasiums, and other so-called +luxuries involved a sacrifice of some more essential things, the +absence of which was responsible for the loss of so many lives. But +this is quite an erroneous impression. All these things were an +additional provision for the comfort and convenience of passengers, +and there is no more reason why they should not be provided on these +ships than in a large hotel. There were places on the Titanic's deck +where more boats and rafts could have been stored without sacrificing +these things. The fault lay in not providing them, not in designing +the ship without places to put them. On whom the responsibility must +rest for their not being provided is another matter and must be left +until later. + +When arranging a tour round the United States, I had decided to cross +in the Titanic for several reasons--one, that it was rather a novelty +to be on board the largest ship yet launched, and another that friends +who had crossed in the Olympic described her as a most comfortable +boat in a seaway, and it was reported that the Titanic had been still +further improved in this respect by having a thousand tons more built +in to steady her. I went on board at Southampton at 10 A.M. Wednesday, +April 10, after staying the night in the town. It is pathetic to +recall that as I sat that morning in the breakfast room of an hotel, +from the windows of which could be seen the four huge funnels of the +Titanic towering over the roofs of the various shipping offices +opposite, and the procession of stokers and stewards wending their way +to the ship, there sat behind me three of the Titanic's passengers +discussing the coming voyage and estimating, among other things, the +probabilities of an accident at sea to the ship. As I rose from +breakfast, I glanced at the group and recognized them later on board, +but they were not among the number who answered to the roll-call on +the Carpathia on the following Monday morning. + +Between the time of going on board and sailing, I inspected, in the +company of two friends who had come from Exeter to see me off, the +various decks, dining-saloons and libraries; and so extensive were +they that it is no exaggeration to say that it was quite easy to lose +one's way on such a ship. We wandered casually into the gymnasium on +the boatdeck, and were engaged in bicycle exercise when the instructor +came in with two photographers and insisted on our remaining there +while his friends--as we thought at the time--made a record for him of +his apparatus in use. It was only later that we discovered that they +were the photographers of one of the illustrated London papers. More +passengers came in, and the instructor ran here and there, looking the +very picture of robust, rosy-cheeked health and "fitness" in his white +flannels, placing one passenger on the electric "horse," another on +the "camel," while the laughing group of onlookers watched the +inexperienced riders vigorously shaken up and down as he controlled +the little motor which made the machines imitate so realistically +horse and camel exercise. + +It is related that on the night of the disaster, right up to the time +of the Titanic's sinking, while the band grouped outside the gymnasium +doors played with such supreme courage in face of the water which rose +foot by foot before their eyes, the instructor was on duty inside, +with passengers on the bicycles and the rowing-machines, still +assisting and encouraging to the last. Along with the bandsmen it is +fitting that his name, which I do not think has yet been put on +record--it is McCawley--should have a place in the honourable list of +those who did their duty faithfully to the ship and the line they +served. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION + + +Soon after noon the whistles blew for friends to go ashore, the +gangways were withdrawn, and the Titanic moved slowly down the dock, +to the accompaniment of last messages and shouted farewells of those +on the quay. There was no cheering or hooting of steamers' whistles +from the fleet of ships that lined the dock, as might seem probable on +the occasion of the largest vessel in the world putting to sea on her +maiden voyage; the whole scene was quiet and rather ordinary, with +little of the picturesque and interesting ceremonial which imagination +paints as usual in such circumstances. But if this was lacking, two +unexpected dramatic incidents supplied a thrill of excitement and +interest to the departure from dock. The first of these occurred just +before the last gangway was withdrawn:--a knot of stokers ran along +the quay, with their kit slung over their shoulders in bundles, and +made for the gangway with the evident intention of joining the ship. +But a petty officer guarding the shore end of the gangway firmly +refused to allow them on board; they argued, gesticulated, apparently +attempting to explain the reasons why they were late, but he remained +obdurate and waved them back with a determined hand, the gangway was +dragged back amid their protests, putting a summary ending to their +determined efforts to join the Titanic. Those stokers must be thankful +men to-day that some circumstance, whether their own lack of +punctuality or some unforeseen delay over which they had no control, +prevented their being in time to run up that last gangway! They will +have told--and will no doubt tell for years--the story of how their +lives were probably saved by being too late to join the Titanic. + +The second incident occurred soon afterwards, and while it has no +doubt been thoroughly described at the time by those on shore, perhaps +a view of the occurrence from the deck of the Titanic will not be +without interest. As the Titanic moved majestically down the dock, the +crowd of friends keeping pace with us along the quay, we came together +level with the steamer New York lying moored to the side of the dock +along with the Oceanic, the crowd waving "good-byes" to those on board +as well as they could for the intervening bulk of the two ships. But +as the bows of our ship came about level with those of the New York, +there came a series of reports like those of a revolver, and on the +quay side of the New York snaky coils of thick rope flung themselves +high in the air and fell backwards among the crowd, which retreated in +alarm to escape the flying ropes. We hoped that no one was struck by +the ropes, but a sailor next to me was certain he saw a woman carried +away to receive attention. And then, to our amazement the New York +crept towards us, slowly and stealthily, as if drawn by some invisible +force which she was powerless to withstand. It reminded me instantly +of an experiment I had shown many times to a form of boys learning the +elements of physics in a laboratory, in which a small magnet is made +to float on a cork in a bowl of water and small steel objects placed +on neighbouring pieces of cork are drawn up to the floating magnet by +magnetic force. It reminded me, too, of seeing in my little boy's bath +how a large celluloid floating duck would draw towards itself, by what +is called capillary attraction, smaller ducks, frogs, beetles, and +other animal folk, until the menagerie floated about as a unit, +oblivious of their natural antipathies and reminding us of the "happy +families" one sees in cages on the seashore. On the New York there was +shouting of orders, sailors running to and fro, paying out ropes and +putting mats over the side where it seemed likely we should collide; +the tug which had a few moments before cast off from the bows of the +Titanic came up around our stern and passed to the quay side of the +New York's stern, made fast to her and started to haul her back with +all the force her engines were capable of; but it did not seem that +the tug made much impression on the New York. Apart from the serious +nature of the accident, it made an irresistibly comic picture to see +the huge vessel drifting down the dock with a snorting tug at its +heels, for all the world like a small boy dragging a diminutive puppy +down the road with its teeth locked on a piece of rope, its feet +splayed out, its head and body shaking from side to side in the effort +to get every ounce of its weight used to the best advantage. At first +all appearance showed that the sterns of the two vessels would +collide; but from the stern bridge of the Titanic an officer directing +operations stopped us dead, the suction ceased, and the New York with +her tug trailing behind moved obliquely down the dock, her stern +gliding along the side of the Titanic some few yards away. It gave an +extraordinary impression of the absolute helplessness of a big liner +in the absence of any motive power to guide her. But all excitement +was not yet over: the New York turned her bows inward towards the +quay, her stern swinging just clear of and passing in front of our +bows, and moved slowly head on for the Teutonic lying moored to the +side; mats were quickly got out and so deadened the force of the +collision, which from where we were seemed to be too slight to cause +any damage. Another tug came up and took hold of the New York by the +bows; and between the two of them they dragged her round the corner of +the quay which just here came to an end on the side of the river. + +We now moved slowly ahead and passed the Teutonic at a creeping pace, +but notwithstanding this, the latter strained at her ropes so much +that she heeled over several degrees in her efforts to follow the +Titanic: the crowd were shouted back, a group of gold-braided +officials, probably the harbour-master and his staff, standing on the +sea side of the moored ropes, jumped back over them as they drew up +taut to a rigid line, and urged the crowd back still farther. But we +were just clear, and as we slowly turned the corner into the river I +saw the Teutonic swing slowly back into her normal station, relieving +the tension alike of the ropes and of the minds of all who witnessed +the incident. + +[Illustration: FOUR DECKS OF OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF TITANIC] + +Unpleasant as this incident was, it was interesting to all the +passengers leaning over the rails to see the means adopted by the +officers and crew of the various vessels to avoid collision, to see on +the Titanic's docking-bridge (at the stern) an officer and seamen +telephoning and ringing bells, hauling up and down little red and +white flags, as danger of collision alternately threatened and +diminished. No one was more interested than a young American +kinematograph photographer, who, with his wife, followed the whole +scene with eager eyes, turning the handle of his camera with the most +evident pleasure as he recorded the unexpected incident on his films. +It was obviously quite a windfall for him to have been on board at +such a time. But neither the film nor those who exposed it reached the +other side, and the record of the accident from the Titanic's deck has +never been thrown on the screen. + +As we steamed down the river, the scene we had just witnessed was the +topic of every conversation: the comparison with the Olympic-Hawke +collision was drawn in every little group of passengers, and it seemed +to be generally agreed that this would confirm the suction theory +which was so successfully advanced by the cruiser Hawke in the law +courts, but which many people scoffed at when the British Admiralty +first suggested it as the explanation of the cruiser ramming the +Olympic. And since this is an attempt to chronicle facts as they +happened on board the Titanic, it must be recorded that there were +among the passengers and such of the crew as were heard to speak on +the matter, the direst misgivings at the incident we had just +witnessed. Sailors are proverbially superstitious; far too many people +are prone to follow their lead, or, indeed, the lead of any one who +asserts a statement with an air of conviction and the opportunity of +constant repetition; the sense of mystery that shrouds a prophetic +utterance, particularly if it be an ominous one (for so constituted +apparently is the human mind that it will receive the impress of an +evil prophecy far more readily than it will that of a beneficent one, +possibly through subservient fear to the thing it dreads, possibly +through the degraded, morbid attraction which the sense of evil has +for the innate evil in the human mind), leads many people to pay a +certain respect to superstitious theories. Not that they wholly +believe in them or would wish their dearest friends to know they ever +gave them a second thought; but the feeling that other people do so +and the half conviction that there "may be something in it, after +all," sways them into tacit obedience to the most absurd and childish +theories. I wish in a later chapter to discuss the subject of +superstition in its reference to our life on board the Titanic, but +will anticipate events here a little by relating a second so-called +"bad omen" which was hatched at Queenstown. As one of the tenders +containing passengers and mails neared the Titanic, some of those on +board gazed up at the liner towering above them, and saw a stoker's +head, black from his work in the stokehold below, peering out at them +from the top of one of the enormous funnels--a dummy one for +ventilation--that rose many feet above the highest deck. He had +climbed up inside for a joke, but to some of those who saw him there +the sight was seed for the growth of an "omen," which bore fruit in an +unknown dread of dangers to come. An American lady--may she forgive me +if she reads these lines!--has related to me with the deepest +conviction and earnestness of manner that she saw the man and +attributes the sinking of the Titanic largely to that. Arrant +foolishness, you may say! Yes, indeed, but not to those who believe in +it; and it is well not to have such prophetic thoughts of danger +passed round among passengers and crew: it would seem to have an +unhealthy influence. + +We dropped down Spithead, past the shores of the Isle of Wight looking +superbly beautiful in new spring foliage, exchanged salutes with a +White Star tug lying-to in wait for one of their liners inward bound, +and saw in the distance several warships with attendant black +destroyers guarding the entrance from the sea. In the calmest weather +we made Cherbourg just as it grew dusk and left again about 8.30, +after taking on board passengers and mails. We reached Queenstown +about 12 noon on Thursday, after a most enjoyable passage across the +Channel, although the wind was almost too cold to allow of sitting out +on deck on Thursday morning. + +The coast of Ireland looked very beautiful as we approached Queenstown +Harbour, the brilliant morning sun showing up the green hillsides and +picking out groups of dwellings dotted here and there above the rugged +grey cliffs that fringed the coast. We took on board our pilot, ran +slowly towards the harbour with the sounding-line dropping all the +time, and came to a stop well out to sea, with our screws churning up +the bottom and turning the sea all brown with sand from below. It had +seemed to me that the ship stopped rather suddenly, and in my +ignorance of the depth of the harbour entrance, that perhaps the +sounding-line had revealed a smaller depth than was thought safe for +the great size of the Titanic: this seemed to be confirmed by the +sight of sand churned up from the bottom--but this is mere +supposition. Passengers and mails were put on board from two tenders, +and nothing could have given us a better idea of the enormous length +and bulk of the Titanic than to stand as far astern as possible and +look over the side from the top deck, forwards and downwards to where +the tenders rolled at her bows, the merest cockleshells beside the +majestic vessel that rose deck after deck above them. Truly she was a +magnificent boat! There was something so graceful in her movement as +she rode up and down on the slight swell in the harbour, a slow, +stately dip and recover, only noticeable by watching her bows in +comparison with some landmark on the coast in the near distance; the +two little tenders tossing up and down like corks beside her +illustrated vividly the advance made in comfort of motion from the +time of the small steamer. + +Presently the work of transfer was ended, the tenders cast off, and at +1.30 P.M., with the screws churning up the sea bottom again, the +Titanic turned slowly through a quarter-circle until her nose pointed +down along the Irish coast, and then steamed rapidly away from +Queenstown, the little house on the left of the town gleaming white on +the hillside for many miles astern. In our wake soared and screamed +hundreds of gulls, which had quarrelled and fought over the remnants +of lunch pouring out of the waste pipes as we lay-to in the harbour +entrance; and now they followed us in the expectation of further +spoil. I watched them for a long time and was astonished at the ease +with which they soared and kept up with the ship with hardly a motion +of their wings: picking out a particular gull, I would keep him under +observation for minutes at a time and see no motion of his wings +downwards or upwards to aid his flight. He would tilt all of a piece +to one side or another as the gusts of wind caught him: rigidly +unbendable, as an aeroplane tilts sideways in a puff of wind. And yet +with graceful ease he kept pace with the Titanic forging through the +water at twenty knots: as the wind met him he would rise upwards and +obliquely forwards, and come down slantingly again, his wings curved +in a beautiful arch and his tail feathers outspread as a fan. It was +plain that he was possessed of a secret we are only just beginning to +learn--that of utilizing air-currents as escalators up and down which +he can glide at will with the expenditure of the minimum amount of +energy, or of using them as a ship does when it sails within one or +two points of a head wind. Aviators, of course, are imitating the +gull, and soon perhaps we may see an aeroplane or a glider dipping +gracefully up and down in the face of an opposing wind and all the +time forging ahead across the Atlantic Ocean. The gulls were still +behind us when night fell, and still they screamed and dipped down +into the broad wake of foam which we left behind; but in the morning +they were gone: perhaps they had seen in the night a steamer bound for +their Queenstown home and had escorted her back. + +All afternoon we steamed along the coast of Ireland, with grey cliffs +guarding the shores, and hills rising behind gaunt and barren; as dusk +fell, the coast rounded away from us to the northwest, and the last we +saw of Europe was the Irish mountains dim and faint in the dropping +darkness. With the thought that we had seen the last of land until we +set foot on the shores of America, I retired to the library to write +letters, little knowing that many things would happen to us all--many +experiences, sudden, vivid and impressive to be encountered, many +perils to be faced, many good and true people for whom we should have +to mourn--before we saw land again. + +There is very little to relate from the time of leaving Queenstown on +Thursday to Sunday morning. The sea was calm,--so calm, indeed, +that very few were absent from meals: the wind westerly and +southwesterly,--"fresh" as the daily chart described it,--but often +rather cold, generally too cold to sit out on deck to read or write, +so that many of us spent a good part of the time in the library, +reading and writing. I wrote a large number of letters and posted them +day by day in the box outside the library door: possibly they are +there yet. + +Each morning the sun rose behind us in a sky of circular clouds, +stretching round the horizon in long, narrow streaks and rising tier +upon tier above the sky-line, red and pink and fading from pink to +white, as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was a beautiful sight to +one who had not crossed the ocean before (or indeed been out of sight +of the shores of England) to stand on the top deck and watch the swell +of the sea extending outwards from the ship in an unbroken circle +until it met the sky-line with its hint of infinity: behind, the wake +of the vessel white with foam where, fancy suggested, the propeller +blades had cut up the long Atlantic rollers and with them made a level +white road bounded on either side by banks of green, blue, and +blue-green waves that would presently sweep away the white road, +though as yet it stretched back to the horizon and dipped over the +edge of the world back to Ireland and the gulls, while along it the +morning sun glittered and sparkled. And each night the sun sank right +in our eyes along the sea, making an undulating glittering path way, a +golden track charted on the surface of the ocean which our ship +followed unswervingly until the sun dipped below the edge of the +horizon, and the pathway ran ahead of us faster than we could steam +and slipped over the edge of the skyline,--as if the sun had been a +golden ball and had wound up its thread of gold too quickly for us to +follow. + +From 12 noon Thursday to 12 noon Friday we ran 386 miles, Friday to +Saturday 519 miles, Saturday to Sunday 546 miles. The second day's run +of 519 miles was, the purser told us, a disappointment, and we should +not dock until Wednesday morning instead of Tuesday night, as we had +expected; however, on Sunday we were glad to see a longer run had been +made, and it was thought we should make New York, after all, on +Tuesday night. The purser remarked: "They are not pushing her this +trip and don't intend to make any fast running: I don't suppose we +shall do more than 546 now; it is not a bad day's run for the first +trip." This was at lunch, and I remember the conversation then turned +to the speed and build of Atlantic liners as factors in their comfort +of motion: all those who had crossed many times were unanimous in +saying the Titanic was the most comfortable boat they had been on, and +they preferred the speed we were making to that of the faster boats, +from the point of view of lessened vibration as well as because the +faster boats would bore through the waves with a twisted, screw-like +motion instead of the straight up-and-down swing of the Titanic. I +then called the attention of our table to the way the Titanic listed +to port (I had noticed this before), and we all watched the sky-line +through the portholes as we sat at the purser's table in the saloon: +it was plain she did so, for the sky-line and sea on the port side +were visible most of the time and on the starboard only sky. The +purser remarked that probably coal had been used mostly from the +starboard side. It is no doubt a common occurrence for all vessels to +list to some degree; but in view of the fact that the Titanic was cut +open on the starboard side and before she sank listed so much to port +that there was quite a chasm between her and the swinging lifeboats, +across which ladies had to be thrown or to cross on chairs laid flat, +the previous listing to port may be of interest. + +Returning for a moment to the motion of the Titanic, it was +interesting to stand on the boat-deck, as I frequently did, in the +angle between lifeboats 13 and 15 on the starboard side (two boats I +have every reason to remember, for the first carried me in safety to +the Carpathia, and it seemed likely at one time that the other would +come down on our heads as we sat in 13 trying to get away from the +ship's side), and watch the general motion of the ship through the +waves resolve itself into two motions--one to be observed by +contrasting the docking-bridge, from which the log-line trailed away +behind in the foaming wake, with the horizon, and observing the long, +slow heave as we rode up and down. I timed the average period occupied +in one up-and-down vibration, but do not now remember the figures. The +second motion was a side-to-side roll, and could be calculated by +watching the port rail and contrasting it with the horizon as before. +It seems likely that this double motion is due to the angle at which +our direction to New York cuts the general set of the Gulf Stream +sweeping from the Gulf of Mexico across to Europe; but the almost +clock-like regularity of the two vibratory movements was what +attracted my attention: it was while watching the side roll that I +first became aware of the list to port. Looking down astern from the +boat-deck or from B deck to the steerage quarters, I often noticed how +the third-class passengers were enjoying every minute of the time: a +most uproarious skipping game of the mixed-double type was the great +favourite, while "in and out and roundabout" went a Scotchman with his +bagpipes playing something that Gilbert says "faintly resembled an +air." Standing aloof from all of them, generally on the raised stern +deck above the "playing field," was a man of about twenty to +twenty-four years of age, well-dressed, always gloved and nicely +groomed, and obviously quite out of place among his fellow-passengers: +he never looked happy all the time. I watched him, and classified him +at hazard as the man who had been a failure in some way at home and +had received the proverbial shilling plus third-class fare to America: +he did not look resolute enough or happy enough to be working out his +own problem. Another interesting man was travelling steerage, but had +placed his wife in the second cabin: he would climb the stairs leading +from the steerage to the second deck and talk affectionately with his +wife across the low gate which separated them. I never saw him after +the collision, but I think his wife was on the Carpathia. Whether they +ever saw each other on the Sunday night is very doubtful: he would not +at first be allowed on the second-class deck, and if he were, the +chances of seeing his wife in the darkness and the crowd would be very +small, indeed. Of all those playing so happily on the steerage deck I +did not recognize many afterwards on the Carpathia. + +Coming now to Sunday, the day on which the Titanic struck the iceberg, +it will be interesting, perhaps, to give the day's events in some +detail, to appreciate the general attitude of passengers to their +surroundings just before the collision. Service was held in the saloon +by the purser in the morning, and going on deck after lunch we found +such a change in temperature that not many cared to remain to face the +bitter wind--an artificial wind created mainly, if not entirely, by +the ship's rapid motion through the chilly atmosphere. I should judge +there was no wind blowing at the time, for I had noticed about the +same force of wind approaching Queenstown, to find that it died away +as soon as we stopped, only to rise again as we steamed away from the +harbour. + +Returning to the library, I stopped for a moment to read again the +day's run and observe our position on the chart; the Rev. Mr. Carter, +a clergyman of the Church of England, was similarly engaged, and we +renewed a conversation we had enjoyed for some days: it had +commenced with a discussion of the relative merits of his +university--Oxford--with mine--Cambridge--as world-wide educational +agencies, the opportunities at each for the formation of character +apart from mere education as such, and had led on to the lack of +sufficiently qualified men to take up the work of the Church of +England (a matter apparently on which he felt very deeply) and from +that to his own work in England as a priest. He told me some of his +parish problems and spoke of the impossibility of doing half his work +in his Church without the help his wife gave. I knew her only slightly +at that time, but meeting her later in the day, I realized something +of what he meant in attributing a large part of what success he had as +a vicar to her. My only excuse for mentioning these details about the +Carters--now and later in the day--is that, while they have perhaps +not much interest for the average reader, they will no doubt be some +comfort to the parish over which he presided and where I am sure he +was loved. He next mentioned the absence of a service in the evening +and asked if I knew the purser well enough to request the use of the +saloon in the evening where he would like to have a "hymn sing-song"; +the purser gave his consent at once, and Mr. Carter made preparations +during the afternoon by asking all he knew--and many he did not--to +come to the saloon at 8.30 P.M. + +The library was crowded that afternoon, owing to the cold on deck: but +through the windows we could see the clear sky with brilliant sunlight +that seemed to augur a fine night and a clear day to-morrow, and the +prospect of landing in two days, with calm weather all the way to New +York, was a matter of general satisfaction among us all. I can look +back and see every detail of the library that afternoon--the +beautifully furnished room, with lounges, armchairs, and small writing +or card-tables scattered about, writing-bureaus round the walls of the +room, and the library in glass-cased shelves flanking one side,--the +whole finished in mahogany relieved with white fluted wooden columns +that supported the deck above. Through the windows there is the +covered corridor, reserved by general consent as the children's +playground, and here are playing the two Navatril children with their +father,--devoted to them, never absent from them. Who would have +thought of the dramatic history of the happy group at play in the +corridor that afternoon!--the abduction of the children in Nice, the +assumed name, the separation of father and children in a few hours, +his death and their subsequent union with their mother after a period +of doubt as to their parentage! How many more similar secrets the +Titanic revealed in the privacy of family life, or carried down with +her untold, we shall never know. + +In the same corridor is a man and his wife with two children, and one +of them he is generally carrying: they are all young and happy: he is +dressed always in a grey knickerbocker suit--with a camera slung over +his shoulder. I have not seen any of them since that afternoon. + +Close beside me--so near that I cannot avoid hearing scraps of their +conversation--are two American ladies, both dressed in white, young, +probably friends only: one has been to India and is returning by way +of England, the other is a school-teacher in America, a graceful girl +with a distinguished air heightened by a pair of _pince-nez_. +Engaged in conversation with them is a gentleman whom I subsequently +identified from a photograph as a well-known resident of Cambridge, +Massachusetts, genial, polished, and with a courtly air towards the +two ladies, whom he has known but a few hours; from time to time as +they talk, a child acquaintance breaks in on their conversation and +insists on their taking notice of a large doll clasped in her arms; I +have seen none of this group since then. In the opposite corner are +the young American kinematograph photographer and his young wife, +evidently French, very fond of playing patience, which she is doing +now, while he sits back in his chair watching the game and interposing +from time to time with suggestions. I did not see them again. In the +middle of the room are two Catholic priests, one quietly +reading,--either English or Irish, and probably the latter,--the +other, dark, bearded, with broad-brimmed hat, talking earnestly to a +friend in German and evidently explaining some verse in the open Bible +before him; near them a young fire engineer on his way to Mexico, and +of the same religion as the rest of the group. None of them were +saved. It may be noted here that the percentage of men saved in the +second-class is the lowest of any other division--only eight per cent. + +Many other faces recur to thought, but it is impossible to describe +them all in the space of a short book: of all those in the library +that Sunday afternoon, I can remember only two or three persons who +found their way to the Carpathia. Looking over this room, with his +back to the library shelves, is the library steward, thin, stooping, +sad-faced, and generally with nothing to do but serve out books; but +this afternoon he is busier than I have ever seen him, serving out +baggage declaration-forms for passengers to fill in. Mine is before me +as I write: "Form for nonresidents in the United States. Steamship +Titanic: No. 31444, D," etc. I had filled it in that afternoon and +slipped it in my pocket-book instead of returning it to the steward. +Before me, too, is a small cardboard square: "White Star Line. R.M.S. +Titanic. 208. This label must be given up when the article is +returned. The property will be deposited in the Purser's safe. The +Company will not be liable to passengers for the loss of money, +jewels, or ornaments, by theft or otherwise, not so deposited." The +"property deposited" in my case was money, placed in an envelope, +sealed, with my name written across the flap, and handed to the +purser; the "label" is my receipt. Along with other similar envelopes +it may be still intact in the safe at the bottom of the sea, but in +all probability it is not, as will be seen presently. + +After dinner, Mr. Carter invited all who wished to the saloon, and +with the assistance at the piano of a gentleman who sat at the +purser's table opposite me (a young Scotch engineer going out to join +his brother fruit-farming at the foot of the Rockies), he started some +hundred passengers singing hymns. They were asked to choose whichever +hymn they wished, and with so many to choose, it was impossible for +him to do more than have the greatest favourites sung. As he announced +each hymn, it was evident that he was thoroughly versed in their +history: no hymn was sung but that he gave a short sketch of its +author and in some cases a description of the circumstances in which +it was composed. I think all were impressed with his knowledge of +hymns and with his eagerness to tell us all he knew of them. It was +curious to see how many chose hymns dealing with dangers at sea. I +noticed the hushed tone with which all sang the hymn, "For those in +peril on the Sea." + +The singing must have gone on until after ten o'clock, when, seeing +the stewards standing about waiting to serve biscuits and coffee +before going off duty, Mr. Carter brought the evening to a close by a +few words of thanks to the purser for the use of the saloon, a short +sketch of the happiness and safety of the voyage hitherto, the great +confidence all felt on board this great liner with her steadiness and +her size, and the happy outlook of landing in a few hours in New York +at the close of a delightful voyage; and all the time he spoke, a few +miles ahead of us lay the "peril on the sea" that was to sink this +same great liner with many of those on board who listened with +gratitude to his simple, heartfelt words. So much for the frailty of +human hopes and for the confidence reposed in material human designs. + +Think of the shame of it, that a mass of ice of no use to any one or +anything should have the power fatally to injure the beautiful +Titanic! That an insensible block should be able to threaten, even in +the smallest degree, the lives of many good men and women who think +and plan and hope and love--and not only to threaten, but to end their +lives. It is unbearable! Are we never to educate ourselves to foresee +such dangers and to prevent them before they happen? All the evidence +of history shows that laws unknown and unsuspected are being +discovered day by day: as this knowledge accumulates for the use of +man, is it not certain that the ability to see and destroy beforehand +the threat of danger will be one of the privileges the whole world +will utilize? May that day come soon. Until it does, no precaution too +rigorous can be taken, no safety appliance, however costly, must be +omitted from a ship's equipment. + +After the meeting had broken up, I talked with the Carters over a cup +of coffee, said good-night to them, and retired to my cabin at about +quarter to eleven. They were good people and this world is much poorer +by their loss. + +It may be a matter of pleasure to many people to know that their +friends were perhaps among that gathering of people in the saloon, and +that at the last the sound of the hymns still echoed in their ears as +they stood on the deck so quietly and courageously. Who can tell how +much it had to do with the demeanour of some of them and the example +this would set to others? + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS + + +I had been fortunate enough to secure a two-berth cabin to myself,--D +56,--quite close to the saloon and most convenient in every way for +getting about the ship; and on a big ship like the Titanic it was +quite a consideration to be on D deck, only three decks below the top +or boat-deck. Below D again were cabins on E and F decks, and to walk +from a cabin on F up to the top deck, climbing five flights of stairs +on the way, was certainly a considerable task for those not able to +take much exercise. The Titanic management has been criticised, among +other things, for supplying the boat with lifts: it has been said they +were an expensive luxury and the room they took up might have been +utilized in some way for more life-saving appliances. Whatever else +may have been superfluous, lifts certainly were not: old ladies, for +example, in cabins on F deck, would hardly have got to the top deck +during the whole voyage had they not been able to ring for the +lift-boy. Perhaps nothing gave one a greater impression of the size of +the ship than to take the lift from the top and drop slowly down past +the different floors, discharging and taking in passengers just as in +a large hotel. I wonder where the lift-boy was that night. I would +have been glad to find him in our boat, or on the Carpathia when we +took count of the saved. He was quite young,--not more than sixteen, I +think,--a bright-eyed, handsome boy, with a love for the sea and the +games on deck and the view over the ocean--and he did not get any of +them. One day, as he put me out of his lift and saw through the +vestibule windows a game of deck quoits in progress, he said, in a +wistful tone, "My! I wish I could go out there sometimes!" I wished he +could, too, and made a jesting offer to take charge of his lift for an +hour while he went out to watch the game; but he smilingly shook his +head and dropped down in answer to an imperative ring from below. I +think he was not on duty with his lift after the collision, but if he +were, he would smile at his passengers all the time as he took them up +to the boats waiting to leave the sinking ship. + +After undressing and climbing into the top berth, I read from about +quarter-past eleven to the time we struck, about quarter to twelve. +During this time I noticed particularly the increased vibration of the +ship, and I assumed that we were going at a higher speed than at any +other time since we sailed from Queenstown. Now I am aware that this +is an important point, and bears strongly on the question of +responsibility for the effects of the collision; but the impression of +increased vibration is fixed in my memory so strongly that it seems +important to record it. Two things led me to this conclusion--first, +that as I sat on the sofa undressing, with bare feet on the floor, the +jar of the vibration came up from the engines below very noticeably; +and second, that as I sat up in the berth reading, the spring mattress +supporting me was vibrating more rapidly than usual: this cradle-like +motion was always noticeable as one lay in bed, but that night there +was certainly a marked increase in the motion. Referring to the plan, +[Footnote: See Figure 2, page 116.] it will be seen that the vibration +must have come almost directly up from below, when it is mentioned +that the saloon was immediately above the engines as shown in the +plan, and my cabin next to the saloon. From these two data, on the +assumption that greater vibration is an indication of higher +speed,--and I suppose it must be,--then I am sure we were going faster +that night at the time we struck the iceberg than we had done before, +i.e., during the hours I was awake and able to take note of anything. + +And then, as I read in the quietness of the night, broken only by the +muffled sound that came to me through the ventilators of stewards +talking and moving along the corridors, when nearly all the passengers +were in their cabins, some asleep in bed, others undressing, and +others only just down from the smoking-room and still discussing many +things, there came what seemed to me nothing more than an extra heave +of the engines and a more than usually obvious dancing motion of the +mattress on which I sat. Nothing more than that--no sound of a crash +or of anything else: no sense of shock, no jar that felt like one +heavy body meeting another. And presently the same thing repeated with +about the same intensity. The thought came to me that they must have +still further increased the speed. And all this time the Titanic was +being cut open by the iceberg and water was pouring in her side, and +yet no evidence that would indicate such a disaster had been presented +to us. It fills me with astonishment now to think of it. Consider the +question of list alone. Here was this enormous vessel running +starboard-side on to an iceberg, and a passenger sitting quietly in +bed, reading, felt no motion or list to the opposite or port side, and +this must have been felt had it been more than the usual roll of the +ship--never very much in the calm weather we had all the way. Again, +my bunk was fixed to the wall on the starboard side, and any list to +port would have tended to fling me out on the floor: I am sure I +should have noted it had there been any. And yet the explanation is +simple enough: the Titanic struck the berg with a force of impact of +over a million foot-tons; her plates were less than an inch thick, and +they must have been cut through as a knife cuts paper: there would be +no need to list; it would have been better if she had listed and +thrown us out on the floor, for it would have been an indication that +our plates were strong enough to offer, at any rate, some resistance +to the blow, and we might all have been safe to-day. + +And so, with no thought of anything serious having happened to the +ship, I continued my reading; and still the murmur from the stewards +and from adjoining cabins, and no other sound: no cry in the night; no +alarm given; no one afraid--there was then nothing which could cause +fear to the most timid person. But in a few moments I felt the engines +slow and stop; the dancing motion and the vibration ceased suddenly +after being part of our very existence for four days, and that was the +first hint that anything out of the ordinary had happened. We have all +"heard" a loud-ticking clock stop suddenly in a quiet room, and then +have noticed the clock and the ticking noise, of which we seemed until +then quite unconscious. So in the same way the fact was suddenly +brought home to all in the ship that the engines--that part of the +ship that drove us through the sea--had stopped dead. But the stopping +of the engines gave us no information: we had to make our own +calculations as to why we had stopped. Like a flash it came to me: "We +have dropped a propeller blade: when this happens the engines always +race away until they are controlled, and this accounts for the extra +heave they gave"; not a very logical conclusion when considered now, +for the engines should have continued to heave all the time until we +stopped, but it was at the time a sufficiently tenable hypothesis to +hold. Acting on it, I jumped out of bed, slipped on a dressing-gown +over pyjamas, put on shoes, and went out of my cabin into the hall +near the saloon. Here was a steward leaning against the staircase, +probably waiting until those in the smoke-room above had gone to bed +and he could put out the lights. I said, "Why have we stopped?" "I +don't know, sir," he replied, "but I don't suppose it is anything +much." "Well," I said, "I am going on deck to see what it is," and +started towards the stairs. He smiled indulgently at me as I passed +him, and said, "All right, sir, but it is mighty cold up there." I am +sure at that time he thought I was rather foolish to go up with so +little reason, and I must confess I felt rather absurd for not +remaining in the cabin: it seemed like making a needless fuss to walk +about the ship in a dressing-gown. But it was my first trip across the +sea; I had enjoyed every minute of it and was keenly alive to note +every new experience; and certainly to stop in the middle of the sea +with a propeller dropped seemed sufficient reason for going on deck. +And yet the steward, with his fatherly smile, and the fact that no one +else was about the passages or going upstairs to reconnoitre, made me +feel guilty in an undefined way of breaking some code of a ship's +régime--an Englishman's fear of being thought "unusual," perhaps! + +I climbed the three flights of stairs, opened the vestibule door +leading to the top deck, and stepped out into an atmosphere that cut +me, clad as I was, like a knife. Walking to the starboard side, I +peered over and saw the sea many feet below, calm and black; forward, +the deserted deck stretching away to the first-class quarters and the +captain's bridge; and behind, the steerage quarters and the stern +bridge; nothing more: no iceberg on either side or astern as far as we +could see in the darkness. There were two or three men on deck, and +with one--the Scotch engineer who played hymns in the saloon--I +compared notes of our experiences. He had just begun to undress when +the engines stopped and had come up at once, so that he was fairly +well-clad; none of us could see anything, and all being quiet and +still, the Scotchman and I went down to the next deck. Through the +windows of the smoking-room we saw a game of cards going on, with +several onlookers, and went in to enquire if they knew more than we +did. They had apparently felt rather more of the heaving motion, but +so far as I remember, none of them had gone out on deck to make any +enquiries, even when one of them had seen through the windows an +iceberg go by towering above the decks. He had called their attention +to it, and they all watched it disappear, but had then at once resumed +the game. We asked them the height of the berg and some said one +hundred feet, others, sixty feet; one of the onlookers--a motor +engineer travelling to America with a model carburetter (he had filled +in his declaration form near me in the afternoon and had questioned +the library steward how he should declare his patent)--said, "Well, I +am accustomed to estimating distances and I put it at between eighty +and ninety feet." We accepted his estimate and made guesses as to what +had happened to the Titanic: the general impression was that we had +just scraped the iceberg with a glancing blow on the starboard side, +and they had stopped as a wise precaution, to examine her thoroughly +all over. "I expect the iceberg has scratched off some of her new +paint," said one, "and the captain doesn't like to go on until she is +painted up again." We laughed at his estimate of the captain's care +for the ship. Poor Captain Smith!--he knew by this time only too well +what had happened. + +One of the players, pointing to his glass of whiskey standing at his +elbow, and turning to an onlooker, said, "Just run along the deck and +see if any ice has come aboard: I would like some for this." Amid the +general laughter at what we thought was his imagination,--only too +realistic, alas! for when he spoke the forward deck was covered with +ice that had tumbled over,--and seeing that no more information was +forthcoming, I left the smoking-room and went down to my cabin, where +I sat for some time reading again. I am filled with sorrow to think I +never saw any of the occupants of that smoking-room again: nearly all +young men full of hope for their prospects in a new world; mostly +unmarried; keen, alert, with the makings of good citizens. Presently, +hearing people walking about the corridors, I looked out and saw +several standing in the hall talking to a steward--most of them ladies +in dressing-gowns; other people were going upstairs, and I decided to +go on deck again, but as it was too cold to do so in a dressing-gown, +I dressed in a Norfolk jacket and trousers and walked up. There were +now more people looking over the side and walking about, questioning +each other as to why we had stopped, but without obtaining any +definite information. I stayed on deck some minutes, walking about +vigorously to keep warm and occasionally looking downwards to the sea +as if something there would indicate the reason for delay. The ship +had now resumed her course, moving very slowly through the water with +a little white line of foam on each side. I think we were all glad to +see this: it seemed better than standing still. I soon decided to go +down again, and as I crossed from the starboard to the port side to go +down by the vestibule door, I saw an officer climb on the last +lifeboat on the port side--number 16--and begin to throw off the +cover, but I do not remember that any one paid any particular +attention to him. Certainly no one thought they were preparing to man +the lifeboats and embark from the ship. All this time there was no +apprehension of any danger in the minds of passengers, and no one was +in any condition of panic or hysteria; after all, it would have been +strange if they had been, without any definite evidence of danger. + +As I passed to the door to go down, I looked forward again and saw to +my surprise an undoubted tilt downwards from the stern to the bows: +only a slight slope, which I don't think any one had noticed,--at any +rate, they had not remarked on it. As I went downstairs a confirmation +of this tilting forward came in something unusual about the stairs, a +curious sense of something out of balance and of not being able to put +one's feet down in the right place: naturally, being tilted forward, +the stairs would slope downwards at an angle and tend to throw one +forward. I could not see any visible slope of the stairway: it was +perceptible only by the sense of balance at this time. + +On D deck were three ladies--I think they were all saved, and it is a +good thing at least to be able to chronicle meeting some one who was +saved after so much record of those who were not--standing in the +passage near the cabin. "Oh! why have we stopped?" they said. "We did +stop," I replied, "but we are now going on again.". "Oh, no," one +replied; "I cannot feel the engines as I usually do, or hear them. +Listen!" We listened, and there was no throb audible. Having noticed +that the vibration of the engines is most noticeable lying in a bath, +where the throb comes straight from the floor through its metal +sides--too much so ordinarily for one to put one's head back with +comfort on the bath,--I took them along the corridor to a bathroom and +made them put their hands on the side of the bath: they were much +reassured to feel the engines throbbing down below and to know we were +making some headway. I left them and on the way to my cabin passed +some stewards standing unconcernedly against the walls of the saloon: +one of them, the library steward again, was leaning over a table, +writing. It is no exaggeration to say that they had neither any +knowledge of the accident nor any feeling of alarm that we had stopped +and had not yet gone on again full speed: their whole attitude +expressed perfect confidence in the ship and officers. + +Turning into my gangway (my cabin being the first in the gangway), I +saw a man standing at the other end of it fastening his tie. "Anything +fresh?" he said. "Not much," I replied; "we are going ahead slowly and +she is down a little at the bows, but I don't think it is anything +serious." "Come in and look at this man," he laughed; "he won't get +up." I looked in, and in the top bunk lay a man with his back to me, +closely wrapped in his bed-clothes and only the back of his head +visible. "Why won't he get up? Is he asleep?" I said. "No," laughed +the man dressing, "he says--" But before he could finish the sentence +the man above grunted: "You don't catch me leaving a warm bed to go up +on that cold deck at midnight. I know better than that." We both told +him laughingly why he had better get up, but he was certain he was +just as safe there and all this dressing was quite unnecessary; so I +left them and went again to my cabin. I put on some underclothing, sat +on the sofa, and read for some ten minutes, when I heard through the +open door, above, the noise of people passing up and down, and a loud +shout from above: "All passengers on deck with lifebelts on." + +I placed the two books I was reading in the side pockets of my Norfolk +jacket, picked up my lifebelt (curiously enough, I had taken it down +for the first time that night from the wardrobe when I first retired +to my cabin) and my dressing-gown, and walked upstairs tying on the +lifebelt. As I came out of my cabin, I remember seeing the purser's +assistant, with his foot on the stairs about to climb them, whisper to +a steward and jerk his head significantly behind him; not that I +thought anything of it at the time, but I have no doubt he was telling +him what had happened up in the bows, and was giving him orders to +call all passengers. + +Going upstairs with other passengers,--no one ran a step or seemed +alarmed,--we met two ladies coming down: one seized me by the arm and +said, "Oh! I have no lifebelt; will you come down to my cabin and help +me to find it?" I returned with them to F deck,--the lady who had +addressed me holding my arm all the time in a vise-like grip, much to +my amusement,--and we found a steward in her gangway who took them in +and found their lifebelts. Coming upstairs again, I passed the +purser's window on F deck, and noticed a light inside; when halfway up +to E deck, I heard the heavy metallic clang of the safe door, followed +by a hasty step retreating along the corridor towards the first-class +quarters. I have little doubt it was the purser, who had taken all +valuables from his safe and was transferring them to the charge of the +first-class purser, in the hope they might all be saved in one +package. That is why I said above that perhaps the envelope containing +my money was not in the safe at the bottom of the sea: it is probably +in a bundle, with many others like it, waterlogged at the bottom. + +Reaching the top deck, we found many people assembled there,--some +fully dressed, with coats and wraps, well-prepared for anything that +might happen; others who had thrown wraps hastily round them when they +were called or heard the summons to equip themselves with +lifebelts--not in much condition to face the cold of that night. +Fortunately there was no wind to beat the cold air through our +clothing: even the breeze caused by the ship's motion had died +entirely away, for the engines had stopped again and the Titanic lay +peacefully on the surface of the sea--motionless, quiet, not even +rocking to the roll of the sea; indeed, as we were to discover +presently, the sea was as calm as an inland lake save for the gentle +swell which could impart no motion to a ship the size of the Titanic. +To stand on the deck many feet above the water lapping idly against +her sides, and looking much farther off than it really was because of +the darkness, gave one a sense of wonderful security: to feel her so +steady and still was like standing on a large rock in the middle of +the ocean. But there were now more evidences of the coming catastrophe +to the observer than had been apparent when on deck last: one was the +roar and hiss of escaping steam from the boilers, issuing out of a +large steam pipe reaching high up one of the funnels: a harsh, +deafening boom that made conversation difficult and no doubt increased +the apprehension of some people merely because of the volume of noise: +if one imagines twenty locomotives blowing off steam in a low key it +would give some idea of the unpleasant sound that met us as we climbed +out on the top deck. + +But after all it was the kind of phenomenon we ought to expect: +engines blow off steam when standing in a station, and why should not +a ship's boilers do the same when the ship is not moving? I never +heard any one connect this noise with the danger of boiler explosion, +in the event of the ship sinking with her boilers under a high +pressure of steam, which was no doubt the true explanation of this +precaution. But this is perhaps speculation; some people may have +known it quite well, for from the time we came on deck until boat 13 +got away, I heard very little conversation of any kind among the +passengers. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that no signs +of alarm were exhibited by any one: there was no indication of panic +or hysteria; no cries of fear, and no running to and fro to discover +what was the matter, why we had been summoned on deck with lifebelts, +and what was to be done with us now we were there. We stood there +quietly looking on at the work of the crew as they manned the +lifeboats, and no one ventured to interfere with them or offered to +help them. It was plain we should be of no use; and the crowd of men +and women stood quietly on the deck or paced slowly up and down +waiting for orders from the officers. Now, before we consider any +further the events that followed, the state of mind of passengers at +this juncture, and the motives which led each one to act as he or she +did in the circumstances, it is important to keep in thought the +amount of information at our disposal. Men and women act according to +judgment based on knowledge of the conditions around them, and the +best way to understand some apparently inconceivable things that +happened is for any one to imagine himself or herself standing on deck +that night. It seems a mystery to some people that women refused to +leave the ship, that some persons retired to their cabins, and so on; +but it is a matter of judgment, after all. + +So that if the reader will come and stand with the crowd on deck, he +must first rid himself entirely of the knowledge that the Titanic has +sunk--an important necessity, for he cannot see conditions as they +existed there through the mental haze arising from knowledge of the +greatest maritime tragedy the world has known: he must get rid of any +foreknowledge of disaster to appreciate why people acted as they did. +Secondly, he had better get rid of any picture in thought painted +either by his own imagination or by some artist, whether pictorial or +verbal, "from information supplied." Some are most inaccurate (these, +mostly word-pictures), and where they err, they err on the highly +dramatic side. They need not have done so: the whole conditions were +dramatic enough in all their bare simplicity, without the addition of +any high colouring. + +Having made these mental erasures, he will find himself as one of the +crowd faced with the following conditions: a perfectly still +atmosphere; a brilliantly beautiful starlight night, but no moon, and +so with little light that was of any use; a ship that had come quietly +to rest without any indication of disaster--no iceberg visible, no +hole in the ship's side through which water was pouring in, nothing +broken or out of place, no sound of alarm, no panic, no movement of +any one except at a walking pace; the absence of any knowledge of the +nature of the accident, of the extent of damage, of the danger of the +ship sinking in a few hours, of the numbers of boats, rafts, and other +lifesaving appliances available, their capacity, what other ships were +near or coming to help--in fact, an almost complete absence of any +positive knowledge on any point. I think this was the result of +deliberate judgment on the part of the officers, and perhaps, it was +the best thing that could be done. In particular, he must remember +that the ship was a sixth of a mile long, with passengers on three +decks open to the sea, and port and starboard sides to each deck: he +will then get some idea of the difficulty presented to the officers of +keeping control over such a large area, and the impossibility of any +one knowing what was happening except in his own immediate vicinity. +Perhaps the whole thing can be summed up best by saying that, after we +had embarked in the lifeboats and rowed away from the Titanic, it +would not have surprised us to hear that all passengers would be +saved: the cries of drowning people after the Titanic gave the final +plunge were a thunderbolt to us. I am aware that the experiences of +many of those saved differed in some respects from the above: some had +knowledge of certain things, some were experienced travellers and +sailors, and therefore deduced more rapidly what was likely to happen; +but I think the above gives a fairly accurate representation of the +state of mind of most of those on deck that night. + +All this time people were pouring up from the stairs and adding to the +crowd: I remember at that moment thinking it would be well to return +to my cabin and rescue some money and warmer clothing if we were to +embark in boats, but looking through the vestibule windows and seeing +people still coming upstairs, I decided it would only cause confusion +passing them on the stairs, and so remained on deck. + +I was now on the starboard side of the top boat deck; the time about +12.20. We watched the crew at work on the lifeboats, numbers 9, 11, +13, 15, some inside arranging the oars, some coiling ropes on the +deck,--the ropes which ran through the pulleys to lower to the +sea,--others with cranks fitted to the rocking arms of the davits. As +we watched, the cranks were turned, the davits swung outwards until +the boats hung clear of the edge of the deck. Just then an officer +came along from the first-class deck and shouted above the noise of +escaping steam, "All women and children get down to deck below and all +men stand back from the boats." He had apparently been off duty when +the ship struck, and was lightly dressed, with a white muffler twisted +hastily round his neck. The men fell back and the women retired below +to get into the boats from the next deck. Two women refused at first +to leave their husbands, but partly by persuasion and partly by force +they were separated from them and sent down to the next deck. I think +that by this time the work on the lifeboats and the separation of men +and women impressed on us slowly the presence of imminent danger, but +it made no difference in the attitude of the crowd: they were just as +prepared to obey orders and to do what came next as when they first +came on deck. I do not mean that they actually reasoned it out: they +were the average Teutonic crowd, with an inborn respect for law and +order and for traditions bequeathed to them by generations of +ancestors: the reasons that made them act as they did were impersonal, +instinctive, hereditary. + +But if there were any one who had not by now realized that the ship +was in danger, all doubt on this point was to be set at rest in a +dramatic manner. Suddenly a rush of light from the forward deck, a +hissing roar that made us all turn from watching the boats, and a +rocket leapt upwards to where the stars blinked and twinkled above us. +Up it went, higher and higher, with a sea of faces upturned to watch +it, and then an explosion that seemed to split the silent night in +two, and a shower of stars sank slowly down and went out one by one. +And with a gasping sigh one word escaped the lips of the crowd: +"Rockets!" Anybody knows what rockets at sea mean. And presently +another, and then a third. It is no use denying the dramatic intensity +of the scene: separate it if you can from all the terrible events that +followed, and picture the calmness of the night, the sudden light on +the decks crowded with people in different stages of dress and +undress, the background of huge funnels and tapering masts revealed by +the soaring rocket, whose flash illumined at the same time the faces +and minds of the obedient crowd, the one with mere physical light, the +other with a sudden revelation of what its message was. Every one knew +without being told that we were calling for help from any one who was +near enough to see. + +The crew were now in the boats, the sailors standing by the pulley +ropes let them slip through the cleats in jerks, and down the boats +went till level with B deck; women and children climbed over the rail +into the boats and filled them; when full, they were lowered one by +one, beginning with number 9, the first on the second-class deck, and +working backwards towards 15. All this we could see by peering over +the edge of the boat-deck, which was now quite open to the sea, the +four boats which formed a natural barrier being lowered from the deck +and leaving it exposed. + +About this time, while walking the deck, I saw two ladies come over +from the port side and walk towards the rail separating the +second-class from the first-class deck. There stood an officer barring +the way. "May we pass to the boats?" they said. "No, madam," he +replied politely, "your boats are down on your own deck," pointing to +where they swung below. The ladies turned and went towards the +stairway, and no doubt were able to enter one of the boats: they had +ample time. I mention this to show that there was, at any rate, some +arrangement--whether official or not--for separating the classes in +embarking in boats; how far it was carried out, I do not know, but if +the second-class ladies were not expected to enter a boat from the +first-class deck, while steerage passengers were allowed access to the +second-class deck, it would seem to press rather hardly on the +second-class men, and this is rather supported by the low percentage +saved. + +Almost immediately after this incident, a report went round among men +on the top deck--the starboard side--that men were to be taken off on +the port side; how it originated, I am quite unable to say, but can +only suppose that as the port boats, numbers 10 to 16, were not +lowered from the top deck quite so soon as the starboard boats (they +could still be seen on deck), it might be assumed that women were +being taken off on one side and men on the other; but in whatever way +the report started, it was acted on at once by almost all the men, who +crowded across to the port side and watched the preparation for +lowering the boats, leaving the starboard side almost deserted. Two or +three men remained, However: not for any reason that we were +consciously aware of; I can personally think of no decision arising +from reasoned thought that induced me to remain rather than to cross +over. But while there was no process of conscious reason at work, I am +convinced that what was my salvation was a recognition of the +necessity of being quiet and waiting in patience for some opportunity +of safety to present itself. + +Soon after the men had left the starboard side, I saw a bandsman--the +'cellist--come round the vestibule corner from the staircase entrance +and run down the now deserted starboard deck, his 'cello trailing +behind him, the spike dragging along the floor. This must have been +about 12.40 A.M. I suppose the band must have begun to play soon after +this and gone on until after 2 A.M. Many brave things were done that +night, but none more brave than by those few men playing minute after +minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea and the +sea rose higher and higher to where they stood; the music they played +serving alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be +recorded on the rolls of undying fame. + +Looking forward and downward, we could see several of the boats now in +the water, moving slowly one by one from the side, without confusion +or noise, and stealing away in the darkness which swallowed them in +turn as the crew bent to the oars. An officer--I think First Officer +Murdock--came striding along the deck, clad in a long coat, from his +manner and face evidently in great agitation, but determined and +resolute; he looked over the side and shouted to the boats being +lowered: "Lower away, and when afloat, row around to the gangway and +wait for orders." "Aye, aye, sir," was the reply; and the officer +passed by and went across the ship to the port side. + +Almost immediately after this, I heard a cry from below of, "Any more +ladies?" and looking over the edge of the deck, saw boat 13 swinging +level with the rail of B deck, with the crew, some stokers, a few men +passengers and the rest ladies,--the latter being about half the total +number; the boat was almost full and just about to be lowered. The +call for ladies was repeated twice again, but apparently there were +none to be found. Just then one of the crew looked up and saw me +looking over. "Any ladies on your deck?" he said. "No," I replied. +"Then you had better jump." I sat on the edge of the deck with my feet +over, threw the dressing-gown (which I had carried on my arm all of +the time) into the boat, dropped, and fell in the boat near the stern. + +As I picked myself up, I heard a shout: "Wait a moment, here are two +more ladies," and they were pushed hurriedly over the side and tumbled +into the boat, one into the middle and one next to me in the stern. +They told me afterwards that they had been assembled on a lower deck +with other ladies, and had come up to B deck not by the usual stairway +inside, but by one of the vertically upright iron ladders that connect +each deck with the one below it, meant for the use of sailors passing +about the ship. Other ladies had been in front of them and got up +quickly, but these two were delayed a long time by the fact that one +of them--the one that was helped first over the side into boat 13 near +the middle--was not at all active: it seemed almost impossible for her +to climb up a vertical ladder. We saw her trying to climb the swinging +rope ladder up the Carpathia's side a few hours later, and she had the +same difficulty. + +As they tumbled in, the crew shouted, "Lower away"; but before the +order was obeyed, a man with his wife and a baby came quickly to the +side: the baby was handed to the lady in the stern, the mother got in +near the middle and the father at the last moment dropped in as the +boat began its journey down to the sea many feet below. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT + + +Looking back now on the descent of our boat down the ship's side, it +is a matter of surprise, I think, to all the occupants to remember how +little they thought of it at the time. It was a great adventure, +certainly: it was exciting to feel the boat sink by jerks, foot by +foot, as the ropes were paid out from above and shrieked as they +passed through the pulley blocks, the new ropes and gear creaking +under the strain of a boat laden with people, and the crew calling to +the sailors above as the boat tilted slightly, now at one end, now at +the other, "Lower aft!" "Lower stern!" and "Lower together!" as she +came level again--but I do not think we felt much apprehension about +reaching the water safely. It certainly was thrilling to see the black +hull of the ship on one side and the sea, seventy feet below, on the +other, or to pass down by cabins and saloons brilliantly lighted; but +we knew nothing of the apprehension felt in the minds of some of the +officers whether the boats and lowering-gear would stand the strain of +the weight of our sixty people. The ropes, however, were new and +strong, and the boat did not buckle in the middle as an older boat +might have done. Whether it was right or not to lower boats full of +people to the water,--and it seems likely it was not,--I think there +can be nothing but the highest praise given to the officers and crew +above for the way in which they lowered the boats one after the other +safely to the water; it may seem a simple matter, to read about such a +thing, but any sailor knows, apparently, that it is not so. An +experienced officer has told me that he has seen a boat lowered in +practice from a ship's deck, with a trained crew and no passengers in +the boat, with practised sailors paying out the ropes, in daylight, in +calm weather, with the ship lying in dock--and has seen the boat tilt +over and pitch the crew headlong into the sea. Contrast these +conditions with those obtaining that Monday morning at 12.45 A.M., and +it is impossible not to feel that, whether the lowering crew were +trained or not, whether they had or had not drilled since coming on +board, they did their duty in a way that argues the greatest +efficiency. I cannot help feeling the deepest gratitude to the two +sailors who stood at the ropes above and lowered us to the sea: I do +not suppose they were saved. + +Perhaps one explanation of our feeling little sense of the unusual in +leaving the Titanic in this way was that it seemed the climax to a +series of extraordinary occurrences: the magnitude of the whole thing +dwarfed events that in the ordinary way would seem to be full of +imminent peril. It is easy to imagine it,--a voyage of four days on a +calm sea, without a single untoward incident; the presumption, perhaps +already mentally half realized, that we should be ashore in +forty-eight hours and so complete a splendid voyage,--and then to feel +the engine stop, to be summoned on deck with little time to dress, to +tie on a lifebelt, to see rockets shooting aloft in call for help, to +be told to get into a lifeboat,--after all these things, it did not +seem much to feel the boat sinking down to the sea: it was the natural +sequence of previous events, and we had learned in the last hour to +take things just as they came. At the same time, if any one should +wonder what the sensation is like, it is quite easy to measure +seventy-five feet from the windows of a tall house or a block of +flats, look down to the ground and fancy himself with some sixty other +people crowded into a boat so tightly that he could not sit down or +move about, and then picture the boat sinking down in a continuous +series of jerks, as the sailors pay out the ropes through cleats +above. There are more pleasant sensations than this! How thankful we +were that the sea was calm and the Titanic lay so steadily and quietly +as we dropped down her side. We were spared the bumping and grinding +against the side which so often accompanies the launching of boats: I +do not remember that we even had to fend off our boat while we were +trying to get free. + +As we went down, one of the crew shouted, "We are just over the +condenser exhaust: we don't want to stay in that long or we shall be +swamped; feel down on the floor and be ready to pull up the pin which +lets the ropes free as soon as we are afloat." I had often looked over +the side and noticed this stream of water coming out of the side of +the Titanic just above the water-line: in fact so large was the volume +of water that as we ploughed along and met the waves coming towards +us, this stream would cause a splash that sent spray flying. We felt, +as well as we could in the crowd of people, on the floor, along the +sides, with no idea where the pin could be found,--and none of the +crew knew where it was, only of its existence somewhere,--but we never +found it. And all the time we got closer to the sea and the exhaust +roared nearer and nearer--until finally we floated with the ropes +still holding us from above, the exhaust washing us away and the force +of the tide driving us back against the side,--the latter not of much +account in influencing the direction, however. Thinking over what +followed, I imagine we must have touched the water with the condenser +stream at our bows, and not in the middle as I thought at one time: at +any rate, the resultant of these three forces was that we were carried +parallel to the ship, directly under the place where boat 15 would +drop from her davits into the sea. Looking up we saw her already +coming down rapidly from B deck: she must have filled almost +immediately after ours. We shouted up, "Stop lowering 14," [Footnote: +In an account which appeared in the newspapers of April 19 I have +described this boat as 14, not knowing they were numbered +alternately.] and the crew and passengers in the boat above, hearing +us shout and seeing our position immediately below them, shouted the +same to the sailors on the boat deck; but apparently they did not +hear, for she dropped down foot by foot,--twenty feet, fifteen, +ten,--and a stoker and I in the bows reached up and touched her bottom +swinging above our heads, trying to push away our boat from under her. +It seemed now as if nothing could prevent her dropping on us, but at +this moment another stoker sprang with his knife to the ropes that +still held us and I heard him shout, "One! Two!" as he cut them +through. The next moment we had swung away from underneath 15, and +were clear of her as she dropped into the water in the space we had +just before occupied. I do not know how the bow ropes were freed, but +imagine that they were cut in the same way, for we were washed clear +of the Titanic at once by the force of the stream and floated away as +the oars were got out. + +I think we all felt that that was quite the most exciting thing we had +yet been through, and a great sigh of relief and gratitude went up as +we swung away from the boat above our heads; but I heard no one cry +aloud during the experience--not a woman's voice was raised in fear or +hysteria. I think we all learnt many things that night about the bogey +called "fear," and how the facing of it is much less than the dread of +it. + +The crew was made up of cooks and stewards, mostly the former, I +think; their white jackets showing up in the darkness as they pulled +away, two to an oar: I do not think they can have had any practice in +rowing, for all night long their oars crossed and clashed; if our +safety had depended on speed or accuracy in keeping time it would have +gone hard with us. Shouting began from one end of the boat to the +other as to what we should do, where we should go, and no one seemed +to have any knowledge how to act. At last we asked, "Who is in charge +of this boat?" but there was no reply. We then agreed by general +consent that the stoker who stood in the stern with the tiller should +act as captain, and from that time he directed the course, shouting to +other boats and keeping in touch with them. Not that there was +anywhere to go or anything we could do. Our plan of action was simple: +to keep all the boats together as far as possible and wait until we +were picked up by other liners. The crew had apparently heard of the +wireless communications before they left the Titanic, but I never +heard them say that we were in touch with any boat but the Olympic: it +was always the Olympic that was coming to our rescue. They thought +they knew even her distance, and making a calculation, we came to the +conclusion that we ought to be picked up by her about two o'clock in +the afternoon. But this was not our only hope of rescue: we watched +all the time the darkness lasted for steamers' lights, thinking there +might be a chance of other steamers coming near enough to see the +lights which some of our boats carried. I am sure there was no feeling +in the minds of any one that we should not be picked up next day: we +knew that wireless messages would go out from ship to ship, and as one +of the stokers said: "The sea will be covered with ships to-morrow +afternoon: they will race up from all over the sea to find us." Some +even thought that fast torpedo boats might run up ahead of the +Olympic. And yet the Olympic was, after all, the farthest away of them +all; eight other ships lay within three hundred miles of us. + +How thankful we should have been to know how near help was, and how +many ships had heard our message and were rushing to the Titanic's +aid. I think nothing has surprised us more than to learn so many ships +were near enough to rescue us in a few hours. Almost immediately after +leaving the Titanic we saw what we all said was a ship's lights down +on the horizon on the Titanic's port side: two lights, one above the +other, and plainly not one of our boats; we even rowed in that +direction for some time, but the lights drew away and disappeared +below the horizon. + +But this is rather anticipating: we did none of these things first. We +had no eyes for anything but the ship we had just left. As the oarsmen +pulled slowly away we all turned and took a long look at the mighty +vessel towering high above our midget boat, and I know it must have +been the most extraordinary sight I shall ever be called upon to +witness; I realize now how totally inadequate language is to convey to +some other person who was not there any real impression of what we +saw. + +But the task must be attempted: the whole picture is so intensely +dramatic that, while it is not possible to place on paper for eyes to +see the actual likeness of the ship as she lay there, some sketch of +the scene will be possible. First of all, the climatic conditions were +extraordinary. The night was one of the most beautiful I have ever +seen: the sky without a single cloud to mar the perfect brilliance of +the stars, clustered so thickly together that in places there seemed +almost more dazzling points of light set in the black sky than +background of sky itself; and each star seemed, in the keen +atmosphere, free from any haze, to have increased its brilliance +tenfold and to twinkle and glitter with a staccato flash that made the +sky seem nothing but a setting made for them in which to display their +wonder. They seemed so near, and their light so much more intense than +ever before, that fancy suggested they saw this beautiful ship in dire +distress below and all their energies had awakened to flash messages +across the black dome of the sky to each other; telling and warning of +the calamity happening in the world beneath. Later, when the Titanic +had gone down and we lay still on the sea waiting for the day to dawn +or a ship to come, I remember looking up at the perfect sky and +realizing why Shakespeare wrote the beautiful words he puts in the +mouth of Lorenzo:-- + + + "Jessica, look how the floor of heaven + Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold. + There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st + But in his motion like an angel sings, + Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims; + Such harmony is in immortal souls; + But whilst this muddy vesture of decay + Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it." + + +But it seemed almost as if we could--that night: the stars seemed +really to be alive and to talk. The complete absence of haze produced +a phenomenon I had never seen before: where the sky met the sea the +line was as clear and definite as the edge of a knife, so that the +water and the air never merged gradually into each other and blended +to a softened rounded horizon, but each element was so exclusively +separate that where a star came low down in the sky near the clear-cut +edge of the waterline, it still lost none of its brilliance. As the +earth revolved and the water edge came up and covered partially the +star, as it were, it simply cut the star in two, the upper half +continuing to sparkle as long as it was not entirely hidden, and +throwing a long beam of light along the sea to us. + +In the evidence before the United States Senate Committee the captain +of one of the ships near us that night said the stars were so +extraordinarily bright near the horizon that he was deceived into +thinking that they were ships' lights: he did not remember seeing such +a night before. Those who were afloat will all agree with that +statement: _we_ were often deceived into thinking they were +lights of a ship. + +And next the cold air! Here again was something quite new to us: there +was not a breath of wind to blow keenly round us as we stood in the +boat, and because of its continued persistence to make us feel cold; +it was just a keen, bitter, icy, motionless cold that came from +nowhere and yet was there all the time; the stillness of it--if one +can imagine "cold" being motionless and still--was what seemed new and +strange. + +And these--the sky and the air--were overhead; and below was the sea. +Here again something uncommon: the surface was like a lake of oil, +heaving gently up and down with a quiet motion that rocked our boat +dreamily to and fro. We did not need to keep her head to the swell: +often I watched her lying broadside on to the tide, and with a boat +loaded as we were, this would have been impossible with anything like +a swell. The sea slipped away smoothly under the boat, and I think we +never heard it lapping on the sides, so oily in appearance was the +water. So when one of the stokers said he had been to sea for +twenty-six years and never yet seen such a calm night, we accepted it +as true without comment. Just as expressive was the remark of +another--"It reminds me of a bloomin' picnic!" It was quite true; it +did: a picnic on a lake, or a quiet inland river like the Cam, or a +backwater on the Thames. + +And so in these conditions of sky and air and sea, we gazed broadside +on the Titanic from a short distance. She was absolutely still--indeed +from the first it seemed as if the blow from the iceberg had taken all +the courage out of her and she had just come quietly to rest and was +settling down without an effort to save herself, without a murmur of +protest against such a foul blow. For the sea could not rock her: the +wind was not there to howl noisily round the decks, and make the ropes +hum; from the first what must have impressed all as they watched was +the sense of stillness about her and the slow, insensible way she sank +lower and lower in the sea, like a stricken animal. + +The mere bulk alone of the ship viewed from the sea below was an +awe-inspiring sight. Imagine a ship nearly a sixth of a mile long, 75 +feet high to the top decks, with four enormous funnels above the +decks, and masts again high above the funnels; with her hundreds of +portholes, all her saloons and other rooms brilliant with light, and +all round her, little boats filled with those who until a few hours +before had trod her decks and read in her libraries and listened to +the music of her band in happy content; and who were now looking up in +amazement at the enormous mass above them and rowing away from her +because she was sinking. + +I had often wanted to see her from some distance away, and only a few +hours before, in conversation at lunch with a fellow-passenger, had +registered a vow to get a proper view of her lines and dimensions when +we landed at New York: to stand some distance away to take in a full +view of her beautiful proportions, which the narrow approach to the +dock at Southampton made impossible. Little did I think that the +opportunity was to be found so quickly and so dramatically. The +background, too, was a different one from what I had planned for her: +the black outline of her profile against the sky was bordered all +round by stars studded in the sky, and all her funnels and masts were +picked out in the same way: her bulk was seen where the stars were +blotted out. And one other thing was different from expectation: the +thing that ripped away from us instantly, as we saw it, all sense of +the beauty of the night, the beauty of the ship's lines, and the +beauty of her lights,--and all these taken in themselves were +intensely beautiful,--that thing was the awful angle made by the level +of the sea with the rows of porthole lights along her side in dotted +lines, row above row. The sea level and the rows of lights should have +been parallel--should never have met--and now they met at an angle +inside the black hull of the ship. There was nothing else to indicate +she was injured; nothing but this apparent violation of a simple +geometrical law--that parallel lines should "never meet even if +produced ever so far both ways"; but it meant the Titanic had sunk by +the head until the lowest portholes in the bows were under the sea, +and the portholes in the stern were lifted above the normal height. We +rowed away from her in the quietness of the night, hoping and praying +with all our hearts that she would sink no more and the day would find +her still in the same position as she was then. The crew, however, did +not think so. It has been said frequently that the officers and crew +felt assured that she would remain afloat even after they knew the +extent of the damage. Some of them may have done so--and perhaps, from +their scientific knowledge of her construction, with more reason at +the time than those who said she would sink--but at any rate the +stokers in our boat had no such illusion. One of them--I think he was +the same man that cut us free from the pulley ropes--told us how he +was at work in the stoke-hole, and in anticipation of going off duty +in quarter of an hour,--thus confirming the time of the collision as +11.45,--had near him a pan of soup keeping hot on some part of the +machinery; suddenly the whole side of the compartment came in, and the +water rushed him off his feet. Picking himself up, he sprang for the +compartment doorway and was just through the aperture when the +watertight door came down behind him, "like a knife," as he said; +"they work them from the bridge." He had gone up on deck but was +ordered down again at once and with others was told to draw the fires +from under the boiler, which they did, and were then at liberty to +come on deck again. It seems that this particular knot of stokers must +have known almost as soon as any one of the extent of injury. He added +mournfully, "I could do with that hot soup now"--and indeed he could: +he was clad at the time of the collision, he said, in trousers and +singlet, both very thin on account of the intense heat in the +stoke-hole; and although he had added a short jacket later, his teeth +were chattering with the cold. He found a place to lie down underneath +the tiller on the little platform where our captain stood, and there +he lay all night with a coat belonging to another stoker thrown over +him and I think he must have been almost unconscious. A lady next to +him, who was warmly clad with several coats, tried to insist on his +having one of hers--a fur-lined one--thrown over him, but he +absolutely refused while some of the women were insufficiently clad; +and so the coat was given to an Irish girl with pretty auburn hair +standing near, leaning against the gunwale--with an "outside berth" +and so more exposed to the cold air. This same lady was able to +distribute more of her wraps to the passengers, a rug to one, a fur +boa to another; and she has related with amusement that at the moment +of climbing up the Carpathia's side, those to whom these articles had +been lent offered them all back to her; but as, like the rest of us, +she was encumbered with a lifebelt, she had to say she would receive +them back at the end of the climb, I had not seen my dressing-gown +since I dropped into the boat, but some time in the night a steerage +passenger found it on the floor and put it on. + +It is not easy at this time to call to mind who were in the boat, +because in the night it was not possible to see more than a few feet +away, and when dawn came we had eyes only for the rescue ship and the +icebergs; but so far as my memory serves the list was as follows: no +first-class passengers; three women, one baby, two men from the second +cabin; and the other passengers steerage--mostly women; a total of +about 35 passengers. The rest, about 25 (and possibly more), were crew +and stokers. Near to me all night was a group of three Swedish girls, +warmly clad, standing close together to keep warm, and very silent; +indeed there was very little talking at any time. + +One conversation took place that is, I think, worth repeating: one +more proof that the world after all is a small place. The ten months' +old baby which was handed down at the last moment was received by a +lady next to me--the same who shared her wraps and coats. The mother +had found a place in the middle and was too tightly packed to come +through to the child, and so it slept contentedly for about an hour in +a stranger's arms; it then began to cry and the temporary nurse said: +"Will you feel down and see if the baby's feet are out of the blanket! +I don't know much about babies but I think their feet must be kept +warm." Wriggling down as well as I could, I found its toes exposed to +the air and wrapped them well up, when it ceased crying at once: it +was evidently a successful diagnosis! Having recognized the lady by +her voice,--it was much too dark to see faces,--as one of my vis-à-vis +at the purser's table, I said,--"Surely you are Miss ----?" "Yes," +she replied, "and you must be Mr. Beesley; how curious we should find +ourselves in the same boat!" Remembering that she had joined the boat +at Queenstown, I said, "Do you know Clonmel? a letter from a great +friend of mine who is staying there at ---- [giving the address] came +aboard at Queenstown." "Yes, it is my home: and I was dining +at ---- just before I came away." It seemed that she knew my friend, +too; and we agreed that of all places in the world to recognize mutual +friends, a crowded lifeboat afloat in mid-ocean at 2 A.M. twelve +hundred miles from our destination was one of the most unexpected. + +And all the time, as we watched, the Titanic sank lower and lower by +the head and the angle became wider and wider as the stern porthole +lights lifted and the bow lights sank, and it was evident she was not +to stay afloat much longer. The captain-stoker now told the oarsmen to +row away as hard as they could. Two reasons seemed to make this a wise +decision: one that as she sank she would create such a wave of suction +that boats, if not sucked under by being too near, would be in danger +of being swamped by the wave her sinking would create--and we all knew +our boat was in no condition to ride big waves, crowded as it was and +manned with untrained oarsmen. The second was that an explosion might +result from the water getting to the boilers, and dèbris might fall +within a wide radius. And yet, as it turned out, neither of these +things happened. + +At about 2.15 A.M. I think we were any distance from a mile to two +miles away. It is difficult for a landsman to calculate distance at +sea but we had been afloat an hour and a half, the boat was heavily +loaded, the oarsmen unskilled, and our course erratic: following now +one light and now another, sometimes a star and sometimes a light from +a port lifeboat which had turned away from the Titanic in the opposite +direction and lay almost on our horizon; and so we could not have gone +very far away. + +About this time, the water had crept up almost to her sidelight and +the captain's bridge, and it seemed a question only of minutes before +she sank. The oarsmen lay on their oars, and all in the lifeboat were +motionless as we watched her in absolute silence--save some who would +not look and buried their heads on each others' shoulders. The lights +still shone with the same brilliance, but not so many of them: many +were now below the surface. I have often wondered since whether they +continued to light up the cabins when the portholes were under water; +they may have done so. + +And then, as we gazed awe-struck, she tilted slowly up, revolving +apparently about a centre of gravity just astern of amidships, until +she attained a vertically upright position; and there she +remained--motionless! As she swung up, her lights, which had shone +without a flicker all night, went out suddenly, came on again for a +single flash, then went out altogether. And as they did so, there came +a noise which many people, wrongly I think, have described as an +explosion; it has always seemed to me that it was nothing but the +engines and machinery coming loose from their bolts and bearings, and +falling through the compartments, smashing everything in their way. It +was partly a roar, partly a groan, partly a rattle, and partly a +smash, and it was not a sudden roar as an explosion would be: it went +on successively for some seconds, possibly fifteen to twenty, as the +heavy machinery dropped down to the bottom (now the bows) of the ship: +I suppose it fell through the end and sank first, before the ship. But +it was a noise no one had heard before, and no one wishes to hear +again: it was stupefying, stupendous, as it came to us along the +water. It was as if all the heavy things one could think of had been +thrown downstairs from the top of a house, smashing each other and the +stairs and everything in the way. Several apparently authentic +accounts have been given, in which definite stories of explosions have +been related--in some cases even with wreckage blown up and the ship +broken in two; but I think such accounts will not stand close +analysis. In the first place the fires had been withdrawn and the +steam allowed to escape some time before she sank, and the possibility +of explosion from this cause seems very remote. Then, as just related, +the noise was not sudden and definite, but prolonged--more like the +roll and crash of thunder. The probability of the noise being caused +by engines falling down will be seen by referring to Figure 2, page +116, where the engines are placed in compartments 3, 4, and 5. As the +Titanic tilted up they would almost certainly fall loose from their +bed and plunge down through the other compartments. + +No phenomenon like that pictured in some American and English papers +occurred--that of the ship breaking in two, and the two ends being +raised above the surface. I saw these drawings in preparation on board +the Carpathia, and said at the time that they bore no resemblance to +what actually happened. + +When the noise was over the Titanic was still upright like a column: +we could see her now only as the stern and some 150 feet of her stood +outlined against the star-specked sky, looming black in the darkness, +and in this position she continued for some minutes--I think as much +as five minutes, but it may have been less. Then, first sinking back a +little at the stern, I thought, she slid slowly forwards through the +water and dived slantingly down; the sea closed over her and we had +seen the last of the beautiful ship on which we had embarked four days +before at Southampton. + +And in place of the ship on which all our interest had been +concentrated for so long and towards which we looked most of the time +because it was still the only object on the sea which was a fixed +point to us--in place of the Titanic, we had the level sea now +stretching in an unbroken expanse to the horizon: heaving gently just +as before, with no indication on the surface that the waves had just +closed over the most wonderful vessel ever built by man's hand; the +stars looked down just the same and the air was just as bitterly cold. + +There seemed a great sense of loneliness when we were left on the sea +in a small boat without the Titanic: not that we were uncomfortable +(except for the cold) nor in danger: we did not think we were either, +but the Titanic was no longer there. + +We waited head on for the wave which we thought might come--the wave +we had heard so much of from the crew and which they said had been +known to travel for miles--and it never came. But although the Titanic +left us no such legacy of a wave as she went to the bottom, she left +us something we would willingly forget forever, something which it is +well not to let the imagination dwell on--the cries of many hundreds +of our fellow-passengers struggling in the ice-cold water. + +I would willingly omit any further mention of this part of the +disaster from this book, but for two reasons it is not possible--first, +that as a matter of history it should be put on record; +and secondly, that these cries were not only an appeal for +help in the awful conditions of danger in which the drowning +found themselves,--an appeal that could never be answered,--but +an appeal to the whole world to make such conditions of +danger and hopelessness impossible ever again; a cry that called +to the heavens for the very injustice of its own existence; a cry +that clamoured for its own destruction. + +We were utterly surprised to hear this cry go up as the waves closed +over the Titanic: we had heard no sound of any kind from her since we +left her side; and, as mentioned before, we did not know how many +boats she had or how many rafts. The crew may have known, but they +probably did not, and if they did, they never told the passengers; we +should not have been surprised to know all were safe on some +life-saving device. + +So that unprepared as we were for such a thing, the cries of the +drowning floating across the quiet sea filled us with stupefaction: we +longed to return and rescue at least some of the drowning, but we knew +it was impossible. The boat was filled to standing-room, and to return +would mean the swamping of us all, and so the captain-stoker told his +crew to row away from the cries. We tried to sing to keep all from +thinking of them; but there was no heart for singing in the boat at +that time. + +The cries, which were loud and numerous at first, died away gradually +one by one, but the night was clear, frosty and still, the water +smooth, and the sounds must have carried on its level surface free +from any obstruction for miles, certainly much farther from the ship +than we were situated. I think the last of them must have been heard +nearly forty minutes after the Titanic sank. Lifebelts would keep the +survivors afloat for hours; but the cold water was what stopped the +cries. + +There must have come to all those safe in the lifeboats, scattered +round the drowning at various distances, a deep resolve that, if +anything could be done by them in the future to prevent the repetition +of such sounds, they would do it--at whatever cost of time or other +things. And not only to them are those cries an imperative call, but +to every man and woman who has known of them. It is not possible that +ever again can such conditions exist; but it is a duty imperative on +one and all to see that they do not. Think of it! a few more boats, a +few more planks of wood nailed together in a particular way at a +trifling cost, and all those men and women whom the world can so ill +afford to lose would be with us to-day, there would be no mourning in +thousands of homes which now are desolate, and these words need not +have been written. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE RESCUE + + +All accounts agree that the Titanic sunk about 2:20 A.M.: a watch in +our boat gave the time as 2:30 A.M. shortly afterwards. We were then +in touch with three other boats: one was 15, on our starboard quarter, +and the others I have always supposed were 9 and 11, but I do not know +definitely. We never got into close touch with each other, but called +occasionally across the darkness and saw them looming near and then +drawing away again; we called to ask if any officer were aboard the +other three, but did not find one. So in the absence of any plan of +action, we rowed slowly forward--or what we thought was forward, for +it was in the direction the Titanic's bows were pointing before she +sank. I see now that we must have been pointing northwest, for we +presently saw the Northern Lights on the starboard, and again, when +the Carpathia came up from the south, we saw her from behind us on the +southeast, and turned our boat around to get to her. I imagine the +boats must have spread themselves over the ocean fanwise as they +escaped from the Titanic: those on the starboard and port sides +forward being almost dead ahead of her and the stern boats being +broadside from her; this explains why the port boats were so much +longer in reaching the Carpathia--as late as 8.30 A.M.--while some of +the starboard boats came up as early as 4.10 A.M. Some of the port +boats had to row across the place where the Titanic sank to get to the +Carpathia, through the debris of chairs and wreckage of all kinds. + +None of the other three boats near us had a light--and we missed +lights badly: we could not see each other in the darkness; we could +not signal to ships which might be rushing up full speed from any +quarter to the Titanic's rescue; and now we had been through so much +it would seem hard to have to encounter the additional danger of being +in the line of a rescuing ship. We felt again for the lantern beneath +our feet, along the sides, and I managed this time to get down to the +locker below the tiller platform and open it in front by removing a +board, to find nothing but the zinc airtank which renders the boat +unsinkable when upset. I do not think there was a light in the boat. +We felt also for food and water, and found none, and came to the +conclusion that none had been put in; but here we were mistaken. I +have a letter from Second Officer Lightoller in which he assures me +that he and Fourth Officer Pitman examined every lifeboat from the +Titanic as they lay on the Carpathia's deck afterwards and found +biscuits and water in each. Not that we wanted any food or water then: +we thought of the time that might elapse before the Olympic picked us +up in the afternoon. + +Towards 3 A.M. we saw a faint glow in the sky ahead on the starboard +quarter, the first gleams, we thought, of the coming dawn. We were not +certain of the time and were eager perhaps to accept too readily any +relief from darkness--only too glad to be able to look each other in +the face and see who were our companions in good fortune; to be free +from the hazard of lying in a steamer's track, invisible in the +darkness. But we were doomed to disappointment: the soft light +increased for a time, and died away a little; glowed again, and then +remained stationary for some minutes! "The Northern Lights"! It +suddenly came to me, and so it was: presently the light arched fanwise +across the northern sky, with faint streamers reaching towards the +Pole-star. I had seen them of about the same intensity in England some +years ago and knew them again. A sigh of disappointment went through +the boat as we realized that the day was not yet; but had we known it, +something more comforting even than the day was in store for us. All +night long we had watched the horizon with eager eyes for signs of a +steamer's lights; we heard from the captain-stoker that the first +appearance would be a single light on the horizon, the masthead light, +followed shortly by a second one, lower down, on the deck; if these +two remained in vertical alignment and the distance between them +increased as the lights drew nearer, we might be certain it was a +steamer. But what a night to see that first light on the horizon! We +saw it many times as the earth revolved, and some stars rose on the +clear horizon and others sank down to it: there were "lights" on every +quarter. Some we watched and followed until we saw the deception and +grew wiser; some were lights from those of our boats that were +fortunate enough to have lanterns, but these were generally easily +detected, as they rose and fell in the near distance. Once they raised +our hopes, only to sink them to zero again. Near what seemed to be the +horizon on the port quarter we saw two lights close together, and +thought this must be our double light; but as we gazed across the +miles that separated us, the lights slowly drew apart and we realized +that they were two boats' lanterns at different distances from us, in +line, one behind the other. They were probably the forward port boats +that had to return so many miles next morning across the Titanic's +graveyard. + +But notwithstanding these hopes and disappointments, the absence of +lights, food and water (as we thought), and the bitter cold, it would +not be correct to say we were unhappy in those early morning hours: +the cold that settled down on us like a garment that wraps close +around was the only real discomfort, and that we could keep at bay by +not thinking too much about it as well as by vigorous friction and +gentle stamping on the floor (it made too much noise to stamp hard!). +I never heard that any one in boat B had any after effects from the +cold--even the stoker who was so thinly clad came through without +harm. After all, there were many things to be thankful for: so many +that they made insignificant the temporary inconvenience of the cold, +the crowded boat, the darkness and the hundred and one things that in +the ordinary way we might regard as unpleasant. The quiet sea, the +beautiful night (how different from two nights later when flashes of +lightning and peals of thunder broke the sleep of many on board the +Carpathia!), and above all the fact of being in a boat at all when so +many of our fellow-passengers and crew--whose cries no longer moaned +across the water to us--were silent in the water. Gratitude was the +dominant note in our feelings then. But grateful as we were, our +gratitude was soon to be increased a hundred fold. About 3:30 A.M., as +nearly as I can judge, some one in the bow called our attention to a +faint far-away gleam in the southeast. We all turned quickly to look +and there it was certainly: streaming up from behind the horizon like +a distant flash of a warship's searchlight; then a faint boom like +guns afar off, and the light died away again. The stoker who had lain +all night under the tiller sat up suddenly as if from a dream, the +overcoat hanging from his shoulders. I can see him now, staring out +across the sea, to where the sound had come from, and hear him shout, +"That was a cannon!" But it was not: it was the Carpathia's rocket, +though we did not know it until later. But we did know now that +something was not far away, racing up to our help and signalling to us +a preliminary message to cheer our hearts until she arrived. + +With every sense alert, eyes gazing intently at the horizon and ears +open for the least sound, we waited in absolute silence in the quiet +night. And then, creeping over the edge of the sea where the flash had +been, we saw a single light, and presently a second below it, and in a +few minutes they were well above the horizon and they remained in +line! But we had been deceived before, and we waited a little longer +before we allowed ourselves to say we were safe. The lights came up +rapidly: so rapidly it seemed only a few minutes (though it must have +been longer) between first seeing them and finding them well above the +horizon and bearing down rapidly on us. We did not know what sort of a +vessel was coming, but we knew she was coming quickly, and we searched +for paper, rags,--anything that would burn (we were quite prepared to +burn our coats if necessary). A hasty paper torch was twisted out of +letters found in some one's pocket, lighted, and held aloft by the +stoker standing on the tiller platform. The little light shone in +flickers on the faces of the occupants of the boat, ran in broken +lines for a few yards along the black oily sea (where for the first +time I saw the presence of that awful thing which had caused the whole +terrible disaster--ice--in little chunks the size of one's fist, +bobbing harmlessly up and down), and spluttered away to blackness +again as the stoker threw the burning remnants of paper overboard. But +had we known it, the danger of being run down was already over, one +reason being that the Carpathia had already seen the lifeboat which +all night long had shown a green light, the first indication the +Carpathia had of our position. But the real reason is to be found in +the Carpathia's log:--"Went full speed ahead during the night; stopped +at 4 A.M. with an iceberg dead ahead." It was a good reason. + +With our torch burnt and in darkness again we saw the headlights stop, +and realized that the rescuer had hove to. A sigh of relief went up +when we thought no hurried scramble had to be made to get out of her +way, with a chance of just being missed by her, and having to meet the +wash of her screws as she tore by us. We waited and she slowly swung +round and revealed herself to us as a large steamer with all her +portholes alight. I think the way those lights came slowly into view +was one of the most wonderful things we shall ever see. It meant +deliverance at once: that was the amazing thing to us all. We had +thought of the afternoon as our time of rescue, and here only a few +hours after the Titanic sank, before it was yet light, we were to be +taken aboard. It seemed almost too good to be true, and I think +everyone's eyes filled with tears, men's as well as women's, as they +saw again the rows of lights one above the other shining kindly to +them across the water, and "Thank God!" was murmured in heartfelt +tones round the boat. The boat swung round and the crew began their +long row to the steamer; the captain called for a song and led off +with "Pull for the shore, boys." The crew took it up quaveringly and +the passengers joined in, but I think one verse was all they sang. It +was too early yet, gratitude was too deep and sudden in its +overwhelming intensity, for us to sing very steadily. Presently, +finding the song had not gone very well, we tried a cheer, and that +went better. It was more easy to relieve our feelings with a noise, +and time and tune were not necessary ingredients in a cheer. + +In the midst of our thankfulness for deliverance, one name was +mentioned with the deepest feeling of gratitude: that of Marconi. I +wish that he had been there to hear the chorus of gratitude that went +out to him for the wonderful invention that spared us many hours, and +perhaps many days, of wandering about the sea in hunger and storm and +cold. Perhaps our gratitude was sufficiently intense and vivid to +"Marconi" some of it to him that night. + +All around we saw boats making for the Carpathia and heard their +shouts and cheers. Our crew rowed hard in friendly rivalry with other +boats to be among the first home, but we must have been eighth or +ninth at the side. We had a heavy load aboard, and had to row round a +huge iceberg on the way. + +And then, as if to make everything complete for our happiness, came +the dawn. First a beautiful, quiet shimmer away in the east, then a +soft golden glow that crept up stealthily from behind the sky-line as +if it were trying not to be noticed as it stole over the sea and +spread itself quietly in every direction--so quietly, as if to make us +believe it had been there all the time and we had not observed it. +Then the sky turned faintly pink and in the distance the thinnest, +fleeciest clouds stretched in thin bands across the horizon and close +down to it, becoming every moment more and more pink. And next the +stars died, slowly,--save one which remained long after the others +just above the horizon; and near by, with the crescent turned to the +north, and the lower horn just touching the horizon, the thinnest, +palest of moons. + +And with the dawn came a faint breeze from the west, the first breath +of wind we had felt since the Titanic stopped her engines. +Anticipating a few hours,--as the day drew on to 8 A.M., the time the +last boats came up,--this breeze increased to a fresh wind which +whipped up the sea, so that the last boat laden with people had an +anxious time in the choppy waves before they reached the Carpathia. An +officer remarked that one of the boats could not have stayed afloat +another hour: the wind had held off just long enough. + +The captain shouted along our boat to the crew, as they strained at +the oars,--two pulling and an extra one facing them and pushing to try +to keep pace with the other boats,--"A new moon! Turn your money over, +boys! That is, if you have any!" We laughed at him for the quaint +superstition at such a time, and it was good to laugh again, but he +showed his disbelief in another superstition when he added, "Well, I +shall never say again that 13 is an unlucky number. Boat 13 is the +best friend we ever had." + +If there had been among us--and it is almost certain that there were, +so fast does superstition cling--those who feared events connected +with the number thirteen, I am certain they agreed with him, and never +again will they attach any importance to such a foolish belief. +Perhaps the belief itself will receive a shock when it is remembered +that boat 13 of the Titanic brought away a full load from the sinking +vessel, carried them in such comfort all night that they had not even +a drop of water on them, and landed them safely at the Carpathia's +side, where they climbed aboard without a single mishap. It almost +tempts one to be the thirteenth at table, or to choose a house +numbered 13 fearless of any croaking about flying in the face of what +is humorously called "Providence." + +Looking towards the Carpathia in the faint light, we saw what seemed +to be two large fully rigged sailing ships near the horizon, with all +sails set, standing up near her, and we decided that they must be +fishing vessels off the Banks of Newfoundland which had seen the +Carpathia stop and were waiting to see if she wanted help of any kind. +But in a few minutes more the light shone on them and they stood +revealed as huge icebergs, peaked in a way that readily suggested a +ship. When the sun rose higher, it turned them pink, and sinister as +they looked towering like rugged white peaks of rock out of the sea, +and terrible as was the disaster one of them had caused, there was an +awful beauty about them which could not be overlooked. Later, when the +sun came above the horizon, they sparkled and glittered in its rays; +deadly white, like frozen snow rather than translucent ice. + +As the dawn crept towards us there lay another almost directly in the +line between our boat and the Carpathia, and a few minutes later, +another on her port quarter, and more again on the southern and +western horizons, as far as the eye could reach: all differing in +shape and size and tones of colour according as the sun shone through +them or was reflected directly or obliquely from them. + +[Illustration: THE CARPATHIA] + +We drew near our rescuer and presently could discern the bands on her +funnel, by which the crew could tell she was a Cunarder; and already +some boats were at her side and passengers climbing up her ladders. We +had to give the iceberg a wide berth and make a détour to the south: +we knew it was sunk a long way below the surface with such things as +projecting ledges--not that it was very likely there was one so near +the surface as to endanger our small boat, but we were not inclined to +take any risks for the sake of a few more minutes when safety lay so +near. + +Once clear of the berg, we could read the Cunarder's name--C A R P A T +H I A--a name we are not likely ever to forget. We shall see her +sometimes, perhaps, in the shipping lists,--as I have done already +once when she left Genoa on her return voyage,--and the way her lights +climbed up over the horizon in the darkness, the way she swung and +showed her lighted portholes, and the moment when we read her name on +her side will all come back in a flash; we shall live again the scene +of rescue, and feel the same thrill of gratitude for all she brought +us that night. + +We rowed up to her about 4.30, and sheltering on the port side from +the swell, held on by two ropes at the stern and bow. Women went up +the side first, climbing rope ladders with a noose round their +shoulders to help their ascent; men passengers scrambled next, and the +crew last of all. The baby went up in a bag with the opening tied up: +it had been quite well all the time, and never suffered any ill +effects from its cold journey in the night. We set foot on deck with +very thankful hearts, grateful beyond the possibility of adequate +expression to feel a solid ship beneath us once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM HER DECK + + +The two preceding chapters have been to a large extent the narrative +of a single eyewitness and an account of the escape of one boat only +from the Titanic's side. It will be well now to return to the Titanic +and reconstruct a more general and complete account from the +experiences of many people in different parts of the ship. A +considerable part of these experiences was related to the writer first +hand by survivors, both on board the Carpathia and at other times, but +some are derived from other sources which are probably as accurate as +first-hand information. Other reports, which seemed at first sight to +have been founded on the testimony of eyewitnesses, have been found on +examination to have passed through several hands, and have therefore +been rejected. The testimony even of eye-witnesses has in some cases +been excluded when it seemed not to agree with direct evidence of a +number of other witnesses or with what reasoned judgment considered +probable in the circumstances. In this category are the reports of +explosions before the Titanic sank, the breaking of the ship in two +parts, the suicide of officers. It would be well to notice here that +the Titanic was in her correct course, the southerly one, and in the +position which prudence dictates as a safe one under the ordinary +conditions at that time of the year: to be strictly accurate she was +sixteen miles south of the regular summer route which all companies +follow from January to August. + +Perhaps the real history of the disaster should commence with the +afternoon of Sunday, when Marconigrams were received by the Titanic +from the ships ahead of her, warning her of the existence of icebergs. +In connection with this must be taken the marked fall of temperature +observed by everyone in the afternoon and evening of this day as well +as the very low temperature of the water. These have generally been +taken to indicate that without any possibility of doubt we were near +an iceberg region, and the severest condemnation has been poured on +the heads of the officers and captain for not having regard to these +climatic conditions; but here caution is necessary. There can be +little doubt now that the low temperature observed can be traced to +the icebergs and ice-field subsequently encountered, but experienced +sailors are aware that it might have been observed without any +icebergs being near. The cold Labrador current sweeps down by +Newfoundland across the track of Atlantic liners, but does not +necessarily carry icebergs with it; cold winds blow from Greenland and +Labrador and not always from icebergs and ice-fields. So that falls in +temperature of sea and air are not prima facie evidence of the close +proximity of icebergs. On the other hand, a single iceberg separated +by many miles from its fellows might sink a ship, but certainly would +not cause a drop in temperature either of the air or water. Then, as +the Labrador current meets the warm Gulf Stream flowing from the Gulf +of Mexico across to Europe, they do not necessarily intermingle, nor +do they always run side by side or one on top of the other, but often +interlaced, like the fingers of two hands. As a ship sails across this +region the thermometer will record within a few miles temperatures of +34°, 58°, 35°, 59°, and so on. + +It is little wonder then that sailors become accustomed to place +little reliance on temperature conditions as a means of estimating the +probabilities of encountering ice in their track. An experienced +sailor has told me that nothing is more difficult to diagnose than the +presence of icebergs, and a strong confirmation of this is found in +the official sailing directions issued by the Hydrographic Department +of the British Admiralty. "No reliance can be placed on any warning +being conveyed to the mariner, by a fall in temperature, either of sea +or air, of approaching ice. Some decrease in temperature has +occasionally been recorded, but more often none has been observed." + +But notification by Marconigram of the exact location of icebergs is a +vastly different matter. I remember with deep feeling the effect this +information had on us when it first became generally known on board +the Carpathia. Rumours of it went round on Wednesday morning, grew to +definite statements in the afternoon, and were confirmed when one of +the Titanic officers admitted the truth of it in reply to a direct +question. I shall never forget the overwhelming sense of hopelessness +that came over some of us as we obtained definite knowledge of the +warning messages. It was not then the unavoidable accident we had +hitherto supposed: the sudden plunging into a region crowded with +icebergs which no seaman, however skilled a navigator he might be, +could have avoided! The beautiful Titanic wounded too deeply to +recover, the cries of the drowning still ringing in our ears and the +thousands of homes that mourned all these calamities--none of all +these things need ever have been! + +It is no exaggeration to say that men who went through all the +experiences of the collision and the rescue and the subsequent scenes +on the quay at New York with hardly a tremor, were quite overcome by +this knowledge and turned away, unable to speak; I for one, did so, +and I know others who told me they were similarly affected. + +I think we all came to modify our opinions on this matter, however, +when we learnt more of the general conditions attending trans-Atlantic +steamship services. The discussion as to who was responsible for these +warnings being disregarded had perhaps better be postponed to a later +chapter. One of these warnings was handed to Mr. Ismay by Captain +Smith at 5 P.M. and returned at the latter's request at 7 P.M., that +it might be posted for the information of officers; as a result of the +messages they were instructed to keep a special lookout for ice. This, +Second Officer Lightoller did until he was relieved at 10 P.M. by +First Officer Murdock, to whom he handed on the instructions. During +Mr. Lightoller's watch, about 9 P.M., the captain had joined him on +the bridge and discussed "the time we should be getting up towards the +vicinity of the ice, and how we should recognize it if we should see +it, and refreshing our minds on the indications that ice gives when it +is in the vicinity." Apparently, too, the officers had discussed among +themselves the proximity of ice and Mr. Lightoller had remarked that +they would be approaching the position where ice had been reported +during his watch. The lookouts were cautioned similarly, but no ice +was sighted until a few minutes before the collision, when the lookout +man saw the iceberg and rang the bell three times, the usual signal +from the crow's nest when anything is seen dead-ahead. + +By telephone he reported to the bridge the presence of an iceberg, but +Mr. Murdock had already ordered Quartermaster Hichens at the wheel to +starboard the helm, and the vessel began to swing away from the berg. +But it was far too late at the speed she was going to hope to steer +the huge Titanic, over a sixth of a mile long, out of reach of danger. +Even if the iceberg had been visible half a mile away it is doubtful +whether some portion of her tremendous length would not have been +touched, and it is in the highest degree unlikely that the lookout +could have seen the berg half a mile away in the conditions that +existed that night, even with glasses. The very smoothness of the +water made the presence of ice a more difficult matter to detect. In +ordinary conditions the dash of the waves against the foot of an +iceberg surrounds it with a circle of white foam visible for some +distance, long before the iceberg itself; but here was an oily sea +sweeping smoothly round the deadly monster and causing no indication +of its presence. + +There is little doubt, moreover, that the crow's nest is not a good +place from which to detect icebergs. It is proverbial that they adopt +to a large extent the colour of their surroundings; and seen from +above at a high angle, with the black, foam-free sea behind, the +iceberg must have been almost invisible until the Titanic was close +upon it. I was much struck by a remark of Sir Ernest Shackleton on his +method of detecting icebergs--to place a lookout man as low down near +the water-line as he could get him. Remembering how we had watched the +Titanic with all her lights out, standing upright like "an enormous +black finger," as one observer stated, and had only seen her thus +because she loomed black against the sky behind her, I saw at once how +much better the sky was than the black sea to show up an iceberg's +bulk. And so in a few moments the Titanic had run obliquely on the +berg, and with a shock that was astonishingly slight--so slight that +many passengers never noticed it--the submerged portion of the berg +had cut her open on the starboard side in the most vulnerable portion +of her anatomy--the bilge. [Footnote: See Figure 4, page 50.] The most +authentic accounts say that the wound began at about the location of +the foremast and extended far back to the stern, the brunt of the blow +being taken by the forward plates, which were either punctured through +both bottoms directly by the blow, or through one skin only, and as +this was torn away it ripped out some of the inner plates. The fact +that she went down by the head shows that probably only the forward +plates were doubly punctured, the stern ones being cut open through +the outer skin only. After the collision, Murdock had at once reversed +the engines and brought the ship to a standstill, but the iceberg had +floated away astern. The shock, though little felt by the enormous +mass of the ship, was sufficient to dislodge a large quantity of ice +from the berg: the forecastle deck was found to be covered with pieces +of ice. + +Feeling the shock, Captain Smith rushed out of his cabin to the +bridge, and in reply to his anxious enquiry was told by Murdock that +ice had been struck and the emergency doors instantly closed. The +officers roused by the collision went on deck: some to the bridge; +others, while hearing nothing of the extent of the damage, saw no +necessity for doing so. Captain Smith at once sent the carpenter below +to sound the ship, and Fourth Officer Boxhall to the steerage to +report damage. The latter found there a very dangerous condition of +things and reported to Captain Smith, who then sent him to the +mail-room; and here again, it was easy to see, matters looked very +serious. Mail-bags were floating about and the water rising rapidly. +All this was reported to the captain, who ordered the lifeboats to be +got ready at once. Mr. Boxhall went to the chartroom to work out the +ship's position, which he then handed to the Marconi operators for +transmission to any ship near enough to help in the work of rescue. + +Reports of the damage done were by this time coming to the captain +from many quarters, from the chief engineer, from the designer,--Mr. +Andrews,--and in a dramatic way from the sudden appearance on deck of +a swarm of stokers who had rushed up from below as the water poured +into the boiler-rooms and coal-bunkers: they were immediately ordered +down below to duty again. Realizing the urgent heed of help, he went +personally to the Marconi room and gave orders to the operators to get +into touch with all the ships they could and to tell them to come +quickly. The assistant operator Bride had been asleep, and knew of the +damage only when Phillips, in charge of the Marconi room, told him ice +had been encountered. They started to send out the well-known "C.Q.D." +message,--which interpreted means: C.Q. "all stations attend," and D, +"distress," the position of the vessel in latitude and longitude +following. Later, they sent out "S.O.S.," an arbitrary message agreed +upon as an international code-signal. + +Soon after the vessel struck, Mr. Ismay had learnt of the nature of +the accident from the captain and chief engineer, and after dressing +and going on deck had spoken to some of the officers not yet +thoroughly acquainted with the grave injury done to the vessel. By +this time all those in any way connected with the management and +navigation must have known the importance of making use of all the +ways of safety known to them--and that without any delay. That they +thought at first that the Titanic would sink as soon as she did is +doubtful; but probably as the reports came in they knew that her +ultimate loss in a few hours was a likely contingency. On the other +hand, there is evidence that some of the officers in charge of boats +quite expected the embarkation was a precautionary measure and they +would all return after daylight. Certainly the first information that +ice had been struck conveyed to those in charge no sense of the +gravity of the circumstances: one officer even retired to his cabin +and another advised a steward to go back to his berth as there was no +danger. + +And so the order was sent round, "All passengers on deck with +lifebelts on"; and in obedience to this a crowd of hastily dressed or +partially dressed people began to assemble on the decks belonging to +their respective classes (except the steerage passengers who were +allowed access to other decks), tying on lifebelts over their +clothing. In some parts of the ship women were separated from the men +and assembled together near the boats, in others men and women mingled +freely together, husbands helping their own wives and families and +then other women and children into the boats. The officers spread +themselves about the decks, superintending the work of lowering and +loading the boats, and in three cases were ordered by their superior +officers to take charge of them. At this stage great difficulty was +experienced in getting women to leave the ship, especially where the +order was so rigorously enforced, "Women and children only." Women in +many cases refused to leave their husbands, and were actually forcibly +lifted up and dropped in the boats. They argued with the officers, +demanding reasons, and in some cases even when induced to get in were +disposed to think the whole thing a joke, or a precaution which it +seemed to them rather foolish to take. In this they were encouraged by +the men left behind, who, in the same condition of ignorance, said +good-bye to their friends as they went down, adding that they would +see them again at breakfast-time. To illustrate further how little +danger was apprehended--when it was discovered on the first-class deck +that the forward lower deck was covered with small ice, snowballing +matches were arranged for the following morning, and some passengers +even went down to the deck and brought back small pieces of ice which +were handed round. + +Below decks too was additional evidence that no one thought of +immediate danger. Two ladies walking along one of the corridors came +across a group of people gathered round a door which they were trying +vainly to open, and on the other side of which a man was demanding in +loud terms to be let out. Either his door was locked and the key not +to be found, or the collision had jammed the lock and prevented the +key from turning. The ladies thought he must be afflicted in some way +to make such a noise, but one of the men was assuring him that in no +circumstances should he be left, and that his (the bystander's) son +would be along soon and would smash down his door if it was not opened +in the mean time. "He has a stronger arm than I have," he added. The +son arrived presently and proceeded to make short work of the door: it +was smashed in and the inmate released, to his great satisfaction and +with many expressions of gratitude to his rescuer. But one of the head +stewards who came up at this juncture was so incensed at the damage +done to the property of his company, and so little aware of the +infinitely greater damage done the ship, that he warned the man who +had released the prisoner that he would be arrested on arrival in New +York. + +It must be borne in mind that no general warning had been issued to +passengers: here and there were experienced travellers to whom +collision with an iceberg was sufficient to cause them to make every +preparation for leaving the ship, but the great majority were never +enlightened as to the amount of damage done, or even as to what had +happened. We knew in a vague way that we had collided with an iceberg, +but there our knowledge ended, and most of us drew no deductions from +that fact alone. Another factor that prevented some from taking to the +boats was the drop to the water below and the journey into the unknown +sea: certainly it looked a tremendous way down in the darkness, the +sea and the night both seemed very cold and lonely; and here was the +ship, so firm and well lighted and warm. + +But perhaps what made so many people declare their decision to remain +was their strong belief in the theory of the Titanic's unsinkable +construction. Again and again was it repeated, "This ship cannot sink; +it is only a question of waiting until another ship comes up and takes +us off." Husbands expected to follow their wives and join them either +in New York or by transfer in mid-ocean from steamer to steamer. Many +passengers relate that they were told by officers that the ship was a +lifeboat and could not go down; one lady affirms that the captain told +her the Titanic could not sink for two or three days; no doubt this +was immediately after the collision. + +It is not any wonder, then, that many elected to remain, deliberately +choosing the deck of the Titanic to a place in a lifeboat. And yet the +boats had to go down, and so at first they went half-full: this is the +real explanation of why they were not as fully loaded as the later +ones. It is important then to consider the question how far the +captain was justified in withholding all the knowledge he had from +every passenger. From one point of view he should have said to them, +"This ship will sink in a few hours: there are the boats, and only +women and children can go to them." But had he the authority to +enforce such an order? There are such things as panics and rushes +which get beyond the control of a handful of officers, even if armed, +and where even the bravest of men get swept off their feet--mentally +as well as physically. + +On the other hand, if he decided to withhold all definite knowledge of +danger from all passengers and at the same time persuade--and if it +was not sufficient, compel--women and children to take to the boats, +it might result in their all being saved. He could not foresee the +tenacity of their faith in the boat: there is ample evidence that he +left the bridge when the ship had come to rest and went among +passengers urging them to get into the boat and rigorously excluding +all but women and children. Some would not go. Officer Lowe testified +that he shouted, "Who's next for the boat?" and could get no replies. +The boats even were sent away half-loaded,--although the fear of their +buckling in the middle was responsible as well for this,--but the +captain with the few boats at his disposal could hardly do more than +persuade and advise in the terrible circumstances in which he was +placed. + +How appalling to think that with a few more boats--and the ship was +provided with that particular kind of davit that would launch more +boats--there would have been no decision of that kind to make! It +could have been stated plainly: "This ship will sink in a few hours: +there is room in the boats for all passengers, beginning with women +and children." + +Poor Captain Smith! I care not whether the responsibility for such +speed in iceberg regions will rest on his shoulders or not: no man +ever had to make such a choice as he had that night, and it seems +difficult to see how he can be blamed for withholding from passengers +such information as he had of the danger that was imminent. + +When one reads in the Press that lifeboats arrived at the Carpathia +half full, it seems at first sight a dreadful thing that this should +have been allowed to happen; but it is so easy to make these +criticisms afterwards, so easy to say that Captain Smith should have +told everyone of the condition of the vessel. He was faced with many +conditions that night which such criticism overlooks. Let any +fair-minded person consider some few of the problems presented to +him--the ship was bound to sink in a few hours; there was lifeboat +accommodation for all women and children and some men; there was no +way of getting some women to go except by telling them the ship was +doomed, a course he deemed it best not to take; and he knew the danger +of boats buckling when loaded full. His solution of these problems was +apparently the following:--to send the boats down half full, with such +women as would go, and to tell the boats to stand by to pick up more +passengers passed down from the cargo ports. There is good evidence +that this was part of the plan: I heard an officer give the order to +four boats and a lady in number 4 boat on the port side tells me the +sailors were so long looking for the port where the captain personally +had told them to wait, that they were in danger of being sucked under +by the vessel. How far any systematic attempt was made to stand by the +ports, I do not know: I never saw one open or any boat standing near +on the starboard side; but then, boats 9 to 15 went down full, and on +reaching the sea rowed away at once. There is good evidence, then, +that Captain Smith fully intended to load the boats full in this way. +The failure to carry out the intention is one of the things the whole +world regrets, but consider again the great size of the ship and the +short time to make decisions, and the omission is more easily +understood. The fact is that such a contingency as lowering away boats +was not even considered beforehand, and there is much cause for +gratitude that as many as seven hundred and five people were rescued. +The whole question of a captain's duties seems to require revision. It +was totally impossible for any one man to attempt to control the ship +that night, and the weather conditions could not well have been more +favourable for doing so. One of the reforms that seem inevitable is +that one man shall be responsible for the boats, their manning, +loading and lowering, leaving the captain free to be on the bridge to +the last moment. + +But to return for a time to the means taken to attract the notice of +other ships. The wireless operators were now in touch with several +ships, and calling to them to come quickly for the water was pouring +in and the Titanic beginning to go down by the head. Bride testified +that the first reply received was from a German boat, the Frankfurt, +which was: "All right: stand by," but not giving her position. From +comparison of the strength of signals received from the Frankfurt and +from other boats, the operators estimated the Frankfurt was the +nearest; but subsequent events proved that this was not so. She was, +in fact, one hundred and forty miles away and arrived at 10.50 A.M. +next morning, when the Carpathia had left with the rescued. The next +reply was from the Carpathia, fifty-eight miles away on the outbound +route to the Mediterranean, and it was a prompt and welcome +one--"Coming hard," followed by the position. Then followed the +Olympic, and with her they talked for some time, but she was five +hundred and sixty miles away on the southern route, too far to be of +any immediate help. At the speed of 23 knots she would expect to be up +about 1 P.M. next day, and this was about the time that those in boat +13 had calculated. We had always assumed in the boat that the stokers +who gave this information had it from one of the officers before they +left; but in the absence of any knowledge of the much nearer ship, the +Carpathia, it is more probable that they knew in a general way where +the sister ship, the Olympic, should be, and had made a rough +calculation. + +Other ships in touch by wireless were the Mount Temple, fifty miles; +the Birma, one hundred miles; the Parisian, one hundred and fifty +miles; the Virginian, one hundred and fifty miles; and the Baltic, +three hundred miles. But closer than any of these--closer even than +the Carpathia--were two ships: the Californian, less than twenty miles +away, with the wireless operator off duty and unable to catch the +"C.Q.D." signal which was now making the air for many miles around +quiver in its appeal for help--immediate, urgent help--for the +hundreds of people who stood on the Titanic's deck. + +The second vessel was a small steamer some few miles ahead on the port +side, without any wireless apparatus, her name and destination still +unknown; and yet the evidence for her presence that night seems too +strong to be disregarded. Mr. Boxhall states that he and Captain Smith +saw her quite plainly some five miles away, and could distinguish the +mast-head lights and a red port light. They at once hailed her with +rockets and Morse electric signals, to which Boxhall saw no reply, but +Captain Smith and stewards affirmed they did. The second and third +officers saw the signals sent and her lights, the latter from the +lifeboat of which he was in charge. Seaman Hopkins testified that he +was told by the captain to row for the light; and we in boat 13 +certainly saw it in the same position and rowed towards it for some +time. But notwithstanding all the efforts made to attract its +attention, it drew slowly away and the lights sank below the horizon. + +The pity of it! So near, and so many people waiting for the shelter +its decks could have given so easily. It seems impossible to think +that this ship ever replied to the signals: those who said so must +have been mistaken. The United State Senate Committee in its report +does not hesitate to say that this unknown steamer and the Californian +are identical, and that the failure on the part of the latter to come +to the help of the Titanic is culpable negligence. There is undoubted +evidence that some of the crew on the Californian saw our rockets; but +it seems impossible to believe that the captain and officers knew of +our distress and deliberately ignored it. Judgment on the matter had +better be suspended until further information is forthcoming. An +engineer who has served in the trans-Atlantic service tells me that it +is a common practice for small boats to leave the fishing smacks to +which they belong and row away for miles; sometimes even being lost +and wandering about among icebergs, and even not being found again. In +these circumstances, rockets are part of a fishing smack's equipment, +and are sent up to indicate to the small boats how to return. Is it +conceivable that the Californian thought our rockets were such +signals, and therefore paid no attention to them? + +Incidentally, this engineer did not hesitate to add that it is +doubtful if a big liner would stop to help a small fishing-boat +sending off distress signals, or even would turn about to help one +which she herself had cut down as it lay in her path without a light. +He was strong in his affirmation that such things were commonly known +to all officers in the trans-Atlantic service. + +With regard to the other vessels in wireless communication, the Mount +Temple was the only one near enough from the point of distance to have +arrived in time to be of help, but between her and the Titanic lay the +enormous ice-floe, and icebergs were near her in addition. + +The seven ships which caught the message started at once to her help +but were all stopped on the way (except the Birma) by the Carpathia's +wireless announcing the fate of the Titanic and the people aboard her. +The message must have affected the captains of these ships very +deeply: they would understand far better than the travelling public +what it meant to lose such a beautiful ship on her first voyage. + +The only thing now left to be done was to get the lifeboats away as +quickly as possible, and to this task the other officers were in the +meantime devoting all their endeavours. Mr. Lightoller sent away boat +after boat: in one he had put twenty-four women and children, in +another thirty, in another thirty-five; and then, running short of +seamen to man the boats he sent Major Peuchen, an expert yachtsman, in +the next, to help with its navigation. By the time these had been +filled, he had difficulty in finding women for the fifth and sixth +boats for the reasons already stated. All this time the passengers +remained--to use his own expression--"as quiet as if in church." To +man and supervise the loading of six boats must have taken him nearly +up to the time of the Titanic's sinking, taking an average of some +twenty minutes to a boat. Still at work to the end, he remained on the +ship till she sank and went down with her. His evidence before the +United States Committee was as follows: "Did you leave the ship?" "No, +sir." "Did the ship leave you?" "Yes, sir." + +It was a piece of work well and cleanly done, and his escape from the +ship, one of the most wonderful of all, seems almost a reward for his +devotion to duty. + +Captain Smith, Officers Wilde and Murdock were similarly engaged in +other parts of the ship, urging women to get in the boats, in some +cases directing junior officers to go down in some of them,--Officers +Pitman, Boxhall, and Lowe were sent in this way,--in others placing +members of the crew in charge. As the boats were lowered, orders were +shouted to them where to make for: some were told to stand by and wait +for further instructions, others to row for the light of the +disappearing steamer. + +It is a pitiful thing to recall the effects of sending down the first +boats half full. In some cases men in the company of their wives had +actually taken seats in the boats--young men, married only a few weeks +and on their wedding trip--and had done so only because no more women +could then be found; but the strict interpretation by the particular +officer in charge there of the rule of "Women and children only," +compelled them to get out again. Some of these boats were lowered and +reached the Carpathia with many vacant seats. The anguish of the young +wives in such circumstances can only be imagined. In other parts of +the ship, however, a different interpretation was placed on the rule, +and men were allowed and even invited by officers to get in--not only +to form part of the crew, but even as passengers. This, of course, in +the first boats and when no more women could be found. + +The varied understanding of this rule was a frequent subject of +discussion on the Carpathia--in fact, the rule itself was debated with +much heart-searching. There were not wanting many who doubted the +justice of its rigid enforcement, who could not think it well that a +husband should be separated from his wife and family, leaving them +penniless, or a young bridegroom from his wife of a few short weeks, +while ladies with few relatives, with no one dependent upon them, and +few responsibilities of any kind, were saved. It was mostly these +ladies who pressed this view, and even men seemed to think there was a +good deal to be said for it. Perhaps there is, theoretically, but it +would be impossible, I think, in practice. To quote Mr. Lightoller +again in his evidence before the United States Senate Committee,--when +asked if it was a rule of the sea that women and children be saved +first, he replied, "No, it is a rule of human nature." That is no +doubt the real reason for its existence. + +But the selective process of circumstances brought about results that +were very bitter to some. It was heartrending for ladies who had lost +all they held dearest in the world to hear that in one boat was a +stoker picked up out of the sea so drunk that he stood up and +brandished his arms about, and had to be thrown down by ladies and sat +upon to keep him quiet. If comparisons can be drawn, it did seem +better that an educated, refined man should be saved than one who had +flown to drink as his refuge in time of danger. + +These discussions turned sometimes to the old enquiry--"What is the +purpose of all this? Why the disaster? Why this man saved and that man +lost? Who has arranged that my husband should live a few short happy +years in the world, and the happiest days in those years with me these +last few weeks, and then be taken from me?" I heard no one attribute +all this to a Divine Power who ordains and arranges the lives of men, +and as part of a definite scheme sends such calamity and misery in +order to purify, to teach, to spiritualize. I do not say there were +not people who thought and said they saw Divine Wisdom in it all,--so +inscrutable that we in our ignorance saw it not; but I did not hear it +expressed, and this book is intended to be no more than a partial +chronicle of the many different experiences and convictions. + +There were those, on the other hand, who did not fail to say +emphatically that indifference to the rights and feelings of others, +blindness to duty towards our fellow men and women, was in the last +analysis the cause of most of the human misery in the world. And it +should undoubtedly appeal more to our sense of justice to attribute +these things to our own lack of consideration for others than to shift +the responsibility on to a Power whom we first postulate as being +All-wise and All-loving. + +All the boats were lowered and sent away by about 2 A.M., and by this +time the ship was very low in the water, the forecastle deck +completely submerged, and the sea creeping steadily up to the bridge +and probably only a few yards away. + +No one on the ship can have had any doubt now as to her ultimate fate, +and yet the fifteen hundred passengers and crew on board made no +demonstration, and not a sound came from them as they stood quietly on +the decks or went about their duties below. It seems incredible, and +yet if it was a continuation of the same feeling that existed on deck +before the boats left,--and I have no doubt it was,--the explanation +is straightforward and reasonable in its simplicity. An attempt is +made in the last chapter to show why the attitude of the crowd was so +quietly courageous. There are accounts which picture excited crowds +running about the deck in terror, fighting and struggling, but two of +the most accurate observers, Colonel Gracie and Mr. Lightoller, affirm +that this was not so, that absolute order and quietness prevailed. The +band still played to cheer the hearts of all near; the engineers and +their crew--I have never heard any one speak of a single engineer +being seen on deck--still worked at the electric light engines, far +away below, keeping them going until no human being could do so a +second longer, right until the ship tilted on end and the engines +broke loose and fell down. The light failed then only because the +engines were no longer there to produce light, not because the men who +worked them were not standing by them to do their duty. To be down in +the bowels of the ship, far away from the deck where at any rate there +was a chance of a dive and a swim and a possible rescue; to know that +when the ship went--as they knew it must soon--there could be no +possible hope of climbing up in time to reach the sea; to know all +these things and yet to keep the engines going that the decks might be +lighted to the last moment, required sublime courage. + +But this courage is required of every engineer and it is not called by +that name: it is called "duty." To stand by his engines to the last +possible moment is his duty. There could be no better example of the +supremest courage being but duty well done than to remember the +engineers of the Titanic still at work as she heeled over and flung +them with their engines down the length of the ship. The simple +statement that the lights kept on to the last is really their epitaph, +but Lowell's words would seem to apply to them with peculiar force-- + + + "The longer on this earth we live + And weigh the various qualities of men-- + The more we feel the high, stern-featured beauty + Of plain devotedness to duty. + Steadfast and still, nor paid with mortal praise, + But finding amplest recompense + For life's ungarlanded expense + In work done squarely and unwasted days." + +For some time before she sank, the Titanic had a considerable list to +port, so much so that one boat at any rate swung so far away from the +side that difficulty was experienced in getting passengers in. This +list was increased towards the end, and Colonel Gracie relates that +Mr. Lightoller, who has a deep, powerful voice, ordered all passengers +to the starboard side. This was close before the end. They crossed +over, and as they did so a crowd of steerage passengers rushed up and +filled the decks so full that there was barely room to move. Soon +afterwards the great vessel swung slowly, stern in the air, the lights +went out, and while some were flung into the water and others dived +off, the great majority still clung to the rails, to the sides and +roofs of deck-structures, lying prone on the deck. And in this +position they were when, a few minutes later, the enormous vessel +dived obliquely downwards. As she went, no doubt many still clung to +the rails, but most would do their best to get away from her and jump +as she slid forwards and downwards. Whatever they did, there can be +little question that most of them would be taken down by suction, to +come up again a few moments later and to fill the air with those +heartrending cries which fell on the ears of those in the lifeboats +with such amazement. Another survivor, on the other hand, relates that +he had dived from the stern before she heeled over, and swam round +under her enormous triple screws lifted by now high out of the water +as she stood on end. Fascinated by the extraordinary sight, he watched +them up above his head, but presently realizing the necessity of +getting away as quickly as possible, he started to swim from the ship, +but as he did she dived forward, the screws passing near his head. His +experience is that not only was no suction present, but even a wave +was created which washed him away from the place where she had gone +down. + +Of all those fifteen hundred people, flung into the sea as the Titanic +went down, innocent victims of thoughtlessness and apathy of those +responsible for their safety, only a very few found their way to the +Carpathia. It will serve no good purpose to dwell any longer on the +scene of helpless men and women struggling in the water. The heart of +everyone who has read of their helplessness has gone out to them in +deepest love and sympathy; and the knowledge that their struggle in +the water was in most cases short and not physically painful because +of the low temperature--the evidence seems to show that few lost their +lives by drowning--is some consolation. + +If everyone sees to it that his sympathy with them is so practical as +to force him to follow up the question of reforms personally, not +leaving it to experts alone, then he will have at any rate done +something to atone for the loss of so many valuable lives. + +We had now better follow the adventures of those who were rescued from +the final event in the disaster. Two accounts--those of Colonel Gracie +and Mr. Lightoller--agree very closely. The former went down clinging +to a rail, the latter dived before the ship went right under, but was +sucked down and held against one of the blowers. They were both +carried down for what seemed a long distance, but Mr. Lightoller was +finally blown up again by a "terrific gust" that came up the blower +and forced him clear. Colonel Gracie came to the surface after holding +his breath for what seemed an eternity, and they both swam about +holding on to any wreckage they could find. Finally they saw an +upturned collapsible boat and climbed on it in company with twenty +other men, among them Bride the Marconi operator. After remaining thus +for some hours, with the sea washing them to the waist, they stood up +as day broke, in two rows, back to back, balancing themselves as well +as they could, and afraid to turn lest the boat should roll over. +Finally a lifeboat saw them and took them off, an operation attended +with the greatest difficulty, and they reached the Carpathia in the +early dawn. Not many people have gone through such an experience as +those men did, lying all night on an overturned, ill-balanced boat, +and praying together, as they did all the time, for the day and a ship +to take them off. + +Some account must now be attempted of the journey of the fleet of +boats to the Carpathia, but it must necessarily be very brief. +Experiences differed considerably: some had no encounters at all with +icebergs, no lack of men to row, discovered lights and food and water, +were picked up after only a few hours' exposure, and suffered very +little discomfort; others seemed to see icebergs round them all night +long and to be always rowing round them; others had so few men +aboard--in some cases only two or three--that ladies had to row and in +one case to steer, found no lights, food or water, and were adrift +many hours, in some cases nearly eight. + +The first boat to be picked up by the Carpathia was one in charge of +Mr. Boxhall. There was only one other man rowing and ladies worked at +the oars. A green light burning in this boat all night was the +greatest comfort to the rest of us who had nothing to steer by: +although it meant little in the way of safety in itself, it was a +point to which we could look. The green light was the first intimation +Captain Rostron had of our position, and he steered for it and picked +up its passengers first. + +Mr. Pitman was sent by First Officer Murdock in charge of boat 5, with +forty passengers and five of the crew. It would have held more, but no +women could be found at the time it was lowered. Mr. Pitman says that +after leaving the ship he felt confident she would float and they +would all return. A passenger in this boat relates that men could not +be induced to embark when she went down, and made appointments for the +next morning with him. Tied to boat 5 was boat 7, one of those that +contained few people: a few were transferred from number 5, but it +would have held many more. + +Fifth Officer Lowe was in charge of boat 14, with fifty-five women and +children, and some of the crew. So full was the boat that as she went +down Mr. Lowe had to fire his revolver along the ship's side to +prevent any more climbing in and causing her to buckle. This boat, +like boat 13, was difficult to release from the lowering tackle, and +had to be cut away after reaching the sea. Mr. Lowe took in charge +four other boats, tied them together with lines, found some of them +not full, and transferred all his passengers to these, distributing +them in the darkness as well as he could. Then returning to the place +where the Titanic had sunk, he picked up some of those swimming in the +water and went back to the four boats. On the way to the Carpathia he +encountered one of the collapsible boats, and took aboard all those in +her, as she seemed to be sinking. + +Boat 12 was one of the four tied together, and the seaman in charge +testified that he tried to row to the drowning, but with forty women +and children and only one other man to row, it was not possible to +pull such a heavy boat to the scene of the wreck. + +Boat 2 was a small ship's boat and had four or five passengers and +seven of the crew. Boat 4 was one of the last to leave on the port +side, and by this time there was such a list that deck chairs had to +bridge the gap between the boat and the deck. When lowered, it +remained for some time still attached to the ropes, and as the Titanic +was rapidly sinking it seemed she would be pulled under. The boat was +full of women, who besought the sailors to leave the ship, but in +obedience to orders from the captain to stand by the cargo port, they +remained near; so near, in fact, that they heard china falling and +smashing as the ship went down by the head, and were nearly hit by +wreckage thrown overboard by some of the officers and crew and +intended to serve as rafts. They got clear finally, and were only a +short distance away when the ship sank, so that they were able to pull +some men aboard as they came to the surface. + +This boat had an unpleasant experience in the night with icebergs; +many were seen and avoided with difficulty. + +Quartermaster Hickens was in charge of boat 6, and in the absence of +sailors Major Peuchen was sent to help to man her. They were told to +make for the light of the steamer seen on the port side, and followed +it until it disappeared. There were forty women and children here. + +Boat 8 had only one seaman, and as Captain Smith had enforced the rule +of "Women and children only," ladies had to row. Later in the night, +when little progress had been made, the seaman took an oar and put a +lady in charge of the tiller. This boat again was in the midst of +icebergs. + +Of the four collapsible boats--although collapsible is not really the +correct term, for only a small portion collapses, the canvas edge; +"surf boats" is really their name--one was launched at the last moment +by being pushed over as the sea rose to the edge of the deck, and was +never righted. This is the one twenty men climbed on. Another was +caught up by Mr. Lowe and the passengers transferred, with the +exception of three men who had perished from the effects of immersion. +The boat was allowed to drift away and was found more than a month +later by the Celtic in just the same condition. It is interesting to +note how long this boat had remained afloat after she was supposed to +be no longer seaworthy. A curious coincidence arose from the fact that +one of my brothers happened to be travelling on the Celtic, and +looking over the side, saw adrift on the sea a boat belonging to the +Titanic in which I had been wrecked. + +The two other collapsible boats came to the Carpathia carrying full +loads of passengers: in one, the forward starboard boat and one of the +last to leave, was Mr. Ismay. Here four Chinamen were concealed under +the feet of the passengers. How they got there no one knew--or indeed +how they happened to be on the Titanic, for by the immigration laws of +the United States they are not allowed to enter her ports. + +It must be said, in conclusion, that there is the greatest cause for +gratitude that all the boats launched carried their passengers safely +to the rescue ship. It would not be right to accept this fact without +calling attention to it: it would be easy to enumerate many things +which might have been present as elements of danger. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK + + +The journey of the Carpathia from the time she caught the "C.Q.D." +from the Titanic at about 12.30 A.M. on Monday morning and turned +swiftly about to her rescue, until she arrived at New York on the +following Thursday at 8.30 P.M. was one that demanded of the captain, +officers and crew of the vessel the most exact knowledge of +navigation, the utmost vigilance in every department both before and +after the rescue, and a capacity for organization that must sometimes +have been taxed to the breaking point. + +The extent to which all these qualities were found present and the +manner in which they were exercised stands to the everlasting credit +of the Cunard Line and those of its servants who were in charge of the +Carpathia. Captain Rostron's part in all this is a great one, and +wrapped up though his action is in a modesty that is conspicuous in +its nobility, it stands out even in his own account as a piece of work +well and courageously done. + +As soon as the Titanic called for help and gave her position, the +Carpathia was turned and headed north: all hands were called on duty, +a new watch of stokers was put on, and the highest speed of which she +was capable was demanded of the engineers, with the result that the +distance of fifty-eight miles between the two ships was covered in +three and a half hours, a speed well beyond her normal capacity. The +three doctors on board each took charge of a saloon, in readiness to +render help to any who needed their services, the stewards and +catering staff were hard at work preparing hot drinks and meals, and +the purser's staff ready with blankets and berths for the shipwrecked +passengers as soon as they got on board. On deck the sailors got ready +lifeboats, swung them out on the davits, and stood by, prepared to +lower away their crews if necessary; fixed rope-ladders, +cradle-chairs, nooses, and bags for the children at the hatches, to +haul the rescued up the side. On the bridge was the captain with his +officers, peering into the darkness eagerly to catch the first signs +of the crippled Titanic, hoping, in spite of her last despairing +message of "Sinking by the head," to find her still afloat when her +position was reached. A double watch of lookout men was set, for there +were other things as well as the Titanic to look for that night, and +soon they found them. As Captain Rostron said in his evidence, they +saw icebergs on either side of them between 2.45 and 4 A.M., passing +twenty large ones, one hundred to two hundred feet high, and many +smaller ones, and "frequently had to manoeuvre the ship to avoid +them." It was a time when every faculty was called upon for the +highest use of which it was capable. With the knowledge before them +that the enormous Titanic, the supposedly unsinkable ship, had struck +ice and was sinking rapidly; with the lookout constantly calling to +the bridge, as he must have done, "Icebergs on the starboard," +"Icebergs on the port," it required courage and judgment beyond the +ordinary to drive the ship ahead through that lane of icebergs and +"manoeuvre round them." As he himself said, he "took the risk of full +speed in his desire to save life, and probably some people might blame +him for taking such a risk." But the Senate Committee assured him that +they, at any rate, would not, and we of the lifeboats have certainly +no desire to do so. + +The ship was finally stopped at 4 A.M., with an iceberg reported dead +ahead (the same no doubt we had to row around in boat 13 as we +approached the Carpathia), and about the same time the first lifeboat +was sighted. Again she had to be manoeuvred round the iceberg to pick +up the boat, which was the one in charge of Mr. Boxhall. From him the +captain learned that the Titanic had gone down, and that he was too +late to save any one but those in lifeboats, which he could now see +drawing up from every part of the horizon. Meanwhile, the passengers +of the Carpathia, some of them aroused by the unusual vibration of the +screw, some by sailors tramping overhead as they swung away the +lifeboats and got ropes and lowering tackle ready, were beginning to +come on deck just as day broke; and here an extraordinary sight met +their eyes. As far as the eye could reach to the north and west lay an +unbroken stretch of field ice, with icebergs still attached to the +floe and rearing aloft their mass as a hill might suddenly rise from a +level plain. Ahead and to the south and east huge floating monsters +were showing up through the waning darkness, their number added to +moment by moment as the dawn broke and flushed the horizon pink. It is +remarkable how "busy" all those icebergs made the sea look: to have +gone to bed with nothing but sea and sky and to come on deck to find +so many objects in sight made quite a change in the character of the +sea: it looked quite crowded; and a lifeboat alongside and people +clambering aboard, mostly women, in nightdresses and dressing-gowns, +in cloaks and shawls, in anything but ordinary clothes! Out ahead and +on all sides little torches glittered faintly for a few moments and +then guttered out--and shouts and cheers floated across the quiet sea. +It would be difficult to imagine a more unexpected sight than this +that lay before the Carpathia's passengers as they lined the sides +that morning in the early dawn. + +No novelist would dare to picture such an array of beautiful climatic +conditions,--the rosy dawn, the morning star, the moon on the horizon, +the sea stretching in level beauty to the sky-line,--and on this sea +to place an ice-field like the Arctic regions and icebergs in numbers +everywhere,--white and turning pink and deadly cold,--and near them, +rowing round the icebergs to avoid them, little boats coming suddenly +out of mid-ocean, with passengers rescued from the most wonderful ship +the world has known. No artist would have conceived such a picture: it +would have seemed so highly dramatic as to border on the impossible, +and would not have been attempted. Such a combination of events would +pass the limit permitted the imagination of both author and artist. + +The passengers crowded the rails and looked down at us as we rowed up +in the early morning; stood quietly aside while the crew at the +gangways below took us aboard, and watched us as if the ship had been +in dock and we had rowed up to join her in a somewhat unusual way. +Some of them have related that we were very quiet as we came aboard: +it is quite true, we were; but so were they. There was very little +excitement on either side: just the quiet demeanour of people who are +in the presence of something too big as yet to lie within their mental +grasp, and which they cannot yet discuss. And so they asked us +politely to have hot coffee, which we did; and food, which we +generally declined,--we were not hungry,--and they said very little at +first about the lost Titanic and our adventures in the night. + +Much that is exaggerated and false has been written about the mental +condition of passengers as they came aboard: we have been described as +being too dazed to understand what was happening, as being too +overwhelmed to speak, and as looking before us with "set, staring +gaze," "dazed with the shadow of the dread event." That is, no doubt, +what most people would expect in the circumstances, but I know it does +not give a faithful record of how we did arrive: in fact it is simply +not true. As remarked before, the one thing that matters in describing +an event of this kind is the exact truth, as near as the fallible +human mind can state it; and my own impression of our mental condition +is that of supreme gratitude and relief at treading the firm decks of +a ship again. I am aware that experiences differed considerably +according to the boats occupied; that those who were uncertain of the +fate of their relatives and friends had much to make them anxious and +troubled; and that it is not possible to look into another person's +consciousness and say what is written there; but dealing with mental +conditions as far as they are delineated by facial and bodily +expressions, I think joy, relief, gratitude were the dominant emotions +written on the faces of those who climbed the rope-ladders and were +hauled up in cradles. + +It must not be forgotten that no one in any one boat knew who were +saved in other boats: few knew even how many boats there were and how +many passengers could be saved. It was at the time probable that +friends would follow them to the Carpathia, or be found on other +steamers, or even on the pier at which we landed. The hysterical +scenes that have been described are imaginative; true, one woman did +fill the saloon with hysterical cries immediately after coming aboard, +but she could not have known for a certainty that any of her friends +were lost: probably the sense of relief after some hours of journeying +about the sea was too much for her for a time. + +One of the first things we did was to crowd round a steward with a +bundle of telegraph forms. He was the bearer of the welcome news that +passengers might send Marconigrams to their relatives free of charge, +and soon he bore away the first sheaf of hastily scribbled messages to +the operator; by the time the last boatload was aboard, the pile must +have risen high in the Marconi cabin. We learned afterwards that many +of these never reached their destination; and this is not a matter for +surprise. There was only one operator--Cottam--on board, and although +he was assisted to some extent later, when Bride from the Titanic had +recovered from his injuries sufficiently to work the apparatus, he had +so much to do that he fell asleep over this work on Tuesday night +after three days' continuous duty without rest. But we did not know +the messages were held back, and imagined our friends were aware of +our safety; then, too, a roll-call of the rescued was held in the +Carpathia's saloon on the Monday, and this was Marconied to land in +advance of all messages. It seemed certain, then, that friends at home +would have all anxiety removed, but there were mistakes in the +official list first telegraphed. The experience of my own friends +illustrates this: the Marconigram I wrote never got through to +England; nor was my name ever mentioned in any list of the saved (even +a week after landing in New York, I saw it in a black-edged "final" +list of the missing), and it seemed certain that I had never reached +the Carpathia; so much so that, as I write, there are before me +obituary notices from the English papers giving a short sketch of my +life in England. After landing in New York and realizing from the +lists of the saved which a reporter showed me that my friends had no +news since the Titanic sank on Monday morning until that night +(Thursday 9 P.M.), I cabled to England at once (as I had but two +shillings rescued from the Titanic, the White Star Line paid for the +cables), but the messages were not delivered until 8.20 A.M. next +morning. At 9 A.M. my friends read in the papers a short account of +the disaster which I had supplied to the press, so that they knew of +my safety and experiences in the wreck almost at the same time. I am +grateful to remember that many of my friends in London refused to +count me among the missing during the three days when I was so +reported. + +There is another side to this record of how the news came through, and +a sad one, indeed. Again I wish it were not necessary to tell such +things, but since they all bear on the equipment of the trans-Atlantic +lines--powerful Marconi apparatus, relays of operators, etc.,--it is +best they should be told. The name of an American gentleman--the same +who sat near me in the library on Sunday afternoon and whom I +identified later from a photograph--was consistently reported in the +lists as saved and aboard the Carpathia: his son journeyed to New York +to meet him, rejoicing at his deliverance, and never found him there. +When I met his family some days later and was able to give them some +details of his life aboard ship, it seemed almost cruel to tell them +of the opposite experience that had befallen my friends at home. + +Returning to the journey of the Carpathia--the last boatload of +passengers was taken aboard at 8.30 A.M., the lifeboats were hauled on +deck while the collapsibles were abandoned, and the Carpathia +proceeded to steam round the scene of the wreck in the hope of picking +up anyone floating on wreckage. Before doing so the captain arranged +in the saloon a service over the spot where the Titanic sank, as +nearly as could be calculated,--a service, as he said, of respect to +those who were lost and of gratitude for those who were saved. + +She cruised round and round the scene, but found nothing to indicate +there was any hope of picking up more passengers; and as the +Californian had now arrived, followed shortly afterwards by the Birma, +a Russian tramp steamer, Captain Rostron decided to leave any further +search to them and to make all speed with the rescued to land. As we +moved round, there was surprisingly little wreckage to be seen: wooden +deck-chairs and small pieces of other wood, but nothing of any size. +But covering the sea in huge patches was a mass of reddish-yellow +"seaweed," as we called it for want of a name. It was said to be cork, +but I never heard definitely its correct description. + +The problem of where to land us had next to be decided. The Carpathia +was bound for Gibraltar, and the captain might continue his journey +there, landing us at the Azores on the way; but he would require more +linen and provisions, the passengers were mostly women and children, +ill-clad, dishevelled, and in need of many attentions he could not +give them. Then, too, he would soon be out of the range of wireless +communication, with the weak apparatus his ship had, and he soon +decided against that course. Halifax was the nearest in point of +distance, but this meant steaming north through the ice, and he +thought his passengers did not want to see more ice. He headed back +therefore to New York, which he had left the previous Thursday, +working all afternoon along the edge of the ice-field which stretched +away north as far as the unaided eye could reach. I have wondered +since if we could possibly have landed our passengers on this ice-floe +from the lifeboats and gone back to pick up those swimming, had we +known it was there; I should think it quite feasible to have done so. +It was certainly an extraordinary sight to stand on deck and see the +sea covered with solid ice, white and dazzling in the sun and dotted +here and there with icebergs. We ran close up, only two or three +hundred yards away, and steamed parallel to the floe, until it ended +towards night and we saw to our infinite satisfaction the last of the +icebergs and the field fading away astern. Many of the rescued have no +wish ever to see an iceberg again. We learnt afterwards the field was +nearly seventy miles long and twelve miles wide, and had lain between +us and the Birma on her way to the rescue. Mr. Boxhall testified that +he had crossed the Grand Banks many times, but had never seen +field-ice before. The testimony of the captains and officers of other +steamers in the neighbourhood is of the same kind: they had "never +seen so many icebergs this time of the year," or "never seen such +dangerous ice floes and threatening bergs." Undoubtedly the Titanic +was faced that night with unusual and unexpected conditions of ice: +the captain knew not the extent of these conditions, but he knew +somewhat of their existence. Alas, that he heeded not their warning! + +During the day, the bodies of eight of the crew were committed to the +deep: four of them had been taken out of the boats dead and four died +during the day. The engines were stopped and all passengers on deck +bared their heads while a short service was read; when it was over the +ship steamed on again to carry the living back to land. + +The passengers on the Carpathia were by now hard at work finding +clothing for the survivors: the barber's shop was raided for ties, +collars, hair-pins, combs, etc., of which it happened there was a +large stock in hand; one good Samaritan went round the ship with a box +of tooth-brushes offering them indiscriminately to all. In some cases, +clothing could not be found for the ladies and they spent the rest of +the time on board in their dressing-gowns and cloaks in which they +came away from the Titanic. They even slept in them, for, in the +absence of berths, women had to sleep on the floor of the saloons and +in the library each night on straw _paillasses_, and here it was +not possible to undress properly. The men were given the smoking-room +floor and a supply of blankets, but the room was small, and some +elected to sleep out on deck. I found a pile of towels on the bathroom +floor ready for next morning's baths, and made up a very comfortable +bed on these. Later I was waked in the middle of the night by a man +offering me a berth in his four-berth cabin: another occupant was +unable to leave his berth for physical reasons, and so the cabin could +not be given up to ladies. + +On Tuesday the survivors met in the saloon and formed a committee +among themselves to collect subscriptions for a general fund, out of +which it was resolved by vote to provide as far as possible for the +destitute among the steerage passengers, to present a loving cup to +Captain Rostron and medals to the officers and crew of the Carpathia, +and to divide any surplus among the crew of the Titanic. The work of +this committee is not yet (June 1st) at an end, but all the +resolutions except the last one have been acted upon, and that is now +receiving the attention of the committee. The presentations to the +captain and crew were made the day the Carpathia returned to New York +from her Mediterranean trip, and it is a pleasure to all the survivors +to know that the United States Senate has recognized the service +rendered to humanity by the Carpathia and has voted Captain Rostron a +gold medal commemorative of the rescue. On the afternoon of Tuesday, I +visited the steerage in company with a fellow-passenger, to take +down the names of all who were saved. We grouped them into +nationalities,--English Irish, and Swedish mostly,--and learnt from +them their names and homes, the amount of money they possessed, and +whether they had friends in America. The Irish girls almost +universally had no money rescued from the wreck, and were going to +friends in New York or places near, while the Swedish passengers, +among whom were a considerable number of men, had saved the greater +part of their money and in addition had railway tickets through to +their destinations inland. The saving of their money marked a curious +racial difference, for which I can offer no explanation: no doubt the +Irish girls never had very much but they must have had the necessary +amount fixed by the immigration laws. There were some pitiful cases of +women with children and the husband lost; some with one or two +children saved and the others lost; in one case, a whole family was +missing, and only a friend left to tell of them. Among the Irish group +was one girl of really remarkable beauty, black hair and deep violet +eyes with long lashes, and perfectly shaped features, and quite young, +not more than eighteen or twenty; I think she lost no relatives on the +Titanic. + +The following letter to the London "Times" is reproduced here to show +something of what our feeling was on board the Carpathia towards the +loss of the Titanic. It was written soon after we had the definite +information on the Wednesday that ice warnings had been sent to the +Titanic, and when we all felt that something must be done to awaken +public opinion to safeguard ocean travel in the future. We were not +aware, of course, how much the outside world knew, and it seemed well +to do something to inform the English public of what had happened at +as early an opportunity as possible. I have not had occasion to change +any of the opinions expressed in this letter. + +SIR:-- + +As one of few surviving Englishmen from the steamship Titanic, which +sank in mid-Atlantic on Monday morning last, I am asking you to lay +before your readers a few facts concerning the disaster, in the hope +that something may be done in the near future to ensure the safety of +that portion of the travelling public who use the Atlantic highway for +business or pleasure. + +I wish to dissociate myself entirely from any report that would seek +to fix the responsibility on any person or persons or body of people, +and by simply calling attention to matters of fact the authenticity of +which is, I think, beyond question and can be established in any Court +of Inquiry, to allow your readers to draw their own conclusions as to +the responsibility for the collision. + +First, that it was known to those in charge of the Titanic that we +were in the iceberg region; that the atmospheric and temperature +conditions suggested the near presence of icebergs; that a wireless +message was received from a ship ahead of us warning us that they had +been seen in the locality of which latitude and longitude were given. + +Second, that at the time of the collision the Titanic was running at a +high rate of speed. + +Third, that the accommodation for saving passengers and crew was +totally inadequate, being sufficient only for a total of about 950. +This gave, with the highest possible complement of 3400, a less than +one in three chance of being saved in the case of accident. + +Fourth, that the number landed in the Carpathia, approximately 700, is +a high percentage of the possible 950, and bears excellent testimony +to the courage, resource, and devotion to duty of the officers and +crew of the vessel; many instances of their nobility and personal +self-sacrifice are within our possession, and we know that they did +all they could do with the means at their disposal. + +Fifth, that the practice of running mail and passenger vessels through +fog and iceberg regions at a high speed is a common one; they are +timed to run almost as an express train is run, and they cannot, +therefore, slow down more than a few knots in time of possible danger. + +I have neither knowledge nor experience to say what remedies I +consider should be applied; but, perhaps, the following suggestions +may serve as a help:-- + +First, that no vessel should be allowed to leave a British port +without sufficient boat and other accommodation to allow each +passenger and member of the crew a seat; and that at the time of +booking this fact should be pointed out to a passenger, and the number +of the seat in the particular boat allotted to him then. + +Second, that as soon as is practicable after sailing each passenger +should go through boat drill in company with the crew assigned to his +boat. + +Third, that each passenger boat engaged in the Transatlantic service +should be instructed to slow down to a few knots when in the iceberg +region, and should be fitted with an efficient searchlight. + +Yours faithfully, + +LAWRENCE BEESLEY. + +It seemed well, too, while on the Carpathia to prepare as accurate an +account as possible of the disaster and to have this ready for the +press, in order to calm public opinion and to forestall the incorrect +and hysterical accounts which some American reporters are in the habit +of preparing on occasions of this kind. The first impression is often +the most permanent, and in a disaster of this magnitude, where exact +and accurate information is so necessary, preparation of a report was +essential. It was written in odd corners of the deck and saloon of the +Carpathia, and fell, it seemed very happily, into the hands of the one +reporter who could best deal with it, the Associated Press. I +understand it was the first report that came through and had a good +deal of the effect intended. + +The Carpathia returned to New York in almost every kind of climatic +conditions: icebergs, ice-fields and bitter cold to commence with; +brilliant warm sun, thunder and lightning in the middle of one night +(and so closely did the peal follow the flash that women in the saloon +leaped up in alarm saying rockets were being sent up again); cold +winds most of the time; fogs every morning and during a good part of +one day, with the foghorn blowing constantly; rain; choppy sea with +the spray blowing overboard and coming in through the saloon windows; +we said we had almost everything but hot weather and stormy seas. So +that when we were told that Nantucket Lightship had been sighted on +Thursday morning from the bridge, a great sigh of relief went round to +think New York and land would be reached before next morning. + +There is no doubt that a good many felt the waiting period of those +four days very trying: the ship crowded far beyond its limits of +comfort, the want of necessities of clothing and toilet, and above all +the anticipation of meeting with relatives on the pier, with, in many +cases, the knowledge that other friends were left behind and would not +return home again. A few looked forward to meeting on the pier their +friends to whom they had said au revoir on the Titanic's deck, brought +there by a faster boat, they said, or at any rate to hear that they +were following behind us in another boat: a very few, indeed, for the +thought of the icy water and the many hours' immersion seemed to weigh +against such a possibility; but we encouraged them to hope the +Californian and the Birma had picked some up; stranger things have +happened, and we had all been through strange experiences. But in the +midst of this rather tense feeling, one fact stands out as +remarkable--no one was ill. Captain Rostron testified that on Tuesday +the doctor reported a clean bill of health, except for frost-bites and +shaken nerves. There were none of the illnesses supposed to follow +from exposure for hours in the cold night--and, it must be remembered, +a considerable number swam about for some time when the Titanic sank, +and then either sat for hours in their wet things or lay flat on an +upturned boat with the sea water washing partly over them until they +were taken off in a lifeboat; no scenes of women weeping and brooding +over their losses hour by hour until they were driven mad with +grief--yet all this has been reported to the press by people on board +the Carpathia. These women met their sorrow with the sublimest +courage, came on deck and talked with their fellow-men and women face +to face, and in the midst of their loss did not forget to rejoice with +those who had joined their friends on the Carpathia's deck or come +with them in a boat. There was no need for those ashore to call the +Carpathia a "death-ship," or to send coroners and coffins to the pier +to meet her: her passengers were generally in good health and they did +not pretend they were not. + +Presently land came in sight, and very good it was to see it again: it +was eight days since we left Southampton, but the time seemed to have +"stretched out to the crack of doom," and to have become eight weeks +instead. So many dramatic incidents had been crowded into the last few +days that the first four peaceful, uneventful days, marked by nothing +that seared the memory, had faded almost out of recollection. It +needed an effort to return to Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown, +as though returning to some event of last year. I think we all +realized that time may be measured more by events than by seconds and +minutes: what the astronomer would call "2.20 A.M. April 15th, 1912," +the survivors called "the sinking of the Titanic"; the "hours" that +followed were designated "being adrift in an open sea," and "4.30 +A.M." was "being rescued by the Carpathia." The clock was a mental +one, and the hours, minutes and seconds marked deeply on its face were +emotions, strong and silent. + +Surrounded by tugs of every kind, from which (as well as from every +available building near the river) magnesium bombs were shot off by +photographers, while reporters shouted for news of the disaster and +photographs of passengers, the Carpathia drew slowly to her station at +the Cunard pier, the gangways were pushed across, and we set foot at +last on American soil, very thankful, grateful people. + +The mental and physical condition of the rescued as they came ashore +has, here again, been greatly exaggerated--one description says we +were "half-fainting, half-hysterical, bordering on hallucination, only +now beginning to realize the horror." It is unfortunate such pictures +should be presented to the world. There were some painful scenes of +meeting between relatives of those who were lost, but once again women +showed their self-control and went through the ordeal in most cases +with extraordinary calm. It is well to record that the same account +added: "A few, strangely enough, are calm and lucid"; if for "few" we +read "a large majority," it will be much nearer the true description +of the landing on the Cunard pier in New York. There seems to be no +adequate reason why a report of such a scene should depict mainly the +sorrow and grief, should seek for every detail to satisfy the horrible +and the morbid in the human mind. The first questions the excited +crowds of reporters asked as they crowded round were whether it was +true that officers shot passengers, and then themselves; whether +passengers shot each other; whether any scenes of horror had been +noticed, and what they were. + +It would have been well to have noticed the wonderful state of health +of most of the rescued, their gratitude for their deliverance, the +thousand and one things that gave cause for rejoicing. In the midst of +so much description of the hysterical side of the scene, place should +be found for the normal--and I venture to think the normal was the +dominant feature in the landing that night. In the last chapter I +shall try to record the persistence of the normal all through the +disaster. Nothing has been a greater surprise than to find people that +do not act in conditions of danger and grief as they would be +generally supposed to act--and, I must add, as they are generally +described as acting. + +And so, with her work of rescue well done, the good ship Carpathia +returned to New York. Everyone who came in her, everyone on the dock, +and everyone who heard of her journey will agree with Captain Rostron +when he says: "I thank God that I was within wireless hailing +distance, and that I got there in time to pick up the survivors of the +wreck." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC + + +One of the most pitiful things in the relations of human beings to +each other--the action and reaction of events that is called +concretely "human life"--is that every now and then some of them +should be called upon to lay down their lives from no sense of +imperative, calculated duty such as inspires the soldier or the +sailor, but suddenly, without any previous knowledge or warning of +danger, without any opportunity of escape, and without any desire to +risk such conditions of danger of their own free will. It is a blot on +our civilization that these things are necessary from time to time, to +arouse those responsible for the safety of human life from the +lethargic selfishness which has governed them. The Titanic's two +thousand odd passengers went aboard thinking they were +on an absolutely safe ship, and all the time there were many +people--designers, builders, experts, government officials--who knew +there were insufficient boats on board, that the Titanic had no right +to go fast in iceberg regions,--who knew these things and took no +steps and enacted no laws to prevent their happening. Not that they +omitted to do these things deliberately, but were lulled into a state +of selfish inaction from which it needed such a tragedy as this to +arouse them. It was a cruel necessity which demanded that a few should +die to arouse many millions to a sense of their own insecurity, to the +fact that for years the possibility of such a disaster has been +imminent. Passengers have known none of these things, and while no +good end would have been served by relating to them needless tales of +danger on the high seas, one thing is certain--that, had they known +them, many would not have travelled in such conditions and thereby +safeguards would soon have been forced on the builders, the companies, +and the Government. But there were people who knew and did not fail to +call attention to the dangers: in the House of Commons the matter has +been frequently brought up privately, and an American naval officer, +Captain E. K. Boden, in an article that has since been widely +reproduced, called attention to the defects of this very ship, the +Titanic--taking her as an example of all other liners--and pointed out +that she was not unsinkable and had not proper boat accommodation. + +The question, then, of responsibility for the loss of the Titanic must +be considered: not from any idea that blame should be laid here or +there and a scapegoat provided--that is a waste of time. But if a +fixing of responsibility leads to quick and efficient remedy, then it +should be done relentlessly: our simple duty to those whom the Titanic +carried down with her demands no less. Dealing first with the +precautions for the safety of the ship as apart from safety +appliances, there can be no question, I suppose, that the direct +responsibility for the loss of the Titanic and so many lives must be +laid on her captain. He was responsible for setting the course, day by +day and hour by hour, for the speed she was travelling; and he alone +would have the power to decide whether or not speed must be slackened +with icebergs ahead. No officer would have any right to interfere in +the navigation, although they would no doubt be consulted. Nor would +any official connected with the management of the line--Mr. Ismay, for +example--be allowed to direct the captain in these matters, and there +is no evidence that he ever tried to do so. The very fact that the +captain of a ship has such absolute authority increases his +responsibility enormously. Even supposing the White Star Line and Mr. +Ismay had urged him before sailing to make a record,--again an +assumption,--they cannot be held directly responsible for the +collision: he was in charge of the lives of everyone on board and no +one but he was supposed to estimate the risk of travelling at the +speed he did, when ice was reported ahead of him. His action cannot be +justified on the ground of prudent seamanship. + +But the question of indirect responsibility raises at once many issues +and, I think, removes from Captain Smith a good deal of personal +responsibility for the loss of his ship. Some of these issues it will +be well to consider. + +In the first place, disabusing our minds again of the knowledge that +the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, let us estimate the +probabilities of such a thing happening. An iceberg is small and +occupies little room by comparison with the broad ocean on which it +floats; and the chances of another small object like a ship colliding +with it and being sunk are very small: the chances are, as a matter of +fact, one in a million. This is not a figure of speech: that is the +actual risk for total loss by collision with an iceberg as accepted by +insurance companies. The one-in-a-million accident was what sunk the +Titanic. + +Even so, had Captain Smith been alone in taking that risk, he would +have had to bear all the blame for the resulting disaster. But it +seems he is not alone: the same risk has been taken over and over +again by fast mail-passenger liners, in fog and in iceberg regions. +Their captains have taken the long--very long--chance many times and +won every time; he took it as he had done many times before, and lost. +Of course, the chances that night of striking an iceberg were much +greater than one in a million: they had been enormously increased by +the extreme southerly position of icebergs and field ice and by the +unusual number of the former. Thinking over the scene that met our +eyes from the deck of the Carpathia after we boarded her,--the great +number of icebergs wherever the eye could reach,--the chances of +_not_ hitting one in the darkness of the night seemed small. +Indeed, the more one thinks about the Carpathia coming at full speed +through all those icebergs in the darkness, the more inexplicable does +it seem. True, the captain had an extra lookout watch and every sense +of every man on the bridge alert to detect the least sign of danger, +and again he was not going so fast as the Titanic and would have his +ship under more control; but granted all that, he appears to have +taken a great risk as he dogged and twisted round the awful +two-hundred-foot monsters in the dark night. Does it mean that the +risk is not so great as we who have seen the abnormal and not the +normal side of taking risks with icebergs might suppose? He had his +own ship and passengers to consider, and he had no right to take too +great a risk. + +But Captain Smith could not know icebergs were there in such numbers: +what warnings he had of them is not yet thoroughly established,--there +were probably three,--but it is in the highest degree unlikely that he +knew that any vessel had seen them in such quantities as we saw them +Monday morning; in fact, it is unthinkable. He thought, no doubt, he +was taking an ordinary risk, and it turned out to be an extraordinary +one. To read some criticisms it would seem as if he deliberately ran +his ship in defiance of all custom through a region infested with +icebergs, and did a thing which no one has ever done before; that he +outraged all precedent by not slowing down. But it is plain that he +did not. Every captain who has run full speed through fog and iceberg +regions is to blame for the disaster as much as he is: they got +through and he did not. Other liners can go faster than the Titanic +could possibly do; had they struck ice they would have been injured +even more deeply than she was, for it must not be forgotten that the +force of impact varies as the _square_ of the velocity--i.e., it +is four times as much at sixteen knots as at eight knots, nine times +as much at twenty-four, and so on. And with not much margin of time +left for these fast boats, they must go full speed ahead nearly all +the time. Remember how they advertise to "Leave New York Wednesday, +dine in London the following Monday,"--and it is done regularly, much +as an express train is run to time. Their officers, too, would have +been less able to avoid a collision than Murdock of the Titanic was, +for at the greater speed, they would be on the iceberg in shorter +time. Many passengers can tell of crossing with fog a good deal of the +way, sometimes almost all the way, and they have been only a few hours +late at the end of the journey. + +So that it is the custom that is at fault, not one particular captain. +Custom is established largely by demand, and supply too is the answer +to demand. What the public demanded the White Star Line supplied, and +so both the public and the Line are concerned with the question of +indirect responsibility. + +The public has demanded, more and more every year, greater speed as +well as greater comfort, and by ceasing to patronize the low-speed +boats has gradually forced the pace to what it is at present. Not that +speed in itself is a dangerous thing,--it is sometimes much safer to +go quickly than slowly,--but that, given the facilities for speed and +the stimulus exerted by the constant public demand for it, occasions +arise when the judgment of those in command of a ship becomes +swayed--largely unconsciously, no doubt--in favour of taking risks +which the smaller liners would never take. The demand on the skipper +of a boat like the Californian, for example, which lay hove-to +nineteen miles away with her engines stopped, is infinitesimal +compared with that on Captain Smith. An old traveller told me on the +Carpathia that he has often grumbled to the officers for what he +called absurd precautions in lying to and wasting his time, which he +regarded as very valuable; but after hearing of the Titanic's loss he +recognized that he was to some extent responsible for the speed at +which she had travelled, and would never be so again. He had been one +of the travelling public who had constantly demanded to be taken to +his journey's end in the shortest possible time, and had "made a row" +about it if he was likely to be late. There are some business men to +whom the five or six days on board are exceedingly irksome and +represent a waste of time; even an hour saved at the journey's end is +a consideration to them. And if the demand is not always a conscious +one, it is there as an unconscious factor always urging the highest +speed of which the ship is capable. The man who demands fast travel +unreasonably must undoubtedly take his share in the responsibility. He +asks to be taken over at a speed which will land him in something over +four days; he forgets perhaps that Columbus took ninety days in a +forty-ton boat, and that only fifty years ago paddle steamers took six +weeks, and all the time the demand is greater and the strain is more: +the public demand speed and luxury; the lines supply it, until +presently the safety limit is reached, the undue risk is taken--and +the Titanic goes down. All of us who have cried for greater speed must +take our share in the responsibility. The expression of such a desire +and the discontent with so-called slow travel are the seed sown in the +minds of men, to bear fruit presently in an insistence on greater +speed. We may not have done so directly, but we may perhaps have +talked about it and thought about it, and we know no action begins +without thought. + +The White Star Line has received very rough handling from some of the +press, but the greater part of this criticism seems to be unwarranted +and to arise from the desire to find a scapegoat. After all they had +made better provision for the passengers the Titanic carried than any +other line has done, for they had built what they believed to be a +huge lifeboat, unsinkable in all ordinary conditions. Those who +embarked in her were almost certainly in the safest ship (along with +the Olympic) afloat: she was probably quite immune from the ordinary +effects of wind, waves and collisions at sea, and needed to fear +nothing but running on a rock or, what was worse, a floating iceberg; +for the effects of collision were, so far as damage was concerned, the +same as if it had been a rock, and the danger greater, for one is +charted and the other is not. Then, too, while the theory of the +unsinkable boat has been destroyed at the same time as the boat +itself, we should not forget that it served a useful purpose on deck +that night--it eliminated largely the possibility of panic, and those +rushes for the boats which might have swamped some of them. I do not +wish for a moment to suggest that such things would have happened, +because the more information that comes to hand of the conduct of the +people on board, the more wonderful seems the complete self-control of +all, even when the last boats had gone and nothing but the rising +waters met their eyes--only that the generally entertained theory +rendered such things less probable. The theory, indeed, was really a +safeguard, though built on a false premise. + +There is no evidence that the White Star Line instructed the captain +to push the boat or to make any records: the probabilities are that no +such attempt would be made on the first trip. The general instructions +to their commanders bear quite the other interpretation: it will be +well to quote them in full as issued to the press during the sittings +of the United States Senate Committee. + +_Instructions to commanders_ + +Commanders must distinctly understand that the issue of regulations +does not in any way relieve them from responsibility for the safe and +efficient navigation of their respective vessels, and they are also +enjoined to remember that they must run no risks which might by any +possibility result in accident to their ships. It is to be hoped that +they will ever bear in mind that the safety of the lives and property +entrusted to their care is the ruling principle that should govern +them in the navigation of their vessels, and that no supposed gain in +expedition or saving of time on the voyage is to be purchased at the +risk of accident. + +Commanders are reminded that the steamers are to a great extent +uninsured, and that their own livelihood, as well as the company's +success, depends upon immunity from accident; no precaution which +ensures safe navigation is to be considered excessive. + +Nothing could be plainer than these instructions, and had they been +obeyed, the disaster would never have happened: they warn commanders +against the only thing left as a menace to their unsinkable boat--the +lack of "precaution which ensures safe navigation." + +In addition, the White Star Line had complied to the full extent with +the requirements of the British Government: their ship had been +subjected to an inspection so rigid that, as one officer remarked in +evidence, it became a nuisance. The Board of Trade employs the best +experts, and knows the dangers that attend ocean travel and the +precautions that should be taken by every commander. If these +precautions are not taken, it will be necessary to legislate until +they are. No motorist is allowed to career at full speed along a +public highway in dangerous conditions, and it should be an offence +for a captain to do the same on the high seas with a ship full of +unsuspecting passengers. They have entrusted their lives to the +government of their country--through its regulations--and they are +entitled to the same protection in mid-Atlantic as they are in Oxford +Street or Broadway. The open sea should no longer be regarded as a +neutral zone where no country's police laws are operative. + +Of course there are difficulties in the way of drafting international +regulations: many governments would have to be consulted and many +difficulties that seem insuperable overcome; but that is the purpose +for which governments are employed, that is why experts and ministers +of governments are appointed and paid--to overcome difficulties for +the people who appoint them and who expect them, among other things, +to protect their lives. + +The American Government must share the same responsibility: it is +useless to attempt to fix it on the British Board of Trade for the +reason that the boats were built in England and inspected there by +British officials. They carried American citizens largely, and entered +American ports. It would have been the simplest matter for the United +States Government to veto the entry of any ship which did not conform +to its laws of regulating speed in conditions of fog and icebergs--had +they provided such laws. The fact is that the American nation has +practically no mercantile marine, and in time of a disaster such as +this it forgets, perhaps, that it has exactly the same right--and +therefore the same responsibility--as the British Government to +inspect, and to legislate: the right that is easily enforced by +refusal to allow entry. The regulation of speed in dangerous regions +could well be undertaken by some fleet of international police patrol +vessels, with power to stop if necessary any boat found guilty of +reckless racing. The additional duty of warning ships of the exact +locality of icebergs could be performed by these boats. It would not +of course be possible or advisable to fix a "speed limit," because the +region of icebergs varies in position as the icebergs float south, +varies in point of danger as they melt and disappear, and the whole +question has to be left largely to the judgment of the captain on the +spot; but it would be possible to make it an offence against the law +to go beyond a certain speed in known conditions of danger. + +So much for the question of regulating speed on the high seas. The +secondary question of safety appliances is governed by the same +principle--that, in the last analysis, it is not the captain, not the +passenger, not the builders and owners, but the governments through +their experts, who are to be held responsible for the provision of +lifesaving devices. Morally, of course, the owners and builders are +responsible, but at present moral responsibility is too weak an +incentive in human affairs--that is the miserable part of the whole +wretched business--to induce owners generally to make every possible +provision for the lives of those in their charge; to place human +safety so far above every other consideration that no plan shall be +left unconsidered, no device left untested, by which passengers can +escape from a sinking ship. But it is not correct to say, as has been +said frequently, that it is greed and dividend-hunting that have +characterized the policy of the steamship companies in their failure +to provide safety appliances: these things in themselves are not +expensive. They have vied with each other in making their lines +attractive in point of speed, size and comfort, and they have been +quite justified in doing so: such things are the product of ordinary +competition between commercial houses. + +Where they have all failed morally is to extend to their passengers +the consideration that places their lives as of more interest to them +than any other conceivable thing. They are not alone in this: +thousands of other people have done the same thing and would do it +to-day--in factories, in workshops, in mines, did not the government +intervene and insist on safety precautions. The thing is a defect in +human life of to-day--thoughtlessness for the well-being of our +fellow-men; and we are all guilty of it in some degree. It is folly +for the public to rise up now and condemn the steamship companies: +their failing is the common failing of the immorality of indifference. + +The remedy is the law, and it is the only remedy at present that will +really accomplish anything. The British law on the subject dates from +1894, and requires only twenty boats for a ship the size of the +Titanic: the owners and builders have obeyed this law and fulfilled +their legal responsibility. Increase this responsibility and they will +fulfil it again--and the matter is ended so far as appliances are +concerned. It should perhaps be mentioned that in a period of ten +years only nine passengers were lost on British ships: the law seemed +to be sufficient in fact. + +The position of the American Government, however, is worse than that +of the British Government. Its regulations require more than double +the boat accommodation which the British regulations do, and yet it +has allowed hundreds of thousands of its subjects to enter its ports +on boats that defied its own laws. Had their government not been +guilty of the same indifference, passengers would not have been +allowed aboard any British ship lacking in boat-accommodation--the +simple expedient again of refusing entry. The reply of the British +Government to the Senate Committee, accusing the Board of Trade of +"insufficient requirements and lax inspection," might well be--"Ye +have a law: see to it yourselves!" + +It will be well now to consider briefly the various appliances that +have been suggested to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and +in doing so it may be remembered that the average man and woman has +the same right as the expert to consider and discuss these things: +they are not so technical as to prevent anyone of ordinary +intelligence from understanding their construction. Using the term in +its widest sense, we come first to:-- + +_Bulkheads and water-tight compartments_ + +It is impossible to attempt a discussion here of the exact +constructional details of these parts of a ship; but in order to +illustrate briefly what is the purpose of having bulkheads, we may +take the Titanic as an example. She was divided into sixteen +compartments by fifteen transverse steel walls called bulkheads. +[Footnote: See Figures 1 and 2 page 116.] If a hole is made in the +side of the ship in any one compartment, steel water-tight doors seal +off the only openings in that compartment and separate it as a damaged +unit from the rest of the ship and the vessel is brought to land in +safety. Ships have even put into the nearest port for inspection after +collision, and finding only one compartment full of water and no other +damage, have left again, for their home port without troubling to +disembark passengers and effect repairs. + +The design of the Titanic's bulkheads calls for some attention. The +"Scientific American," in an excellent article on the comparative +safety of the Titanic's and other types of water-tight compartments, +draws attention to the following weaknesses in the former--from the +point of view of possible collision with an iceberg. She had no +longitudinal bulkheads, which would subdivide her into smaller +compartments and prevent the water filling the whole of a large +compartment. Probably, too, the length of a large compartment was in +any case too great--fifty-three feet. + +The Mauretania, on the other hand, in addition to transverse +bulkheads, is fitted with longitudinal torpedo bulkheads, and the +space between them and the side of the ship is utilised as a coal +bunker. Then, too, in the Mauretania all bulkheads are carried up to +the top deck, whereas in the case of the Titanic they reached in some +parts only to the saloon deck and in others to a lower deck +still,--the weakness of this being that, when the water reached to the +top of a bulkhead as the ship sank by the head, it flowed over and +filled the next compartment. The British Admiralty, which subsidizes +the Mauretania and Lusitania as fast cruisers in time of war, insisted +on this type of construction, and it is considered vastly better than +that used in the Titanic. The writer of the article thinks it possible +that these ships might not have sunk as the result of a similar +collision. But the ideal ship from the point of bulkhead construction, +he considers to have been the Great Eastern, constructed many years +ago by the famous engineer Brunel. So thorough was her system of +compartments divided and subdivided by many transverse and +longitudinal bulkheads that when she tore a hole eighty feet long in +her side by striking a rock, she reached port in safety. Unfortunately +the weight and cost of this method was so great that his plan was +subsequently abandoned. + +But it would not be just to say that the construction of the Titanic +was a serious mistake on the part of the White Star Line or her +builders, on the ground that her bulkheads were not so well +constructed as those of the Lusitania and Mauretania, which were built +to fulfil British Admiralty regulations for time of war--an +extraordinary risk which no builder of a passenger steamer--as +such--would be expected to take into consideration when designing the +vessel. It should be constantly borne in mind that the Titanic met +extraordinary conditions on the night of the collision: she was +probably the safest ship afloat in all ordinary conditions. Collision +with an iceberg is not an ordinary risk; but this disaster will +probably result in altering the whole construction of bulkheads and +compartments to the Great Eastern type, in order to include the +one-in-a-million risk of iceberg collision and loss. + +Here comes in the question of increased cost of construction, and in +addition the great loss of cargo-carrying space with decreased earning +capacity, both of which will mean an increase in the passenger rates. +This the travelling public will have to face and undoubtedly will be +willing to face for the satisfaction of knowing that what was so +confidently affirmed by passengers on the Titanic's deck that night of +the collision will then be really true,--that "we are on an unsinkable +boat,"--so far as human forethought can devise. After all, this +_must_ be the solution to the problem how best to ensure safety +at sea. Other safety appliances are useful and necessary, but not +useable in certain conditions of weather. The ship itself must always +be the "safety appliance" that is really trustworthy, and nothing must +be left undone to ensure this. + +_Wireless apparatus and operators_ + +The range of the apparatus might well be extended, but the principal +defect is the lack of an operator for night duty on some ships. The +awful fact that the Californian lay a few miles away, able to save +every soul on board, and could not catch the message because the +operator was asleep, seems too cruel to dwell upon. Even on the +Carpathia, the operator was on the point of retiring when the message +arrived, and we should have been much longer afloat--and some boats +possibly swamped--had he not caught the message when he did. It has +been suggested that officers should have a working knowledge of +wireless telegraphy, and this is no doubt a wise provision. It would +enable them to supervise the work of the operators more closely and +from all the evidence, this seems a necessity. The exchange of vitally +important messages between a sinking ship and those rushing to her +rescue should be under the control of an experienced officer. To take +but one example--Bride testified that after giving the Birma the +"C.Q.D." message and the position (incidentally Signer Marconi has +stated that this has been abandoned in favour of "S.O.S.") and getting +a reply, they got into touch with the Carpathia, and while talking +with her were interrupted by the Birma asking what was the matter. No +doubt it was the duty of the Birma to come at once without asking any +questions, but the reply from the Titanic, telling the Birma's +operator not to be a "fool" by interrupting, seems to have been a +needless waste of precious moments: to reply, "We are sinking" would +have taken no longer, especially when in their own estimation of the +strength of the signals they thought the Birma was the nearer ship. It +is well to notice that some large liners have already a staff of three +operators. + +_Submarine signalling apparatus_ + +There are occasions when wireless apparatus is useless as a means of +saving life at sea promptly. + +One of its weaknesses is that when the ships' engines are stopped, +messages can no longer be sent out, that is, with the system at +present adopted. It will be remembered that the Titanic's messages got +gradually fainter and then ceased altogether as she came to rest with +her engines shut down. + +Again, in fogs,--and most accidents occur in fogs,--while wireless +informs of the accident, it does not enable one ship to locate another +closely enough to take off her passengers at once. There is as yet no +method known by which wireless telegraphy will fix the direction of a +message; and after a ship has been in fog for any considerable length +of time it is more difficult to give the exact position to another +vessel bringing help. + +Nothing could illustrate these two points better than the story of how +the Baltic found the Republic in the year 1909, in a dense fog off +Nantucket Lightship, when the latter was drifting helplessly after +collision with the Florida. The Baltic received a wireless message +stating the Republic's condition and the information that she was in +touch with Nantucket through a submarine bell which she could hear +ringing. The Baltic turned and went towards the position in the fog, +picked up the submarine bell-signal from Nantucket, and then began +searching near this position for the Republic. It took her twelve +hours to find the damaged ship, zigzagging across a circle within +which she thought the Republic might lie. In a rough sea it is +doubtful whether the Republic would have remained afloat long enough +for the Baltic to find her and take off all her passengers. + +Now on these two occasions when wireless telegraphy was found to be +unreliable, the usefulness of the submarine bell at once becomes +apparent. The Baltic could have gone unerringly to the Republic in the +dense fog had the latter been fitted with a submarine emergency bell. +It will perhaps be well to spend a little time describing the +submarine signalling apparatus to see how this result could have been +obtained: twelve anxious hours in a dense fog on a ship which was +injured so badly that she subsequently foundered, is an experience +which every appliance known to human invention should be enlisted to +prevent. + +Submarine signalling has never received that public notice which +wireless telegraphy has, for the reason that it does not appeal so +readily to the popular mind. That it is an absolute necessity to every +ship carrying passengers--or carrying anything, for that matter--is +beyond question. It is an additional safeguard that no ship can afford +to be without. + +There are many occasions when the atmosphere fails lamentably as a +medium for carrying messages. When fog falls down, as it does +sometimes in a moment, on the hundreds of ships coasting down the +traffic ways round our shores--ways which are defined so easily in +clear weather and with such difficulty in fogs--the hundreds of +lighthouses and lightships which serve as warning beacons, and on +which many millions of money have been spent, are for all practical +purposes as useless to the navigator as if they had never been built: +he is just as helpless as if he were back in the years before 1514, +when Trinity House was granted a charter by Henry VIII "for the +relief...of the shipping of this realm of England," and began a system +of lights on the shores, of which the present chain of lighthouses and +lightships is the outcome. + +Nor is the foghorn much better: the presence of different layers of +fog and air, and their varying densities, which cause both reflection +and refraction of sound, prevent the air from being a reliable medium +for carrying it. Now, submarine signalling has none of these defects, +for the medium is water, subject to no such variable conditions as the +air. Its density is practically non variable, and sound travels +through it at the rate of 4400 feet per second, without deviation or +reflection. + +The apparatus consists of a bell designed to ring either pneumatically +from a lightship, electrically from the shore (the bell itself being a +tripod at the bottom of the sea), automatically from a floating +bell-buoy, or by hand from a ship or boat. The sound travels from the +bell in every direction, like waves in a pond, and falls, it may be, +on the side of a ship. The receiving apparatus is fixed inside the +skin of the ship and consists of a small iron tank, 16 inches square +and 18 inches deep. The front of the tank facing the ship's iron skin +is missing and the tank, being filled with water, is bolted to the +framework and sealed firmly to the ship's side by rubber facing. In +this way a portion of the ship's iron hull is washed by the sea on one +side and water in the tank on the other. Vibrations from a bell +ringing at a distance fall on the iron side, travel through, and +strike on two microphones hanging in the tank. These microphones +transmit the sound along wires to the chart room, where telephones +convey the message to the officer on duty. + +There are two of these tanks or "receivers" fitted against the ship's +side, one on the port and one on the starboard side, near the bows, +and as far down below the water level as is possible. The direction of +sounds coming to the microphones hanging in these tanks can be +estimated by switching alternately to the port and starboard tanks. If +the sound is of greater intensity on the port side, then the bell +signalling is off the port bows; and similarly on the starboard side. + +The ship is turned towards the sound until the same volume of sound is +heard from both receivers, when the bell is known to be dead ahead. So +accurate is this in practice that a trained operator can steer his +ship in the densest fog directly to a lightship or any other point +where a submarine bell is sending its warning beneath the sea. It must +be repeated that the medium in which these signals are transmitted is +a constant one, not subject to any of the limitations and variations +imposed on the atmosphere and the ether as media for the transmission +of light, blasts of a foghorn, and wireless vibrations. At present the +chief use of submarine signalling is from the shore or a lightship to +ships at sea, and not from ship to ship or from ship to the shore: in +other words ships carry only receiving apparatus, and lighthouses and +lightships use only signalling apparatus. Some of the lighthouses and +lightships on our coasts already have these submarine bells in +addition to their lights, and in bad weather the bells send out their +messages to warn ships of their proximity to a danger point. This +invention enables ships to pick up the sound of bell after bell on a +coast and run along it in the densest fog almost as well as in +daylight; passenger steamers coming into port do not have to wander +about in the fog, groping their way blindly into harbour. By having a +code of rings, and judging by the intensity of the sound, it is +possible to tell almost exactly where a ship is in relation to the +coast or to some lightship. The British Admiralty report in 1906 said: +"If the lightships round the coast were fitted with submarine bells, +it would be possible for ships fitted with receiving apparatus to +navigate in fog with almost as great certainty as in clear weather." +And the following remark of a captain engaged in coast service is +instructive. He had been asked to cut down expenses by omitting the +submarine signalling apparatus, but replied: "I would rather take out +the wireless. That only enables me to tell other people where I am. +The submarine signal enables me to find out where I am myself." + +The range of the apparatus is not so wide as that of wireless +telegraphy, varying from 10 to 15 miles for a large ship (although +instances of 20 to 30 are on record), and from 3 to 8 miles for a +small ship. + +At present the receiving apparatus is fixed on only some 650 steamers +of the merchant marine, these being mostly the first-class passenger +liners. There is no question that it should be installed, along with +wireless apparatus, on every ship of over 1000 tons gross tonnage. +Equally important is the provision of signalling apparatus on board +ships: it is obviously just as necessary to transmit a signal as to +receive one; but at present the sending of signals from ships has not +been perfected. The invention of signal-transmitting apparatus to be +used while the ship is under way is as yet in the experimental stage; +but while she is at rest a bell similar to those used by lighthouses +can be sunk over her side and rung by hand with exactly the same +effect. But liners are not provided with them (they cost only 60 Pounds!). +As mentioned before, with another 60 Pounds spent on the Republic's +equipment, the Baltic could have picked up her bell and steered direct +to her--just as they both heard the bell of Nantucket Lightship. +Again, if the Titanic had been provided with a bell and the +Californian with receiving apparatus,--neither of them was,--the +officer on the bridge could have heard the signals from the telephones +near. + +A smaller size for use in lifeboats is provided, and would be heard by +receiving apparatus for approximately five miles. If we had hung one +of these bells over the side of the lifeboats afloat that night we +should have been free from the anxiety of being run down as we lay +across the Carpathia's path, without a light. Or if we had gone adrift +in a dense fog and wandered miles apart from each other on the sea (as +we inevitably should have done), the Carpathia could still have picked +up each boat individually by means of the bell signal. + +In those ships fitted with receiving apparatus, at least one officer +is obliged to understand the working of the apparatus: a very wise +precaution, and, as suggested above, one that should be taken with +respect to wireless apparatus also. + +It was a very great pleasure to me to see all this apparatus in +manufacture and in use at one of the principal submarine signalling +works in America and to hear some of the remarkable stories of its +value in actual practice. I was struck by the aptness of the motto +adopted by them--"De profundis clamavi"--in relation to the Titanic's +end and the calls of our passengers from the sea when she sank. "Out +of the deep have I called unto Thee" is indeed a suitable motto for +those who are doing all they can to prevent such calls arising from +their fellow men and women "out of the deep." + +_Fixing of steamship routes_ + +The "lanes" along which the liners travel are fixed by agreement among +the steamship companies in consultation with the Hydrographic +departments of the different countries. These routes are arranged so +that east-bound steamers are always a number of miles away from those +going west, and thus the danger of collision between east and +west-bound vessels is entirely eliminated. The "lanes" can be moved +farther south if icebergs threaten, and north again when the danger is +removed. Of course the farther south they are placed, the longer the +journey to be made, and the longer the time spent on board, with +consequent grumbling by some passengers. For example, the lanes since +the disaster to the Titanic have been moved one hundred miles farther +south, which means one hundred and eighty miles longer journey, taking +eight hours. + +The only real precaution against colliding with icebergs is to go +south of the place where they are likely to be: there is no other way. + +_Lifeboats_ + +The provision was of course woefully inadequate. The only humane plan +is to have a numbered seat in a boat assigned to each passenger and +member of the crew. It would seem well to have this number pointed out +at the time of booking a berth, and to have a plan in each cabin +showing where the boat is and how to get to it the most direct way--a +most important consideration with a ship like the Titanic with over +two miles of deck space. Boat-drills of the passengers and crew of +each boat should be held, under compulsion, as soon as possible after +leaving port. I asked an officer as to the possibility of having such +a drill immediately after the gangways are withdrawn and before the +tugs are allowed to haul the ship out of dock, but he says the +difficulties are almost insuperable at such a time. If so, the drill +should be conducted in sections as soon as possible after sailing, and +should be conducted in a thorough manner. Children in school are +called upon suddenly to go through fire-drill, and there is no reason +why passengers on board ship should not be similarly trained. So much +depends on order and readiness in time of danger. Undoubtedly, the +whole subject of manning, provisioning, loading and lowering of +lifeboats should be in the hands of an expert officer, who should have +no other duties. The modern liner has become far too big to permit the +captain to exercise control over the whole ship, and all vitally +important subdivisions should be controlled by a separate authority. +It seems a piece of bitter irony to remember that on the Titanic a +special chef was engaged at a large salary,--larger perhaps than that +of any officer,--and no boatmaster (or some such officer) was +considered necessary. The general system again--not criminal neglect, +as some hasty criticisms would say, but lack of consideration for our +fellow-man, the placing of luxurious attractions above that kindly +forethought that allows no precaution to be neglected for even the +humblest passenger. But it must not be overlooked that the provision +of sufficient lifeboats on deck is not evidence they will all be +launched easily or all the passengers taken off safely. It must be +remembered that ideal conditions prevailed that night for launching +boats from the decks of the Titanic: there was no list that prevented +the boats getting away, they could be launched on both sides, and when +they were lowered the sea was so calm that they pulled away without +any of the smashing against the side that is possible in rough seas. +Sometimes it would mean that only those boats on the side sheltered +from a heavy sea could ever get away, and this would at once halve the +boat accommodation. And when launched, there would be the danger of +swamping in such a heavy sea. All things considered, lifeboats might +be the poorest sort of safeguard in certain conditions. + +Life-rafts are said to be much inferior to lifeboats in a rough sea, +and collapsible boats made of canvas and thin wood soon decay under +exposure to weather and are danger-traps at a critical moment. + +Some of the lifeboats should be provided with motors, to keep the +boats together and to tow if necessary. The launching is an important +matter: the Titanic's davits worked excellently and no doubt were +largely responsible for all the boats getting away safely: they were +far superior to those on most liners. + +_Pontoons_ + +After the sinking of the Bourgogne, when two Americans lost their +lives, a prize of 4000 Pounds was offered by their heirs for the best +life-saving device applicable to ships at sea. A board sat to consider +the various appliances sent in by competitors, and finally awarded the +prize to an Englishman, whose design provided for a flat structure the +width of the ship, which could be floated off when required and would +accommodate several hundred passengers. It has never been adopted +by any steamship line. Other similar designs are known, by which the +whole of the after deck can be pushed over from the stern by a ratchet +arrangement, with air-tanks below to buoy it up: it seems to be a +practical suggestion. + +One point where the Titanic management failed lamentably was to +provide a properly trained crew to each lifeboat. The rowing was in +most cases execrable. There is no more reason why a steward should be +able to row than a passenger--less so than some of the passengers who +were lost; men of leisure accustomed to all kinds of sport (including +rowing), and in addition probably more fit physically than a steward +to row for hours on the open sea. And if a steward cannot row, he has +no right to be at an oar; so that, under the unwritten rule that +passengers take precedence of the crew when there is not sufficient +accommodation for all (a situation that should never be allowed to +arise again, for a member of the crew should have an equal opportunity +with a passenger to save his life), the majority of stewards and cooks +should have stayed behind and passengers have come instead: they could +not have been of less use, and they might have been of more. It will +be remembered that the proportion of crew saved to passengers was 210 +to 495, a high proportion. + +Another point arises out of these figures--deduct 21 members of the +crew who were stewardesses, and 189 men of the crew are left as +against the 495 passengers. Of these some got on the overturned +collapsible boat after the Titanic sank, and a few were picked up by +the lifeboats, but these were not many in all. Now with the 17 boats +brought to the Carpathia and an average of six of the crew to man each +boat,--probably a higher average than was realized,--we get a total of +102 who should have been saved as against 189 who actually were. There +were, as is known, stokers and stewards in the boats who were not +members of the lifeboats' crews. It may seem heartless to analyze +figures in this way, and suggest that some of the crew who got to the +Carpathia never should have done so; but, after all, passengers took +their passage under certain rules,--written and unwritten,--and one is +that in times of danger the servants of the company in whose boats +they sail shall first of all see to the safety of the passengers +before thinking of their own. There were only 126 men passengers saved +as against 189 of the crew, and 661 men lost as against 686 of the +crew, so that actually the crew had a greater percentage saved than +the men passengers--22 per cent against 16. + +But steamship companies are faced with real difficulties in this +matter. The crews are never the same for two voyages together: they +sign on for the one trip, then perhaps take a berth on shore as +waiters, stokers in hotel furnace-rooms, etc.,--to resume life on +board any other ship that is handy when the desire comes to go to sea +again. They can in no sense be regarded as part of a homogeneous crew, +subject to regular discipline and educated to appreciate the morale of +a particular liner, as a man of war's crew is. + +_Searchlights_ + +These seem an absolute necessity, and the wonder is that they have not +been fitted before to all ocean liners. Not only are they of use in +lighting up the sea a long distance ahead, but as flashlight signals +they permit of communication with other ships. As I write, through the +window can be seen the flashes from river steamers plying up the +Hudson in New York, each with its searchlight, examining the river, +lighting up the bank for hundreds of yards ahead, and bringing every +object within its reach into prominence. They are regularly used too +in the Suez Canal. + +I suppose there is no question that the collision would have been +avoided had a searchlight been fitted to the Titanic's masthead: the +climatic conditions for its use must have been ideal that night. There +are other things besides icebergs: derelicts are reported from time to +time, and fishermen lie in the lanes without lights. They would not +always be of practical use, however. They would be of no service in +heavy rain, in fog, in snow, or in flying spray, and the effect is +sometimes to dazzle the eyes of the lookout. + +While writing of the lookout, much has been made of the omission to +provide the lookout on the Titanic with glasses. The general opinion +of officers seems to be that it is better not to provide them, but to +rely on good eyesight and wide-awake men. After all, in a question of +actual practice, the opinion of officers should be accepted as final, +even if it seems to the landsman the better thing to provide glasses. + +_Cruising lightships_ + +One or two internationally owned and controlled lightships, fitted +with every known device for signalling and communication, would rob +those regions of most of their terrors. They could watch and chart the +icebergs, report their exact position, the amount and direction of +daily drift in the changing currents that are found there. To them, +too, might be entrusted the duty of police patrol. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SOME IMPRESSIONS + + +No one can pass through an event like the wreck of the Titanic without +recording mentally many impressions, deep and vivid, of what has been +seen and felt. In so far as such impressions are of benefit to mankind +they should not be allowed to pass unnoticed, and this chapter is an +attempt to picture how people thought and felt from the time they +first heard of the disaster to the landing in New York, when there was +opportunity to judge of events somewhat from a distance. While it is +to some extent a personal record, the mental impressions of other +survivors have been compared and found to be in many cases closely in +agreement. Naturally it is very imperfect, and pretends to be no more +than a sketch of the way people act under the influence of strong +emotions produced by imminent danger. + +In the first place, the principal fact that stands out is the almost +entire absence of any expressions of fear or alarm on the part of +passengers, and the conformity to the normal on the part of almost +everyone. I think it is no exaggeration to say that those who read of +the disaster quietly at home, and pictured to themselves the scene as +the Titanic was sinking, had more of the sense of horror than those +who stood on the deck and watched her go down inch by inch. The fact +is that the sense of fear came to the passengers very slowly--a result +of the absence of any signs of danger and the peaceful night--and as +it became evident gradually that there was serious damage to the ship, +the fear that came with the knowledge was largely destroyed as it +came. There was no sudden overwhelming sense of danger that passed +through thought so quickly that it was difficult to catch up and +grapple with it--no need for the warning to "be not afraid of sudden +fear," such as might have been present had we collided head-on with a +crash and a shock that flung everyone out of his bunk to the floor. +Everyone had time to give each condition of danger attention as it +came along, and the result of their judgment was as if they had said: +"Well, here is this thing to be faced, and we must see it through as +quietly as we can." Quietness and self-control were undoubtedly the +two qualities most expressed. There were times when danger loomed more +nearly and there was temporarily some excitement,--for example when +the first rocket went up,--but after the first realization of what it +meant, the crowd took hold of the situation and soon gained the same +quiet control that was evident at first. As the sense of fear ebbed +and flowed, it was so obviously a thing within one's own power to +control, that, quite unconsciously realizing the absolute necessity of +keeping cool, every one for his own safety put away the thought of +danger as far as was possible. Then, too, the curious sense of the +whole thing being a dream was very prominent: that all were looking on +at the scene from a near-by vantage point in a position of perfect +safety, and that those who walked the decks or tied one another's +lifebelts on were the actors in a scene of which we were but +spectators: that the dream would end soon and we should wake up to +find the scene had vanished. Many people have had a similar experience +in times of danger, but it was very noticeable standing on the +Titanic's deck. I remember observing it particularly while tying on a +lifebelt for a man on the deck. It is fortunate that it should be so: +to be able to survey such a scene dispassionately is a wonderful aid +inn the destruction of the fear that go with it. One thing that helped +considerably to establish this orderly condition of affairs was the +quietness of the surroundings. It may seem weariness to refer again to +this, but I am convinced it had much to do with keeping everyone calm. +The ship was motionless; there was not a breath of wind; the sky was +clear; the sea like a mill-pond--the general "atmosphere" was +peaceful, and all on board responded unconsciously to it. But what +controlled the situation principally was the quality of obedience and +respect for authority which is a dominant characteristic of the +Teutonic race. Passengers did as they were told by the officers in +charge: women went to the decks below, men remained where they were +told and waited in silence for the next order, knowing instinctively +that this was the only way to bring about the best result for all on +board. The officers, in their turn, carried out the work assigned to +them by their superior officers as quickly and orderly as +circumstances permitted, the senior ones being in control of the +manning, filling and lowering of the lifeboats, while the junior +officers were lowered in individual boats to take command of the fleet +adrift on the sea. Similarly, the engineers below, the band, the +gymnasium instructor, were all performing their tasks as they came +along: orderly, quietly, without question or stopping to consider what +was their chance of safety. This correlation on the part of +passengers, officers and crew was simply obedience to duty, and it was +innate rather than the product of reasoned judgment. + +I hope it will not seem to detract in any way from the heroism of +those who faced the last plunge of the Titanic so courageously when +all the boats had gone,--if it does, it is the difficulty of +expressing an idea in adequate words,--to say that their quiet heroism +was largely unconscious, temperamental, not a definite choice between +two ways of acting. All that was visible on deck before the boats left +tended to this conclusion and the testimony of those who went down +with the ship and were afterwards rescued is of the same kind. + +Certainly it seems to express much more general nobility of character +in a race of people--consisting of different nationalities--to find +heroism an unconscious quality of the race than to have it arising as +an effort of will, to have to bring it out consciously. + +It is unfortunate that some sections of the press should seek to +chronicle mainly the individual acts of heroism: the collective +behaviour of a crowd is of so much more importance to the world and so +much more a test--if a test be wanted--of how a race of people +behaves. The attempt to record the acts of individuals leads +apparently to such false reports as that of Major Butt holding at bay +with a revolver a crowd of passengers and shooting them down as they +tried to rush the boats, or of Captain Smith shouting, "Be British," +through a megaphone, and subsequently committing suicide along with +First Officer Murdock. It is only a morbid sense of things that would +describe such incidents as heroic. Everyone knows that Major Butt was +a brave man, but his record of heroism would not be enhanced if he, a +trained army officer, were compelled under orders from the captain to +shoot down unarmed passengers. It might in other conditions have been +necessary, but it would not be heroic. Similarly there could be +nothing heroic in Captain Smith or Murdock putting an end to their +lives. It is conceivable men might be so overwhelmed by the sense of +disaster that they knew not how they were acting; but to be really +heroic would have been to stop with the ship--as of course they +did--with the hope of being picked up along with passengers and crew +and returning to face an enquiry and to give evidence that would be of +supreme value to the whole world for the prevention of similar +disasters. It was not possible; but if heroism consists in doing the +greatest good to the greatest number, it would have been heroic for +both officers to _expect_ to be saved. We do not know what they +thought, but I, for one, like to imagine that they did so. Second +Officer Lightoller worked steadily at the boats until the last +possible moment, went down with the ship, was saved in what seemed a +miraculous manner, and returned to give valuable evidence before the +commissions of two countries. + +The second thing that stands out prominently in the emotions produced +by the disaster is that in moments of urgent need men and women turn +for help to something entirely outside themselves. I remember reading +some years ago a story of an atheist who was the guest at dinner of a +regimental mess in India. The colonel listened to his remarks on +atheism in silence, and invited him for a drive the following morning. +He took his guest up a rough mountain road in a light carriage drawn +by two ponies, and when some distance from the plain below, turned the +carriage round and allowed the ponies to run away--as it +seemed--downhill. In the terror of approaching disaster, the atheist +was lifted out of his reasoned convictions and prayed aloud for help, +when the colonel reined in his ponies, and with the remark that the +whole drive had been planned with the intention of proving to his +guest that there was a power outside his own reason, descended quietly +to level ground. + +The story may or may not be true, and in any case is not introduced as +an attack on atheism, but it illustrates in a striking way the frailty +of dependence on a man's own power and resource in imminent danger. To +those men standing on the top deck with the boats all lowered, and +still more so when the boats had all left, there came the realization +that human resources were exhausted and human avenues of escape +closed. With it came the appeal to whatever consciousness each had of +a Power that had created the universe. After all, some Power had made +the brilliant stars above, countless millions of miles away, moving in +definite order, formed on a definite plan and obeying a definite law: +had made each one of the passengers with ability to think and act; +with the best proof, after all, of being created--the knowledge of +their own existence; and now, if at any time, was the time to appeal +to that Power. When the boats had left and it was seen the ship was +going down rapidly, men stood in groups on the deck engaged in prayer, +and later, as some of them lay on the overturned collapsible +boat, they repeated together over and over again the Lord's +Prayer--irrespective of religious beliefs, some, perhaps, without +religious beliefs, united in a common appeal for deliverance from +their surroundings. And this was not because it was a habit, because +they had learned this prayer "at their mother's knee": men do not do +such things through habit. It must have been because each one saw +removed the thousand and one ways in which he had relied on human, +material things to help him--including even dependence on the +overturned boat with its bubble of air inside, which any moment a +rising swell might remove as it tilted the boat too far sideways, and +sink the boat below the surface--saw laid bare his utter dependence on +something that had made him and given him power to think--whether he +named it God or Divine Power or First Cause or Creator, or named it +not at all but recognized it unconsciously--saw these things and +expressed them in the form of words he was best acquainted with in +common with his fellow-men. He did so, not through a sense of duty to +his particular religion, not because he had learned the words, but +because he recognized that it was the most practical thing to do--the +thing best fitted to help him. Men do practical things in times like +that: they would not waste a moment on mere words if those words were +not an expression of the most intensely real conviction of which they +were capable. Again, like the feeling of heroism, this appeal is +innate and intuitive, and it certainly has its foundation on a +knowledge--largely concealed, no doubt--of immortality. I think this +must be obvious: there could be no other explanation of such a general +sinking of all the emotions of the human mind expressed in a thousand +different ways by a thousand different people in favour of this single +appeal. + +The behaviour of people during the hours in the lifeboats, the landing +on the Carpathia, the life there and the landing in New York, can all +be summarized by saying that people did not act at all as they were +expected to act--or rather as most people expected they would act, and +in some cases have erroneously said they did act. Events were there to +be faced, and not to crush people down. Situations arose which +demanded courage, resource, and in the cases of those who had lost +friends most dear to them, enormous self-control; but very wonderfully +they responded. There was the same quiet demeanour and poise, the same +inborn dominion over circumstances, the same conformity to a normal +standard which characterized the crowd of passengers on the deck of +the Titanic--and for the same reasons. + +The first two or three days ashore were undoubtedly rather trying to +some of the survivors. It seemed as if coming into the world +again--the four days shut off from any news seemed a long time--and +finding what a shock the disaster had produced, the flags half-mast, +the staring head-lines, the sense of gloom noticeable everywhere, made +things worse than they had been on the Carpathia. The difference in +"atmosphere" was very marked, and people gave way to some extent under +it and felt the reaction. Gratitude for their deliverance and a desire +to "make the best of things" must have helped soon, however, to +restore them to normal conditions. It is not at all surprising that +some survivors felt quieter on the Carpathia with its lack of news +from the outside world, if the following extract from a leading New +York evening paper was some of the material of which the "atmosphere" +on shore was composed:--"Stunned by the terrific impact, the dazed +passengers rushed from their staterooms into the main saloon amid the +crash of splintering steel, rending of plates and shattering of +girders, while the boom of falling pinnacles of ice upon the broken +deck of the great vessel added to the horror.... In a wild +ungovernable mob they poured out of the saloons to witness one of the +most appalling scenes possible to conceive.... For a hundred feet the +bow was a shapeless mass of bent, broken and splintered steel and +iron." + +And so on, horror piled on horror, and not a word of it true, or +remotely approaching the truth. + +This paper was selling in the streets of New York while the Carpathia +was coming into dock, while relatives of those on board were at the +docks to meet them and anxiously buying any paper that might contain +news. No one on the Carpathia could have supplied such information; +there was no one else in the world at that moment who knew any details +of the Titanic disaster, and the only possible conclusion is that the +whole thing was a deliberate fabrication to sell the paper. + +This is a repetition of the same defect in human nature noticed in the +provision of safety appliances on board ship--the lack of +consideration for the other man. The remedy is the same--the law: it +should be a criminal offence for anyone to disseminate deliberate +falsehoods that cause fear and grief. The moral responsibility of the +press is very great, and its duty of supplying the public with only +clean, correct news is correspondingly heavy. If the general public is +not yet prepared to go so far as to stop the publication of such news +by refusing to buy those papers that publish it, then the law should +be enlarged to include such cases. Libel is an offence, and this is +very much worse than any libel could ever be. + +It is only right to add that the majority of the New York papers were +careful only to report such news as had been obtained legitimately +from survivors or from Carpathia passengers. It was sometimes +exaggerated and sometimes not true at all, but from the point of +reporting what was heard, most of it was quite correct. + +One more thing must be referred to--the prevalence of superstitious +beliefs concerning the Titanic. I suppose no ship ever left port with +so much miserable nonsense showered on her. In the first place, there +is no doubt many people refused to sail on her because it was her +maiden voyage, and this apparently is a common superstition: even the +clerk of the White Star Office where I purchased my ticket admitted it +was a reason that prevented people from sailing. A number of people +have written to the press to say they had thought of sailing on her, +or had decided to sail on her, but because of "omens" cancelled the +passage. Many referred to the sister ship, the Olympic, pointed to the +"ill luck" that they say has dogged her--her collision with the Hawke, +and a second mishap necessitating repairs and a wait in harbour, where +passengers deserted her; they prophesied even greater disaster for the +Titanic, saying they would not dream of travelling on the boat. Even +some aboard were very nervous, in an undefined way. One lady said she +had never wished to take this boat, but her friends had insisted and +bought her ticket and she had not had a happy moment since. A friend +told me of the voyage of the Olympic from Southampton after the wait +in harbour, and said there was a sense of gloom pervading the whole +ship: the stewards and stewardesses even going so far as to say it was +a "death-ship." This crew, by the way, was largely transferred to the +Titanic. + +The incident with the New York at Southampton, the appearance of the +stoker at Queenstown in the funnel, combine with all this to make a +mass of nonsense in which apparently sensible people believe, or which +at any rate they discuss. Correspondence is published with an official +of the White Star Line from some one imploring them not to name the +new ship "Gigantic," because it seems like "tempting fate" when the +Titanic has been sunk. It would seem almost as if we were back in the +Middle Ages when witches were burned because they kept black cats. +There seems no more reason why a black stoker should be an ill omen +for the Titanic than a black cat should be for an old woman. + +The only reason for referring to these foolish details is that a +surprisingly large number of people think there may be "something in +it." The effect is this: that if a ship's company and a number of +passengers get imbued with that undefined dread of the unknown--the +relics no doubt of the savage's fear of what he does not +understand--it has an unpleasant effect on the harmonious working of +the ship: the officers and crew feel the depressing influence, and it +may even spread so far as to prevent them being as alert and keen as +they otherwise would; may even result in some duty not being as well +done as usual. Just as the unconscious demand for speed and haste to +get across the Atlantic may have tempted captains to take a risk they +might otherwise not have done, so these gloomy forebodings may have +more effect sometimes than we imagine. Only a little thing is required +sometimes to weigh down the balance for and against a certain course +of action. + +At the end of this chapter of mental impressions it must be recorded +that one impression remains constant with us all to-day--that of the +deepest gratitude that we came safely through the wreck of the +Titanic; and its corollary--that our legacy from the wreck, our debt +to those who were lost with her, is to see, as far as in us lies, that +such things are impossible ever again. Meanwhile we can say of them, +as Shelley, himself the victim of a similar disaster, says of his +friend Keats in "Adonais":-- + +"Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep--He hath awakened +from the dream of life--He lives, he wakes--'Tis Death is dead, not +he; Mourn not for Adonais." + +THE END + +[Illustration: FIG 4. TRANSVERSE VIEW OF THE DECKS THE TITANIC + + S Sun deck + A Upper promenade deck + B Promenade deck, glass enclosed + C Upper deck + D Saloon deck + E Main deck + F Middle deck + G Lower deck: cargo, coal bunkers, boilers, engines + (a) Welin davits with lifeboats + (b) Bilge + (c) Double bottom] + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + +***** This file should be named 6675-8.txt or 6675-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/6/7/6675/ + +Produced by Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from +images generously made available by the CWRU Preservation +Department Digital Library. HTML version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/6675-8.zip b/6675-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f08f82d --- /dev/null +++ b/6675-8.zip diff --git a/6675-h.zip b/6675-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2338da --- /dev/null +++ b/6675-h.zip diff --git a/6675-h/6675-h.htm b/6675-h/6675-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42f223b --- /dev/null +++ b/6675-h/6675-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5793 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en"> + +<head> + +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> + +<title> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Loss of the S. S. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley +</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +body { color: black; + background: white; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +p {text-indent: 4% } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 200%; + text-align: center } + +p.t2 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center } + +p.t3 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center } + +p.t3b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t4 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center } + +p.t4b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t5 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 60%; + text-align: center } + +h1 { text-align: center } +h2 { text-align: center } +h3 { text-align: center } +h4 { text-align: center } +h5 { text-align: center } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +p.contents {text-indent: -3%; + margin-left: 5% } + +p.thought {text-indent: 0% ; + letter-spacing: 4em ; + text-align: center } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.transnote {text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.intro {font-size: 90% ; + text-indent: -5% ; + margin-left: 5% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.quote {text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Loss of the SS. Titanic + +Author: Lawrence Beesley + +Posting Date: March 16, 2014 [EBook #6675] +Release Date: October, 2004 +First Posted: January 12, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + + + + +Produced by Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from +images generously made available by the CWRU Preservation +Department Digital Library. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1> +<br /><br /><br /> +THE LOSS OF THE S. S. TITANIC +</h1> + +<p class="t2"> +ITS STORY AND ITS LESSONS +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +BY +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +LAWRENCE BEESLEY +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +B. A. (<i>Cantab</i>.) +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +Scholar of Gonville and Caius College +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +ONE OF THE SURVIVORS +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +PREFACE +</h3> + +<p> +The circumstances in which this book came to be written are as +follows. Some five weeks after the survivors from the Titanic landed +in New York, I was the guest at luncheon of Hon. Samuel J. Elder and +Hon. Charles T. Gallagher, both well-known lawyers in Boston. After +luncheon I was asked to relate to those present the experiences of the +survivors in leaving the Titanic and reaching the Carpathia. +</p> + +<p> +When I had done so, Mr. Robert Lincoln O'Brien, the editor of the +<i>Boston Herald</i>, urged me as a matter of public interest to write +a correct history of the Titanic disaster, his reason being that he +knew several publications were in preparation by people who had not +been present at the disaster, but from newspaper accounts were piecing +together a description of it. He said that these publications would +probably be erroneous, full of highly coloured details, and generally +calculated to disturb public thought on the matter. He was supported +in his request by all present, and under this general pressure I +accompanied him to Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company, where we +discussed the question of publication. +</p> + +<p> +Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company took at that time exactly the same +view that I did, that it was probably not advisable to put on record +the incidents connected with the Titanic's sinking: it seemed better +to forget details as rapidly as possible. +</p> + +<p> +However, we decided to take a few days to think about it. At our next +meeting we found ourselves in agreement again,—but this time on the +common ground that it would probably be a wise thing to write a +history of the Titanic disaster as correctly as possible. I was +supported in this decision by the fact that a short account, which I +wrote at intervals on board the Carpathia, in the hope that it would +calm public opinion by stating the truth of what happened as nearly as +I could recollect it, appeared in all the American, English, and +Colonial papers and had exactly the effect it was intended to have. +This encourages me to hope that the effect of this work will be the +same. +</p> + +<p> +Another matter aided me in coming to a decision,—the duty that we, as +survivors of the disaster, owe to those who went down with the ship, +to see that the reforms so urgently needed are not allowed to be +forgotten. +</p> + +<p> +Whoever reads the account of the cries that came to us afloat on the +sea from those sinking in the ice-cold water must remember that they +were addressed to him just as much as to those who heard them, and +that the duty, of seeing that reforms are carried out devolves on +every one who knows that such cries were heard in utter helplessness +the night the Titanic sank. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +CONTENTS +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +I. <a href="#chap01">CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE</a> +<br /> +II. <a href="#chap02">FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION</a> +<br /> +III. <a href="#chap03">THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS</a> +<br /> +IV. <a href="#chap04">THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT</a> +<br /> +V. <a href="#chap05">THE RESCUE</a> +<br /> +VI. <a href="#chap06">THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM HER DECK</a> +<br /> +VII. <a href="#chap07">THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK</a> +<br /> +VIII. <a href="#chap08">THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC</a> +<br /> +IX. <a href="#chap09">SOME IMPRESSIONS</a> +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +ILLUSTRATIONS +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +THE TITANIC From a photograph taken in Belfast Harbour. Copyrighted by +Underwood and Underwood, New York. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +VIEW OF FOUR DECKS OF THE OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF THE TITANIC From a +photograph published in the "Sphere," May 4,1918 TRANSVERSE (amidship) +SECTION THROUGH THE TITANIC After a drawing furnished by the White +Star Line. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +LONGITUDINAL SECTIONS AND DECK PLAN OF THE TITANIC After plans +published in the "Shipbuilder." +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +THE CARPATHIA From a photograph furnished by the Cunard Steamship Co. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap01"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER I +</h3> + +<h3> +CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE +</h3> + +<p> +The history of the R.M.S. Titanic, of the White Star Line, is one of +the most tragically short it is possible to conceive. The world had +waited expectantly for its launching and again for its sailing; had +read accounts of its tremendous size and its unexampled completeness +and luxury; had felt it a matter of the greatest satisfaction that +such a comfortable, and above all such a safe boat had been designed +and built—the "unsinkable lifeboat";—and then in a moment to hear +that it had gone to the bottom as if it had been the veriest tramp +steamer of a few hundred tons; and with it fifteen hundred passengers, +some of them known the world over! The improbability of such a thing +ever happening was what staggered humanity. +</p> + +<p> +If its history had to be written in a single paragraph it would be +somewhat as follows:— +</p> + +<p> +"The R.M.S. Titanic was built by Messrs. Harland & Wolff at their +well-known ship-building works at Queen's Island, Belfast, side by +side with her sister ship the Olympic. The twin vessels marked such an +increase in size that specially laid-out joiner and boiler shops were +prepared to aid in their construction, and the space usually taken up +by three building slips was given up to them. The keel of the Titanic +was laid on March 31, 1909, and she was launched on May 31, 1911; she +passed her trials before the Board of Trade officials on March 31, +1912, at Belfast, arrived at Southampton on April 4, and sailed the +following Wednesday, April 10, with 2208 passengers and crew, on her +maiden voyage to New York. She called at Cherbourg the same day, +Queenstown Thursday, and left for New York in the afternoon, expecting +to arrive the following Wednesday morning. But the voyage was never +completed. She collided with an iceberg on Sunday at 11.45 P.M. in +Lat. 41° 46' N. and Long. 50° 14' W., and sank two hours and a half +later; 815 of her passengers and 688 of her crew were drowned and 705 +rescued by the Carpathia." +</p> + +<p> +Such is the record of the Titanic, the largest ship the world had ever +seen—she was three inches longer than the Olympic and one thousand +tons more in gross tonnage—and her end was the greatest maritime +disaster known. The whole civilized world was stirred to its depths +when the full extent of loss of life was learned, and it has not yet +recovered from the shock. And that is without doubt a good thing. It +should not recover from it until the possibility of such a disaster +occurring again has been utterly removed from human society, whether +by separate legislation in different countries or by international +agreement. No living person should seek to dwell in thought for one +moment on such a disaster except in the endeavour to glean from it +knowledge that will be of profit to the whole world in the future. +When such knowledge is practically applied in the construction, +equipment, and navigation of passenger steamers—and not until +then—will be the time to cease to think of the Titanic disaster and +of the hundreds of men and women so needlessly sacrificed. +</p> + +<p> +A few words on the ship's construction and equipment will be necessary +in order to make clear many points that arise in the course of this +book. A few figures have been added which it is hoped will help the +reader to follow events more closely than he otherwise could. +</p> + +<p> +The considerations that inspired the builders to design the Titanic on +the lines on which she was constructed were those of speed, weight of +displacement, passenger and cargo accommodation. High speed is very +expensive, because the initial cost of the necessary powerful +machinery is enormous, the running expenses entailed very heavy, and +passenger and cargo accommodation have to be fined down to make the +resistance through the water as little as possible and to keep the +weight down. An increase in size brings a builder at once into +conflict with the question of dock and harbour accommodation at the +ports she will touch: if her total displacement is very great while +the lines are kept slender for speed, the draught limit may be +exceeded. The Titanic, therefore, was built on broader lines than the +ocean racers, increasing the total displacement; but because of the +broader build, she was able to keep within the draught limit at each +port she visited. At the same time she was able to accommodate more +passengers and cargo, and thereby increase largely her earning +capacity. A comparison between the Mauretania and the Titanic +illustrates the difference in these respects:— +</p> + +<p><br /></p> + +<pre> + Displacement Horse power Speed in knots + Mauretania 44,640 70,000 26 + Titanic 60,000 46,000 21 +</pre> + +<p> +The vessel when completed was 883 feet long, 92 1/2 feet broad; her +height from keel to bridge was 104 feet. She had 8 steel decks, a +cellular double bottom, 5 1/4 feet through (the inner and outer +"skins" so-called), and with bilge keels projecting 2 feet for 300 +feet of her length amidships. These latter were intended to lessen the +tendency to roll in a sea; they no doubt did so very well, but, as it +happened, they proved to be a weakness, for this was the first portion +of the ship touched by the iceberg and it has been suggested that the +keels were forced inwards by the collision and made the work of +smashing in the two "skins" a more simple matter. Not that the final +result would have been any different. +</p> + +<p> +Her machinery was an expression of the latest progress in marine +engineering, being a combination of reciprocating engines with +Parsons's low-pressure turbine engine,—a combination which gives +increased power with the same steam consumption, an advance on the use +of reciprocating engines alone. The reciprocating engines drove the +wing-propellers and the turbine a mid-propeller, making her a +triple-screw vessel. To drive these engines she had 29 enormous +boilers and 159 furnaces. Three elliptical funnels, 24 feet 6 inches +in the widest diameter, took away smoke and water gases; the fourth +one was a dummy for ventilation. +</p> + +<p> +She was fitted with 16 lifeboats 30 feet long, swung on davits of the +Welin double-acting type. These davits are specially designed for +dealing with two, and, where necessary, three, sets of lifeboats,—i.e., +48 altogether; more than enough to have saved every soul on board +on the night of the collision. She was divided into 16 compartments by +15 transverse watertight bulkheads reaching from the double bottom +to the upper deck in the forward end and to the saloon deck in the +after end (Fig. 2), in both cases well above the water line. +Communication between the engine rooms and boiler rooms was +through watertight doors, which could all be closed instantly from the +captain's bridge: a single switch, controlling powerful electro-magnets, +operated them. They could also be closed by hand with a lever, +and in case the floor below them was flooded by accident, a +float underneath the flooring shut them automatically. These +compartments were so designed that if the two largest were flooded +with water—a most unlikely contingency in the ordinary way—the ship +would still be quite safe. Of course, more than two were flooded the +night of the collision, but exactly how many is not yet thoroughly +established. +</p> + +<p> +Her crew had a complement of 860, made up of 475 stewards, cooks, +etc., 320 engineers, and 65 engaged in her navigation. The machinery +and equipment of the Titanic was the finest obtainable and represented +the last word in marine construction. All her structure was of steel, +of a weight, size, and thickness greater than that of any ship yet +known: the girders, beams, bulkheads, and floors all of exceptional +strength. It would hardly seem necessary to mention this, were it not +that there is an impression among a portion of the general public that +the provision of Turkish baths, gymnasiums, and other so-called +luxuries involved a sacrifice of some more essential things, the +absence of which was responsible for the loss of so many lives. But +this is quite an erroneous impression. All these things were an +additional provision for the comfort and convenience of passengers, +and there is no more reason why they should not be provided on these +ships than in a large hotel. There were places on the Titanic's deck +where more boats and rafts could have been stored without sacrificing +these things. The fault lay in not providing them, not in designing +the ship without places to put them. On whom the responsibility must +rest for their not being provided is another matter and must be left +until later. +</p> + +<p> +When arranging a tour round the United States, I had decided to cross +in the Titanic for several reasons—one, that it was rather a novelty +to be on board the largest ship yet launched, and another that friends +who had crossed in the Olympic described her as a most comfortable +boat in a seaway, and it was reported that the Titanic had been still +further improved in this respect by having a thousand tons more built +in to steady her. I went on board at Southampton at 10 A.M. Wednesday, +April 10, after staying the night in the town. It is pathetic to +recall that as I sat that morning in the breakfast room of an hotel, +from the windows of which could be seen the four huge funnels of the +Titanic towering over the roofs of the various shipping offices +opposite, and the procession of stokers and stewards wending their way +to the ship, there sat behind me three of the Titanic's passengers +discussing the coming voyage and estimating, among other things, the +probabilities of an accident at sea to the ship. As I rose from +breakfast, I glanced at the group and recognized them later on board, +but they were not among the number who answered to the roll-call on +the Carpathia on the following Monday morning. +</p> + +<p> +Between the time of going on board and sailing, I inspected, in the +company of two friends who had come from Exeter to see me off, the +various decks, dining-saloons and libraries; and so extensive were +they that it is no exaggeration to say that it was quite easy to lose +one's way on such a ship. We wandered casually into the gymnasium on +the boatdeck, and were engaged in bicycle exercise when the instructor +came in with two photographers and insisted on our remaining there +while his friends—as we thought at the time—made a record for him of +his apparatus in use. It was only later that we discovered that they +were the photographers of one of the illustrated London papers. More +passengers came in, and the instructor ran here and there, looking the +very picture of robust, rosy-cheeked health and "fitness" in his white +flannels, placing one passenger on the electric "horse," another on +the "camel," while the laughing group of onlookers watched the +inexperienced riders vigorously shaken up and down as he controlled +the little motor which made the machines imitate so realistically +horse and camel exercise. +</p> + +<p> +It is related that on the night of the disaster, right up to the time +of the Titanic's sinking, while the band grouped outside the gymnasium +doors played with such supreme courage in face of the water which rose +foot by foot before their eyes, the instructor was on duty inside, +with passengers on the bicycles and the rowing-machines, still +assisting and encouraging to the last. Along with the bandsmen it is +fitting that his name, which I do not think has yet been put on +record—it is McCawley—should have a place in the honourable list of +those who did their duty faithfully to the ship and the line they +served. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap02"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER II +</h3> + +<h3> +FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION +</h3> + +<p> +Soon after noon the whistles blew for friends to go ashore, the +gangways were withdrawn, and the Titanic moved slowly down the dock, +to the accompaniment of last messages and shouted farewells of those +on the quay. There was no cheering or hooting of steamers' whistles +from the fleet of ships that lined the dock, as might seem probable on +the occasion of the largest vessel in the world putting to sea on her +maiden voyage; the whole scene was quiet and rather ordinary, with +little of the picturesque and interesting ceremonial which imagination +paints as usual in such circumstances. But if this was lacking, two +unexpected dramatic incidents supplied a thrill of excitement and +interest to the departure from dock. The first of these occurred just +before the last gangway was withdrawn:—a knot of stokers ran along +the quay, with their kit slung over their shoulders in bundles, and +made for the gangway with the evident intention of joining the ship. +But a petty officer guarding the shore end of the gangway firmly +refused to allow them on board; they argued, gesticulated, apparently +attempting to explain the reasons why they were late, but he remained +obdurate and waved them back with a determined hand, the gangway was +dragged back amid their protests, putting a summary ending to their +determined efforts to join the Titanic. Those stokers must be thankful +men to-day that some circumstance, whether their own lack of +punctuality or some unforeseen delay over which they had no control, +prevented their being in time to run up that last gangway! They will +have told—and will no doubt tell for years—the story of how their +lives were probably saved by being too late to join the Titanic. +</p> + +<p> +The second incident occurred soon afterwards, and while it has no +doubt been thoroughly described at the time by those on shore, perhaps +a view of the occurrence from the deck of the Titanic will not be +without interest. As the Titanic moved majestically down the dock, the +crowd of friends keeping pace with us along the quay, we came together +level with the steamer New York lying moored to the side of the dock +along with the Oceanic, the crowd waving "good-byes" to those on board +as well as they could for the intervening bulk of the two ships. But +as the bows of our ship came about level with those of the New York, +there came a series of reports like those of a revolver, and on the +quay side of the New York snaky coils of thick rope flung themselves +high in the air and fell backwards among the crowd, which retreated in +alarm to escape the flying ropes. We hoped that no one was struck by +the ropes, but a sailor next to me was certain he saw a woman carried +away to receive attention. And then, to our amazement the New York +crept towards us, slowly and stealthily, as if drawn by some invisible +force which she was powerless to withstand. It reminded me instantly +of an experiment I had shown many times to a form of boys learning the +elements of physics in a laboratory, in which a small magnet is made +to float on a cork in a bowl of water and small steel objects placed +on neighbouring pieces of cork are drawn up to the floating magnet by +magnetic force. It reminded me, too, of seeing in my little boy's bath +how a large celluloid floating duck would draw towards itself, by what +is called capillary attraction, smaller ducks, frogs, beetles, and +other animal folk, until the menagerie floated about as a unit, +oblivious of their natural antipathies and reminding us of the "happy +families" one sees in cages on the seashore. On the New York there was +shouting of orders, sailors running to and fro, paying out ropes and +putting mats over the side where it seemed likely we should collide; +the tug which had a few moments before cast off from the bows of the +Titanic came up around our stern and passed to the quay side of the +New York's stern, made fast to her and started to haul her back with +all the force her engines were capable of; but it did not seem that +the tug made much impression on the New York. Apart from the serious +nature of the accident, it made an irresistibly comic picture to see +the huge vessel drifting down the dock with a snorting tug at its +heels, for all the world like a small boy dragging a diminutive puppy +down the road with its teeth locked on a piece of rope, its feet +splayed out, its head and body shaking from side to side in the effort +to get every ounce of its weight used to the best advantage. At first +all appearance showed that the sterns of the two vessels would +collide; but from the stern bridge of the Titanic an officer directing +operations stopped us dead, the suction ceased, and the New York with +her tug trailing behind moved obliquely down the dock, her stern +gliding along the side of the Titanic some few yards away. It gave an +extraordinary impression of the absolute helplessness of a big liner +in the absence of any motive power to guide her. But all excitement +was not yet over: the New York turned her bows inward towards the +quay, her stern swinging just clear of and passing in front of our +bows, and moved slowly head on for the Teutonic lying moored to the +side; mats were quickly got out and so deadened the force of the +collision, which from where we were seemed to be too slight to cause +any damage. Another tug came up and took hold of the New York by the +bows; and between the two of them they dragged her round the corner of +the quay which just here came to an end on the side of the river. +</p> + +<p> +We now moved slowly ahead and passed the Teutonic at a creeping pace, +but notwithstanding this, the latter strained at her ropes so much +that she heeled over several degrees in her efforts to follow the +Titanic: the crowd were shouted back, a group of gold-braided +officials, probably the harbour-master and his staff, standing on the +sea side of the moored ropes, jumped back over them as they drew up +taut to a rigid line, and urged the crowd back still farther. But we +were just clear, and as we slowly turned the corner into the river I +saw the Teutonic swing slowly back into her normal station, relieving +the tension alike of the ropes and of the minds of all who witnessed +the incident. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +[Illustration: FOUR DECKS OF OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF TITANIC] +</p> + +<p> +Unpleasant as this incident was, it was interesting to all the +passengers leaning over the rails to see the means adopted by the +officers and crew of the various vessels to avoid collision, to see on +the Titanic's docking-bridge (at the stern) an officer and seamen +telephoning and ringing bells, hauling up and down little red and +white flags, as danger of collision alternately threatened and +diminished. No one was more interested than a young American +kinematograph photographer, who, with his wife, followed the whole +scene with eager eyes, turning the handle of his camera with the most +evident pleasure as he recorded the unexpected incident on his films. +It was obviously quite a windfall for him to have been on board at +such a time. But neither the film nor those who exposed it reached the +other side, and the record of the accident from the Titanic's deck has +never been thrown on the screen. +</p> + +<p> +As we steamed down the river, the scene we had just witnessed was the +topic of every conversation: the comparison with the Olympic-Hawke +collision was drawn in every little group of passengers, and it seemed +to be generally agreed that this would confirm the suction theory +which was so successfully advanced by the cruiser Hawke in the law +courts, but which many people scoffed at when the British Admiralty +first suggested it as the explanation of the cruiser ramming the +Olympic. And since this is an attempt to chronicle facts as they +happened on board the Titanic, it must be recorded that there were +among the passengers and such of the crew as were heard to speak on +the matter, the direst misgivings at the incident we had just +witnessed. Sailors are proverbially superstitious; far too many people +are prone to follow their lead, or, indeed, the lead of any one who +asserts a statement with an air of conviction and the opportunity of +constant repetition; the sense of mystery that shrouds a prophetic +utterance, particularly if it be an ominous one (for so constituted +apparently is the human mind that it will receive the impress of an +evil prophecy far more readily than it will that of a beneficent one, +possibly through subservient fear to the thing it dreads, possibly +through the degraded, morbid attraction which the sense of evil has +for the innate evil in the human mind), leads many people to pay a +certain respect to superstitious theories. Not that they wholly +believe in them or would wish their dearest friends to know they ever +gave them a second thought; but the feeling that other people do so +and the half conviction that there "may be something in it, after +all," sways them into tacit obedience to the most absurd and childish +theories. I wish in a later chapter to discuss the subject of +superstition in its reference to our life on board the Titanic, but +will anticipate events here a little by relating a second so-called +"bad omen" which was hatched at Queenstown. As one of the tenders +containing passengers and mails neared the Titanic, some of those on +board gazed up at the liner towering above them, and saw a stoker's +head, black from his work in the stokehold below, peering out at them +from the top of one of the enormous funnels—a dummy one for +ventilation—that rose many feet above the highest deck. He had +climbed up inside for a joke, but to some of those who saw him there +the sight was seed for the growth of an "omen," which bore fruit in an +unknown dread of dangers to come. An American lady—may she forgive me +if she reads these lines!—has related to me with the deepest +conviction and earnestness of manner that she saw the man and +attributes the sinking of the Titanic largely to that. Arrant +foolishness, you may say! Yes, indeed, but not to those who believe in +it; and it is well not to have such prophetic thoughts of danger +passed round among passengers and crew: it would seem to have an +unhealthy influence. +</p> + +<p> +We dropped down Spithead, past the shores of the Isle of Wight looking +superbly beautiful in new spring foliage, exchanged salutes with a +White Star tug lying-to in wait for one of their liners inward bound, +and saw in the distance several warships with attendant black +destroyers guarding the entrance from the sea. In the calmest weather +we made Cherbourg just as it grew dusk and left again about 8.30, +after taking on board passengers and mails. We reached Queenstown +about 12 noon on Thursday, after a most enjoyable passage across the +Channel, although the wind was almost too cold to allow of sitting out +on deck on Thursday morning. +</p> + +<p> +The coast of Ireland looked very beautiful as we approached Queenstown +Harbour, the brilliant morning sun showing up the green hillsides and +picking out groups of dwellings dotted here and there above the rugged +grey cliffs that fringed the coast. We took on board our pilot, ran +slowly towards the harbour with the sounding-line dropping all the +time, and came to a stop well out to sea, with our screws churning up +the bottom and turning the sea all brown with sand from below. It had +seemed to me that the ship stopped rather suddenly, and in my +ignorance of the depth of the harbour entrance, that perhaps the +sounding-line had revealed a smaller depth than was thought safe for +the great size of the Titanic: this seemed to be confirmed by the +sight of sand churned up from the bottom—but this is mere +supposition. Passengers and mails were put on board from two tenders, +and nothing could have given us a better idea of the enormous length +and bulk of the Titanic than to stand as far astern as possible and +look over the side from the top deck, forwards and downwards to where +the tenders rolled at her bows, the merest cockleshells beside the +majestic vessel that rose deck after deck above them. Truly she was a +magnificent boat! There was something so graceful in her movement as +she rode up and down on the slight swell in the harbour, a slow, +stately dip and recover, only noticeable by watching her bows in +comparison with some landmark on the coast in the near distance; the +two little tenders tossing up and down like corks beside her +illustrated vividly the advance made in comfort of motion from the +time of the small steamer. +</p> + +<p> +Presently the work of transfer was ended, the tenders cast off, and at +1.30 P.M., with the screws churning up the sea bottom again, the +Titanic turned slowly through a quarter-circle until her nose pointed +down along the Irish coast, and then steamed rapidly away from +Queenstown, the little house on the left of the town gleaming white on +the hillside for many miles astern. In our wake soared and screamed +hundreds of gulls, which had quarrelled and fought over the remnants +of lunch pouring out of the waste pipes as we lay-to in the harbour +entrance; and now they followed us in the expectation of further +spoil. I watched them for a long time and was astonished at the ease +with which they soared and kept up with the ship with hardly a motion +of their wings: picking out a particular gull, I would keep him under +observation for minutes at a time and see no motion of his wings +downwards or upwards to aid his flight. He would tilt all of a piece +to one side or another as the gusts of wind caught him: rigidly +unbendable, as an aeroplane tilts sideways in a puff of wind. And yet +with graceful ease he kept pace with the Titanic forging through the +water at twenty knots: as the wind met him he would rise upwards and +obliquely forwards, and come down slantingly again, his wings curved +in a beautiful arch and his tail feathers outspread as a fan. It was +plain that he was possessed of a secret we are only just beginning to +learn—that of utilizing air-currents as escalators up and down which +he can glide at will with the expenditure of the minimum amount of +energy, or of using them as a ship does when it sails within one or +two points of a head wind. Aviators, of course, are imitating the +gull, and soon perhaps we may see an aeroplane or a glider dipping +gracefully up and down in the face of an opposing wind and all the +time forging ahead across the Atlantic Ocean. The gulls were still +behind us when night fell, and still they screamed and dipped down +into the broad wake of foam which we left behind; but in the morning +they were gone: perhaps they had seen in the night a steamer bound for +their Queenstown home and had escorted her back. +</p> + +<p> +All afternoon we steamed along the coast of Ireland, with grey cliffs +guarding the shores, and hills rising behind gaunt and barren; as dusk +fell, the coast rounded away from us to the northwest, and the last we +saw of Europe was the Irish mountains dim and faint in the dropping +darkness. With the thought that we had seen the last of land until we +set foot on the shores of America, I retired to the library to write +letters, little knowing that many things would happen to us all—many +experiences, sudden, vivid and impressive to be encountered, many +perils to be faced, many good and true people for whom we should have +to mourn—before we saw land again. +</p> + +<p> +There is very little to relate from the time of leaving Queenstown on +Thursday to Sunday morning. The sea was calm,—so calm, indeed, +that very few were absent from meals: the wind westerly and +southwesterly,—"fresh" as the daily chart described it,—but often +rather cold, generally too cold to sit out on deck to read or write, +so that many of us spent a good part of the time in the library, +reading and writing. I wrote a large number of letters and posted them +day by day in the box outside the library door: possibly they are +there yet. +</p> + +<p> +Each morning the sun rose behind us in a sky of circular clouds, +stretching round the horizon in long, narrow streaks and rising tier +upon tier above the sky-line, red and pink and fading from pink to +white, as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was a beautiful sight to +one who had not crossed the ocean before (or indeed been out of sight +of the shores of England) to stand on the top deck and watch the swell +of the sea extending outwards from the ship in an unbroken circle +until it met the sky-line with its hint of infinity: behind, the wake +of the vessel white with foam where, fancy suggested, the propeller +blades had cut up the long Atlantic rollers and with them made a level +white road bounded on either side by banks of green, blue, and +blue-green waves that would presently sweep away the white road, +though as yet it stretched back to the horizon and dipped over the +edge of the world back to Ireland and the gulls, while along it the +morning sun glittered and sparkled. And each night the sun sank right +in our eyes along the sea, making an undulating glittering path way, a +golden track charted on the surface of the ocean which our ship +followed unswervingly until the sun dipped below the edge of the +horizon, and the pathway ran ahead of us faster than we could steam +and slipped over the edge of the skyline,—as if the sun had been a +golden ball and had wound up its thread of gold too quickly for us to +follow. +</p> + +<p> +From 12 noon Thursday to 12 noon Friday we ran 386 miles, Friday to +Saturday 519 miles, Saturday to Sunday 546 miles. The second day's run +of 519 miles was, the purser told us, a disappointment, and we should +not dock until Wednesday morning instead of Tuesday night, as we had +expected; however, on Sunday we were glad to see a longer run had been +made, and it was thought we should make New York, after all, on +Tuesday night. The purser remarked: "They are not pushing her this +trip and don't intend to make any fast running: I don't suppose we +shall do more than 546 now; it is not a bad day's run for the first +trip." This was at lunch, and I remember the conversation then turned +to the speed and build of Atlantic liners as factors in their comfort +of motion: all those who had crossed many times were unanimous in +saying the Titanic was the most comfortable boat they had been on, and +they preferred the speed we were making to that of the faster boats, +from the point of view of lessened vibration as well as because the +faster boats would bore through the waves with a twisted, screw-like +motion instead of the straight up-and-down swing of the Titanic. I +then called the attention of our table to the way the Titanic listed +to port (I had noticed this before), and we all watched the sky-line +through the portholes as we sat at the purser's table in the saloon: +it was plain she did so, for the sky-line and sea on the port side +were visible most of the time and on the starboard only sky. The +purser remarked that probably coal had been used mostly from the +starboard side. It is no doubt a common occurrence for all vessels to +list to some degree; but in view of the fact that the Titanic was cut +open on the starboard side and before she sank listed so much to port +that there was quite a chasm between her and the swinging lifeboats, +across which ladies had to be thrown or to cross on chairs laid flat, +the previous listing to port may be of interest. +</p> + +<p> +Returning for a moment to the motion of the Titanic, it was +interesting to stand on the boat-deck, as I frequently did, in the +angle between lifeboats 13 and 15 on the starboard side (two boats I +have every reason to remember, for the first carried me in safety to +the Carpathia, and it seemed likely at one time that the other would +come down on our heads as we sat in 13 trying to get away from the +ship's side), and watch the general motion of the ship through the +waves resolve itself into two motions—one to be observed by +contrasting the docking-bridge, from which the log-line trailed away +behind in the foaming wake, with the horizon, and observing the long, +slow heave as we rode up and down. I timed the average period occupied +in one up-and-down vibration, but do not now remember the figures. The +second motion was a side-to-side roll, and could be calculated by +watching the port rail and contrasting it with the horizon as before. +It seems likely that this double motion is due to the angle at which +our direction to New York cuts the general set of the Gulf Stream +sweeping from the Gulf of Mexico across to Europe; but the almost +clock-like regularity of the two vibratory movements was what +attracted my attention: it was while watching the side roll that I +first became aware of the list to port. Looking down astern from the +boat-deck or from B deck to the steerage quarters, I often noticed how +the third-class passengers were enjoying every minute of the time: a +most uproarious skipping game of the mixed-double type was the great +favourite, while "in and out and roundabout" went a Scotchman with his +bagpipes playing something that Gilbert says "faintly resembled an +air." Standing aloof from all of them, generally on the raised stern +deck above the "playing field," was a man of about twenty to +twenty-four years of age, well-dressed, always gloved and nicely +groomed, and obviously quite out of place among his fellow-passengers: +he never looked happy all the time. I watched him, and classified him +at hazard as the man who had been a failure in some way at home and +had received the proverbial shilling plus third-class fare to America: +he did not look resolute enough or happy enough to be working out his +own problem. Another interesting man was travelling steerage, but had +placed his wife in the second cabin: he would climb the stairs leading +from the steerage to the second deck and talk affectionately with his +wife across the low gate which separated them. I never saw him after +the collision, but I think his wife was on the Carpathia. Whether they +ever saw each other on the Sunday night is very doubtful: he would not +at first be allowed on the second-class deck, and if he were, the +chances of seeing his wife in the darkness and the crowd would be very +small, indeed. Of all those playing so happily on the steerage deck I +did not recognize many afterwards on the Carpathia. +</p> + +<p> +Coming now to Sunday, the day on which the Titanic struck the iceberg, +it will be interesting, perhaps, to give the day's events in some +detail, to appreciate the general attitude of passengers to their +surroundings just before the collision. Service was held in the saloon +by the purser in the morning, and going on deck after lunch we found +such a change in temperature that not many cared to remain to face the +bitter wind—an artificial wind created mainly, if not entirely, by +the ship's rapid motion through the chilly atmosphere. I should judge +there was no wind blowing at the time, for I had noticed about the +same force of wind approaching Queenstown, to find that it died away +as soon as we stopped, only to rise again as we steamed away from the +harbour. +</p> + +<p> +Returning to the library, I stopped for a moment to read again the +day's run and observe our position on the chart; the Rev. Mr. Carter, +a clergyman of the Church of England, was similarly engaged, and we +renewed a conversation we had enjoyed for some days: it had +commenced with a discussion of the relative merits of his +university—Oxford—with mine—Cambridge—as world-wide educational +agencies, the opportunities at each for the formation of character +apart from mere education as such, and had led on to the lack of +sufficiently qualified men to take up the work of the Church of +England (a matter apparently on which he felt very deeply) and from +that to his own work in England as a priest. He told me some of his +parish problems and spoke of the impossibility of doing half his work +in his Church without the help his wife gave. I knew her only slightly +at that time, but meeting her later in the day, I realized something +of what he meant in attributing a large part of what success he had as +a vicar to her. My only excuse for mentioning these details about the +Carters—now and later in the day—is that, while they have perhaps +not much interest for the average reader, they will no doubt be some +comfort to the parish over which he presided and where I am sure he +was loved. He next mentioned the absence of a service in the evening +and asked if I knew the purser well enough to request the use of the +saloon in the evening where he would like to have a "hymn sing-song"; +the purser gave his consent at once, and Mr. Carter made preparations +during the afternoon by asking all he knew—and many he did not—to +come to the saloon at 8.30 P.M. +</p> + +<p> +The library was crowded that afternoon, owing to the cold on deck: but +through the windows we could see the clear sky with brilliant sunlight +that seemed to augur a fine night and a clear day to-morrow, and the +prospect of landing in two days, with calm weather all the way to New +York, was a matter of general satisfaction among us all. I can look +back and see every detail of the library that afternoon—the +beautifully furnished room, with lounges, armchairs, and small writing +or card-tables scattered about, writing-bureaus round the walls of the +room, and the library in glass-cased shelves flanking one side,—the +whole finished in mahogany relieved with white fluted wooden columns +that supported the deck above. Through the windows there is the +covered corridor, reserved by general consent as the children's +playground, and here are playing the two Navatril children with their +father,—devoted to them, never absent from them. Who would have +thought of the dramatic history of the happy group at play in the +corridor that afternoon!—the abduction of the children in Nice, the +assumed name, the separation of father and children in a few hours, +his death and their subsequent union with their mother after a period +of doubt as to their parentage! How many more similar secrets the +Titanic revealed in the privacy of family life, or carried down with +her untold, we shall never know. +</p> + +<p> +In the same corridor is a man and his wife with two children, and one +of them he is generally carrying: they are all young and happy: he is +dressed always in a grey knickerbocker suit—with a camera slung over +his shoulder. I have not seen any of them since that afternoon. +</p> + +<p> +Close beside me—so near that I cannot avoid hearing scraps of their +conversation—are two American ladies, both dressed in white, young, +probably friends only: one has been to India and is returning by way +of England, the other is a school-teacher in America, a graceful girl +with a distinguished air heightened by a pair of <i>pince-nez</i>. +Engaged in conversation with them is a gentleman whom I subsequently +identified from a photograph as a well-known resident of Cambridge, +Massachusetts, genial, polished, and with a courtly air towards the +two ladies, whom he has known but a few hours; from time to time as +they talk, a child acquaintance breaks in on their conversation and +insists on their taking notice of a large doll clasped in her arms; I +have seen none of this group since then. In the opposite corner are +the young American kinematograph photographer and his young wife, +evidently French, very fond of playing patience, which she is doing +now, while he sits back in his chair watching the game and interposing +from time to time with suggestions. I did not see them again. In the +middle of the room are two Catholic priests, one quietly +reading,—either English or Irish, and probably the latter,—the +other, dark, bearded, with broad-brimmed hat, talking earnestly to a +friend in German and evidently explaining some verse in the open Bible +before him; near them a young fire engineer on his way to Mexico, and +of the same religion as the rest of the group. None of them were +saved. It may be noted here that the percentage of men saved in the +second-class is the lowest of any other division—only eight per cent. +</p> + +<p> +Many other faces recur to thought, but it is impossible to describe +them all in the space of a short book: of all those in the library +that Sunday afternoon, I can remember only two or three persons who +found their way to the Carpathia. Looking over this room, with his +back to the library shelves, is the library steward, thin, stooping, +sad-faced, and generally with nothing to do but serve out books; but +this afternoon he is busier than I have ever seen him, serving out +baggage declaration-forms for passengers to fill in. Mine is before me +as I write: "Form for nonresidents in the United States. Steamship +Titanic: No. 31444, D," etc. I had filled it in that afternoon and +slipped it in my pocket-book instead of returning it to the steward. +Before me, too, is a small cardboard square: "White Star Line. R.M.S. +Titanic. 208. This label must be given up when the article is +returned. The property will be deposited in the Purser's safe. The +Company will not be liable to passengers for the loss of money, +jewels, or ornaments, by theft or otherwise, not so deposited." The +"property deposited" in my case was money, placed in an envelope, +sealed, with my name written across the flap, and handed to the +purser; the "label" is my receipt. Along with other similar envelopes +it may be still intact in the safe at the bottom of the sea, but in +all probability it is not, as will be seen presently. +</p> + +<p> +After dinner, Mr. Carter invited all who wished to the saloon, and +with the assistance at the piano of a gentleman who sat at the +purser's table opposite me (a young Scotch engineer going out to join +his brother fruit-farming at the foot of the Rockies), he started some +hundred passengers singing hymns. They were asked to choose whichever +hymn they wished, and with so many to choose, it was impossible for +him to do more than have the greatest favourites sung. As he announced +each hymn, it was evident that he was thoroughly versed in their +history: no hymn was sung but that he gave a short sketch of its +author and in some cases a description of the circumstances in which +it was composed. I think all were impressed with his knowledge of +hymns and with his eagerness to tell us all he knew of them. It was +curious to see how many chose hymns dealing with dangers at sea. I +noticed the hushed tone with which all sang the hymn, "For those in +peril on the Sea." +</p> + +<p> +The singing must have gone on until after ten o'clock, when, seeing +the stewards standing about waiting to serve biscuits and coffee +before going off duty, Mr. Carter brought the evening to a close by a +few words of thanks to the purser for the use of the saloon, a short +sketch of the happiness and safety of the voyage hitherto, the great +confidence all felt on board this great liner with her steadiness and +her size, and the happy outlook of landing in a few hours in New York +at the close of a delightful voyage; and all the time he spoke, a few +miles ahead of us lay the "peril on the sea" that was to sink this +same great liner with many of those on board who listened with +gratitude to his simple, heartfelt words. So much for the frailty of +human hopes and for the confidence reposed in material human designs. +</p> + +<p> +Think of the shame of it, that a mass of ice of no use to any one or +anything should have the power fatally to injure the beautiful +Titanic! That an insensible block should be able to threaten, even in +the smallest degree, the lives of many good men and women who think +and plan and hope and love—and not only to threaten, but to end their +lives. It is unbearable! Are we never to educate ourselves to foresee +such dangers and to prevent them before they happen? All the evidence +of history shows that laws unknown and unsuspected are being +discovered day by day: as this knowledge accumulates for the use of +man, is it not certain that the ability to see and destroy beforehand +the threat of danger will be one of the privileges the whole world +will utilize? May that day come soon. Until it does, no precaution too +rigorous can be taken, no safety appliance, however costly, must be +omitted from a ship's equipment. +</p> + +<p> +After the meeting had broken up, I talked with the Carters over a cup +of coffee, said good-night to them, and retired to my cabin at about +quarter to eleven. They were good people and this world is much poorer +by their loss. +</p> + +<p> +It may be a matter of pleasure to many people to know that their +friends were perhaps among that gathering of people in the saloon, and +that at the last the sound of the hymns still echoed in their ears as +they stood on the deck so quietly and courageously. Who can tell how +much it had to do with the demeanour of some of them and the example +this would set to others? +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap03"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER III +</h3> + +<h3> +THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS +</h3> + +<p> +I had been fortunate enough to secure a two-berth cabin to myself,—D +56,—quite close to the saloon and most convenient in every way for +getting about the ship; and on a big ship like the Titanic it was +quite a consideration to be on D deck, only three decks below the top +or boat-deck. Below D again were cabins on E and F decks, and to walk +from a cabin on F up to the top deck, climbing five flights of stairs +on the way, was certainly a considerable task for those not able to +take much exercise. The Titanic management has been criticised, among +other things, for supplying the boat with lifts: it has been said they +were an expensive luxury and the room they took up might have been +utilized in some way for more life-saving appliances. Whatever else +may have been superfluous, lifts certainly were not: old ladies, for +example, in cabins on F deck, would hardly have got to the top deck +during the whole voyage had they not been able to ring for the +lift-boy. Perhaps nothing gave one a greater impression of the size of +the ship than to take the lift from the top and drop slowly down past +the different floors, discharging and taking in passengers just as in +a large hotel. I wonder where the lift-boy was that night. I would +have been glad to find him in our boat, or on the Carpathia when we +took count of the saved. He was quite young,—not more than sixteen, I +think,—a bright-eyed, handsome boy, with a love for the sea and the +games on deck and the view over the ocean—and he did not get any of +them. One day, as he put me out of his lift and saw through the +vestibule windows a game of deck quoits in progress, he said, in a +wistful tone, "My! I wish I could go out there sometimes!" I wished he +could, too, and made a jesting offer to take charge of his lift for an +hour while he went out to watch the game; but he smilingly shook his +head and dropped down in answer to an imperative ring from below. I +think he was not on duty with his lift after the collision, but if he +were, he would smile at his passengers all the time as he took them up +to the boats waiting to leave the sinking ship. +</p> + +<p> +After undressing and climbing into the top berth, I read from about +quarter-past eleven to the time we struck, about quarter to twelve. +During this time I noticed particularly the increased vibration of the +ship, and I assumed that we were going at a higher speed than at any +other time since we sailed from Queenstown. Now I am aware that this +is an important point, and bears strongly on the question of +responsibility for the effects of the collision; but the impression of +increased vibration is fixed in my memory so strongly that it seems +important to record it. Two things led me to this conclusion—first, +that as I sat on the sofa undressing, with bare feet on the floor, the +jar of the vibration came up from the engines below very noticeably; +and second, that as I sat up in the berth reading, the spring mattress +supporting me was vibrating more rapidly than usual: this cradle-like +motion was always noticeable as one lay in bed, but that night there +was certainly a marked increase in the motion. Referring to the plan, +[Footnote: See Figure 2, page 116.] it will be seen that the vibration +must have come almost directly up from below, when it is mentioned +that the saloon was immediately above the engines as shown in the +plan, and my cabin next to the saloon. From these two data, on the +assumption that greater vibration is an indication of higher +speed,—and I suppose it must be,—then I am sure we were going faster +that night at the time we struck the iceberg than we had done before, +i.e., during the hours I was awake and able to take note of anything. +</p> + +<p> +And then, as I read in the quietness of the night, broken only by the +muffled sound that came to me through the ventilators of stewards +talking and moving along the corridors, when nearly all the passengers +were in their cabins, some asleep in bed, others undressing, and +others only just down from the smoking-room and still discussing many +things, there came what seemed to me nothing more than an extra heave +of the engines and a more than usually obvious dancing motion of the +mattress on which I sat. Nothing more than that—no sound of a crash +or of anything else: no sense of shock, no jar that felt like one +heavy body meeting another. And presently the same thing repeated with +about the same intensity. The thought came to me that they must have +still further increased the speed. And all this time the Titanic was +being cut open by the iceberg and water was pouring in her side, and +yet no evidence that would indicate such a disaster had been presented +to us. It fills me with astonishment now to think of it. Consider the +question of list alone. Here was this enormous vessel running +starboard-side on to an iceberg, and a passenger sitting quietly in +bed, reading, felt no motion or list to the opposite or port side, and +this must have been felt had it been more than the usual roll of the +ship—never very much in the calm weather we had all the way. Again, +my bunk was fixed to the wall on the starboard side, and any list to +port would have tended to fling me out on the floor: I am sure I +should have noted it had there been any. And yet the explanation is +simple enough: the Titanic struck the berg with a force of impact of +over a million foot-tons; her plates were less than an inch thick, and +they must have been cut through as a knife cuts paper: there would be +no need to list; it would have been better if she had listed and +thrown us out on the floor, for it would have been an indication that +our plates were strong enough to offer, at any rate, some resistance +to the blow, and we might all have been safe to-day. +</p> + +<p> +And so, with no thought of anything serious having happened to the +ship, I continued my reading; and still the murmur from the stewards +and from adjoining cabins, and no other sound: no cry in the night; no +alarm given; no one afraid—there was then nothing which could cause +fear to the most timid person. But in a few moments I felt the engines +slow and stop; the dancing motion and the vibration ceased suddenly +after being part of our very existence for four days, and that was the +first hint that anything out of the ordinary had happened. We have all +"heard" a loud-ticking clock stop suddenly in a quiet room, and then +have noticed the clock and the ticking noise, of which we seemed until +then quite unconscious. So in the same way the fact was suddenly +brought home to all in the ship that the engines—that part of the +ship that drove us through the sea—had stopped dead. But the stopping +of the engines gave us no information: we had to make our own +calculations as to why we had stopped. Like a flash it came to me: "We +have dropped a propeller blade: when this happens the engines always +race away until they are controlled, and this accounts for the extra +heave they gave"; not a very logical conclusion when considered now, +for the engines should have continued to heave all the time until we +stopped, but it was at the time a sufficiently tenable hypothesis to +hold. Acting on it, I jumped out of bed, slipped on a dressing-gown +over pyjamas, put on shoes, and went out of my cabin into the hall +near the saloon. Here was a steward leaning against the staircase, +probably waiting until those in the smoke-room above had gone to bed +and he could put out the lights. I said, "Why have we stopped?" "I +don't know, sir," he replied, "but I don't suppose it is anything +much." "Well," I said, "I am going on deck to see what it is," and +started towards the stairs. He smiled indulgently at me as I passed +him, and said, "All right, sir, but it is mighty cold up there." I am +sure at that time he thought I was rather foolish to go up with so +little reason, and I must confess I felt rather absurd for not +remaining in the cabin: it seemed like making a needless fuss to walk +about the ship in a dressing-gown. But it was my first trip across the +sea; I had enjoyed every minute of it and was keenly alive to note +every new experience; and certainly to stop in the middle of the sea +with a propeller dropped seemed sufficient reason for going on deck. +And yet the steward, with his fatherly smile, and the fact that no one +else was about the passages or going upstairs to reconnoitre, made me +feel guilty in an undefined way of breaking some code of a ship's +régime—an Englishman's fear of being thought "unusual," perhaps! +</p> + +<p> +I climbed the three flights of stairs, opened the vestibule door +leading to the top deck, and stepped out into an atmosphere that cut +me, clad as I was, like a knife. Walking to the starboard side, I +peered over and saw the sea many feet below, calm and black; forward, +the deserted deck stretching away to the first-class quarters and the +captain's bridge; and behind, the steerage quarters and the stern +bridge; nothing more: no iceberg on either side or astern as far as we +could see in the darkness. There were two or three men on deck, and +with one—the Scotch engineer who played hymns in the saloon—I +compared notes of our experiences. He had just begun to undress when +the engines stopped and had come up at once, so that he was fairly +well-clad; none of us could see anything, and all being quiet and +still, the Scotchman and I went down to the next deck. Through the +windows of the smoking-room we saw a game of cards going on, with +several onlookers, and went in to enquire if they knew more than we +did. They had apparently felt rather more of the heaving motion, but +so far as I remember, none of them had gone out on deck to make any +enquiries, even when one of them had seen through the windows an +iceberg go by towering above the decks. He had called their attention +to it, and they all watched it disappear, but had then at once resumed +the game. We asked them the height of the berg and some said one +hundred feet, others, sixty feet; one of the onlookers—a motor +engineer travelling to America with a model carburetter (he had filled +in his declaration form near me in the afternoon and had questioned +the library steward how he should declare his patent)—said, "Well, I +am accustomed to estimating distances and I put it at between eighty +and ninety feet." We accepted his estimate and made guesses as to what +had happened to the Titanic: the general impression was that we had +just scraped the iceberg with a glancing blow on the starboard side, +and they had stopped as a wise precaution, to examine her thoroughly +all over. "I expect the iceberg has scratched off some of her new +paint," said one, "and the captain doesn't like to go on until she is +painted up again." We laughed at his estimate of the captain's care +for the ship. Poor Captain Smith!—he knew by this time only too well +what had happened. +</p> + +<p> +One of the players, pointing to his glass of whiskey standing at his +elbow, and turning to an onlooker, said, "Just run along the deck and +see if any ice has come aboard: I would like some for this." Amid the +general laughter at what we thought was his imagination,—only too +realistic, alas! for when he spoke the forward deck was covered with +ice that had tumbled over,—and seeing that no more information was +forthcoming, I left the smoking-room and went down to my cabin, where +I sat for some time reading again. I am filled with sorrow to think I +never saw any of the occupants of that smoking-room again: nearly all +young men full of hope for their prospects in a new world; mostly +unmarried; keen, alert, with the makings of good citizens. Presently, +hearing people walking about the corridors, I looked out and saw +several standing in the hall talking to a steward—most of them ladies +in dressing-gowns; other people were going upstairs, and I decided to +go on deck again, but as it was too cold to do so in a dressing-gown, +I dressed in a Norfolk jacket and trousers and walked up. There were +now more people looking over the side and walking about, questioning +each other as to why we had stopped, but without obtaining any +definite information. I stayed on deck some minutes, walking about +vigorously to keep warm and occasionally looking downwards to the sea +as if something there would indicate the reason for delay. The ship +had now resumed her course, moving very slowly through the water with +a little white line of foam on each side. I think we were all glad to +see this: it seemed better than standing still. I soon decided to go +down again, and as I crossed from the starboard to the port side to go +down by the vestibule door, I saw an officer climb on the last +lifeboat on the port side—number 16—and begin to throw off the +cover, but I do not remember that any one paid any particular +attention to him. Certainly no one thought they were preparing to man +the lifeboats and embark from the ship. All this time there was no +apprehension of any danger in the minds of passengers, and no one was +in any condition of panic or hysteria; after all, it would have been +strange if they had been, without any definite evidence of danger. +</p> + +<p> +As I passed to the door to go down, I looked forward again and saw to +my surprise an undoubted tilt downwards from the stern to the bows: +only a slight slope, which I don't think any one had noticed,—at any +rate, they had not remarked on it. As I went downstairs a confirmation +of this tilting forward came in something unusual about the stairs, a +curious sense of something out of balance and of not being able to put +one's feet down in the right place: naturally, being tilted forward, +the stairs would slope downwards at an angle and tend to throw one +forward. I could not see any visible slope of the stairway: it was +perceptible only by the sense of balance at this time. +</p> + +<p> +On D deck were three ladies—I think they were all saved, and it is a +good thing at least to be able to chronicle meeting some one who was +saved after so much record of those who were not—standing in the +passage near the cabin. "Oh! why have we stopped?" they said. "We did +stop," I replied, "but we are now going on again.". "Oh, no," one +replied; "I cannot feel the engines as I usually do, or hear them. +Listen!" We listened, and there was no throb audible. Having noticed +that the vibration of the engines is most noticeable lying in a bath, +where the throb comes straight from the floor through its metal +sides—too much so ordinarily for one to put one's head back with +comfort on the bath,—I took them along the corridor to a bathroom and +made them put their hands on the side of the bath: they were much +reassured to feel the engines throbbing down below and to know we were +making some headway. I left them and on the way to my cabin passed +some stewards standing unconcernedly against the walls of the saloon: +one of them, the library steward again, was leaning over a table, +writing. It is no exaggeration to say that they had neither any +knowledge of the accident nor any feeling of alarm that we had stopped +and had not yet gone on again full speed: their whole attitude +expressed perfect confidence in the ship and officers. +</p> + +<p> +Turning into my gangway (my cabin being the first in the gangway), I +saw a man standing at the other end of it fastening his tie. "Anything +fresh?" he said. "Not much," I replied; "we are going ahead slowly and +she is down a little at the bows, but I don't think it is anything +serious." "Come in and look at this man," he laughed; "he won't get +up." I looked in, and in the top bunk lay a man with his back to me, +closely wrapped in his bed-clothes and only the back of his head +visible. "Why won't he get up? Is he asleep?" I said. "No," laughed +the man dressing, "he says—" But before he could finish the sentence +the man above grunted: "You don't catch me leaving a warm bed to go up +on that cold deck at midnight. I know better than that." We both told +him laughingly why he had better get up, but he was certain he was +just as safe there and all this dressing was quite unnecessary; so I +left them and went again to my cabin. I put on some underclothing, sat +on the sofa, and read for some ten minutes, when I heard through the +open door, above, the noise of people passing up and down, and a loud +shout from above: "All passengers on deck with lifebelts on." +</p> + +<p> +I placed the two books I was reading in the side pockets of my Norfolk +jacket, picked up my lifebelt (curiously enough, I had taken it down +for the first time that night from the wardrobe when I first retired +to my cabin) and my dressing-gown, and walked upstairs tying on the +lifebelt. As I came out of my cabin, I remember seeing the purser's +assistant, with his foot on the stairs about to climb them, whisper to +a steward and jerk his head significantly behind him; not that I +thought anything of it at the time, but I have no doubt he was telling +him what had happened up in the bows, and was giving him orders to +call all passengers. +</p> + +<p> +Going upstairs with other passengers,—no one ran a step or seemed +alarmed,—we met two ladies coming down: one seized me by the arm and +said, "Oh! I have no lifebelt; will you come down to my cabin and help +me to find it?" I returned with them to F deck,—the lady who had +addressed me holding my arm all the time in a vise-like grip, much to +my amusement,—and we found a steward in her gangway who took them in +and found their lifebelts. Coming upstairs again, I passed the +purser's window on F deck, and noticed a light inside; when halfway up +to E deck, I heard the heavy metallic clang of the safe door, followed +by a hasty step retreating along the corridor towards the first-class +quarters. I have little doubt it was the purser, who had taken all +valuables from his safe and was transferring them to the charge of the +first-class purser, in the hope they might all be saved in one +package. That is why I said above that perhaps the envelope containing +my money was not in the safe at the bottom of the sea: it is probably +in a bundle, with many others like it, waterlogged at the bottom. +</p> + +<p> +Reaching the top deck, we found many people assembled there,—some +fully dressed, with coats and wraps, well-prepared for anything that +might happen; others who had thrown wraps hastily round them when they +were called or heard the summons to equip themselves with +lifebelts—not in much condition to face the cold of that night. +Fortunately there was no wind to beat the cold air through our +clothing: even the breeze caused by the ship's motion had died +entirely away, for the engines had stopped again and the Titanic lay +peacefully on the surface of the sea—motionless, quiet, not even +rocking to the roll of the sea; indeed, as we were to discover +presently, the sea was as calm as an inland lake save for the gentle +swell which could impart no motion to a ship the size of the Titanic. +To stand on the deck many feet above the water lapping idly against +her sides, and looking much farther off than it really was because of +the darkness, gave one a sense of wonderful security: to feel her so +steady and still was like standing on a large rock in the middle of +the ocean. But there were now more evidences of the coming catastrophe +to the observer than had been apparent when on deck last: one was the +roar and hiss of escaping steam from the boilers, issuing out of a +large steam pipe reaching high up one of the funnels: a harsh, +deafening boom that made conversation difficult and no doubt increased +the apprehension of some people merely because of the volume of noise: +if one imagines twenty locomotives blowing off steam in a low key it +would give some idea of the unpleasant sound that met us as we climbed +out on the top deck. +</p> + +<p> +But after all it was the kind of phenomenon we ought to expect: +engines blow off steam when standing in a station, and why should not +a ship's boilers do the same when the ship is not moving? I never +heard any one connect this noise with the danger of boiler explosion, +in the event of the ship sinking with her boilers under a high +pressure of steam, which was no doubt the true explanation of this +precaution. But this is perhaps speculation; some people may have +known it quite well, for from the time we came on deck until boat 13 +got away, I heard very little conversation of any kind among the +passengers. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that no signs +of alarm were exhibited by any one: there was no indication of panic +or hysteria; no cries of fear, and no running to and fro to discover +what was the matter, why we had been summoned on deck with lifebelts, +and what was to be done with us now we were there. We stood there +quietly looking on at the work of the crew as they manned the +lifeboats, and no one ventured to interfere with them or offered to +help them. It was plain we should be of no use; and the crowd of men +and women stood quietly on the deck or paced slowly up and down +waiting for orders from the officers. Now, before we consider any +further the events that followed, the state of mind of passengers at +this juncture, and the motives which led each one to act as he or she +did in the circumstances, it is important to keep in thought the +amount of information at our disposal. Men and women act according to +judgment based on knowledge of the conditions around them, and the +best way to understand some apparently inconceivable things that +happened is for any one to imagine himself or herself standing on deck +that night. It seems a mystery to some people that women refused to +leave the ship, that some persons retired to their cabins, and so on; +but it is a matter of judgment, after all. +</p> + +<p> +So that if the reader will come and stand with the crowd on deck, he +must first rid himself entirely of the knowledge that the Titanic has +sunk—an important necessity, for he cannot see conditions as they +existed there through the mental haze arising from knowledge of the +greatest maritime tragedy the world has known: he must get rid of any +foreknowledge of disaster to appreciate why people acted as they did. +Secondly, he had better get rid of any picture in thought painted +either by his own imagination or by some artist, whether pictorial or +verbal, "from information supplied." Some are most inaccurate (these, +mostly word-pictures), and where they err, they err on the highly +dramatic side. They need not have done so: the whole conditions were +dramatic enough in all their bare simplicity, without the addition of +any high colouring. +</p> + +<p> +Having made these mental erasures, he will find himself as one of the +crowd faced with the following conditions: a perfectly still +atmosphere; a brilliantly beautiful starlight night, but no moon, and +so with little light that was of any use; a ship that had come quietly +to rest without any indication of disaster—no iceberg visible, no +hole in the ship's side through which water was pouring in, nothing +broken or out of place, no sound of alarm, no panic, no movement of +any one except at a walking pace; the absence of any knowledge of the +nature of the accident, of the extent of damage, of the danger of the +ship sinking in a few hours, of the numbers of boats, rafts, and other +lifesaving appliances available, their capacity, what other ships were +near or coming to help—in fact, an almost complete absence of any +positive knowledge on any point. I think this was the result of +deliberate judgment on the part of the officers, and perhaps, it was +the best thing that could be done. In particular, he must remember +that the ship was a sixth of a mile long, with passengers on three +decks open to the sea, and port and starboard sides to each deck: he +will then get some idea of the difficulty presented to the officers of +keeping control over such a large area, and the impossibility of any +one knowing what was happening except in his own immediate vicinity. +Perhaps the whole thing can be summed up best by saying that, after we +had embarked in the lifeboats and rowed away from the Titanic, it +would not have surprised us to hear that all passengers would be +saved: the cries of drowning people after the Titanic gave the final +plunge were a thunderbolt to us. I am aware that the experiences of +many of those saved differed in some respects from the above: some had +knowledge of certain things, some were experienced travellers and +sailors, and therefore deduced more rapidly what was likely to happen; +but I think the above gives a fairly accurate representation of the +state of mind of most of those on deck that night. +</p> + +<p> +All this time people were pouring up from the stairs and adding to the +crowd: I remember at that moment thinking it would be well to return +to my cabin and rescue some money and warmer clothing if we were to +embark in boats, but looking through the vestibule windows and seeing +people still coming upstairs, I decided it would only cause confusion +passing them on the stairs, and so remained on deck. +</p> + +<p> +I was now on the starboard side of the top boat deck; the time about +12.20. We watched the crew at work on the lifeboats, numbers 9, 11, +13, 15, some inside arranging the oars, some coiling ropes on the +deck,—the ropes which ran through the pulleys to lower to the +sea,—others with cranks fitted to the rocking arms of the davits. As +we watched, the cranks were turned, the davits swung outwards until +the boats hung clear of the edge of the deck. Just then an officer +came along from the first-class deck and shouted above the noise of +escaping steam, "All women and children get down to deck below and all +men stand back from the boats." He had apparently been off duty when +the ship struck, and was lightly dressed, with a white muffler twisted +hastily round his neck. The men fell back and the women retired below +to get into the boats from the next deck. Two women refused at first +to leave their husbands, but partly by persuasion and partly by force +they were separated from them and sent down to the next deck. I think +that by this time the work on the lifeboats and the separation of men +and women impressed on us slowly the presence of imminent danger, but +it made no difference in the attitude of the crowd: they were just as +prepared to obey orders and to do what came next as when they first +came on deck. I do not mean that they actually reasoned it out: they +were the average Teutonic crowd, with an inborn respect for law and +order and for traditions bequeathed to them by generations of +ancestors: the reasons that made them act as they did were impersonal, +instinctive, hereditary. +</p> + +<p> +But if there were any one who had not by now realized that the ship +was in danger, all doubt on this point was to be set at rest in a +dramatic manner. Suddenly a rush of light from the forward deck, a +hissing roar that made us all turn from watching the boats, and a +rocket leapt upwards to where the stars blinked and twinkled above us. +Up it went, higher and higher, with a sea of faces upturned to watch +it, and then an explosion that seemed to split the silent night in +two, and a shower of stars sank slowly down and went out one by one. +And with a gasping sigh one word escaped the lips of the crowd: +"Rockets!" Anybody knows what rockets at sea mean. And presently +another, and then a third. It is no use denying the dramatic intensity +of the scene: separate it if you can from all the terrible events that +followed, and picture the calmness of the night, the sudden light on +the decks crowded with people in different stages of dress and +undress, the background of huge funnels and tapering masts revealed by +the soaring rocket, whose flash illumined at the same time the faces +and minds of the obedient crowd, the one with mere physical light, the +other with a sudden revelation of what its message was. Every one knew +without being told that we were calling for help from any one who was +near enough to see. +</p> + +<p> +The crew were now in the boats, the sailors standing by the pulley +ropes let them slip through the cleats in jerks, and down the boats +went till level with B deck; women and children climbed over the rail +into the boats and filled them; when full, they were lowered one by +one, beginning with number 9, the first on the second-class deck, and +working backwards towards 15. All this we could see by peering over +the edge of the boat-deck, which was now quite open to the sea, the +four boats which formed a natural barrier being lowered from the deck +and leaving it exposed. +</p> + +<p> +About this time, while walking the deck, I saw two ladies come over +from the port side and walk towards the rail separating the +second-class from the first-class deck. There stood an officer barring +the way. "May we pass to the boats?" they said. "No, madam," he +replied politely, "your boats are down on your own deck," pointing to +where they swung below. The ladies turned and went towards the +stairway, and no doubt were able to enter one of the boats: they had +ample time. I mention this to show that there was, at any rate, some +arrangement—whether official or not—for separating the classes in +embarking in boats; how far it was carried out, I do not know, but if +the second-class ladies were not expected to enter a boat from the +first-class deck, while steerage passengers were allowed access to the +second-class deck, it would seem to press rather hardly on the +second-class men, and this is rather supported by the low percentage +saved. +</p> + +<p> +Almost immediately after this incident, a report went round among men +on the top deck—the starboard side—that men were to be taken off on +the port side; how it originated, I am quite unable to say, but can +only suppose that as the port boats, numbers 10 to 16, were not +lowered from the top deck quite so soon as the starboard boats (they +could still be seen on deck), it might be assumed that women were +being taken off on one side and men on the other; but in whatever way +the report started, it was acted on at once by almost all the men, who +crowded across to the port side and watched the preparation for +lowering the boats, leaving the starboard side almost deserted. Two or +three men remained, However: not for any reason that we were +consciously aware of; I can personally think of no decision arising +from reasoned thought that induced me to remain rather than to cross +over. But while there was no process of conscious reason at work, I am +convinced that what was my salvation was a recognition of the +necessity of being quiet and waiting in patience for some opportunity +of safety to present itself. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after the men had left the starboard side, I saw a bandsman—the +'cellist—come round the vestibule corner from the staircase entrance +and run down the now deserted starboard deck, his 'cello trailing +behind him, the spike dragging along the floor. This must have been +about 12.40 A.M. I suppose the band must have begun to play soon after +this and gone on until after 2 A.M. Many brave things were done that +night, but none more brave than by those few men playing minute after +minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea and the +sea rose higher and higher to where they stood; the music they played +serving alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be +recorded on the rolls of undying fame. +</p> + +<p> +Looking forward and downward, we could see several of the boats now in +the water, moving slowly one by one from the side, without confusion +or noise, and stealing away in the darkness which swallowed them in +turn as the crew bent to the oars. An officer—I think First Officer +Murdock—came striding along the deck, clad in a long coat, from his +manner and face evidently in great agitation, but determined and +resolute; he looked over the side and shouted to the boats being +lowered: "Lower away, and when afloat, row around to the gangway and +wait for orders." "Aye, aye, sir," was the reply; and the officer +passed by and went across the ship to the port side. +</p> + +<p> +Almost immediately after this, I heard a cry from below of, "Any more +ladies?" and looking over the edge of the deck, saw boat 13 swinging +level with the rail of B deck, with the crew, some stokers, a few men +passengers and the rest ladies,—the latter being about half the total +number; the boat was almost full and just about to be lowered. The +call for ladies was repeated twice again, but apparently there were +none to be found. Just then one of the crew looked up and saw me +looking over. "Any ladies on your deck?" he said. "No," I replied. +"Then you had better jump." I sat on the edge of the deck with my feet +over, threw the dressing-gown (which I had carried on my arm all of +the time) into the boat, dropped, and fell in the boat near the stern. +</p> + +<p> +As I picked myself up, I heard a shout: "Wait a moment, here are two +more ladies," and they were pushed hurriedly over the side and tumbled +into the boat, one into the middle and one next to me in the stern. +They told me afterwards that they had been assembled on a lower deck +with other ladies, and had come up to B deck not by the usual stairway +inside, but by one of the vertically upright iron ladders that connect +each deck with the one below it, meant for the use of sailors passing +about the ship. Other ladies had been in front of them and got up +quickly, but these two were delayed a long time by the fact that one +of them—the one that was helped first over the side into boat 13 near +the middle—was not at all active: it seemed almost impossible for her +to climb up a vertical ladder. We saw her trying to climb the swinging +rope ladder up the Carpathia's side a few hours later, and she had the +same difficulty. +</p> + +<p> +As they tumbled in, the crew shouted, "Lower away"; but before the +order was obeyed, a man with his wife and a baby came quickly to the +side: the baby was handed to the lady in the stern, the mother got in +near the middle and the father at the last moment dropped in as the +boat began its journey down to the sea many feet below. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap04"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER IV +</h3> + +<h3> +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT +</h3> + +<p> +Looking back now on the descent of our boat down the ship's side, it +is a matter of surprise, I think, to all the occupants to remember how +little they thought of it at the time. It was a great adventure, +certainly: it was exciting to feel the boat sink by jerks, foot by +foot, as the ropes were paid out from above and shrieked as they +passed through the pulley blocks, the new ropes and gear creaking +under the strain of a boat laden with people, and the crew calling to +the sailors above as the boat tilted slightly, now at one end, now at +the other, "Lower aft!" "Lower stern!" and "Lower together!" as she +came level again—but I do not think we felt much apprehension about +reaching the water safely. It certainly was thrilling to see the black +hull of the ship on one side and the sea, seventy feet below, on the +other, or to pass down by cabins and saloons brilliantly lighted; but +we knew nothing of the apprehension felt in the minds of some of the +officers whether the boats and lowering-gear would stand the strain of +the weight of our sixty people. The ropes, however, were new and +strong, and the boat did not buckle in the middle as an older boat +might have done. Whether it was right or not to lower boats full of +people to the water,—and it seems likely it was not,—I think there +can be nothing but the highest praise given to the officers and crew +above for the way in which they lowered the boats one after the other +safely to the water; it may seem a simple matter, to read about such a +thing, but any sailor knows, apparently, that it is not so. An +experienced officer has told me that he has seen a boat lowered in +practice from a ship's deck, with a trained crew and no passengers in +the boat, with practised sailors paying out the ropes, in daylight, in +calm weather, with the ship lying in dock—and has seen the boat tilt +over and pitch the crew headlong into the sea. Contrast these +conditions with those obtaining that Monday morning at 12.45 A.M., and +it is impossible not to feel that, whether the lowering crew were +trained or not, whether they had or had not drilled since coming on +board, they did their duty in a way that argues the greatest +efficiency. I cannot help feeling the deepest gratitude to the two +sailors who stood at the ropes above and lowered us to the sea: I do +not suppose they were saved. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps one explanation of our feeling little sense of the unusual in +leaving the Titanic in this way was that it seemed the climax to a +series of extraordinary occurrences: the magnitude of the whole thing +dwarfed events that in the ordinary way would seem to be full of +imminent peril. It is easy to imagine it,—a voyage of four days on a +calm sea, without a single untoward incident; the presumption, perhaps +already mentally half realized, that we should be ashore in +forty-eight hours and so complete a splendid voyage,—and then to feel +the engine stop, to be summoned on deck with little time to dress, to +tie on a lifebelt, to see rockets shooting aloft in call for help, to +be told to get into a lifeboat,—after all these things, it did not +seem much to feel the boat sinking down to the sea: it was the natural +sequence of previous events, and we had learned in the last hour to +take things just as they came. At the same time, if any one should +wonder what the sensation is like, it is quite easy to measure +seventy-five feet from the windows of a tall house or a block of +flats, look down to the ground and fancy himself with some sixty other +people crowded into a boat so tightly that he could not sit down or +move about, and then picture the boat sinking down in a continuous +series of jerks, as the sailors pay out the ropes through cleats +above. There are more pleasant sensations than this! How thankful we +were that the sea was calm and the Titanic lay so steadily and quietly +as we dropped down her side. We were spared the bumping and grinding +against the side which so often accompanies the launching of boats: I +do not remember that we even had to fend off our boat while we were +trying to get free. +</p> + +<p> +As we went down, one of the crew shouted, "We are just over the +condenser exhaust: we don't want to stay in that long or we shall be +swamped; feel down on the floor and be ready to pull up the pin which +lets the ropes free as soon as we are afloat." I had often looked over +the side and noticed this stream of water coming out of the side of +the Titanic just above the water-line: in fact so large was the volume +of water that as we ploughed along and met the waves coming towards +us, this stream would cause a splash that sent spray flying. We felt, +as well as we could in the crowd of people, on the floor, along the +sides, with no idea where the pin could be found,—and none of the +crew knew where it was, only of its existence somewhere,—but we never +found it. And all the time we got closer to the sea and the exhaust +roared nearer and nearer—until finally we floated with the ropes +still holding us from above, the exhaust washing us away and the force +of the tide driving us back against the side,—the latter not of much +account in influencing the direction, however. Thinking over what +followed, I imagine we must have touched the water with the condenser +stream at our bows, and not in the middle as I thought at one time: at +any rate, the resultant of these three forces was that we were carried +parallel to the ship, directly under the place where boat 15 would +drop from her davits into the sea. Looking up we saw her already +coming down rapidly from B deck: she must have filled almost +immediately after ours. We shouted up, "Stop lowering 14," [Footnote: +In an account which appeared in the newspapers of April 19 I have +described this boat as 14, not knowing they were numbered +alternately.] and the crew and passengers in the boat above, hearing +us shout and seeing our position immediately below them, shouted the +same to the sailors on the boat deck; but apparently they did not +hear, for she dropped down foot by foot,—twenty feet, fifteen, +ten,—and a stoker and I in the bows reached up and touched her bottom +swinging above our heads, trying to push away our boat from under her. +It seemed now as if nothing could prevent her dropping on us, but at +this moment another stoker sprang with his knife to the ropes that +still held us and I heard him shout, "One! Two!" as he cut them +through. The next moment we had swung away from underneath 15, and +were clear of her as she dropped into the water in the space we had +just before occupied. I do not know how the bow ropes were freed, but +imagine that they were cut in the same way, for we were washed clear +of the Titanic at once by the force of the stream and floated away as +the oars were got out. +</p> + +<p> +I think we all felt that that was quite the most exciting thing we had +yet been through, and a great sigh of relief and gratitude went up as +we swung away from the boat above our heads; but I heard no one cry +aloud during the experience—not a woman's voice was raised in fear or +hysteria. I think we all learnt many things that night about the bogey +called "fear," and how the facing of it is much less than the dread of +it. +</p> + +<p> +The crew was made up of cooks and stewards, mostly the former, I +think; their white jackets showing up in the darkness as they pulled +away, two to an oar: I do not think they can have had any practice in +rowing, for all night long their oars crossed and clashed; if our +safety had depended on speed or accuracy in keeping time it would have +gone hard with us. Shouting began from one end of the boat to the +other as to what we should do, where we should go, and no one seemed +to have any knowledge how to act. At last we asked, "Who is in charge +of this boat?" but there was no reply. We then agreed by general +consent that the stoker who stood in the stern with the tiller should +act as captain, and from that time he directed the course, shouting to +other boats and keeping in touch with them. Not that there was +anywhere to go or anything we could do. Our plan of action was simple: +to keep all the boats together as far as possible and wait until we +were picked up by other liners. The crew had apparently heard of the +wireless communications before they left the Titanic, but I never +heard them say that we were in touch with any boat but the Olympic: it +was always the Olympic that was coming to our rescue. They thought +they knew even her distance, and making a calculation, we came to the +conclusion that we ought to be picked up by her about two o'clock in +the afternoon. But this was not our only hope of rescue: we watched +all the time the darkness lasted for steamers' lights, thinking there +might be a chance of other steamers coming near enough to see the +lights which some of our boats carried. I am sure there was no feeling +in the minds of any one that we should not be picked up next day: we +knew that wireless messages would go out from ship to ship, and as one +of the stokers said: "The sea will be covered with ships to-morrow +afternoon: they will race up from all over the sea to find us." Some +even thought that fast torpedo boats might run up ahead of the +Olympic. And yet the Olympic was, after all, the farthest away of them +all; eight other ships lay within three hundred miles of us. +</p> + +<p> +How thankful we should have been to know how near help was, and how +many ships had heard our message and were rushing to the Titanic's +aid. I think nothing has surprised us more than to learn so many ships +were near enough to rescue us in a few hours. Almost immediately after +leaving the Titanic we saw what we all said was a ship's lights down +on the horizon on the Titanic's port side: two lights, one above the +other, and plainly not one of our boats; we even rowed in that +direction for some time, but the lights drew away and disappeared +below the horizon. +</p> + +<p> +But this is rather anticipating: we did none of these things first. We +had no eyes for anything but the ship we had just left. As the oarsmen +pulled slowly away we all turned and took a long look at the mighty +vessel towering high above our midget boat, and I know it must have +been the most extraordinary sight I shall ever be called upon to +witness; I realize now how totally inadequate language is to convey to +some other person who was not there any real impression of what we +saw. +</p> + +<p> +But the task must be attempted: the whole picture is so intensely +dramatic that, while it is not possible to place on paper for eyes to +see the actual likeness of the ship as she lay there, some sketch of +the scene will be possible. First of all, the climatic conditions were +extraordinary. The night was one of the most beautiful I have ever +seen: the sky without a single cloud to mar the perfect brilliance of +the stars, clustered so thickly together that in places there seemed +almost more dazzling points of light set in the black sky than +background of sky itself; and each star seemed, in the keen +atmosphere, free from any haze, to have increased its brilliance +tenfold and to twinkle and glitter with a staccato flash that made the +sky seem nothing but a setting made for them in which to display their +wonder. They seemed so near, and their light so much more intense than +ever before, that fancy suggested they saw this beautiful ship in dire +distress below and all their energies had awakened to flash messages +across the black dome of the sky to each other; telling and warning of +the calamity happening in the world beneath. Later, when the Titanic +had gone down and we lay still on the sea waiting for the day to dawn +or a ship to come, I remember looking up at the perfect sky and +realizing why Shakespeare wrote the beautiful words he puts in the +mouth of Lorenzo:— +</p> + +<p><br /></p> + +<p class="poem"> + "Jessica, look how the floor of heaven<br /> + Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold.<br /> + There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st<br /> + But in his motion like an angel sings,<br /> + Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims;<br /> + Such harmony is in immortal souls;<br /> + But whilst this muddy vesture of decay<br /> + Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it."<br /> +</p> + +<p><br /></p> + +<p> +But it seemed almost as if we could—that night: the stars seemed +really to be alive and to talk. The complete absence of haze produced +a phenomenon I had never seen before: where the sky met the sea the +line was as clear and definite as the edge of a knife, so that the +water and the air never merged gradually into each other and blended +to a softened rounded horizon, but each element was so exclusively +separate that where a star came low down in the sky near the clear-cut +edge of the waterline, it still lost none of its brilliance. As the +earth revolved and the water edge came up and covered partially the +star, as it were, it simply cut the star in two, the upper half +continuing to sparkle as long as it was not entirely hidden, and +throwing a long beam of light along the sea to us. +</p> + +<p> +In the evidence before the United States Senate Committee the captain +of one of the ships near us that night said the stars were so +extraordinarily bright near the horizon that he was deceived into +thinking that they were ships' lights: he did not remember seeing such +a night before. Those who were afloat will all agree with that +statement: <i>we</i> were often deceived into thinking they were +lights of a ship. +</p> + +<p> +And next the cold air! Here again was something quite new to us: there +was not a breath of wind to blow keenly round us as we stood in the +boat, and because of its continued persistence to make us feel cold; +it was just a keen, bitter, icy, motionless cold that came from +nowhere and yet was there all the time; the stillness of it—if one +can imagine "cold" being motionless and still—was what seemed new and +strange. +</p> + +<p> +And these—the sky and the air—were overhead; and below was the sea. +Here again something uncommon: the surface was like a lake of oil, +heaving gently up and down with a quiet motion that rocked our boat +dreamily to and fro. We did not need to keep her head to the swell: +often I watched her lying broadside on to the tide, and with a boat +loaded as we were, this would have been impossible with anything like +a swell. The sea slipped away smoothly under the boat, and I think we +never heard it lapping on the sides, so oily in appearance was the +water. So when one of the stokers said he had been to sea for +twenty-six years and never yet seen such a calm night, we accepted it +as true without comment. Just as expressive was the remark of +another—"It reminds me of a bloomin' picnic!" It was quite true; it +did: a picnic on a lake, or a quiet inland river like the Cam, or a +backwater on the Thames. +</p> + +<p> +And so in these conditions of sky and air and sea, we gazed broadside +on the Titanic from a short distance. She was absolutely still—indeed +from the first it seemed as if the blow from the iceberg had taken all +the courage out of her and she had just come quietly to rest and was +settling down without an effort to save herself, without a murmur of +protest against such a foul blow. For the sea could not rock her: the +wind was not there to howl noisily round the decks, and make the ropes +hum; from the first what must have impressed all as they watched was +the sense of stillness about her and the slow, insensible way she sank +lower and lower in the sea, like a stricken animal. +</p> + +<p> +The mere bulk alone of the ship viewed from the sea below was an +awe-inspiring sight. Imagine a ship nearly a sixth of a mile long, 75 +feet high to the top decks, with four enormous funnels above the +decks, and masts again high above the funnels; with her hundreds of +portholes, all her saloons and other rooms brilliant with light, and +all round her, little boats filled with those who until a few hours +before had trod her decks and read in her libraries and listened to +the music of her band in happy content; and who were now looking up in +amazement at the enormous mass above them and rowing away from her +because she was sinking. +</p> + +<p> +I had often wanted to see her from some distance away, and only a few +hours before, in conversation at lunch with a fellow-passenger, had +registered a vow to get a proper view of her lines and dimensions when +we landed at New York: to stand some distance away to take in a full +view of her beautiful proportions, which the narrow approach to the +dock at Southampton made impossible. Little did I think that the +opportunity was to be found so quickly and so dramatically. The +background, too, was a different one from what I had planned for her: +the black outline of her profile against the sky was bordered all +round by stars studded in the sky, and all her funnels and masts were +picked out in the same way: her bulk was seen where the stars were +blotted out. And one other thing was different from expectation: the +thing that ripped away from us instantly, as we saw it, all sense of +the beauty of the night, the beauty of the ship's lines, and the +beauty of her lights,—and all these taken in themselves were +intensely beautiful,—that thing was the awful angle made by the level +of the sea with the rows of porthole lights along her side in dotted +lines, row above row. The sea level and the rows of lights should have +been parallel—should never have met—and now they met at an angle +inside the black hull of the ship. There was nothing else to indicate +she was injured; nothing but this apparent violation of a simple +geometrical law—that parallel lines should "never meet even if +produced ever so far both ways"; but it meant the Titanic had sunk by +the head until the lowest portholes in the bows were under the sea, +and the portholes in the stern were lifted above the normal height. We +rowed away from her in the quietness of the night, hoping and praying +with all our hearts that she would sink no more and the day would find +her still in the same position as she was then. The crew, however, did +not think so. It has been said frequently that the officers and crew +felt assured that she would remain afloat even after they knew the +extent of the damage. Some of them may have done so—and perhaps, from +their scientific knowledge of her construction, with more reason at +the time than those who said she would sink—but at any rate the +stokers in our boat had no such illusion. One of them—I think he was +the same man that cut us free from the pulley ropes—told us how he +was at work in the stoke-hole, and in anticipation of going off duty +in quarter of an hour,—thus confirming the time of the collision as +11.45,—had near him a pan of soup keeping hot on some part of the +machinery; suddenly the whole side of the compartment came in, and the +water rushed him off his feet. Picking himself up, he sprang for the +compartment doorway and was just through the aperture when the +watertight door came down behind him, "like a knife," as he said; +"they work them from the bridge." He had gone up on deck but was +ordered down again at once and with others was told to draw the fires +from under the boiler, which they did, and were then at liberty to +come on deck again. It seems that this particular knot of stokers must +have known almost as soon as any one of the extent of injury. He added +mournfully, "I could do with that hot soup now"—and indeed he could: +he was clad at the time of the collision, he said, in trousers and +singlet, both very thin on account of the intense heat in the +stoke-hole; and although he had added a short jacket later, his teeth +were chattering with the cold. He found a place to lie down underneath +the tiller on the little platform where our captain stood, and there +he lay all night with a coat belonging to another stoker thrown over +him and I think he must have been almost unconscious. A lady next to +him, who was warmly clad with several coats, tried to insist on his +having one of hers—a fur-lined one—thrown over him, but he +absolutely refused while some of the women were insufficiently clad; +and so the coat was given to an Irish girl with pretty auburn hair +standing near, leaning against the gunwale—with an "outside berth" +and so more exposed to the cold air. This same lady was able to +distribute more of her wraps to the passengers, a rug to one, a fur +boa to another; and she has related with amusement that at the moment +of climbing up the Carpathia's side, those to whom these articles had +been lent offered them all back to her; but as, like the rest of us, +she was encumbered with a lifebelt, she had to say she would receive +them back at the end of the climb, I had not seen my dressing-gown +since I dropped into the boat, but some time in the night a steerage +passenger found it on the floor and put it on. +</p> + +<p> +It is not easy at this time to call to mind who were in the boat, +because in the night it was not possible to see more than a few feet +away, and when dawn came we had eyes only for the rescue ship and the +icebergs; but so far as my memory serves the list was as follows: no +first-class passengers; three women, one baby, two men from the second +cabin; and the other passengers steerage—mostly women; a total of +about 35 passengers. The rest, about 25 (and possibly more), were crew +and stokers. Near to me all night was a group of three Swedish girls, +warmly clad, standing close together to keep warm, and very silent; +indeed there was very little talking at any time. +</p> + +<p> +One conversation took place that is, I think, worth repeating: one +more proof that the world after all is a small place. The ten months' +old baby which was handed down at the last moment was received by a +lady next to me—the same who shared her wraps and coats. The mother +had found a place in the middle and was too tightly packed to come +through to the child, and so it slept contentedly for about an hour in +a stranger's arms; it then began to cry and the temporary nurse said: +"Will you feel down and see if the baby's feet are out of the blanket! +I don't know much about babies but I think their feet must be kept +warm." Wriggling down as well as I could, I found its toes exposed to +the air and wrapped them well up, when it ceased crying at once: it +was evidently a successful diagnosis! Having recognized the lady by +her voice,—it was much too dark to see faces,—as one of my vis-à-vis +at the purser's table, I said,—"Surely you are Miss ——?" "Yes," +she replied, "and you must be Mr. Beesley; how curious we should find +ourselves in the same boat!" Remembering that she had joined the boat +at Queenstown, I said, "Do you know Clonmel? a letter from a great +friend of mine who is staying there at —— [giving the address] came +aboard at Queenstown." "Yes, it is my home: and I was dining +at —— just before I came away." It seemed that she knew my friend, +too; and we agreed that of all places in the world to recognize mutual +friends, a crowded lifeboat afloat in mid-ocean at 2 A.M. twelve +hundred miles from our destination was one of the most unexpected. +</p> + +<p> +And all the time, as we watched, the Titanic sank lower and lower by +the head and the angle became wider and wider as the stern porthole +lights lifted and the bow lights sank, and it was evident she was not +to stay afloat much longer. The captain-stoker now told the oarsmen to +row away as hard as they could. Two reasons seemed to make this a wise +decision: one that as she sank she would create such a wave of suction +that boats, if not sucked under by being too near, would be in danger +of being swamped by the wave her sinking would create—and we all knew +our boat was in no condition to ride big waves, crowded as it was and +manned with untrained oarsmen. The second was that an explosion might +result from the water getting to the boilers, and dèbris might fall +within a wide radius. And yet, as it turned out, neither of these +things happened. +</p> + +<p> +At about 2.15 A.M. I think we were any distance from a mile to two +miles away. It is difficult for a landsman to calculate distance at +sea but we had been afloat an hour and a half, the boat was heavily +loaded, the oarsmen unskilled, and our course erratic: following now +one light and now another, sometimes a star and sometimes a light from +a port lifeboat which had turned away from the Titanic in the opposite +direction and lay almost on our horizon; and so we could not have gone +very far away. +</p> + +<p> +About this time, the water had crept up almost to her sidelight and +the captain's bridge, and it seemed a question only of minutes before +she sank. The oarsmen lay on their oars, and all in the lifeboat were +motionless as we watched her in absolute silence—save some who would +not look and buried their heads on each others' shoulders. The lights +still shone with the same brilliance, but not so many of them: many +were now below the surface. I have often wondered since whether they +continued to light up the cabins when the portholes were under water; +they may have done so. +</p> + +<p> +And then, as we gazed awe-struck, she tilted slowly up, revolving +apparently about a centre of gravity just astern of amidships, until +she attained a vertically upright position; and there she +remained—motionless! As she swung up, her lights, which had shone +without a flicker all night, went out suddenly, came on again for a +single flash, then went out altogether. And as they did so, there came +a noise which many people, wrongly I think, have described as an +explosion; it has always seemed to me that it was nothing but the +engines and machinery coming loose from their bolts and bearings, and +falling through the compartments, smashing everything in their way. It +was partly a roar, partly a groan, partly a rattle, and partly a +smash, and it was not a sudden roar as an explosion would be: it went +on successively for some seconds, possibly fifteen to twenty, as the +heavy machinery dropped down to the bottom (now the bows) of the ship: +I suppose it fell through the end and sank first, before the ship. But +it was a noise no one had heard before, and no one wishes to hear +again: it was stupefying, stupendous, as it came to us along the +water. It was as if all the heavy things one could think of had been +thrown downstairs from the top of a house, smashing each other and the +stairs and everything in the way. Several apparently authentic +accounts have been given, in which definite stories of explosions have +been related—in some cases even with wreckage blown up and the ship +broken in two; but I think such accounts will not stand close +analysis. In the first place the fires had been withdrawn and the +steam allowed to escape some time before she sank, and the possibility +of explosion from this cause seems very remote. Then, as just related, +the noise was not sudden and definite, but prolonged—more like the +roll and crash of thunder. The probability of the noise being caused +by engines falling down will be seen by referring to Figure 2, page +116, where the engines are placed in compartments 3, 4, and 5. As the +Titanic tilted up they would almost certainly fall loose from their +bed and plunge down through the other compartments. +</p> + +<p> +No phenomenon like that pictured in some American and English papers +occurred—that of the ship breaking in two, and the two ends being +raised above the surface. I saw these drawings in preparation on board +the Carpathia, and said at the time that they bore no resemblance to +what actually happened. +</p> + +<p> +When the noise was over the Titanic was still upright like a column: +we could see her now only as the stern and some 150 feet of her stood +outlined against the star-specked sky, looming black in the darkness, +and in this position she continued for some minutes—I think as much +as five minutes, but it may have been less. Then, first sinking back a +little at the stern, I thought, she slid slowly forwards through the +water and dived slantingly down; the sea closed over her and we had +seen the last of the beautiful ship on which we had embarked four days +before at Southampton. +</p> + +<p> +And in place of the ship on which all our interest had been +concentrated for so long and towards which we looked most of the time +because it was still the only object on the sea which was a fixed +point to us—in place of the Titanic, we had the level sea now +stretching in an unbroken expanse to the horizon: heaving gently just +as before, with no indication on the surface that the waves had just +closed over the most wonderful vessel ever built by man's hand; the +stars looked down just the same and the air was just as bitterly cold. +</p> + +<p> +There seemed a great sense of loneliness when we were left on the sea +in a small boat without the Titanic: not that we were uncomfortable +(except for the cold) nor in danger: we did not think we were either, +but the Titanic was no longer there. +</p> + +<p> +We waited head on for the wave which we thought might come—the wave +we had heard so much of from the crew and which they said had been +known to travel for miles—and it never came. But although the Titanic +left us no such legacy of a wave as she went to the bottom, she left +us something we would willingly forget forever, something which it is +well not to let the imagination dwell on—the cries of many hundreds +of our fellow-passengers struggling in the ice-cold water. +</p> + +<p> +I would willingly omit any further mention of this part of the +disaster from this book, but for two reasons it is not possible—first, +that as a matter of history it should be put on record; +and secondly, that these cries were not only an appeal for +help in the awful conditions of danger in which the drowning +found themselves,—an appeal that could never be answered,—but +an appeal to the whole world to make such conditions of +danger and hopelessness impossible ever again; a cry that called +to the heavens for the very injustice of its own existence; a cry +that clamoured for its own destruction. +</p> + +<p> +We were utterly surprised to hear this cry go up as the waves closed +over the Titanic: we had heard no sound of any kind from her since we +left her side; and, as mentioned before, we did not know how many +boats she had or how many rafts. The crew may have known, but they +probably did not, and if they did, they never told the passengers; we +should not have been surprised to know all were safe on some +life-saving device. +</p> + +<p> +So that unprepared as we were for such a thing, the cries of the +drowning floating across the quiet sea filled us with stupefaction: we +longed to return and rescue at least some of the drowning, but we knew +it was impossible. The boat was filled to standing-room, and to return +would mean the swamping of us all, and so the captain-stoker told his +crew to row away from the cries. We tried to sing to keep all from +thinking of them; but there was no heart for singing in the boat at +that time. +</p> + +<p> +The cries, which were loud and numerous at first, died away gradually +one by one, but the night was clear, frosty and still, the water +smooth, and the sounds must have carried on its level surface free +from any obstruction for miles, certainly much farther from the ship +than we were situated. I think the last of them must have been heard +nearly forty minutes after the Titanic sank. Lifebelts would keep the +survivors afloat for hours; but the cold water was what stopped the +cries. +</p> + +<p> +There must have come to all those safe in the lifeboats, scattered +round the drowning at various distances, a deep resolve that, if +anything could be done by them in the future to prevent the repetition +of such sounds, they would do it—at whatever cost of time or other +things. And not only to them are those cries an imperative call, but +to every man and woman who has known of them. It is not possible that +ever again can such conditions exist; but it is a duty imperative on +one and all to see that they do not. Think of it! a few more boats, a +few more planks of wood nailed together in a particular way at a +trifling cost, and all those men and women whom the world can so ill +afford to lose would be with us to-day, there would be no mourning in +thousands of homes which now are desolate, and these words need not +have been written. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap05"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER V +</h3> + +<h3> +THE RESCUE +</h3> + +<p> +All accounts agree that the Titanic sunk about 2:20 A.M.: a watch in +our boat gave the time as 2:30 A.M. shortly afterwards. We were then +in touch with three other boats: one was 15, on our starboard quarter, +and the others I have always supposed were 9 and 11, but I do not know +definitely. We never got into close touch with each other, but called +occasionally across the darkness and saw them looming near and then +drawing away again; we called to ask if any officer were aboard the +other three, but did not find one. So in the absence of any plan of +action, we rowed slowly forward—or what we thought was forward, for +it was in the direction the Titanic's bows were pointing before she +sank. I see now that we must have been pointing northwest, for we +presently saw the Northern Lights on the starboard, and again, when +the Carpathia came up from the south, we saw her from behind us on the +southeast, and turned our boat around to get to her. I imagine the +boats must have spread themselves over the ocean fanwise as they +escaped from the Titanic: those on the starboard and port sides +forward being almost dead ahead of her and the stern boats being +broadside from her; this explains why the port boats were so much +longer in reaching the Carpathia—as late as 8.30 A.M.—while some of +the starboard boats came up as early as 4.10 A.M. Some of the port +boats had to row across the place where the Titanic sank to get to the +Carpathia, through the debris of chairs and wreckage of all kinds. +</p> + +<p> +None of the other three boats near us had a light—and we missed +lights badly: we could not see each other in the darkness; we could +not signal to ships which might be rushing up full speed from any +quarter to the Titanic's rescue; and now we had been through so much +it would seem hard to have to encounter the additional danger of being +in the line of a rescuing ship. We felt again for the lantern beneath +our feet, along the sides, and I managed this time to get down to the +locker below the tiller platform and open it in front by removing a +board, to find nothing but the zinc airtank which renders the boat +unsinkable when upset. I do not think there was a light in the boat. +We felt also for food and water, and found none, and came to the +conclusion that none had been put in; but here we were mistaken. I +have a letter from Second Officer Lightoller in which he assures me +that he and Fourth Officer Pitman examined every lifeboat from the +Titanic as they lay on the Carpathia's deck afterwards and found +biscuits and water in each. Not that we wanted any food or water then: +we thought of the time that might elapse before the Olympic picked us +up in the afternoon. +</p> + +<p> +Towards 3 A.M. we saw a faint glow in the sky ahead on the starboard +quarter, the first gleams, we thought, of the coming dawn. We were not +certain of the time and were eager perhaps to accept too readily any +relief from darkness—only too glad to be able to look each other in +the face and see who were our companions in good fortune; to be free +from the hazard of lying in a steamer's track, invisible in the +darkness. But we were doomed to disappointment: the soft light +increased for a time, and died away a little; glowed again, and then +remained stationary for some minutes! "The Northern Lights"! It +suddenly came to me, and so it was: presently the light arched fanwise +across the northern sky, with faint streamers reaching towards the +Pole-star. I had seen them of about the same intensity in England some +years ago and knew them again. A sigh of disappointment went through +the boat as we realized that the day was not yet; but had we known it, +something more comforting even than the day was in store for us. All +night long we had watched the horizon with eager eyes for signs of a +steamer's lights; we heard from the captain-stoker that the first +appearance would be a single light on the horizon, the masthead light, +followed shortly by a second one, lower down, on the deck; if these +two remained in vertical alignment and the distance between them +increased as the lights drew nearer, we might be certain it was a +steamer. But what a night to see that first light on the horizon! We +saw it many times as the earth revolved, and some stars rose on the +clear horizon and others sank down to it: there were "lights" on every +quarter. Some we watched and followed until we saw the deception and +grew wiser; some were lights from those of our boats that were +fortunate enough to have lanterns, but these were generally easily +detected, as they rose and fell in the near distance. Once they raised +our hopes, only to sink them to zero again. Near what seemed to be the +horizon on the port quarter we saw two lights close together, and +thought this must be our double light; but as we gazed across the +miles that separated us, the lights slowly drew apart and we realized +that they were two boats' lanterns at different distances from us, in +line, one behind the other. They were probably the forward port boats +that had to return so many miles next morning across the Titanic's +graveyard. +</p> + +<p> +But notwithstanding these hopes and disappointments, the absence of +lights, food and water (as we thought), and the bitter cold, it would +not be correct to say we were unhappy in those early morning hours: +the cold that settled down on us like a garment that wraps close +around was the only real discomfort, and that we could keep at bay by +not thinking too much about it as well as by vigorous friction and +gentle stamping on the floor (it made too much noise to stamp hard!). +I never heard that any one in boat B had any after effects from the +cold—even the stoker who was so thinly clad came through without +harm. After all, there were many things to be thankful for: so many +that they made insignificant the temporary inconvenience of the cold, +the crowded boat, the darkness and the hundred and one things that in +the ordinary way we might regard as unpleasant. The quiet sea, the +beautiful night (how different from two nights later when flashes of +lightning and peals of thunder broke the sleep of many on board the +Carpathia!), and above all the fact of being in a boat at all when so +many of our fellow-passengers and crew—whose cries no longer moaned +across the water to us—were silent in the water. Gratitude was the +dominant note in our feelings then. But grateful as we were, our +gratitude was soon to be increased a hundred fold. About 3:30 A.M., as +nearly as I can judge, some one in the bow called our attention to a +faint far-away gleam in the southeast. We all turned quickly to look +and there it was certainly: streaming up from behind the horizon like +a distant flash of a warship's searchlight; then a faint boom like +guns afar off, and the light died away again. The stoker who had lain +all night under the tiller sat up suddenly as if from a dream, the +overcoat hanging from his shoulders. I can see him now, staring out +across the sea, to where the sound had come from, and hear him shout, +"That was a cannon!" But it was not: it was the Carpathia's rocket, +though we did not know it until later. But we did know now that +something was not far away, racing up to our help and signalling to us +a preliminary message to cheer our hearts until she arrived. +</p> + +<p> +With every sense alert, eyes gazing intently at the horizon and ears +open for the least sound, we waited in absolute silence in the quiet +night. And then, creeping over the edge of the sea where the flash had +been, we saw a single light, and presently a second below it, and in a +few minutes they were well above the horizon and they remained in +line! But we had been deceived before, and we waited a little longer +before we allowed ourselves to say we were safe. The lights came up +rapidly: so rapidly it seemed only a few minutes (though it must have +been longer) between first seeing them and finding them well above the +horizon and bearing down rapidly on us. We did not know what sort of a +vessel was coming, but we knew she was coming quickly, and we searched +for paper, rags,—anything that would burn (we were quite prepared to +burn our coats if necessary). A hasty paper torch was twisted out of +letters found in some one's pocket, lighted, and held aloft by the +stoker standing on the tiller platform. The little light shone in +flickers on the faces of the occupants of the boat, ran in broken +lines for a few yards along the black oily sea (where for the first +time I saw the presence of that awful thing which had caused the whole +terrible disaster—ice—in little chunks the size of one's fist, +bobbing harmlessly up and down), and spluttered away to blackness +again as the stoker threw the burning remnants of paper overboard. But +had we known it, the danger of being run down was already over, one +reason being that the Carpathia had already seen the lifeboat which +all night long had shown a green light, the first indication the +Carpathia had of our position. But the real reason is to be found in +the Carpathia's log:—"Went full speed ahead during the night; stopped +at 4 A.M. with an iceberg dead ahead." It was a good reason. +</p> + +<p> +With our torch burnt and in darkness again we saw the headlights stop, +and realized that the rescuer had hove to. A sigh of relief went up +when we thought no hurried scramble had to be made to get out of her +way, with a chance of just being missed by her, and having to meet the +wash of her screws as she tore by us. We waited and she slowly swung +round and revealed herself to us as a large steamer with all her +portholes alight. I think the way those lights came slowly into view +was one of the most wonderful things we shall ever see. It meant +deliverance at once: that was the amazing thing to us all. We had +thought of the afternoon as our time of rescue, and here only a few +hours after the Titanic sank, before it was yet light, we were to be +taken aboard. It seemed almost too good to be true, and I think +everyone's eyes filled with tears, men's as well as women's, as they +saw again the rows of lights one above the other shining kindly to +them across the water, and "Thank God!" was murmured in heartfelt +tones round the boat. The boat swung round and the crew began their +long row to the steamer; the captain called for a song and led off +with "Pull for the shore, boys." The crew took it up quaveringly and +the passengers joined in, but I think one verse was all they sang. It +was too early yet, gratitude was too deep and sudden in its +overwhelming intensity, for us to sing very steadily. Presently, +finding the song had not gone very well, we tried a cheer, and that +went better. It was more easy to relieve our feelings with a noise, +and time and tune were not necessary ingredients in a cheer. +</p> + +<p> +In the midst of our thankfulness for deliverance, one name was +mentioned with the deepest feeling of gratitude: that of Marconi. I +wish that he had been there to hear the chorus of gratitude that went +out to him for the wonderful invention that spared us many hours, and +perhaps many days, of wandering about the sea in hunger and storm and +cold. Perhaps our gratitude was sufficiently intense and vivid to +"Marconi" some of it to him that night. +</p> + +<p> +All around we saw boats making for the Carpathia and heard their +shouts and cheers. Our crew rowed hard in friendly rivalry with other +boats to be among the first home, but we must have been eighth or +ninth at the side. We had a heavy load aboard, and had to row round a +huge iceberg on the way. +</p> + +<p> +And then, as if to make everything complete for our happiness, came +the dawn. First a beautiful, quiet shimmer away in the east, then a +soft golden glow that crept up stealthily from behind the sky-line as +if it were trying not to be noticed as it stole over the sea and +spread itself quietly in every direction—so quietly, as if to make us +believe it had been there all the time and we had not observed it. +Then the sky turned faintly pink and in the distance the thinnest, +fleeciest clouds stretched in thin bands across the horizon and close +down to it, becoming every moment more and more pink. And next the +stars died, slowly,—save one which remained long after the others +just above the horizon; and near by, with the crescent turned to the +north, and the lower horn just touching the horizon, the thinnest, +palest of moons. +</p> + +<p> +And with the dawn came a faint breeze from the west, the first breath +of wind we had felt since the Titanic stopped her engines. +Anticipating a few hours,—as the day drew on to 8 A.M., the time the +last boats came up,—this breeze increased to a fresh wind which +whipped up the sea, so that the last boat laden with people had an +anxious time in the choppy waves before they reached the Carpathia. An +officer remarked that one of the boats could not have stayed afloat +another hour: the wind had held off just long enough. +</p> + +<p> +The captain shouted along our boat to the crew, as they strained at +the oars,—two pulling and an extra one facing them and pushing to try +to keep pace with the other boats,—"A new moon! Turn your money over, +boys! That is, if you have any!" We laughed at him for the quaint +superstition at such a time, and it was good to laugh again, but he +showed his disbelief in another superstition when he added, "Well, I +shall never say again that 13 is an unlucky number. Boat 13 is the +best friend we ever had." +</p> + +<p> +If there had been among us—and it is almost certain that there were, +so fast does superstition cling—those who feared events connected +with the number thirteen, I am certain they agreed with him, and never +again will they attach any importance to such a foolish belief. +Perhaps the belief itself will receive a shock when it is remembered +that boat 13 of the Titanic brought away a full load from the sinking +vessel, carried them in such comfort all night that they had not even +a drop of water on them, and landed them safely at the Carpathia's +side, where they climbed aboard without a single mishap. It almost +tempts one to be the thirteenth at table, or to choose a house +numbered 13 fearless of any croaking about flying in the face of what +is humorously called "Providence." +</p> + +<p> +Looking towards the Carpathia in the faint light, we saw what seemed +to be two large fully rigged sailing ships near the horizon, with all +sails set, standing up near her, and we decided that they must be +fishing vessels off the Banks of Newfoundland which had seen the +Carpathia stop and were waiting to see if she wanted help of any kind. +But in a few minutes more the light shone on them and they stood +revealed as huge icebergs, peaked in a way that readily suggested a +ship. When the sun rose higher, it turned them pink, and sinister as +they looked towering like rugged white peaks of rock out of the sea, +and terrible as was the disaster one of them had caused, there was an +awful beauty about them which could not be overlooked. Later, when the +sun came above the horizon, they sparkled and glittered in its rays; +deadly white, like frozen snow rather than translucent ice. +</p> + +<p> +As the dawn crept towards us there lay another almost directly in the +line between our boat and the Carpathia, and a few minutes later, +another on her port quarter, and more again on the southern and +western horizons, as far as the eye could reach: all differing in +shape and size and tones of colour according as the sun shone through +them or was reflected directly or obliquely from them. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +[Illustration: THE CARPATHIA] +</p> + +<p> +We drew near our rescuer and presently could discern the bands on her +funnel, by which the crew could tell she was a Cunarder; and already +some boats were at her side and passengers climbing up her ladders. We +had to give the iceberg a wide berth and make a détour to the south: +we knew it was sunk a long way below the surface with such things as +projecting ledges—not that it was very likely there was one so near +the surface as to endanger our small boat, but we were not inclined to +take any risks for the sake of a few more minutes when safety lay so +near. +</p> + +<p> +Once clear of the berg, we could read the Cunarder's name—C A R P A T +H I A—a name we are not likely ever to forget. We shall see her +sometimes, perhaps, in the shipping lists,—as I have done already +once when she left Genoa on her return voyage,—and the way her lights +climbed up over the horizon in the darkness, the way she swung and +showed her lighted portholes, and the moment when we read her name on +her side will all come back in a flash; we shall live again the scene +of rescue, and feel the same thrill of gratitude for all she brought +us that night. +</p> + +<p> +We rowed up to her about 4.30, and sheltering on the port side from +the swell, held on by two ropes at the stern and bow. Women went up +the side first, climbing rope ladders with a noose round their +shoulders to help their ascent; men passengers scrambled next, and the +crew last of all. The baby went up in a bag with the opening tied up: +it had been quite well all the time, and never suffered any ill +effects from its cold journey in the night. We set foot on deck with +very thankful hearts, grateful beyond the possibility of adequate +expression to feel a solid ship beneath us once more. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap06"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER VI +</h3> + +<h3> +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM HER DECK +</h3> + +<p> +The two preceding chapters have been to a large extent the narrative +of a single eyewitness and an account of the escape of one boat only +from the Titanic's side. It will be well now to return to the Titanic +and reconstruct a more general and complete account from the +experiences of many people in different parts of the ship. A +considerable part of these experiences was related to the writer first +hand by survivors, both on board the Carpathia and at other times, but +some are derived from other sources which are probably as accurate as +first-hand information. Other reports, which seemed at first sight to +have been founded on the testimony of eyewitnesses, have been found on +examination to have passed through several hands, and have therefore +been rejected. The testimony even of eye-witnesses has in some cases +been excluded when it seemed not to agree with direct evidence of a +number of other witnesses or with what reasoned judgment considered +probable in the circumstances. In this category are the reports of +explosions before the Titanic sank, the breaking of the ship in two +parts, the suicide of officers. It would be well to notice here that +the Titanic was in her correct course, the southerly one, and in the +position which prudence dictates as a safe one under the ordinary +conditions at that time of the year: to be strictly accurate she was +sixteen miles south of the regular summer route which all companies +follow from January to August. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps the real history of the disaster should commence with the +afternoon of Sunday, when Marconigrams were received by the Titanic +from the ships ahead of her, warning her of the existence of icebergs. +In connection with this must be taken the marked fall of temperature +observed by everyone in the afternoon and evening of this day as well +as the very low temperature of the water. These have generally been +taken to indicate that without any possibility of doubt we were near +an iceberg region, and the severest condemnation has been poured on +the heads of the officers and captain for not having regard to these +climatic conditions; but here caution is necessary. There can be +little doubt now that the low temperature observed can be traced to +the icebergs and ice-field subsequently encountered, but experienced +sailors are aware that it might have been observed without any +icebergs being near. The cold Labrador current sweeps down by +Newfoundland across the track of Atlantic liners, but does not +necessarily carry icebergs with it; cold winds blow from Greenland and +Labrador and not always from icebergs and ice-fields. So that falls in +temperature of sea and air are not prima facie evidence of the close +proximity of icebergs. On the other hand, a single iceberg separated +by many miles from its fellows might sink a ship, but certainly would +not cause a drop in temperature either of the air or water. Then, as +the Labrador current meets the warm Gulf Stream flowing from the Gulf +of Mexico across to Europe, they do not necessarily intermingle, nor +do they always run side by side or one on top of the other, but often +interlaced, like the fingers of two hands. As a ship sails across this +region the thermometer will record within a few miles temperatures of +34°, 58°, 35°, 59°, and so on. +</p> + +<p> +It is little wonder then that sailors become accustomed to place +little reliance on temperature conditions as a means of estimating the +probabilities of encountering ice in their track. An experienced +sailor has told me that nothing is more difficult to diagnose than the +presence of icebergs, and a strong confirmation of this is found in +the official sailing directions issued by the Hydrographic Department +of the British Admiralty. "No reliance can be placed on any warning +being conveyed to the mariner, by a fall in temperature, either of sea +or air, of approaching ice. Some decrease in temperature has +occasionally been recorded, but more often none has been observed." +</p> + +<p> +But notification by Marconigram of the exact location of icebergs is a +vastly different matter. I remember with deep feeling the effect this +information had on us when it first became generally known on board +the Carpathia. Rumours of it went round on Wednesday morning, grew to +definite statements in the afternoon, and were confirmed when one of +the Titanic officers admitted the truth of it in reply to a direct +question. I shall never forget the overwhelming sense of hopelessness +that came over some of us as we obtained definite knowledge of the +warning messages. It was not then the unavoidable accident we had +hitherto supposed: the sudden plunging into a region crowded with +icebergs which no seaman, however skilled a navigator he might be, +could have avoided! The beautiful Titanic wounded too deeply to +recover, the cries of the drowning still ringing in our ears and the +thousands of homes that mourned all these calamities—none of all +these things need ever have been! +</p> + +<p> +It is no exaggeration to say that men who went through all the +experiences of the collision and the rescue and the subsequent scenes +on the quay at New York with hardly a tremor, were quite overcome by +this knowledge and turned away, unable to speak; I for one, did so, +and I know others who told me they were similarly affected. +</p> + +<p> +I think we all came to modify our opinions on this matter, however, +when we learnt more of the general conditions attending trans-Atlantic +steamship services. The discussion as to who was responsible for these +warnings being disregarded had perhaps better be postponed to a later +chapter. One of these warnings was handed to Mr. Ismay by Captain +Smith at 5 P.M. and returned at the latter's request at 7 P.M., that +it might be posted for the information of officers; as a result of the +messages they were instructed to keep a special lookout for ice. This, +Second Officer Lightoller did until he was relieved at 10 P.M. by +First Officer Murdock, to whom he handed on the instructions. During +Mr. Lightoller's watch, about 9 P.M., the captain had joined him on +the bridge and discussed "the time we should be getting up towards the +vicinity of the ice, and how we should recognize it if we should see +it, and refreshing our minds on the indications that ice gives when it +is in the vicinity." Apparently, too, the officers had discussed among +themselves the proximity of ice and Mr. Lightoller had remarked that +they would be approaching the position where ice had been reported +during his watch. The lookouts were cautioned similarly, but no ice +was sighted until a few minutes before the collision, when the lookout +man saw the iceberg and rang the bell three times, the usual signal +from the crow's nest when anything is seen dead-ahead. +</p> + +<p> +By telephone he reported to the bridge the presence of an iceberg, but +Mr. Murdock had already ordered Quartermaster Hichens at the wheel to +starboard the helm, and the vessel began to swing away from the berg. +But it was far too late at the speed she was going to hope to steer +the huge Titanic, over a sixth of a mile long, out of reach of danger. +Even if the iceberg had been visible half a mile away it is doubtful +whether some portion of her tremendous length would not have been +touched, and it is in the highest degree unlikely that the lookout +could have seen the berg half a mile away in the conditions that +existed that night, even with glasses. The very smoothness of the +water made the presence of ice a more difficult matter to detect. In +ordinary conditions the dash of the waves against the foot of an +iceberg surrounds it with a circle of white foam visible for some +distance, long before the iceberg itself; but here was an oily sea +sweeping smoothly round the deadly monster and causing no indication +of its presence. +</p> + +<p> +There is little doubt, moreover, that the crow's nest is not a good +place from which to detect icebergs. It is proverbial that they adopt +to a large extent the colour of their surroundings; and seen from +above at a high angle, with the black, foam-free sea behind, the +iceberg must have been almost invisible until the Titanic was close +upon it. I was much struck by a remark of Sir Ernest Shackleton on his +method of detecting icebergs—to place a lookout man as low down near +the water-line as he could get him. Remembering how we had watched the +Titanic with all her lights out, standing upright like "an enormous +black finger," as one observer stated, and had only seen her thus +because she loomed black against the sky behind her, I saw at once how +much better the sky was than the black sea to show up an iceberg's +bulk. And so in a few moments the Titanic had run obliquely on the +berg, and with a shock that was astonishingly slight—so slight that +many passengers never noticed it—the submerged portion of the berg +had cut her open on the starboard side in the most vulnerable portion +of her anatomy—the bilge. [Footnote: See Figure 4, page 50.] The most +authentic accounts say that the wound began at about the location of +the foremast and extended far back to the stern, the brunt of the blow +being taken by the forward plates, which were either punctured through +both bottoms directly by the blow, or through one skin only, and as +this was torn away it ripped out some of the inner plates. The fact +that she went down by the head shows that probably only the forward +plates were doubly punctured, the stern ones being cut open through +the outer skin only. After the collision, Murdock had at once reversed +the engines and brought the ship to a standstill, but the iceberg had +floated away astern. The shock, though little felt by the enormous +mass of the ship, was sufficient to dislodge a large quantity of ice +from the berg: the forecastle deck was found to be covered with pieces +of ice. +</p> + +<p> +Feeling the shock, Captain Smith rushed out of his cabin to the +bridge, and in reply to his anxious enquiry was told by Murdock that +ice had been struck and the emergency doors instantly closed. The +officers roused by the collision went on deck: some to the bridge; +others, while hearing nothing of the extent of the damage, saw no +necessity for doing so. Captain Smith at once sent the carpenter below +to sound the ship, and Fourth Officer Boxhall to the steerage to +report damage. The latter found there a very dangerous condition of +things and reported to Captain Smith, who then sent him to the +mail-room; and here again, it was easy to see, matters looked very +serious. Mail-bags were floating about and the water rising rapidly. +All this was reported to the captain, who ordered the lifeboats to be +got ready at once. Mr. Boxhall went to the chartroom to work out the +ship's position, which he then handed to the Marconi operators for +transmission to any ship near enough to help in the work of rescue. +</p> + +<p> +Reports of the damage done were by this time coming to the captain +from many quarters, from the chief engineer, from the designer,—Mr. +Andrews,—and in a dramatic way from the sudden appearance on deck of +a swarm of stokers who had rushed up from below as the water poured +into the boiler-rooms and coal-bunkers: they were immediately ordered +down below to duty again. Realizing the urgent heed of help, he went +personally to the Marconi room and gave orders to the operators to get +into touch with all the ships they could and to tell them to come +quickly. The assistant operator Bride had been asleep, and knew of the +damage only when Phillips, in charge of the Marconi room, told him ice +had been encountered. They started to send out the well-known "C.Q.D." +message,—which interpreted means: C.Q. "all stations attend," and D, +"distress," the position of the vessel in latitude and longitude +following. Later, they sent out "S.O.S.," an arbitrary message agreed +upon as an international code-signal. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after the vessel struck, Mr. Ismay had learnt of the nature of +the accident from the captain and chief engineer, and after dressing +and going on deck had spoken to some of the officers not yet +thoroughly acquainted with the grave injury done to the vessel. By +this time all those in any way connected with the management and +navigation must have known the importance of making use of all the +ways of safety known to them—and that without any delay. That they +thought at first that the Titanic would sink as soon as she did is +doubtful; but probably as the reports came in they knew that her +ultimate loss in a few hours was a likely contingency. On the other +hand, there is evidence that some of the officers in charge of boats +quite expected the embarkation was a precautionary measure and they +would all return after daylight. Certainly the first information that +ice had been struck conveyed to those in charge no sense of the +gravity of the circumstances: one officer even retired to his cabin +and another advised a steward to go back to his berth as there was no +danger. +</p> + +<p> +And so the order was sent round, "All passengers on deck with +lifebelts on"; and in obedience to this a crowd of hastily dressed or +partially dressed people began to assemble on the decks belonging to +their respective classes (except the steerage passengers who were +allowed access to other decks), tying on lifebelts over their +clothing. In some parts of the ship women were separated from the men +and assembled together near the boats, in others men and women mingled +freely together, husbands helping their own wives and families and +then other women and children into the boats. The officers spread +themselves about the decks, superintending the work of lowering and +loading the boats, and in three cases were ordered by their superior +officers to take charge of them. At this stage great difficulty was +experienced in getting women to leave the ship, especially where the +order was so rigorously enforced, "Women and children only." Women in +many cases refused to leave their husbands, and were actually forcibly +lifted up and dropped in the boats. They argued with the officers, +demanding reasons, and in some cases even when induced to get in were +disposed to think the whole thing a joke, or a precaution which it +seemed to them rather foolish to take. In this they were encouraged by +the men left behind, who, in the same condition of ignorance, said +good-bye to their friends as they went down, adding that they would +see them again at breakfast-time. To illustrate further how little +danger was apprehended—when it was discovered on the first-class deck +that the forward lower deck was covered with small ice, snowballing +matches were arranged for the following morning, and some passengers +even went down to the deck and brought back small pieces of ice which +were handed round. +</p> + +<p> +Below decks too was additional evidence that no one thought of +immediate danger. Two ladies walking along one of the corridors came +across a group of people gathered round a door which they were trying +vainly to open, and on the other side of which a man was demanding in +loud terms to be let out. Either his door was locked and the key not +to be found, or the collision had jammed the lock and prevented the +key from turning. The ladies thought he must be afflicted in some way +to make such a noise, but one of the men was assuring him that in no +circumstances should he be left, and that his (the bystander's) son +would be along soon and would smash down his door if it was not opened +in the mean time. "He has a stronger arm than I have," he added. The +son arrived presently and proceeded to make short work of the door: it +was smashed in and the inmate released, to his great satisfaction and +with many expressions of gratitude to his rescuer. But one of the head +stewards who came up at this juncture was so incensed at the damage +done to the property of his company, and so little aware of the +infinitely greater damage done the ship, that he warned the man who +had released the prisoner that he would be arrested on arrival in New +York. +</p> + +<p> +It must be borne in mind that no general warning had been issued to +passengers: here and there were experienced travellers to whom +collision with an iceberg was sufficient to cause them to make every +preparation for leaving the ship, but the great majority were never +enlightened as to the amount of damage done, or even as to what had +happened. We knew in a vague way that we had collided with an iceberg, +but there our knowledge ended, and most of us drew no deductions from +that fact alone. Another factor that prevented some from taking to the +boats was the drop to the water below and the journey into the unknown +sea: certainly it looked a tremendous way down in the darkness, the +sea and the night both seemed very cold and lonely; and here was the +ship, so firm and well lighted and warm. +</p> + +<p> +But perhaps what made so many people declare their decision to remain +was their strong belief in the theory of the Titanic's unsinkable +construction. Again and again was it repeated, "This ship cannot sink; +it is only a question of waiting until another ship comes up and takes +us off." Husbands expected to follow their wives and join them either +in New York or by transfer in mid-ocean from steamer to steamer. Many +passengers relate that they were told by officers that the ship was a +lifeboat and could not go down; one lady affirms that the captain told +her the Titanic could not sink for two or three days; no doubt this +was immediately after the collision. +</p> + +<p> +It is not any wonder, then, that many elected to remain, deliberately +choosing the deck of the Titanic to a place in a lifeboat. And yet the +boats had to go down, and so at first they went half-full: this is the +real explanation of why they were not as fully loaded as the later +ones. It is important then to consider the question how far the +captain was justified in withholding all the knowledge he had from +every passenger. From one point of view he should have said to them, +"This ship will sink in a few hours: there are the boats, and only +women and children can go to them." But had he the authority to +enforce such an order? There are such things as panics and rushes +which get beyond the control of a handful of officers, even if armed, +and where even the bravest of men get swept off their feet—mentally +as well as physically. +</p> + +<p> +On the other hand, if he decided to withhold all definite knowledge of +danger from all passengers and at the same time persuade—and if it +was not sufficient, compel—women and children to take to the boats, +it might result in their all being saved. He could not foresee the +tenacity of their faith in the boat: there is ample evidence that he +left the bridge when the ship had come to rest and went among +passengers urging them to get into the boat and rigorously excluding +all but women and children. Some would not go. Officer Lowe testified +that he shouted, "Who's next for the boat?" and could get no replies. +The boats even were sent away half-loaded,—although the fear of their +buckling in the middle was responsible as well for this,—but the +captain with the few boats at his disposal could hardly do more than +persuade and advise in the terrible circumstances in which he was +placed. +</p> + +<p> +How appalling to think that with a few more boats—and the ship was +provided with that particular kind of davit that would launch more +boats—there would have been no decision of that kind to make! It +could have been stated plainly: "This ship will sink in a few hours: +there is room in the boats for all passengers, beginning with women +and children." +</p> + +<p> +Poor Captain Smith! I care not whether the responsibility for such +speed in iceberg regions will rest on his shoulders or not: no man +ever had to make such a choice as he had that night, and it seems +difficult to see how he can be blamed for withholding from passengers +such information as he had of the danger that was imminent. +</p> + +<p> +When one reads in the Press that lifeboats arrived at the Carpathia +half full, it seems at first sight a dreadful thing that this should +have been allowed to happen; but it is so easy to make these +criticisms afterwards, so easy to say that Captain Smith should have +told everyone of the condition of the vessel. He was faced with many +conditions that night which such criticism overlooks. Let any +fair-minded person consider some few of the problems presented to +him—the ship was bound to sink in a few hours; there was lifeboat +accommodation for all women and children and some men; there was no +way of getting some women to go except by telling them the ship was +doomed, a course he deemed it best not to take; and he knew the danger +of boats buckling when loaded full. His solution of these problems was +apparently the following:—to send the boats down half full, with such +women as would go, and to tell the boats to stand by to pick up more +passengers passed down from the cargo ports. There is good evidence +that this was part of the plan: I heard an officer give the order to +four boats and a lady in number 4 boat on the port side tells me the +sailors were so long looking for the port where the captain personally +had told them to wait, that they were in danger of being sucked under +by the vessel. How far any systematic attempt was made to stand by the +ports, I do not know: I never saw one open or any boat standing near +on the starboard side; but then, boats 9 to 15 went down full, and on +reaching the sea rowed away at once. There is good evidence, then, +that Captain Smith fully intended to load the boats full in this way. +The failure to carry out the intention is one of the things the whole +world regrets, but consider again the great size of the ship and the +short time to make decisions, and the omission is more easily +understood. The fact is that such a contingency as lowering away boats +was not even considered beforehand, and there is much cause for +gratitude that as many as seven hundred and five people were rescued. +The whole question of a captain's duties seems to require revision. It +was totally impossible for any one man to attempt to control the ship +that night, and the weather conditions could not well have been more +favourable for doing so. One of the reforms that seem inevitable is +that one man shall be responsible for the boats, their manning, +loading and lowering, leaving the captain free to be on the bridge to +the last moment. +</p> + +<p> +But to return for a time to the means taken to attract the notice of +other ships. The wireless operators were now in touch with several +ships, and calling to them to come quickly for the water was pouring +in and the Titanic beginning to go down by the head. Bride testified +that the first reply received was from a German boat, the Frankfurt, +which was: "All right: stand by," but not giving her position. From +comparison of the strength of signals received from the Frankfurt and +from other boats, the operators estimated the Frankfurt was the +nearest; but subsequent events proved that this was not so. She was, +in fact, one hundred and forty miles away and arrived at 10.50 A.M. +next morning, when the Carpathia had left with the rescued. The next +reply was from the Carpathia, fifty-eight miles away on the outbound +route to the Mediterranean, and it was a prompt and welcome +one—"Coming hard," followed by the position. Then followed the +Olympic, and with her they talked for some time, but she was five +hundred and sixty miles away on the southern route, too far to be of +any immediate help. At the speed of 23 knots she would expect to be up +about 1 P.M. next day, and this was about the time that those in boat +13 had calculated. We had always assumed in the boat that the stokers +who gave this information had it from one of the officers before they +left; but in the absence of any knowledge of the much nearer ship, the +Carpathia, it is more probable that they knew in a general way where +the sister ship, the Olympic, should be, and had made a rough +calculation. +</p> + +<p> +Other ships in touch by wireless were the Mount Temple, fifty miles; +the Birma, one hundred miles; the Parisian, one hundred and fifty +miles; the Virginian, one hundred and fifty miles; and the Baltic, +three hundred miles. But closer than any of these—closer even than +the Carpathia—were two ships: the Californian, less than twenty miles +away, with the wireless operator off duty and unable to catch the +"C.Q.D." signal which was now making the air for many miles around +quiver in its appeal for help—immediate, urgent help—for the +hundreds of people who stood on the Titanic's deck. +</p> + +<p> +The second vessel was a small steamer some few miles ahead on the port +side, without any wireless apparatus, her name and destination still +unknown; and yet the evidence for her presence that night seems too +strong to be disregarded. Mr. Boxhall states that he and Captain Smith +saw her quite plainly some five miles away, and could distinguish the +mast-head lights and a red port light. They at once hailed her with +rockets and Morse electric signals, to which Boxhall saw no reply, but +Captain Smith and stewards affirmed they did. The second and third +officers saw the signals sent and her lights, the latter from the +lifeboat of which he was in charge. Seaman Hopkins testified that he +was told by the captain to row for the light; and we in boat 13 +certainly saw it in the same position and rowed towards it for some +time. But notwithstanding all the efforts made to attract its +attention, it drew slowly away and the lights sank below the horizon. +</p> + +<p> +The pity of it! So near, and so many people waiting for the shelter +its decks could have given so easily. It seems impossible to think +that this ship ever replied to the signals: those who said so must +have been mistaken. The United State Senate Committee in its report +does not hesitate to say that this unknown steamer and the Californian +are identical, and that the failure on the part of the latter to come +to the help of the Titanic is culpable negligence. There is undoubted +evidence that some of the crew on the Californian saw our rockets; but +it seems impossible to believe that the captain and officers knew of +our distress and deliberately ignored it. Judgment on the matter had +better be suspended until further information is forthcoming. An +engineer who has served in the trans-Atlantic service tells me that it +is a common practice for small boats to leave the fishing smacks to +which they belong and row away for miles; sometimes even being lost +and wandering about among icebergs, and even not being found again. In +these circumstances, rockets are part of a fishing smack's equipment, +and are sent up to indicate to the small boats how to return. Is it +conceivable that the Californian thought our rockets were such +signals, and therefore paid no attention to them? +</p> + +<p> +Incidentally, this engineer did not hesitate to add that it is +doubtful if a big liner would stop to help a small fishing-boat +sending off distress signals, or even would turn about to help one +which she herself had cut down as it lay in her path without a light. +He was strong in his affirmation that such things were commonly known +to all officers in the trans-Atlantic service. +</p> + +<p> +With regard to the other vessels in wireless communication, the Mount +Temple was the only one near enough from the point of distance to have +arrived in time to be of help, but between her and the Titanic lay the +enormous ice-floe, and icebergs were near her in addition. +</p> + +<p> +The seven ships which caught the message started at once to her help +but were all stopped on the way (except the Birma) by the Carpathia's +wireless announcing the fate of the Titanic and the people aboard her. +The message must have affected the captains of these ships very +deeply: they would understand far better than the travelling public +what it meant to lose such a beautiful ship on her first voyage. +</p> + +<p> +The only thing now left to be done was to get the lifeboats away as +quickly as possible, and to this task the other officers were in the +meantime devoting all their endeavours. Mr. Lightoller sent away boat +after boat: in one he had put twenty-four women and children, in +another thirty, in another thirty-five; and then, running short of +seamen to man the boats he sent Major Peuchen, an expert yachtsman, in +the next, to help with its navigation. By the time these had been +filled, he had difficulty in finding women for the fifth and sixth +boats for the reasons already stated. All this time the passengers +remained—to use his own expression—"as quiet as if in church." To +man and supervise the loading of six boats must have taken him nearly +up to the time of the Titanic's sinking, taking an average of some +twenty minutes to a boat. Still at work to the end, he remained on the +ship till she sank and went down with her. His evidence before the +United States Committee was as follows: "Did you leave the ship?" "No, +sir." "Did the ship leave you?" "Yes, sir." +</p> + +<p> +It was a piece of work well and cleanly done, and his escape from the +ship, one of the most wonderful of all, seems almost a reward for his +devotion to duty. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Smith, Officers Wilde and Murdock were similarly engaged in +other parts of the ship, urging women to get in the boats, in some +cases directing junior officers to go down in some of them,—Officers +Pitman, Boxhall, and Lowe were sent in this way,—in others placing +members of the crew in charge. As the boats were lowered, orders were +shouted to them where to make for: some were told to stand by and wait +for further instructions, others to row for the light of the +disappearing steamer. +</p> + +<p> +It is a pitiful thing to recall the effects of sending down the first +boats half full. In some cases men in the company of their wives had +actually taken seats in the boats—young men, married only a few weeks +and on their wedding trip—and had done so only because no more women +could then be found; but the strict interpretation by the particular +officer in charge there of the rule of "Women and children only," +compelled them to get out again. Some of these boats were lowered and +reached the Carpathia with many vacant seats. The anguish of the young +wives in such circumstances can only be imagined. In other parts of +the ship, however, a different interpretation was placed on the rule, +and men were allowed and even invited by officers to get in—not only +to form part of the crew, but even as passengers. This, of course, in +the first boats and when no more women could be found. +</p> + +<p> +The varied understanding of this rule was a frequent subject of +discussion on the Carpathia—in fact, the rule itself was debated with +much heart-searching. There were not wanting many who doubted the +justice of its rigid enforcement, who could not think it well that a +husband should be separated from his wife and family, leaving them +penniless, or a young bridegroom from his wife of a few short weeks, +while ladies with few relatives, with no one dependent upon them, and +few responsibilities of any kind, were saved. It was mostly these +ladies who pressed this view, and even men seemed to think there was a +good deal to be said for it. Perhaps there is, theoretically, but it +would be impossible, I think, in practice. To quote Mr. Lightoller +again in his evidence before the United States Senate Committee,—when +asked if it was a rule of the sea that women and children be saved +first, he replied, "No, it is a rule of human nature." That is no +doubt the real reason for its existence. +</p> + +<p> +But the selective process of circumstances brought about results that +were very bitter to some. It was heartrending for ladies who had lost +all they held dearest in the world to hear that in one boat was a +stoker picked up out of the sea so drunk that he stood up and +brandished his arms about, and had to be thrown down by ladies and sat +upon to keep him quiet. If comparisons can be drawn, it did seem +better that an educated, refined man should be saved than one who had +flown to drink as his refuge in time of danger. +</p> + +<p> +These discussions turned sometimes to the old enquiry—"What is the +purpose of all this? Why the disaster? Why this man saved and that man +lost? Who has arranged that my husband should live a few short happy +years in the world, and the happiest days in those years with me these +last few weeks, and then be taken from me?" I heard no one attribute +all this to a Divine Power who ordains and arranges the lives of men, +and as part of a definite scheme sends such calamity and misery in +order to purify, to teach, to spiritualize. I do not say there were +not people who thought and said they saw Divine Wisdom in it all,—so +inscrutable that we in our ignorance saw it not; but I did not hear it +expressed, and this book is intended to be no more than a partial +chronicle of the many different experiences and convictions. +</p> + +<p> +There were those, on the other hand, who did not fail to say +emphatically that indifference to the rights and feelings of others, +blindness to duty towards our fellow men and women, was in the last +analysis the cause of most of the human misery in the world. And it +should undoubtedly appeal more to our sense of justice to attribute +these things to our own lack of consideration for others than to shift +the responsibility on to a Power whom we first postulate as being +All-wise and All-loving. +</p> + +<p> +All the boats were lowered and sent away by about 2 A.M., and by this +time the ship was very low in the water, the forecastle deck +completely submerged, and the sea creeping steadily up to the bridge +and probably only a few yards away. +</p> + +<p> +No one on the ship can have had any doubt now as to her ultimate fate, +and yet the fifteen hundred passengers and crew on board made no +demonstration, and not a sound came from them as they stood quietly on +the decks or went about their duties below. It seems incredible, and +yet if it was a continuation of the same feeling that existed on deck +before the boats left,—and I have no doubt it was,—the explanation +is straightforward and reasonable in its simplicity. An attempt is +made in the last chapter to show why the attitude of the crowd was so +quietly courageous. There are accounts which picture excited crowds +running about the deck in terror, fighting and struggling, but two of +the most accurate observers, Colonel Gracie and Mr. Lightoller, affirm +that this was not so, that absolute order and quietness prevailed. The +band still played to cheer the hearts of all near; the engineers and +their crew—I have never heard any one speak of a single engineer +being seen on deck—still worked at the electric light engines, far +away below, keeping them going until no human being could do so a +second longer, right until the ship tilted on end and the engines +broke loose and fell down. The light failed then only because the +engines were no longer there to produce light, not because the men who +worked them were not standing by them to do their duty. To be down in +the bowels of the ship, far away from the deck where at any rate there +was a chance of a dive and a swim and a possible rescue; to know that +when the ship went—as they knew it must soon—there could be no +possible hope of climbing up in time to reach the sea; to know all +these things and yet to keep the engines going that the decks might be +lighted to the last moment, required sublime courage. +</p> + +<p> +But this courage is required of every engineer and it is not called by +that name: it is called "duty." To stand by his engines to the last +possible moment is his duty. There could be no better example of the +supremest courage being but duty well done than to remember the +engineers of the Titanic still at work as she heeled over and flung +them with their engines down the length of the ship. The simple +statement that the lights kept on to the last is really their epitaph, +but Lowell's words would seem to apply to them with peculiar force— +</p> + +<p><br /></p> + +<p class="poem"> + "The longer on this earth we live<br /> + And weigh the various qualities of men—<br /> + The more we feel the high, stern-featured beauty<br /> + Of plain devotedness to duty.<br /> + Steadfast and still, nor paid with mortal praise,<br /> + But finding amplest recompense<br /> + For life's ungarlanded expense<br /> + In work done squarely and unwasted days."<br /> +</p> + +<p> +For some time before she sank, the Titanic had a considerable list to +port, so much so that one boat at any rate swung so far away from the +side that difficulty was experienced in getting passengers in. This +list was increased towards the end, and Colonel Gracie relates that +Mr. Lightoller, who has a deep, powerful voice, ordered all passengers +to the starboard side. This was close before the end. They crossed +over, and as they did so a crowd of steerage passengers rushed up and +filled the decks so full that there was barely room to move. Soon +afterwards the great vessel swung slowly, stern in the air, the lights +went out, and while some were flung into the water and others dived +off, the great majority still clung to the rails, to the sides and +roofs of deck-structures, lying prone on the deck. And in this +position they were when, a few minutes later, the enormous vessel +dived obliquely downwards. As she went, no doubt many still clung to +the rails, but most would do their best to get away from her and jump +as she slid forwards and downwards. Whatever they did, there can be +little question that most of them would be taken down by suction, to +come up again a few moments later and to fill the air with those +heartrending cries which fell on the ears of those in the lifeboats +with such amazement. Another survivor, on the other hand, relates that +he had dived from the stern before she heeled over, and swam round +under her enormous triple screws lifted by now high out of the water +as she stood on end. Fascinated by the extraordinary sight, he watched +them up above his head, but presently realizing the necessity of +getting away as quickly as possible, he started to swim from the ship, +but as he did she dived forward, the screws passing near his head. His +experience is that not only was no suction present, but even a wave +was created which washed him away from the place where she had gone +down. +</p> + +<p> +Of all those fifteen hundred people, flung into the sea as the Titanic +went down, innocent victims of thoughtlessness and apathy of those +responsible for their safety, only a very few found their way to the +Carpathia. It will serve no good purpose to dwell any longer on the +scene of helpless men and women struggling in the water. The heart of +everyone who has read of their helplessness has gone out to them in +deepest love and sympathy; and the knowledge that their struggle in +the water was in most cases short and not physically painful because +of the low temperature—the evidence seems to show that few lost their +lives by drowning—is some consolation. +</p> + +<p> +If everyone sees to it that his sympathy with them is so practical as +to force him to follow up the question of reforms personally, not +leaving it to experts alone, then he will have at any rate done +something to atone for the loss of so many valuable lives. +</p> + +<p> +We had now better follow the adventures of those who were rescued from +the final event in the disaster. Two accounts—those of Colonel Gracie +and Mr. Lightoller—agree very closely. The former went down clinging +to a rail, the latter dived before the ship went right under, but was +sucked down and held against one of the blowers. They were both +carried down for what seemed a long distance, but Mr. Lightoller was +finally blown up again by a "terrific gust" that came up the blower +and forced him clear. Colonel Gracie came to the surface after holding +his breath for what seemed an eternity, and they both swam about +holding on to any wreckage they could find. Finally they saw an +upturned collapsible boat and climbed on it in company with twenty +other men, among them Bride the Marconi operator. After remaining thus +for some hours, with the sea washing them to the waist, they stood up +as day broke, in two rows, back to back, balancing themselves as well +as they could, and afraid to turn lest the boat should roll over. +Finally a lifeboat saw them and took them off, an operation attended +with the greatest difficulty, and they reached the Carpathia in the +early dawn. Not many people have gone through such an experience as +those men did, lying all night on an overturned, ill-balanced boat, +and praying together, as they did all the time, for the day and a ship +to take them off. +</p> + +<p> +Some account must now be attempted of the journey of the fleet of +boats to the Carpathia, but it must necessarily be very brief. +Experiences differed considerably: some had no encounters at all with +icebergs, no lack of men to row, discovered lights and food and water, +were picked up after only a few hours' exposure, and suffered very +little discomfort; others seemed to see icebergs round them all night +long and to be always rowing round them; others had so few men +aboard—in some cases only two or three—that ladies had to row and in +one case to steer, found no lights, food or water, and were adrift +many hours, in some cases nearly eight. +</p> + +<p> +The first boat to be picked up by the Carpathia was one in charge of +Mr. Boxhall. There was only one other man rowing and ladies worked at +the oars. A green light burning in this boat all night was the +greatest comfort to the rest of us who had nothing to steer by: +although it meant little in the way of safety in itself, it was a +point to which we could look. The green light was the first intimation +Captain Rostron had of our position, and he steered for it and picked +up its passengers first. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Pitman was sent by First Officer Murdock in charge of boat 5, with +forty passengers and five of the crew. It would have held more, but no +women could be found at the time it was lowered. Mr. Pitman says that +after leaving the ship he felt confident she would float and they +would all return. A passenger in this boat relates that men could not +be induced to embark when she went down, and made appointments for the +next morning with him. Tied to boat 5 was boat 7, one of those that +contained few people: a few were transferred from number 5, but it +would have held many more. +</p> + +<p> +Fifth Officer Lowe was in charge of boat 14, with fifty-five women and +children, and some of the crew. So full was the boat that as she went +down Mr. Lowe had to fire his revolver along the ship's side to +prevent any more climbing in and causing her to buckle. This boat, +like boat 13, was difficult to release from the lowering tackle, and +had to be cut away after reaching the sea. Mr. Lowe took in charge +four other boats, tied them together with lines, found some of them +not full, and transferred all his passengers to these, distributing +them in the darkness as well as he could. Then returning to the place +where the Titanic had sunk, he picked up some of those swimming in the +water and went back to the four boats. On the way to the Carpathia he +encountered one of the collapsible boats, and took aboard all those in +her, as she seemed to be sinking. +</p> + +<p> +Boat 12 was one of the four tied together, and the seaman in charge +testified that he tried to row to the drowning, but with forty women +and children and only one other man to row, it was not possible to +pull such a heavy boat to the scene of the wreck. +</p> + +<p> +Boat 2 was a small ship's boat and had four or five passengers and +seven of the crew. Boat 4 was one of the last to leave on the port +side, and by this time there was such a list that deck chairs had to +bridge the gap between the boat and the deck. When lowered, it +remained for some time still attached to the ropes, and as the Titanic +was rapidly sinking it seemed she would be pulled under. The boat was +full of women, who besought the sailors to leave the ship, but in +obedience to orders from the captain to stand by the cargo port, they +remained near; so near, in fact, that they heard china falling and +smashing as the ship went down by the head, and were nearly hit by +wreckage thrown overboard by some of the officers and crew and +intended to serve as rafts. They got clear finally, and were only a +short distance away when the ship sank, so that they were able to pull +some men aboard as they came to the surface. +</p> + +<p> +This boat had an unpleasant experience in the night with icebergs; +many were seen and avoided with difficulty. +</p> + +<p> +Quartermaster Hickens was in charge of boat 6, and in the absence of +sailors Major Peuchen was sent to help to man her. They were told to +make for the light of the steamer seen on the port side, and followed +it until it disappeared. There were forty women and children here. +</p> + +<p> +Boat 8 had only one seaman, and as Captain Smith had enforced the rule +of "Women and children only," ladies had to row. Later in the night, +when little progress had been made, the seaman took an oar and put a +lady in charge of the tiller. This boat again was in the midst of +icebergs. +</p> + +<p> +Of the four collapsible boats—although collapsible is not really the +correct term, for only a small portion collapses, the canvas edge; +"surf boats" is really their name—one was launched at the last moment +by being pushed over as the sea rose to the edge of the deck, and was +never righted. This is the one twenty men climbed on. Another was +caught up by Mr. Lowe and the passengers transferred, with the +exception of three men who had perished from the effects of immersion. +The boat was allowed to drift away and was found more than a month +later by the Celtic in just the same condition. It is interesting to +note how long this boat had remained afloat after she was supposed to +be no longer seaworthy. A curious coincidence arose from the fact that +one of my brothers happened to be travelling on the Celtic, and +looking over the side, saw adrift on the sea a boat belonging to the +Titanic in which I had been wrecked. +</p> + +<p> +The two other collapsible boats came to the Carpathia carrying full +loads of passengers: in one, the forward starboard boat and one of the +last to leave, was Mr. Ismay. Here four Chinamen were concealed under +the feet of the passengers. How they got there no one knew—or indeed +how they happened to be on the Titanic, for by the immigration laws of +the United States they are not allowed to enter her ports. +</p> + +<p> +It must be said, in conclusion, that there is the greatest cause for +gratitude that all the boats launched carried their passengers safely +to the rescue ship. It would not be right to accept this fact without +calling attention to it: it would be easy to enumerate many things +which might have been present as elements of danger. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap07"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER VII +</h3> + +<h3> +THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK +</h3> + +<p> +The journey of the Carpathia from the time she caught the "C.Q.D." +from the Titanic at about 12.30 A.M. on Monday morning and turned +swiftly about to her rescue, until she arrived at New York on the +following Thursday at 8.30 P.M. was one that demanded of the captain, +officers and crew of the vessel the most exact knowledge of +navigation, the utmost vigilance in every department both before and +after the rescue, and a capacity for organization that must sometimes +have been taxed to the breaking point. +</p> + +<p> +The extent to which all these qualities were found present and the +manner in which they were exercised stands to the everlasting credit +of the Cunard Line and those of its servants who were in charge of the +Carpathia. Captain Rostron's part in all this is a great one, and +wrapped up though his action is in a modesty that is conspicuous in +its nobility, it stands out even in his own account as a piece of work +well and courageously done. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as the Titanic called for help and gave her position, the +Carpathia was turned and headed north: all hands were called on duty, +a new watch of stokers was put on, and the highest speed of which she +was capable was demanded of the engineers, with the result that the +distance of fifty-eight miles between the two ships was covered in +three and a half hours, a speed well beyond her normal capacity. The +three doctors on board each took charge of a saloon, in readiness to +render help to any who needed their services, the stewards and +catering staff were hard at work preparing hot drinks and meals, and +the purser's staff ready with blankets and berths for the shipwrecked +passengers as soon as they got on board. On deck the sailors got ready +lifeboats, swung them out on the davits, and stood by, prepared to +lower away their crews if necessary; fixed rope-ladders, +cradle-chairs, nooses, and bags for the children at the hatches, to +haul the rescued up the side. On the bridge was the captain with his +officers, peering into the darkness eagerly to catch the first signs +of the crippled Titanic, hoping, in spite of her last despairing +message of "Sinking by the head," to find her still afloat when her +position was reached. A double watch of lookout men was set, for there +were other things as well as the Titanic to look for that night, and +soon they found them. As Captain Rostron said in his evidence, they +saw icebergs on either side of them between 2.45 and 4 A.M., passing +twenty large ones, one hundred to two hundred feet high, and many +smaller ones, and "frequently had to manoeuvre the ship to avoid +them." It was a time when every faculty was called upon for the +highest use of which it was capable. With the knowledge before them +that the enormous Titanic, the supposedly unsinkable ship, had struck +ice and was sinking rapidly; with the lookout constantly calling to +the bridge, as he must have done, "Icebergs on the starboard," +"Icebergs on the port," it required courage and judgment beyond the +ordinary to drive the ship ahead through that lane of icebergs and +"manoeuvre round them." As he himself said, he "took the risk of full +speed in his desire to save life, and probably some people might blame +him for taking such a risk." But the Senate Committee assured him that +they, at any rate, would not, and we of the lifeboats have certainly +no desire to do so. +</p> + +<p> +The ship was finally stopped at 4 A.M., with an iceberg reported dead +ahead (the same no doubt we had to row around in boat 13 as we +approached the Carpathia), and about the same time the first lifeboat +was sighted. Again she had to be manoeuvred round the iceberg to pick +up the boat, which was the one in charge of Mr. Boxhall. From him the +captain learned that the Titanic had gone down, and that he was too +late to save any one but those in lifeboats, which he could now see +drawing up from every part of the horizon. Meanwhile, the passengers +of the Carpathia, some of them aroused by the unusual vibration of the +screw, some by sailors tramping overhead as they swung away the +lifeboats and got ropes and lowering tackle ready, were beginning to +come on deck just as day broke; and here an extraordinary sight met +their eyes. As far as the eye could reach to the north and west lay an +unbroken stretch of field ice, with icebergs still attached to the +floe and rearing aloft their mass as a hill might suddenly rise from a +level plain. Ahead and to the south and east huge floating monsters +were showing up through the waning darkness, their number added to +moment by moment as the dawn broke and flushed the horizon pink. It is +remarkable how "busy" all those icebergs made the sea look: to have +gone to bed with nothing but sea and sky and to come on deck to find +so many objects in sight made quite a change in the character of the +sea: it looked quite crowded; and a lifeboat alongside and people +clambering aboard, mostly women, in nightdresses and dressing-gowns, +in cloaks and shawls, in anything but ordinary clothes! Out ahead and +on all sides little torches glittered faintly for a few moments and +then guttered out—and shouts and cheers floated across the quiet sea. +It would be difficult to imagine a more unexpected sight than this +that lay before the Carpathia's passengers as they lined the sides +that morning in the early dawn. +</p> + +<p> +No novelist would dare to picture such an array of beautiful climatic +conditions,—the rosy dawn, the morning star, the moon on the horizon, +the sea stretching in level beauty to the sky-line,—and on this sea +to place an ice-field like the Arctic regions and icebergs in numbers +everywhere,—white and turning pink and deadly cold,—and near them, +rowing round the icebergs to avoid them, little boats coming suddenly +out of mid-ocean, with passengers rescued from the most wonderful ship +the world has known. No artist would have conceived such a picture: it +would have seemed so highly dramatic as to border on the impossible, +and would not have been attempted. Such a combination of events would +pass the limit permitted the imagination of both author and artist. +</p> + +<p> +The passengers crowded the rails and looked down at us as we rowed up +in the early morning; stood quietly aside while the crew at the +gangways below took us aboard, and watched us as if the ship had been +in dock and we had rowed up to join her in a somewhat unusual way. +Some of them have related that we were very quiet as we came aboard: +it is quite true, we were; but so were they. There was very little +excitement on either side: just the quiet demeanour of people who are +in the presence of something too big as yet to lie within their mental +grasp, and which they cannot yet discuss. And so they asked us +politely to have hot coffee, which we did; and food, which we +generally declined,—we were not hungry,—and they said very little at +first about the lost Titanic and our adventures in the night. +</p> + +<p> +Much that is exaggerated and false has been written about the mental +condition of passengers as they came aboard: we have been described as +being too dazed to understand what was happening, as being too +overwhelmed to speak, and as looking before us with "set, staring +gaze," "dazed with the shadow of the dread event." That is, no doubt, +what most people would expect in the circumstances, but I know it does +not give a faithful record of how we did arrive: in fact it is simply +not true. As remarked before, the one thing that matters in describing +an event of this kind is the exact truth, as near as the fallible +human mind can state it; and my own impression of our mental condition +is that of supreme gratitude and relief at treading the firm decks of +a ship again. I am aware that experiences differed considerably +according to the boats occupied; that those who were uncertain of the +fate of their relatives and friends had much to make them anxious and +troubled; and that it is not possible to look into another person's +consciousness and say what is written there; but dealing with mental +conditions as far as they are delineated by facial and bodily +expressions, I think joy, relief, gratitude were the dominant emotions +written on the faces of those who climbed the rope-ladders and were +hauled up in cradles. +</p> + +<p> +It must not be forgotten that no one in any one boat knew who were +saved in other boats: few knew even how many boats there were and how +many passengers could be saved. It was at the time probable that +friends would follow them to the Carpathia, or be found on other +steamers, or even on the pier at which we landed. The hysterical +scenes that have been described are imaginative; true, one woman did +fill the saloon with hysterical cries immediately after coming aboard, +but she could not have known for a certainty that any of her friends +were lost: probably the sense of relief after some hours of journeying +about the sea was too much for her for a time. +</p> + +<p> +One of the first things we did was to crowd round a steward with a +bundle of telegraph forms. He was the bearer of the welcome news that +passengers might send Marconigrams to their relatives free of charge, +and soon he bore away the first sheaf of hastily scribbled messages to +the operator; by the time the last boatload was aboard, the pile must +have risen high in the Marconi cabin. We learned afterwards that many +of these never reached their destination; and this is not a matter for +surprise. There was only one operator—Cottam—on board, and although +he was assisted to some extent later, when Bride from the Titanic had +recovered from his injuries sufficiently to work the apparatus, he had +so much to do that he fell asleep over this work on Tuesday night +after three days' continuous duty without rest. But we did not know +the messages were held back, and imagined our friends were aware of +our safety; then, too, a roll-call of the rescued was held in the +Carpathia's saloon on the Monday, and this was Marconied to land in +advance of all messages. It seemed certain, then, that friends at home +would have all anxiety removed, but there were mistakes in the +official list first telegraphed. The experience of my own friends +illustrates this: the Marconigram I wrote never got through to +England; nor was my name ever mentioned in any list of the saved (even +a week after landing in New York, I saw it in a black-edged "final" +list of the missing), and it seemed certain that I had never reached +the Carpathia; so much so that, as I write, there are before me +obituary notices from the English papers giving a short sketch of my +life in England. After landing in New York and realizing from the +lists of the saved which a reporter showed me that my friends had no +news since the Titanic sank on Monday morning until that night +(Thursday 9 P.M.), I cabled to England at once (as I had but two +shillings rescued from the Titanic, the White Star Line paid for the +cables), but the messages were not delivered until 8.20 A.M. next +morning. At 9 A.M. my friends read in the papers a short account of +the disaster which I had supplied to the press, so that they knew of +my safety and experiences in the wreck almost at the same time. I am +grateful to remember that many of my friends in London refused to +count me among the missing during the three days when I was so +reported. +</p> + +<p> +There is another side to this record of how the news came through, and +a sad one, indeed. Again I wish it were not necessary to tell such +things, but since they all bear on the equipment of the trans-Atlantic +lines—powerful Marconi apparatus, relays of operators, etc.,—it is +best they should be told. The name of an American gentleman—the same +who sat near me in the library on Sunday afternoon and whom I +identified later from a photograph—was consistently reported in the +lists as saved and aboard the Carpathia: his son journeyed to New York +to meet him, rejoicing at his deliverance, and never found him there. +When I met his family some days later and was able to give them some +details of his life aboard ship, it seemed almost cruel to tell them +of the opposite experience that had befallen my friends at home. +</p> + +<p> +Returning to the journey of the Carpathia—the last boatload of +passengers was taken aboard at 8.30 A.M., the lifeboats were hauled on +deck while the collapsibles were abandoned, and the Carpathia +proceeded to steam round the scene of the wreck in the hope of picking +up anyone floating on wreckage. Before doing so the captain arranged +in the saloon a service over the spot where the Titanic sank, as +nearly as could be calculated,—a service, as he said, of respect to +those who were lost and of gratitude for those who were saved. +</p> + +<p> +She cruised round and round the scene, but found nothing to indicate +there was any hope of picking up more passengers; and as the +Californian had now arrived, followed shortly afterwards by the Birma, +a Russian tramp steamer, Captain Rostron decided to leave any further +search to them and to make all speed with the rescued to land. As we +moved round, there was surprisingly little wreckage to be seen: wooden +deck-chairs and small pieces of other wood, but nothing of any size. +But covering the sea in huge patches was a mass of reddish-yellow +"seaweed," as we called it for want of a name. It was said to be cork, +but I never heard definitely its correct description. +</p> + +<p> +The problem of where to land us had next to be decided. The Carpathia +was bound for Gibraltar, and the captain might continue his journey +there, landing us at the Azores on the way; but he would require more +linen and provisions, the passengers were mostly women and children, +ill-clad, dishevelled, and in need of many attentions he could not +give them. Then, too, he would soon be out of the range of wireless +communication, with the weak apparatus his ship had, and he soon +decided against that course. Halifax was the nearest in point of +distance, but this meant steaming north through the ice, and he +thought his passengers did not want to see more ice. He headed back +therefore to New York, which he had left the previous Thursday, +working all afternoon along the edge of the ice-field which stretched +away north as far as the unaided eye could reach. I have wondered +since if we could possibly have landed our passengers on this ice-floe +from the lifeboats and gone back to pick up those swimming, had we +known it was there; I should think it quite feasible to have done so. +It was certainly an extraordinary sight to stand on deck and see the +sea covered with solid ice, white and dazzling in the sun and dotted +here and there with icebergs. We ran close up, only two or three +hundred yards away, and steamed parallel to the floe, until it ended +towards night and we saw to our infinite satisfaction the last of the +icebergs and the field fading away astern. Many of the rescued have no +wish ever to see an iceberg again. We learnt afterwards the field was +nearly seventy miles long and twelve miles wide, and had lain between +us and the Birma on her way to the rescue. Mr. Boxhall testified that +he had crossed the Grand Banks many times, but had never seen +field-ice before. The testimony of the captains and officers of other +steamers in the neighbourhood is of the same kind: they had "never +seen so many icebergs this time of the year," or "never seen such +dangerous ice floes and threatening bergs." Undoubtedly the Titanic +was faced that night with unusual and unexpected conditions of ice: +the captain knew not the extent of these conditions, but he knew +somewhat of their existence. Alas, that he heeded not their warning! +</p> + +<p> +During the day, the bodies of eight of the crew were committed to the +deep: four of them had been taken out of the boats dead and four died +during the day. The engines were stopped and all passengers on deck +bared their heads while a short service was read; when it was over the +ship steamed on again to carry the living back to land. +</p> + +<p> +The passengers on the Carpathia were by now hard at work finding +clothing for the survivors: the barber's shop was raided for ties, +collars, hair-pins, combs, etc., of which it happened there was a +large stock in hand; one good Samaritan went round the ship with a box +of tooth-brushes offering them indiscriminately to all. In some cases, +clothing could not be found for the ladies and they spent the rest of +the time on board in their dressing-gowns and cloaks in which they +came away from the Titanic. They even slept in them, for, in the +absence of berths, women had to sleep on the floor of the saloons and +in the library each night on straw <i>paillasses</i>, and here it was +not possible to undress properly. The men were given the smoking-room +floor and a supply of blankets, but the room was small, and some +elected to sleep out on deck. I found a pile of towels on the bathroom +floor ready for next morning's baths, and made up a very comfortable +bed on these. Later I was waked in the middle of the night by a man +offering me a berth in his four-berth cabin: another occupant was +unable to leave his berth for physical reasons, and so the cabin could +not be given up to ladies. +</p> + +<p> +On Tuesday the survivors met in the saloon and formed a committee +among themselves to collect subscriptions for a general fund, out of +which it was resolved by vote to provide as far as possible for the +destitute among the steerage passengers, to present a loving cup to +Captain Rostron and medals to the officers and crew of the Carpathia, +and to divide any surplus among the crew of the Titanic. The work of +this committee is not yet (June 1st) at an end, but all the +resolutions except the last one have been acted upon, and that is now +receiving the attention of the committee. The presentations to the +captain and crew were made the day the Carpathia returned to New York +from her Mediterranean trip, and it is a pleasure to all the survivors +to know that the United States Senate has recognized the service +rendered to humanity by the Carpathia and has voted Captain Rostron a +gold medal commemorative of the rescue. On the afternoon of Tuesday, I +visited the steerage in company with a fellow-passenger, to take +down the names of all who were saved. We grouped them into +nationalities,—English Irish, and Swedish mostly,—and learnt from +them their names and homes, the amount of money they possessed, and +whether they had friends in America. The Irish girls almost +universally had no money rescued from the wreck, and were going to +friends in New York or places near, while the Swedish passengers, +among whom were a considerable number of men, had saved the greater +part of their money and in addition had railway tickets through to +their destinations inland. The saving of their money marked a curious +racial difference, for which I can offer no explanation: no doubt the +Irish girls never had very much but they must have had the necessary +amount fixed by the immigration laws. There were some pitiful cases of +women with children and the husband lost; some with one or two +children saved and the others lost; in one case, a whole family was +missing, and only a friend left to tell of them. Among the Irish group +was one girl of really remarkable beauty, black hair and deep violet +eyes with long lashes, and perfectly shaped features, and quite young, +not more than eighteen or twenty; I think she lost no relatives on the +Titanic. +</p> + +<p> +The following letter to the London "Times" is reproduced here to show +something of what our feeling was on board the Carpathia towards the +loss of the Titanic. It was written soon after we had the definite +information on the Wednesday that ice warnings had been sent to the +Titanic, and when we all felt that something must be done to awaken +public opinion to safeguard ocean travel in the future. We were not +aware, of course, how much the outside world knew, and it seemed well +to do something to inform the English public of what had happened at +as early an opportunity as possible. I have not had occasion to change +any of the opinions expressed in this letter. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +SIR:— +</p> + +<p> +As one of few surviving Englishmen from the steamship Titanic, which +sank in mid-Atlantic on Monday morning last, I am asking you to lay +before your readers a few facts concerning the disaster, in the hope +that something may be done in the near future to ensure the safety of +that portion of the travelling public who use the Atlantic highway for +business or pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +I wish to dissociate myself entirely from any report that would seek +to fix the responsibility on any person or persons or body of people, +and by simply calling attention to matters of fact the authenticity of +which is, I think, beyond question and can be established in any Court +of Inquiry, to allow your readers to draw their own conclusions as to +the responsibility for the collision. +</p> + +<p> +First, that it was known to those in charge of the Titanic that we +were in the iceberg region; that the atmospheric and temperature +conditions suggested the near presence of icebergs; that a wireless +message was received from a ship ahead of us warning us that they had +been seen in the locality of which latitude and longitude were given. +</p> + +<p> +Second, that at the time of the collision the Titanic was running at a +high rate of speed. +</p> + +<p> +Third, that the accommodation for saving passengers and crew was +totally inadequate, being sufficient only for a total of about 950. +This gave, with the highest possible complement of 3400, a less than +one in three chance of being saved in the case of accident. +</p> + +<p> +Fourth, that the number landed in the Carpathia, approximately 700, is +a high percentage of the possible 950, and bears excellent testimony +to the courage, resource, and devotion to duty of the officers and +crew of the vessel; many instances of their nobility and personal +self-sacrifice are within our possession, and we know that they did +all they could do with the means at their disposal. +</p> + +<p> +Fifth, that the practice of running mail and passenger vessels through +fog and iceberg regions at a high speed is a common one; they are +timed to run almost as an express train is run, and they cannot, +therefore, slow down more than a few knots in time of possible danger. +</p> + +<p> +I have neither knowledge nor experience to say what remedies I +consider should be applied; but, perhaps, the following suggestions +may serve as a help:— +</p> + +<p> +First, that no vessel should be allowed to leave a British port +without sufficient boat and other accommodation to allow each +passenger and member of the crew a seat; and that at the time of +booking this fact should be pointed out to a passenger, and the number +of the seat in the particular boat allotted to him then. +</p> + +<p> +Second, that as soon as is practicable after sailing each passenger +should go through boat drill in company with the crew assigned to his +boat. +</p> + +<p> +Third, that each passenger boat engaged in the Transatlantic service +should be instructed to slow down to a few knots when in the iceberg +region, and should be fitted with an efficient searchlight. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Yours faithfully, +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +LAWRENCE BEESLEY. +</p> + +<p> +It seemed well, too, while on the Carpathia to prepare as accurate an +account as possible of the disaster and to have this ready for the +press, in order to calm public opinion and to forestall the incorrect +and hysterical accounts which some American reporters are in the habit +of preparing on occasions of this kind. The first impression is often +the most permanent, and in a disaster of this magnitude, where exact +and accurate information is so necessary, preparation of a report was +essential. It was written in odd corners of the deck and saloon of the +Carpathia, and fell, it seemed very happily, into the hands of the one +reporter who could best deal with it, the Associated Press. I +understand it was the first report that came through and had a good +deal of the effect intended. +</p> + +<p> +The Carpathia returned to New York in almost every kind of climatic +conditions: icebergs, ice-fields and bitter cold to commence with; +brilliant warm sun, thunder and lightning in the middle of one night +(and so closely did the peal follow the flash that women in the saloon +leaped up in alarm saying rockets were being sent up again); cold +winds most of the time; fogs every morning and during a good part of +one day, with the foghorn blowing constantly; rain; choppy sea with +the spray blowing overboard and coming in through the saloon windows; +we said we had almost everything but hot weather and stormy seas. So +that when we were told that Nantucket Lightship had been sighted on +Thursday morning from the bridge, a great sigh of relief went round to +think New York and land would be reached before next morning. +</p> + +<p> +There is no doubt that a good many felt the waiting period of those +four days very trying: the ship crowded far beyond its limits of +comfort, the want of necessities of clothing and toilet, and above all +the anticipation of meeting with relatives on the pier, with, in many +cases, the knowledge that other friends were left behind and would not +return home again. A few looked forward to meeting on the pier their +friends to whom they had said au revoir on the Titanic's deck, brought +there by a faster boat, they said, or at any rate to hear that they +were following behind us in another boat: a very few, indeed, for the +thought of the icy water and the many hours' immersion seemed to weigh +against such a possibility; but we encouraged them to hope the +Californian and the Birma had picked some up; stranger things have +happened, and we had all been through strange experiences. But in the +midst of this rather tense feeling, one fact stands out as +remarkable—no one was ill. Captain Rostron testified that on Tuesday +the doctor reported a clean bill of health, except for frost-bites and +shaken nerves. There were none of the illnesses supposed to follow +from exposure for hours in the cold night—and, it must be remembered, +a considerable number swam about for some time when the Titanic sank, +and then either sat for hours in their wet things or lay flat on an +upturned boat with the sea water washing partly over them until they +were taken off in a lifeboat; no scenes of women weeping and brooding +over their losses hour by hour until they were driven mad with +grief—yet all this has been reported to the press by people on board +the Carpathia. These women met their sorrow with the sublimest +courage, came on deck and talked with their fellow-men and women face +to face, and in the midst of their loss did not forget to rejoice with +those who had joined their friends on the Carpathia's deck or come +with them in a boat. There was no need for those ashore to call the +Carpathia a "death-ship," or to send coroners and coffins to the pier +to meet her: her passengers were generally in good health and they did +not pretend they were not. +</p> + +<p> +Presently land came in sight, and very good it was to see it again: it +was eight days since we left Southampton, but the time seemed to have +"stretched out to the crack of doom," and to have become eight weeks +instead. So many dramatic incidents had been crowded into the last few +days that the first four peaceful, uneventful days, marked by nothing +that seared the memory, had faded almost out of recollection. It +needed an effort to return to Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown, +as though returning to some event of last year. I think we all +realized that time may be measured more by events than by seconds and +minutes: what the astronomer would call "2.20 A.M. April 15th, 1912," +the survivors called "the sinking of the Titanic"; the "hours" that +followed were designated "being adrift in an open sea," and "4.30 +A.M." was "being rescued by the Carpathia." The clock was a mental +one, and the hours, minutes and seconds marked deeply on its face were +emotions, strong and silent. +</p> + +<p> +Surrounded by tugs of every kind, from which (as well as from every +available building near the river) magnesium bombs were shot off by +photographers, while reporters shouted for news of the disaster and +photographs of passengers, the Carpathia drew slowly to her station at +the Cunard pier, the gangways were pushed across, and we set foot at +last on American soil, very thankful, grateful people. +</p> + +<p> +The mental and physical condition of the rescued as they came ashore +has, here again, been greatly exaggerated—one description says we +were "half-fainting, half-hysterical, bordering on hallucination, only +now beginning to realize the horror." It is unfortunate such pictures +should be presented to the world. There were some painful scenes of +meeting between relatives of those who were lost, but once again women +showed their self-control and went through the ordeal in most cases +with extraordinary calm. It is well to record that the same account +added: "A few, strangely enough, are calm and lucid"; if for "few" we +read "a large majority," it will be much nearer the true description +of the landing on the Cunard pier in New York. There seems to be no +adequate reason why a report of such a scene should depict mainly the +sorrow and grief, should seek for every detail to satisfy the horrible +and the morbid in the human mind. The first questions the excited +crowds of reporters asked as they crowded round were whether it was +true that officers shot passengers, and then themselves; whether +passengers shot each other; whether any scenes of horror had been +noticed, and what they were. +</p> + +<p> +It would have been well to have noticed the wonderful state of health +of most of the rescued, their gratitude for their deliverance, the +thousand and one things that gave cause for rejoicing. In the midst of +so much description of the hysterical side of the scene, place should +be found for the normal—and I venture to think the normal was the +dominant feature in the landing that night. In the last chapter I +shall try to record the persistence of the normal all through the +disaster. Nothing has been a greater surprise than to find people that +do not act in conditions of danger and grief as they would be +generally supposed to act—and, I must add, as they are generally +described as acting. +</p> + +<p> +And so, with her work of rescue well done, the good ship Carpathia +returned to New York. Everyone who came in her, everyone on the dock, +and everyone who heard of her journey will agree with Captain Rostron +when he says: "I thank God that I was within wireless hailing +distance, and that I got there in time to pick up the survivors of the +wreck." +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap08"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER VIII +</h3> + +<h3> +THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC +</h3> + +<p> +One of the most pitiful things in the relations of human beings to +each other—the action and reaction of events that is called +concretely "human life"—is that every now and then some of them +should be called upon to lay down their lives from no sense of +imperative, calculated duty such as inspires the soldier or the +sailor, but suddenly, without any previous knowledge or warning of +danger, without any opportunity of escape, and without any desire to +risk such conditions of danger of their own free will. It is a blot on +our civilization that these things are necessary from time to time, to +arouse those responsible for the safety of human life from the +lethargic selfishness which has governed them. The Titanic's two +thousand odd passengers went aboard thinking they were +on an absolutely safe ship, and all the time there were many +people—designers, builders, experts, government officials—who knew +there were insufficient boats on board, that the Titanic had no right +to go fast in iceberg regions,—who knew these things and took no +steps and enacted no laws to prevent their happening. Not that they +omitted to do these things deliberately, but were lulled into a state +of selfish inaction from which it needed such a tragedy as this to +arouse them. It was a cruel necessity which demanded that a few should +die to arouse many millions to a sense of their own insecurity, to the +fact that for years the possibility of such a disaster has been +imminent. Passengers have known none of these things, and while no +good end would have been served by relating to them needless tales of +danger on the high seas, one thing is certain—that, had they known +them, many would not have travelled in such conditions and thereby +safeguards would soon have been forced on the builders, the companies, +and the Government. But there were people who knew and did not fail to +call attention to the dangers: in the House of Commons the matter has +been frequently brought up privately, and an American naval officer, +Captain E. K. Boden, in an article that has since been widely +reproduced, called attention to the defects of this very ship, the +Titanic—taking her as an example of all other liners—and pointed out +that she was not unsinkable and had not proper boat accommodation. +</p> + +<p> +The question, then, of responsibility for the loss of the Titanic must +be considered: not from any idea that blame should be laid here or +there and a scapegoat provided—that is a waste of time. But if a +fixing of responsibility leads to quick and efficient remedy, then it +should be done relentlessly: our simple duty to those whom the Titanic +carried down with her demands no less. Dealing first with the +precautions for the safety of the ship as apart from safety +appliances, there can be no question, I suppose, that the direct +responsibility for the loss of the Titanic and so many lives must be +laid on her captain. He was responsible for setting the course, day by +day and hour by hour, for the speed she was travelling; and he alone +would have the power to decide whether or not speed must be slackened +with icebergs ahead. No officer would have any right to interfere in +the navigation, although they would no doubt be consulted. Nor would +any official connected with the management of the line—Mr. Ismay, for +example—be allowed to direct the captain in these matters, and there +is no evidence that he ever tried to do so. The very fact that the +captain of a ship has such absolute authority increases his +responsibility enormously. Even supposing the White Star Line and Mr. +Ismay had urged him before sailing to make a record,—again an +assumption,—they cannot be held directly responsible for the +collision: he was in charge of the lives of everyone on board and no +one but he was supposed to estimate the risk of travelling at the +speed he did, when ice was reported ahead of him. His action cannot be +justified on the ground of prudent seamanship. +</p> + +<p> +But the question of indirect responsibility raises at once many issues +and, I think, removes from Captain Smith a good deal of personal +responsibility for the loss of his ship. Some of these issues it will +be well to consider. +</p> + +<p> +In the first place, disabusing our minds again of the knowledge that +the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, let us estimate the +probabilities of such a thing happening. An iceberg is small and +occupies little room by comparison with the broad ocean on which it +floats; and the chances of another small object like a ship colliding +with it and being sunk are very small: the chances are, as a matter of +fact, one in a million. This is not a figure of speech: that is the +actual risk for total loss by collision with an iceberg as accepted by +insurance companies. The one-in-a-million accident was what sunk the +Titanic. +</p> + +<p> +Even so, had Captain Smith been alone in taking that risk, he would +have had to bear all the blame for the resulting disaster. But it +seems he is not alone: the same risk has been taken over and over +again by fast mail-passenger liners, in fog and in iceberg regions. +Their captains have taken the long—very long—chance many times and +won every time; he took it as he had done many times before, and lost. +Of course, the chances that night of striking an iceberg were much +greater than one in a million: they had been enormously increased by +the extreme southerly position of icebergs and field ice and by the +unusual number of the former. Thinking over the scene that met our +eyes from the deck of the Carpathia after we boarded her,—the great +number of icebergs wherever the eye could reach,—the chances of +<i>not</i> hitting one in the darkness of the night seemed small. +Indeed, the more one thinks about the Carpathia coming at full speed +through all those icebergs in the darkness, the more inexplicable does +it seem. True, the captain had an extra lookout watch and every sense +of every man on the bridge alert to detect the least sign of danger, +and again he was not going so fast as the Titanic and would have his +ship under more control; but granted all that, he appears to have +taken a great risk as he dogged and twisted round the awful +two-hundred-foot monsters in the dark night. Does it mean that the +risk is not so great as we who have seen the abnormal and not the +normal side of taking risks with icebergs might suppose? He had his +own ship and passengers to consider, and he had no right to take too +great a risk. +</p> + +<p> +But Captain Smith could not know icebergs were there in such numbers: +what warnings he had of them is not yet thoroughly established,—there +were probably three,—but it is in the highest degree unlikely that he +knew that any vessel had seen them in such quantities as we saw them +Monday morning; in fact, it is unthinkable. He thought, no doubt, he +was taking an ordinary risk, and it turned out to be an extraordinary +one. To read some criticisms it would seem as if he deliberately ran +his ship in defiance of all custom through a region infested with +icebergs, and did a thing which no one has ever done before; that he +outraged all precedent by not slowing down. But it is plain that he +did not. Every captain who has run full speed through fog and iceberg +regions is to blame for the disaster as much as he is: they got +through and he did not. Other liners can go faster than the Titanic +could possibly do; had they struck ice they would have been injured +even more deeply than she was, for it must not be forgotten that the +force of impact varies as the <i>square</i> of the velocity—i.e., it +is four times as much at sixteen knots as at eight knots, nine times +as much at twenty-four, and so on. And with not much margin of time +left for these fast boats, they must go full speed ahead nearly all +the time. Remember how they advertise to "Leave New York Wednesday, +dine in London the following Monday,"—and it is done regularly, much +as an express train is run to time. Their officers, too, would have +been less able to avoid a collision than Murdock of the Titanic was, +for at the greater speed, they would be on the iceberg in shorter +time. Many passengers can tell of crossing with fog a good deal of the +way, sometimes almost all the way, and they have been only a few hours +late at the end of the journey. +</p> + +<p> +So that it is the custom that is at fault, not one particular captain. +Custom is established largely by demand, and supply too is the answer +to demand. What the public demanded the White Star Line supplied, and +so both the public and the Line are concerned with the question of +indirect responsibility. +</p> + +<p> +The public has demanded, more and more every year, greater speed as +well as greater comfort, and by ceasing to patronize the low-speed +boats has gradually forced the pace to what it is at present. Not that +speed in itself is a dangerous thing,—it is sometimes much safer to +go quickly than slowly,—but that, given the facilities for speed and +the stimulus exerted by the constant public demand for it, occasions +arise when the judgment of those in command of a ship becomes +swayed—largely unconsciously, no doubt—in favour of taking risks +which the smaller liners would never take. The demand on the skipper +of a boat like the Californian, for example, which lay hove-to +nineteen miles away with her engines stopped, is infinitesimal +compared with that on Captain Smith. An old traveller told me on the +Carpathia that he has often grumbled to the officers for what he +called absurd precautions in lying to and wasting his time, which he +regarded as very valuable; but after hearing of the Titanic's loss he +recognized that he was to some extent responsible for the speed at +which she had travelled, and would never be so again. He had been one +of the travelling public who had constantly demanded to be taken to +his journey's end in the shortest possible time, and had "made a row" +about it if he was likely to be late. There are some business men to +whom the five or six days on board are exceedingly irksome and +represent a waste of time; even an hour saved at the journey's end is +a consideration to them. And if the demand is not always a conscious +one, it is there as an unconscious factor always urging the highest +speed of which the ship is capable. The man who demands fast travel +unreasonably must undoubtedly take his share in the responsibility. He +asks to be taken over at a speed which will land him in something over +four days; he forgets perhaps that Columbus took ninety days in a +forty-ton boat, and that only fifty years ago paddle steamers took six +weeks, and all the time the demand is greater and the strain is more: +the public demand speed and luxury; the lines supply it, until +presently the safety limit is reached, the undue risk is taken—and +the Titanic goes down. All of us who have cried for greater speed must +take our share in the responsibility. The expression of such a desire +and the discontent with so-called slow travel are the seed sown in the +minds of men, to bear fruit presently in an insistence on greater +speed. We may not have done so directly, but we may perhaps have +talked about it and thought about it, and we know no action begins +without thought. +</p> + +<p> +The White Star Line has received very rough handling from some of the +press, but the greater part of this criticism seems to be unwarranted +and to arise from the desire to find a scapegoat. After all they had +made better provision for the passengers the Titanic carried than any +other line has done, for they had built what they believed to be a +huge lifeboat, unsinkable in all ordinary conditions. Those who +embarked in her were almost certainly in the safest ship (along with +the Olympic) afloat: she was probably quite immune from the ordinary +effects of wind, waves and collisions at sea, and needed to fear +nothing but running on a rock or, what was worse, a floating iceberg; +for the effects of collision were, so far as damage was concerned, the +same as if it had been a rock, and the danger greater, for one is +charted and the other is not. Then, too, while the theory of the +unsinkable boat has been destroyed at the same time as the boat +itself, we should not forget that it served a useful purpose on deck +that night—it eliminated largely the possibility of panic, and those +rushes for the boats which might have swamped some of them. I do not +wish for a moment to suggest that such things would have happened, +because the more information that comes to hand of the conduct of the +people on board, the more wonderful seems the complete self-control of +all, even when the last boats had gone and nothing but the rising +waters met their eyes—only that the generally entertained theory +rendered such things less probable. The theory, indeed, was really a +safeguard, though built on a false premise. +</p> + +<p> +There is no evidence that the White Star Line instructed the captain +to push the boat or to make any records: the probabilities are that no +such attempt would be made on the first trip. The general instructions +to their commanders bear quite the other interpretation: it will be +well to quote them in full as issued to the press during the sittings +of the United States Senate Committee. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Instructions to commanders</i> +</p> + +<p> +Commanders must distinctly understand that the issue of regulations +does not in any way relieve them from responsibility for the safe and +efficient navigation of their respective vessels, and they are also +enjoined to remember that they must run no risks which might by any +possibility result in accident to their ships. It is to be hoped that +they will ever bear in mind that the safety of the lives and property +entrusted to their care is the ruling principle that should govern +them in the navigation of their vessels, and that no supposed gain in +expedition or saving of time on the voyage is to be purchased at the +risk of accident. +</p> + +<p> +Commanders are reminded that the steamers are to a great extent +uninsured, and that their own livelihood, as well as the company's +success, depends upon immunity from accident; no precaution which +ensures safe navigation is to be considered excessive. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing could be plainer than these instructions, and had they been +obeyed, the disaster would never have happened: they warn commanders +against the only thing left as a menace to their unsinkable boat—the +lack of "precaution which ensures safe navigation." +</p> + +<p> +In addition, the White Star Line had complied to the full extent with +the requirements of the British Government: their ship had been +subjected to an inspection so rigid that, as one officer remarked in +evidence, it became a nuisance. The Board of Trade employs the best +experts, and knows the dangers that attend ocean travel and the +precautions that should be taken by every commander. If these +precautions are not taken, it will be necessary to legislate until +they are. No motorist is allowed to career at full speed along a +public highway in dangerous conditions, and it should be an offence +for a captain to do the same on the high seas with a ship full of +unsuspecting passengers. They have entrusted their lives to the +government of their country—through its regulations—and they are +entitled to the same protection in mid-Atlantic as they are in Oxford +Street or Broadway. The open sea should no longer be regarded as a +neutral zone where no country's police laws are operative. +</p> + +<p> +Of course there are difficulties in the way of drafting international +regulations: many governments would have to be consulted and many +difficulties that seem insuperable overcome; but that is the purpose +for which governments are employed, that is why experts and ministers +of governments are appointed and paid—to overcome difficulties for +the people who appoint them and who expect them, among other things, +to protect their lives. +</p> + +<p> +The American Government must share the same responsibility: it is +useless to attempt to fix it on the British Board of Trade for the +reason that the boats were built in England and inspected there by +British officials. They carried American citizens largely, and entered +American ports. It would have been the simplest matter for the United +States Government to veto the entry of any ship which did not conform +to its laws of regulating speed in conditions of fog and icebergs—had +they provided such laws. The fact is that the American nation has +practically no mercantile marine, and in time of a disaster such as +this it forgets, perhaps, that it has exactly the same right—and +therefore the same responsibility—as the British Government to +inspect, and to legislate: the right that is easily enforced by +refusal to allow entry. The regulation of speed in dangerous regions +could well be undertaken by some fleet of international police patrol +vessels, with power to stop if necessary any boat found guilty of +reckless racing. The additional duty of warning ships of the exact +locality of icebergs could be performed by these boats. It would not +of course be possible or advisable to fix a "speed limit," because the +region of icebergs varies in position as the icebergs float south, +varies in point of danger as they melt and disappear, and the whole +question has to be left largely to the judgment of the captain on the +spot; but it would be possible to make it an offence against the law +to go beyond a certain speed in known conditions of danger. +</p> + +<p> +So much for the question of regulating speed on the high seas. The +secondary question of safety appliances is governed by the same +principle—that, in the last analysis, it is not the captain, not the +passenger, not the builders and owners, but the governments through +their experts, who are to be held responsible for the provision of +lifesaving devices. Morally, of course, the owners and builders are +responsible, but at present moral responsibility is too weak an +incentive in human affairs—that is the miserable part of the whole +wretched business—to induce owners generally to make every possible +provision for the lives of those in their charge; to place human +safety so far above every other consideration that no plan shall be +left unconsidered, no device left untested, by which passengers can +escape from a sinking ship. But it is not correct to say, as has been +said frequently, that it is greed and dividend-hunting that have +characterized the policy of the steamship companies in their failure +to provide safety appliances: these things in themselves are not +expensive. They have vied with each other in making their lines +attractive in point of speed, size and comfort, and they have been +quite justified in doing so: such things are the product of ordinary +competition between commercial houses. +</p> + +<p> +Where they have all failed morally is to extend to their passengers +the consideration that places their lives as of more interest to them +than any other conceivable thing. They are not alone in this: +thousands of other people have done the same thing and would do it +to-day—in factories, in workshops, in mines, did not the government +intervene and insist on safety precautions. The thing is a defect in +human life of to-day—thoughtlessness for the well-being of our +fellow-men; and we are all guilty of it in some degree. It is folly +for the public to rise up now and condemn the steamship companies: +their failing is the common failing of the immorality of indifference. +</p> + +<p> +The remedy is the law, and it is the only remedy at present that will +really accomplish anything. The British law on the subject dates from +1894, and requires only twenty boats for a ship the size of the +Titanic: the owners and builders have obeyed this law and fulfilled +their legal responsibility. Increase this responsibility and they will +fulfil it again—and the matter is ended so far as appliances are +concerned. It should perhaps be mentioned that in a period of ten +years only nine passengers were lost on British ships: the law seemed +to be sufficient in fact. +</p> + +<p> +The position of the American Government, however, is worse than that +of the British Government. Its regulations require more than double +the boat accommodation which the British regulations do, and yet it +has allowed hundreds of thousands of its subjects to enter its ports +on boats that defied its own laws. Had their government not been +guilty of the same indifference, passengers would not have been +allowed aboard any British ship lacking in boat-accommodation—the +simple expedient again of refusing entry. The reply of the British +Government to the Senate Committee, accusing the Board of Trade of +"insufficient requirements and lax inspection," might well be—"Ye +have a law: see to it yourselves!" +</p> + +<p> +It will be well now to consider briefly the various appliances that +have been suggested to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and +in doing so it may be remembered that the average man and woman has +the same right as the expert to consider and discuss these things: +they are not so technical as to prevent anyone of ordinary +intelligence from understanding their construction. Using the term in +its widest sense, we come first to:— +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Bulkheads and water-tight compartments</i> +</p> + +<p> +It is impossible to attempt a discussion here of the exact +constructional details of these parts of a ship; but in order to +illustrate briefly what is the purpose of having bulkheads, we may +take the Titanic as an example. She was divided into sixteen +compartments by fifteen transverse steel walls called bulkheads. +[Footnote: See Figures 1 and 2 page 116.] If a hole is made in the +side of the ship in any one compartment, steel water-tight doors seal +off the only openings in that compartment and separate it as a damaged +unit from the rest of the ship and the vessel is brought to land in +safety. Ships have even put into the nearest port for inspection after +collision, and finding only one compartment full of water and no other +damage, have left again, for their home port without troubling to +disembark passengers and effect repairs. +</p> + +<p> +The design of the Titanic's bulkheads calls for some attention. The +"Scientific American," in an excellent article on the comparative +safety of the Titanic's and other types of water-tight compartments, +draws attention to the following weaknesses in the former—from the +point of view of possible collision with an iceberg. She had no +longitudinal bulkheads, which would subdivide her into smaller +compartments and prevent the water filling the whole of a large +compartment. Probably, too, the length of a large compartment was in +any case too great—fifty-three feet. +</p> + +<p> +The Mauretania, on the other hand, in addition to transverse +bulkheads, is fitted with longitudinal torpedo bulkheads, and the +space between them and the side of the ship is utilised as a coal +bunker. Then, too, in the Mauretania all bulkheads are carried up to +the top deck, whereas in the case of the Titanic they reached in some +parts only to the saloon deck and in others to a lower deck +still,—the weakness of this being that, when the water reached to the +top of a bulkhead as the ship sank by the head, it flowed over and +filled the next compartment. The British Admiralty, which subsidizes +the Mauretania and Lusitania as fast cruisers in time of war, insisted +on this type of construction, and it is considered vastly better than +that used in the Titanic. The writer of the article thinks it possible +that these ships might not have sunk as the result of a similar +collision. But the ideal ship from the point of bulkhead construction, +he considers to have been the Great Eastern, constructed many years +ago by the famous engineer Brunel. So thorough was her system of +compartments divided and subdivided by many transverse and +longitudinal bulkheads that when she tore a hole eighty feet long in +her side by striking a rock, she reached port in safety. Unfortunately +the weight and cost of this method was so great that his plan was +subsequently abandoned. +</p> + +<p> +But it would not be just to say that the construction of the Titanic +was a serious mistake on the part of the White Star Line or her +builders, on the ground that her bulkheads were not so well +constructed as those of the Lusitania and Mauretania, which were built +to fulfil British Admiralty regulations for time of war—an +extraordinary risk which no builder of a passenger steamer—as +such—would be expected to take into consideration when designing the +vessel. It should be constantly borne in mind that the Titanic met +extraordinary conditions on the night of the collision: she was +probably the safest ship afloat in all ordinary conditions. Collision +with an iceberg is not an ordinary risk; but this disaster will +probably result in altering the whole construction of bulkheads and +compartments to the Great Eastern type, in order to include the +one-in-a-million risk of iceberg collision and loss. +</p> + +<p> +Here comes in the question of increased cost of construction, and in +addition the great loss of cargo-carrying space with decreased earning +capacity, both of which will mean an increase in the passenger rates. +This the travelling public will have to face and undoubtedly will be +willing to face for the satisfaction of knowing that what was so +confidently affirmed by passengers on the Titanic's deck that night of +the collision will then be really true,—that "we are on an unsinkable +boat,"—so far as human forethought can devise. After all, this +<i>must</i> be the solution to the problem how best to ensure safety +at sea. Other safety appliances are useful and necessary, but not +useable in certain conditions of weather. The ship itself must always +be the "safety appliance" that is really trustworthy, and nothing must +be left undone to ensure this. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Wireless apparatus and operators</i> +</p> + +<p> +The range of the apparatus might well be extended, but the principal +defect is the lack of an operator for night duty on some ships. The +awful fact that the Californian lay a few miles away, able to save +every soul on board, and could not catch the message because the +operator was asleep, seems too cruel to dwell upon. Even on the +Carpathia, the operator was on the point of retiring when the message +arrived, and we should have been much longer afloat—and some boats +possibly swamped—had he not caught the message when he did. It has +been suggested that officers should have a working knowledge of +wireless telegraphy, and this is no doubt a wise provision. It would +enable them to supervise the work of the operators more closely and +from all the evidence, this seems a necessity. The exchange of vitally +important messages between a sinking ship and those rushing to her +rescue should be under the control of an experienced officer. To take +but one example—Bride testified that after giving the Birma the +"C.Q.D." message and the position (incidentally Signer Marconi has +stated that this has been abandoned in favour of "S.O.S.") and getting +a reply, they got into touch with the Carpathia, and while talking +with her were interrupted by the Birma asking what was the matter. No +doubt it was the duty of the Birma to come at once without asking any +questions, but the reply from the Titanic, telling the Birma's +operator not to be a "fool" by interrupting, seems to have been a +needless waste of precious moments: to reply, "We are sinking" would +have taken no longer, especially when in their own estimation of the +strength of the signals they thought the Birma was the nearer ship. It +is well to notice that some large liners have already a staff of three +operators. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Submarine signalling apparatus</i> +</p> + +<p> +There are occasions when wireless apparatus is useless as a means of +saving life at sea promptly. +</p> + +<p> +One of its weaknesses is that when the ships' engines are stopped, +messages can no longer be sent out, that is, with the system at +present adopted. It will be remembered that the Titanic's messages got +gradually fainter and then ceased altogether as she came to rest with +her engines shut down. +</p> + +<p> +Again, in fogs,—and most accidents occur in fogs,—while wireless +informs of the accident, it does not enable one ship to locate another +closely enough to take off her passengers at once. There is as yet no +method known by which wireless telegraphy will fix the direction of a +message; and after a ship has been in fog for any considerable length +of time it is more difficult to give the exact position to another +vessel bringing help. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing could illustrate these two points better than the story of how +the Baltic found the Republic in the year 1909, in a dense fog off +Nantucket Lightship, when the latter was drifting helplessly after +collision with the Florida. The Baltic received a wireless message +stating the Republic's condition and the information that she was in +touch with Nantucket through a submarine bell which she could hear +ringing. The Baltic turned and went towards the position in the fog, +picked up the submarine bell-signal from Nantucket, and then began +searching near this position for the Republic. It took her twelve +hours to find the damaged ship, zigzagging across a circle within +which she thought the Republic might lie. In a rough sea it is +doubtful whether the Republic would have remained afloat long enough +for the Baltic to find her and take off all her passengers. +</p> + +<p> +Now on these two occasions when wireless telegraphy was found to be +unreliable, the usefulness of the submarine bell at once becomes +apparent. The Baltic could have gone unerringly to the Republic in the +dense fog had the latter been fitted with a submarine emergency bell. +It will perhaps be well to spend a little time describing the +submarine signalling apparatus to see how this result could have been +obtained: twelve anxious hours in a dense fog on a ship which was +injured so badly that she subsequently foundered, is an experience +which every appliance known to human invention should be enlisted to +prevent. +</p> + +<p> +Submarine signalling has never received that public notice which +wireless telegraphy has, for the reason that it does not appeal so +readily to the popular mind. That it is an absolute necessity to every +ship carrying passengers—or carrying anything, for that matter—is +beyond question. It is an additional safeguard that no ship can afford +to be without. +</p> + +<p> +There are many occasions when the atmosphere fails lamentably as a +medium for carrying messages. When fog falls down, as it does +sometimes in a moment, on the hundreds of ships coasting down the +traffic ways round our shores—ways which are defined so easily in +clear weather and with such difficulty in fogs—the hundreds of +lighthouses and lightships which serve as warning beacons, and on +which many millions of money have been spent, are for all practical +purposes as useless to the navigator as if they had never been built: +he is just as helpless as if he were back in the years before 1514, +when Trinity House was granted a charter by Henry VIII "for the +relief...of the shipping of this realm of England," and began a system +of lights on the shores, of which the present chain of lighthouses and +lightships is the outcome. +</p> + +<p> +Nor is the foghorn much better: the presence of different layers of +fog and air, and their varying densities, which cause both reflection +and refraction of sound, prevent the air from being a reliable medium +for carrying it. Now, submarine signalling has none of these defects, +for the medium is water, subject to no such variable conditions as the +air. Its density is practically non variable, and sound travels +through it at the rate of 4400 feet per second, without deviation or +reflection. +</p> + +<p> +The apparatus consists of a bell designed to ring either pneumatically +from a lightship, electrically from the shore (the bell itself being a +tripod at the bottom of the sea), automatically from a floating +bell-buoy, or by hand from a ship or boat. The sound travels from the +bell in every direction, like waves in a pond, and falls, it may be, +on the side of a ship. The receiving apparatus is fixed inside the +skin of the ship and consists of a small iron tank, 16 inches square +and 18 inches deep. The front of the tank facing the ship's iron skin +is missing and the tank, being filled with water, is bolted to the +framework and sealed firmly to the ship's side by rubber facing. In +this way a portion of the ship's iron hull is washed by the sea on one +side and water in the tank on the other. Vibrations from a bell +ringing at a distance fall on the iron side, travel through, and +strike on two microphones hanging in the tank. These microphones +transmit the sound along wires to the chart room, where telephones +convey the message to the officer on duty. +</p> + +<p> +There are two of these tanks or "receivers" fitted against the ship's +side, one on the port and one on the starboard side, near the bows, +and as far down below the water level as is possible. The direction of +sounds coming to the microphones hanging in these tanks can be +estimated by switching alternately to the port and starboard tanks. If +the sound is of greater intensity on the port side, then the bell +signalling is off the port bows; and similarly on the starboard side. +</p> + +<p> +The ship is turned towards the sound until the same volume of sound is +heard from both receivers, when the bell is known to be dead ahead. So +accurate is this in practice that a trained operator can steer his +ship in the densest fog directly to a lightship or any other point +where a submarine bell is sending its warning beneath the sea. It must +be repeated that the medium in which these signals are transmitted is +a constant one, not subject to any of the limitations and variations +imposed on the atmosphere and the ether as media for the transmission +of light, blasts of a foghorn, and wireless vibrations. At present the +chief use of submarine signalling is from the shore or a lightship to +ships at sea, and not from ship to ship or from ship to the shore: in +other words ships carry only receiving apparatus, and lighthouses and +lightships use only signalling apparatus. Some of the lighthouses and +lightships on our coasts already have these submarine bells in +addition to their lights, and in bad weather the bells send out their +messages to warn ships of their proximity to a danger point. This +invention enables ships to pick up the sound of bell after bell on a +coast and run along it in the densest fog almost as well as in +daylight; passenger steamers coming into port do not have to wander +about in the fog, groping their way blindly into harbour. By having a +code of rings, and judging by the intensity of the sound, it is +possible to tell almost exactly where a ship is in relation to the +coast or to some lightship. The British Admiralty report in 1906 said: +"If the lightships round the coast were fitted with submarine bells, +it would be possible for ships fitted with receiving apparatus to +navigate in fog with almost as great certainty as in clear weather." +And the following remark of a captain engaged in coast service is +instructive. He had been asked to cut down expenses by omitting the +submarine signalling apparatus, but replied: "I would rather take out +the wireless. That only enables me to tell other people where I am. +The submarine signal enables me to find out where I am myself." +</p> + +<p> +The range of the apparatus is not so wide as that of wireless +telegraphy, varying from 10 to 15 miles for a large ship (although +instances of 20 to 30 are on record), and from 3 to 8 miles for a +small ship. +</p> + +<p> +At present the receiving apparatus is fixed on only some 650 steamers +of the merchant marine, these being mostly the first-class passenger +liners. There is no question that it should be installed, along with +wireless apparatus, on every ship of over 1000 tons gross tonnage. +Equally important is the provision of signalling apparatus on board +ships: it is obviously just as necessary to transmit a signal as to +receive one; but at present the sending of signals from ships has not +been perfected. The invention of signal-transmitting apparatus to be +used while the ship is under way is as yet in the experimental stage; +but while she is at rest a bell similar to those used by lighthouses +can be sunk over her side and rung by hand with exactly the same +effect. But liners are not provided with them (they cost only 60 Pounds!). +As mentioned before, with another 60 Pounds spent on the Republic's +equipment, the Baltic could have picked up her bell and steered direct +to her—just as they both heard the bell of Nantucket Lightship. +Again, if the Titanic had been provided with a bell and the +Californian with receiving apparatus,—neither of them was,—the +officer on the bridge could have heard the signals from the telephones +near. +</p> + +<p> +A smaller size for use in lifeboats is provided, and would be heard by +receiving apparatus for approximately five miles. If we had hung one +of these bells over the side of the lifeboats afloat that night we +should have been free from the anxiety of being run down as we lay +across the Carpathia's path, without a light. Or if we had gone adrift +in a dense fog and wandered miles apart from each other on the sea (as +we inevitably should have done), the Carpathia could still have picked +up each boat individually by means of the bell signal. +</p> + +<p> +In those ships fitted with receiving apparatus, at least one officer +is obliged to understand the working of the apparatus: a very wise +precaution, and, as suggested above, one that should be taken with +respect to wireless apparatus also. +</p> + +<p> +It was a very great pleasure to me to see all this apparatus in +manufacture and in use at one of the principal submarine signalling +works in America and to hear some of the remarkable stories of its +value in actual practice. I was struck by the aptness of the motto +adopted by them—"De profundis clamavi"—in relation to the Titanic's +end and the calls of our passengers from the sea when she sank. "Out +of the deep have I called unto Thee" is indeed a suitable motto for +those who are doing all they can to prevent such calls arising from +their fellow men and women "out of the deep." +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Fixing of steamship routes</i> +</p> + +<p> +The "lanes" along which the liners travel are fixed by agreement among +the steamship companies in consultation with the Hydrographic +departments of the different countries. These routes are arranged so +that east-bound steamers are always a number of miles away from those +going west, and thus the danger of collision between east and +west-bound vessels is entirely eliminated. The "lanes" can be moved +farther south if icebergs threaten, and north again when the danger is +removed. Of course the farther south they are placed, the longer the +journey to be made, and the longer the time spent on board, with +consequent grumbling by some passengers. For example, the lanes since +the disaster to the Titanic have been moved one hundred miles farther +south, which means one hundred and eighty miles longer journey, taking +eight hours. +</p> + +<p> +The only real precaution against colliding with icebergs is to go +south of the place where they are likely to be: there is no other way. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Lifeboats</i> +</p> + +<p> +The provision was of course woefully inadequate. The only humane plan +is to have a numbered seat in a boat assigned to each passenger and +member of the crew. It would seem well to have this number pointed out +at the time of booking a berth, and to have a plan in each cabin +showing where the boat is and how to get to it the most direct way—a +most important consideration with a ship like the Titanic with over +two miles of deck space. Boat-drills of the passengers and crew of +each boat should be held, under compulsion, as soon as possible after +leaving port. I asked an officer as to the possibility of having such +a drill immediately after the gangways are withdrawn and before the +tugs are allowed to haul the ship out of dock, but he says the +difficulties are almost insuperable at such a time. If so, the drill +should be conducted in sections as soon as possible after sailing, and +should be conducted in a thorough manner. Children in school are +called upon suddenly to go through fire-drill, and there is no reason +why passengers on board ship should not be similarly trained. So much +depends on order and readiness in time of danger. Undoubtedly, the +whole subject of manning, provisioning, loading and lowering of +lifeboats should be in the hands of an expert officer, who should have +no other duties. The modern liner has become far too big to permit the +captain to exercise control over the whole ship, and all vitally +important subdivisions should be controlled by a separate authority. +It seems a piece of bitter irony to remember that on the Titanic a +special chef was engaged at a large salary,—larger perhaps than that +of any officer,—and no boatmaster (or some such officer) was +considered necessary. The general system again—not criminal neglect, +as some hasty criticisms would say, but lack of consideration for our +fellow-man, the placing of luxurious attractions above that kindly +forethought that allows no precaution to be neglected for even the +humblest passenger. But it must not be overlooked that the provision +of sufficient lifeboats on deck is not evidence they will all be +launched easily or all the passengers taken off safely. It must be +remembered that ideal conditions prevailed that night for launching +boats from the decks of the Titanic: there was no list that prevented +the boats getting away, they could be launched on both sides, and when +they were lowered the sea was so calm that they pulled away without +any of the smashing against the side that is possible in rough seas. +Sometimes it would mean that only those boats on the side sheltered +from a heavy sea could ever get away, and this would at once halve the +boat accommodation. And when launched, there would be the danger of +swamping in such a heavy sea. All things considered, lifeboats might +be the poorest sort of safeguard in certain conditions. +</p> + +<p> +Life-rafts are said to be much inferior to lifeboats in a rough sea, +and collapsible boats made of canvas and thin wood soon decay under +exposure to weather and are danger-traps at a critical moment. +</p> + +<p> +Some of the lifeboats should be provided with motors, to keep the +boats together and to tow if necessary. The launching is an important +matter: the Titanic's davits worked excellently and no doubt were +largely responsible for all the boats getting away safely: they were +far superior to those on most liners. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Pontoons</i> +</p> + +<p> +After the sinking of the Bourgogne, when two Americans lost their +lives, a prize of 4000 Pounds was offered by their heirs for the best +life-saving device applicable to ships at sea. A board sat to consider +the various appliances sent in by competitors, and finally awarded the +prize to an Englishman, whose design provided for a flat structure the +width of the ship, which could be floated off when required and would +accommodate several hundred passengers. It has never been adopted +by any steamship line. Other similar designs are known, by which the +whole of the after deck can be pushed over from the stern by a ratchet +arrangement, with air-tanks below to buoy it up: it seems to be a +practical suggestion. +</p> + +<p> +One point where the Titanic management failed lamentably was to +provide a properly trained crew to each lifeboat. The rowing was in +most cases execrable. There is no more reason why a steward should be +able to row than a passenger—less so than some of the passengers who +were lost; men of leisure accustomed to all kinds of sport (including +rowing), and in addition probably more fit physically than a steward +to row for hours on the open sea. And if a steward cannot row, he has +no right to be at an oar; so that, under the unwritten rule that +passengers take precedence of the crew when there is not sufficient +accommodation for all (a situation that should never be allowed to +arise again, for a member of the crew should have an equal opportunity +with a passenger to save his life), the majority of stewards and cooks +should have stayed behind and passengers have come instead: they could +not have been of less use, and they might have been of more. It will +be remembered that the proportion of crew saved to passengers was 210 +to 495, a high proportion. +</p> + +<p> +Another point arises out of these figures—deduct 21 members of the +crew who were stewardesses, and 189 men of the crew are left as +against the 495 passengers. Of these some got on the overturned +collapsible boat after the Titanic sank, and a few were picked up by +the lifeboats, but these were not many in all. Now with the 17 boats +brought to the Carpathia and an average of six of the crew to man each +boat,—probably a higher average than was realized,—we get a total of +102 who should have been saved as against 189 who actually were. There +were, as is known, stokers and stewards in the boats who were not +members of the lifeboats' crews. It may seem heartless to analyze +figures in this way, and suggest that some of the crew who got to the +Carpathia never should have done so; but, after all, passengers took +their passage under certain rules,—written and unwritten,—and one is +that in times of danger the servants of the company in whose boats +they sail shall first of all see to the safety of the passengers +before thinking of their own. There were only 126 men passengers saved +as against 189 of the crew, and 661 men lost as against 686 of the +crew, so that actually the crew had a greater percentage saved than +the men passengers—22 per cent against 16. +</p> + +<p> +But steamship companies are faced with real difficulties in this +matter. The crews are never the same for two voyages together: they +sign on for the one trip, then perhaps take a berth on shore as +waiters, stokers in hotel furnace-rooms, etc.,—to resume life on +board any other ship that is handy when the desire comes to go to sea +again. They can in no sense be regarded as part of a homogeneous crew, +subject to regular discipline and educated to appreciate the morale of +a particular liner, as a man of war's crew is. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Searchlights</i> +</p> + +<p> +These seem an absolute necessity, and the wonder is that they have not +been fitted before to all ocean liners. Not only are they of use in +lighting up the sea a long distance ahead, but as flashlight signals +they permit of communication with other ships. As I write, through the +window can be seen the flashes from river steamers plying up the +Hudson in New York, each with its searchlight, examining the river, +lighting up the bank for hundreds of yards ahead, and bringing every +object within its reach into prominence. They are regularly used too +in the Suez Canal. +</p> + +<p> +I suppose there is no question that the collision would have been +avoided had a searchlight been fitted to the Titanic's masthead: the +climatic conditions for its use must have been ideal that night. There +are other things besides icebergs: derelicts are reported from time to +time, and fishermen lie in the lanes without lights. They would not +always be of practical use, however. They would be of no service in +heavy rain, in fog, in snow, or in flying spray, and the effect is +sometimes to dazzle the eyes of the lookout. +</p> + +<p> +While writing of the lookout, much has been made of the omission to +provide the lookout on the Titanic with glasses. The general opinion +of officers seems to be that it is better not to provide them, but to +rely on good eyesight and wide-awake men. After all, in a question of +actual practice, the opinion of officers should be accepted as final, +even if it seems to the landsman the better thing to provide glasses. +</p> + +<p class="t3b"> +<i>Cruising lightships</i> +</p> + +<p> +One or two internationally owned and controlled lightships, fitted +with every known device for signalling and communication, would rob +those regions of most of their terrors. They could watch and chart the +icebergs, report their exact position, the amount and direction of +daily drift in the changing currents that are found there. To them, +too, might be entrusted the duty of police patrol. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p><a id="chap09"></a></p> +<h3> +CHAPTER IX +</h3> + +<h3> +SOME IMPRESSIONS +</h3> + +<p> +No one can pass through an event like the wreck of the Titanic without +recording mentally many impressions, deep and vivid, of what has been +seen and felt. In so far as such impressions are of benefit to mankind +they should not be allowed to pass unnoticed, and this chapter is an +attempt to picture how people thought and felt from the time they +first heard of the disaster to the landing in New York, when there was +opportunity to judge of events somewhat from a distance. While it is +to some extent a personal record, the mental impressions of other +survivors have been compared and found to be in many cases closely in +agreement. Naturally it is very imperfect, and pretends to be no more +than a sketch of the way people act under the influence of strong +emotions produced by imminent danger. +</p> + +<p> +In the first place, the principal fact that stands out is the almost +entire absence of any expressions of fear or alarm on the part of +passengers, and the conformity to the normal on the part of almost +everyone. I think it is no exaggeration to say that those who read of +the disaster quietly at home, and pictured to themselves the scene as +the Titanic was sinking, had more of the sense of horror than those +who stood on the deck and watched her go down inch by inch. The fact +is that the sense of fear came to the passengers very slowly—a result +of the absence of any signs of danger and the peaceful night—and as +it became evident gradually that there was serious damage to the ship, +the fear that came with the knowledge was largely destroyed as it +came. There was no sudden overwhelming sense of danger that passed +through thought so quickly that it was difficult to catch up and +grapple with it—no need for the warning to "be not afraid of sudden +fear," such as might have been present had we collided head-on with a +crash and a shock that flung everyone out of his bunk to the floor. +Everyone had time to give each condition of danger attention as it +came along, and the result of their judgment was as if they had said: +"Well, here is this thing to be faced, and we must see it through as +quietly as we can." Quietness and self-control were undoubtedly the +two qualities most expressed. There were times when danger loomed more +nearly and there was temporarily some excitement,—for example when +the first rocket went up,—but after the first realization of what it +meant, the crowd took hold of the situation and soon gained the same +quiet control that was evident at first. As the sense of fear ebbed +and flowed, it was so obviously a thing within one's own power to +control, that, quite unconsciously realizing the absolute necessity of +keeping cool, every one for his own safety put away the thought of +danger as far as was possible. Then, too, the curious sense of the +whole thing being a dream was very prominent: that all were looking on +at the scene from a near-by vantage point in a position of perfect +safety, and that those who walked the decks or tied one another's +lifebelts on were the actors in a scene of which we were but +spectators: that the dream would end soon and we should wake up to +find the scene had vanished. Many people have had a similar experience +in times of danger, but it was very noticeable standing on the +Titanic's deck. I remember observing it particularly while tying on a +lifebelt for a man on the deck. It is fortunate that it should be so: +to be able to survey such a scene dispassionately is a wonderful aid +inn the destruction of the fear that go with it. One thing that helped +considerably to establish this orderly condition of affairs was the +quietness of the surroundings. It may seem weariness to refer again to +this, but I am convinced it had much to do with keeping everyone calm. +The ship was motionless; there was not a breath of wind; the sky was +clear; the sea like a mill-pond—the general "atmosphere" was +peaceful, and all on board responded unconsciously to it. But what +controlled the situation principally was the quality of obedience and +respect for authority which is a dominant characteristic of the +Teutonic race. Passengers did as they were told by the officers in +charge: women went to the decks below, men remained where they were +told and waited in silence for the next order, knowing instinctively +that this was the only way to bring about the best result for all on +board. The officers, in their turn, carried out the work assigned to +them by their superior officers as quickly and orderly as +circumstances permitted, the senior ones being in control of the +manning, filling and lowering of the lifeboats, while the junior +officers were lowered in individual boats to take command of the fleet +adrift on the sea. Similarly, the engineers below, the band, the +gymnasium instructor, were all performing their tasks as they came +along: orderly, quietly, without question or stopping to consider what +was their chance of safety. This correlation on the part of +passengers, officers and crew was simply obedience to duty, and it was +innate rather than the product of reasoned judgment. +</p> + +<p> +I hope it will not seem to detract in any way from the heroism of +those who faced the last plunge of the Titanic so courageously when +all the boats had gone,—if it does, it is the difficulty of +expressing an idea in adequate words,—to say that their quiet heroism +was largely unconscious, temperamental, not a definite choice between +two ways of acting. All that was visible on deck before the boats left +tended to this conclusion and the testimony of those who went down +with the ship and were afterwards rescued is of the same kind. +</p> + +<p> +Certainly it seems to express much more general nobility of character +in a race of people—consisting of different nationalities—to find +heroism an unconscious quality of the race than to have it arising as +an effort of will, to have to bring it out consciously. +</p> + +<p> +It is unfortunate that some sections of the press should seek to +chronicle mainly the individual acts of heroism: the collective +behaviour of a crowd is of so much more importance to the world and so +much more a test—if a test be wanted—of how a race of people +behaves. The attempt to record the acts of individuals leads +apparently to such false reports as that of Major Butt holding at bay +with a revolver a crowd of passengers and shooting them down as they +tried to rush the boats, or of Captain Smith shouting, "Be British," +through a megaphone, and subsequently committing suicide along with +First Officer Murdock. It is only a morbid sense of things that would +describe such incidents as heroic. Everyone knows that Major Butt was +a brave man, but his record of heroism would not be enhanced if he, a +trained army officer, were compelled under orders from the captain to +shoot down unarmed passengers. It might in other conditions have been +necessary, but it would not be heroic. Similarly there could be +nothing heroic in Captain Smith or Murdock putting an end to their +lives. It is conceivable men might be so overwhelmed by the sense of +disaster that they knew not how they were acting; but to be really +heroic would have been to stop with the ship—as of course they +did—with the hope of being picked up along with passengers and crew +and returning to face an enquiry and to give evidence that would be of +supreme value to the whole world for the prevention of similar +disasters. It was not possible; but if heroism consists in doing the +greatest good to the greatest number, it would have been heroic for +both officers to <i>expect</i> to be saved. We do not know what they +thought, but I, for one, like to imagine that they did so. Second +Officer Lightoller worked steadily at the boats until the last +possible moment, went down with the ship, was saved in what seemed a +miraculous manner, and returned to give valuable evidence before the +commissions of two countries. +</p> + +<p> +The second thing that stands out prominently in the emotions produced +by the disaster is that in moments of urgent need men and women turn +for help to something entirely outside themselves. I remember reading +some years ago a story of an atheist who was the guest at dinner of a +regimental mess in India. The colonel listened to his remarks on +atheism in silence, and invited him for a drive the following morning. +He took his guest up a rough mountain road in a light carriage drawn +by two ponies, and when some distance from the plain below, turned the +carriage round and allowed the ponies to run away—as it +seemed—downhill. In the terror of approaching disaster, the atheist +was lifted out of his reasoned convictions and prayed aloud for help, +when the colonel reined in his ponies, and with the remark that the +whole drive had been planned with the intention of proving to his +guest that there was a power outside his own reason, descended quietly +to level ground. +</p> + +<p> +The story may or may not be true, and in any case is not introduced as +an attack on atheism, but it illustrates in a striking way the frailty +of dependence on a man's own power and resource in imminent danger. To +those men standing on the top deck with the boats all lowered, and +still more so when the boats had all left, there came the realization +that human resources were exhausted and human avenues of escape +closed. With it came the appeal to whatever consciousness each had of +a Power that had created the universe. After all, some Power had made +the brilliant stars above, countless millions of miles away, moving in +definite order, formed on a definite plan and obeying a definite law: +had made each one of the passengers with ability to think and act; +with the best proof, after all, of being created—the knowledge of +their own existence; and now, if at any time, was the time to appeal +to that Power. When the boats had left and it was seen the ship was +going down rapidly, men stood in groups on the deck engaged in prayer, +and later, as some of them lay on the overturned collapsible +boat, they repeated together over and over again the Lord's +Prayer—irrespective of religious beliefs, some, perhaps, without +religious beliefs, united in a common appeal for deliverance from +their surroundings. And this was not because it was a habit, because +they had learned this prayer "at their mother's knee": men do not do +such things through habit. It must have been because each one saw +removed the thousand and one ways in which he had relied on human, +material things to help him—including even dependence on the +overturned boat with its bubble of air inside, which any moment a +rising swell might remove as it tilted the boat too far sideways, and +sink the boat below the surface—saw laid bare his utter dependence on +something that had made him and given him power to think—whether he +named it God or Divine Power or First Cause or Creator, or named it +not at all but recognized it unconsciously—saw these things and +expressed them in the form of words he was best acquainted with in +common with his fellow-men. He did so, not through a sense of duty to +his particular religion, not because he had learned the words, but +because he recognized that it was the most practical thing to do—the +thing best fitted to help him. Men do practical things in times like +that: they would not waste a moment on mere words if those words were +not an expression of the most intensely real conviction of which they +were capable. Again, like the feeling of heroism, this appeal is +innate and intuitive, and it certainly has its foundation on a +knowledge—largely concealed, no doubt—of immortality. I think this +must be obvious: there could be no other explanation of such a general +sinking of all the emotions of the human mind expressed in a thousand +different ways by a thousand different people in favour of this single +appeal. +</p> + +<p> +The behaviour of people during the hours in the lifeboats, the landing +on the Carpathia, the life there and the landing in New York, can all +be summarized by saying that people did not act at all as they were +expected to act—or rather as most people expected they would act, and +in some cases have erroneously said they did act. Events were there to +be faced, and not to crush people down. Situations arose which +demanded courage, resource, and in the cases of those who had lost +friends most dear to them, enormous self-control; but very wonderfully +they responded. There was the same quiet demeanour and poise, the same +inborn dominion over circumstances, the same conformity to a normal +standard which characterized the crowd of passengers on the deck of +the Titanic—and for the same reasons. +</p> + +<p> +The first two or three days ashore were undoubtedly rather trying to +some of the survivors. It seemed as if coming into the world +again—the four days shut off from any news seemed a long time—and +finding what a shock the disaster had produced, the flags half-mast, +the staring head-lines, the sense of gloom noticeable everywhere, made +things worse than they had been on the Carpathia. The difference in +"atmosphere" was very marked, and people gave way to some extent under +it and felt the reaction. Gratitude for their deliverance and a desire +to "make the best of things" must have helped soon, however, to +restore them to normal conditions. It is not at all surprising that +some survivors felt quieter on the Carpathia with its lack of news +from the outside world, if the following extract from a leading New +York evening paper was some of the material of which the "atmosphere" +on shore was composed:—"Stunned by the terrific impact, the dazed +passengers rushed from their staterooms into the main saloon amid the +crash of splintering steel, rending of plates and shattering of +girders, while the boom of falling pinnacles of ice upon the broken +deck of the great vessel added to the horror.... In a wild +ungovernable mob they poured out of the saloons to witness one of the +most appalling scenes possible to conceive.... For a hundred feet the +bow was a shapeless mass of bent, broken and splintered steel and +iron." +</p> + +<p> +And so on, horror piled on horror, and not a word of it true, or +remotely approaching the truth. +</p> + +<p> +This paper was selling in the streets of New York while the Carpathia +was coming into dock, while relatives of those on board were at the +docks to meet them and anxiously buying any paper that might contain +news. No one on the Carpathia could have supplied such information; +there was no one else in the world at that moment who knew any details +of the Titanic disaster, and the only possible conclusion is that the +whole thing was a deliberate fabrication to sell the paper. +</p> + +<p> +This is a repetition of the same defect in human nature noticed in the +provision of safety appliances on board ship—the lack of +consideration for the other man. The remedy is the same—the law: it +should be a criminal offence for anyone to disseminate deliberate +falsehoods that cause fear and grief. The moral responsibility of the +press is very great, and its duty of supplying the public with only +clean, correct news is correspondingly heavy. If the general public is +not yet prepared to go so far as to stop the publication of such news +by refusing to buy those papers that publish it, then the law should +be enlarged to include such cases. Libel is an offence, and this is +very much worse than any libel could ever be. +</p> + +<p> +It is only right to add that the majority of the New York papers were +careful only to report such news as had been obtained legitimately +from survivors or from Carpathia passengers. It was sometimes +exaggerated and sometimes not true at all, but from the point of +reporting what was heard, most of it was quite correct. +</p> + +<p> +One more thing must be referred to—the prevalence of superstitious +beliefs concerning the Titanic. I suppose no ship ever left port with +so much miserable nonsense showered on her. In the first place, there +is no doubt many people refused to sail on her because it was her +maiden voyage, and this apparently is a common superstition: even the +clerk of the White Star Office where I purchased my ticket admitted it +was a reason that prevented people from sailing. A number of people +have written to the press to say they had thought of sailing on her, +or had decided to sail on her, but because of "omens" cancelled the +passage. Many referred to the sister ship, the Olympic, pointed to the +"ill luck" that they say has dogged her—her collision with the Hawke, +and a second mishap necessitating repairs and a wait in harbour, where +passengers deserted her; they prophesied even greater disaster for the +Titanic, saying they would not dream of travelling on the boat. Even +some aboard were very nervous, in an undefined way. One lady said she +had never wished to take this boat, but her friends had insisted and +bought her ticket and she had not had a happy moment since. A friend +told me of the voyage of the Olympic from Southampton after the wait +in harbour, and said there was a sense of gloom pervading the whole +ship: the stewards and stewardesses even going so far as to say it was +a "death-ship." This crew, by the way, was largely transferred to the +Titanic. +</p> + +<p> +The incident with the New York at Southampton, the appearance of the +stoker at Queenstown in the funnel, combine with all this to make a +mass of nonsense in which apparently sensible people believe, or which +at any rate they discuss. Correspondence is published with an official +of the White Star Line from some one imploring them not to name the +new ship "Gigantic," because it seems like "tempting fate" when the +Titanic has been sunk. It would seem almost as if we were back in the +Middle Ages when witches were burned because they kept black cats. +There seems no more reason why a black stoker should be an ill omen +for the Titanic than a black cat should be for an old woman. +</p> + +<p> +The only reason for referring to these foolish details is that a +surprisingly large number of people think there may be "something in +it." The effect is this: that if a ship's company and a number of +passengers get imbued with that undefined dread of the unknown—the +relics no doubt of the savage's fear of what he does not +understand—it has an unpleasant effect on the harmonious working of +the ship: the officers and crew feel the depressing influence, and it +may even spread so far as to prevent them being as alert and keen as +they otherwise would; may even result in some duty not being as well +done as usual. Just as the unconscious demand for speed and haste to +get across the Atlantic may have tempted captains to take a risk they +might otherwise not have done, so these gloomy forebodings may have +more effect sometimes than we imagine. Only a little thing is required +sometimes to weigh down the balance for and against a certain course +of action. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of this chapter of mental impressions it must be recorded +that one impression remains constant with us all to-day—that of the +deepest gratitude that we came safely through the wreck of the +Titanic; and its corollary—that our legacy from the wreck, our debt +to those who were lost with her, is to see, as far as in us lies, that +such things are impossible ever again. Meanwhile we can say of them, +as Shelley, himself the victim of a similar disaster, says of his +friend Keats in "Adonais":— +</p> + +<p> +"Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep—He hath awakened +from the dream of life—He lives, he wakes—'Tis Death is dead, not +he; Mourn not for Adonais." +</p> + +<p class="finis"> +THE END +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +[Illustration: FIG 4. TRANSVERSE VIEW OF THE DECKS THE TITANIC +</p> + +<pre> + S Sun deck + A Upper promenade deck + B Promenade deck, glass enclosed + C Upper deck + D Saloon deck + E Main deck + F Middle deck + G Lower deck: cargo, coal bunkers, boilers, engines + (a) Welin davits with lifeboats + (b) Bilge + (c) Double bottom] +</pre> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + +***** This file should be named 6675-h.htm or 6675-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/6/7/6675/ + +Produced by Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from +images generously made available by the CWRU Preservation +Department Digital Library. HTML version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> + +</html> + + diff --git a/6675.txt b/6675.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..99ba2bc --- /dev/null +++ b/6675.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5010 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Loss of the SS. Titanic + +Author: Lawrence Beesley + +Posting Date: March 16, 2014 [EBook #6675] +Release Date: October, 2004 +First Posted: January 12, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + + + + +Produced by Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from +images generously made available by the CWRU Preservation +Department Digital Library. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + + + +THE LOSS OF THE S. S. TITANIC + + +ITS STORY AND ITS LESSONS + +BY + +LAWRENCE BEESLEY + +B. A. (_Cantab_.) + +Scholar of Gonville and Caius College + +ONE OF THE SURVIVORS + + + +PREFACE + +The circumstances in which this book came to be written are as +follows. Some five weeks after the survivors from the Titanic landed +in New York, I was the guest at luncheon of Hon. Samuel J. Elder and +Hon. Charles T. Gallagher, both well-known lawyers in Boston. After +luncheon I was asked to relate to those present the experiences of the +survivors in leaving the Titanic and reaching the Carpathia. + +When I had done so, Mr. Robert Lincoln O'Brien, the editor of the +_Boston Herald_, urged me as a matter of public interest to write +a correct history of the Titanic disaster, his reason being that he +knew several publications were in preparation by people who had not +been present at the disaster, but from newspaper accounts were piecing +together a description of it. He said that these publications would +probably be erroneous, full of highly coloured details, and generally +calculated to disturb public thought on the matter. He was supported +in his request by all present, and under this general pressure I +accompanied him to Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company, where we +discussed the question of publication. + +Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company took at that time exactly the same +view that I did, that it was probably not advisable to put on record +the incidents connected with the Titanic's sinking: it seemed better +to forget details as rapidly as possible. + +However, we decided to take a few days to think about it. At our next +meeting we found ourselves in agreement again,--but this time on the +common ground that it would probably be a wise thing to write a +history of the Titanic disaster as correctly as possible. I was +supported in this decision by the fact that a short account, which I +wrote at intervals on board the Carpathia, in the hope that it would +calm public opinion by stating the truth of what happened as nearly as +I could recollect it, appeared in all the American, English, and +Colonial papers and had exactly the effect it was intended to have. +This encourages me to hope that the effect of this work will be the +same. + +Another matter aided me in coming to a decision,--the duty that we, as +survivors of the disaster, owe to those who went down with the ship, +to see that the reforms so urgently needed are not allowed to be +forgotten. + +Whoever reads the account of the cries that came to us afloat on the +sea from those sinking in the ice-cold water must remember that they +were addressed to him just as much as to those who heard them, and +that the duty, of seeing that reforms are carried out devolves on +every one who knows that such cries were heard in utter helplessness +the night the Titanic sank. + + + +CONTENTS + +I. CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE + +II. FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION + +III. THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS + +IV. THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT + +V. THE RESCUE + +VI. THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM HER DECK + +VII. THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK + +VIII. THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC + +IX. SOME IMPRESSIONS + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +THE TITANIC From a photograph taken in Belfast Harbour. Copyrighted by +Underwood and Underwood, New York. + +VIEW OF FOUR DECKS OF THE OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF THE TITANIC From a +photograph published in the "Sphere," May 4,1918 TRANSVERSE (amidship) +SECTION THROUGH THE TITANIC After a drawing furnished by the White +Star Line. + +LONGITUDINAL SECTIONS AND DECK PLAN OF THE TITANIC After plans +published in the "Shipbuilder." + +THE CARPATHIA From a photograph furnished by the Cunard Steamship Co. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE + + +The history of the R.M.S. Titanic, of the White Star Line, is one of +the most tragically short it is possible to conceive. The world had +waited expectantly for its launching and again for its sailing; had +read accounts of its tremendous size and its unexampled completeness +and luxury; had felt it a matter of the greatest satisfaction that +such a comfortable, and above all such a safe boat had been designed +and built--the "unsinkable lifeboat";--and then in a moment to hear +that it had gone to the bottom as if it had been the veriest tramp +steamer of a few hundred tons; and with it fifteen hundred passengers, +some of them known the world over! The improbability of such a thing +ever happening was what staggered humanity. + +If its history had to be written in a single paragraph it would be +somewhat as follows:-- + +"The R.M.S. Titanic was built by Messrs. Harland & Wolff at their +well-known ship-building works at Queen's Island, Belfast, side by +side with her sister ship the Olympic. The twin vessels marked such an +increase in size that specially laid-out joiner and boiler shops were +prepared to aid in their construction, and the space usually taken up +by three building slips was given up to them. The keel of the Titanic +was laid on March 31, 1909, and she was launched on May 31, 1911; she +passed her trials before the Board of Trade officials on March 31, +1912, at Belfast, arrived at Southampton on April 4, and sailed the +following Wednesday, April 10, with 2208 passengers and crew, on her +maiden voyage to New York. She called at Cherbourg the same day, +Queenstown Thursday, and left for New York in the afternoon, expecting +to arrive the following Wednesday morning. But the voyage was never +completed. She collided with an iceberg on Sunday at 11.45 P.M. in +Lat. 41 deg. 46' N. and Long. 50 deg. 14' W., and sank two hours and a half +later; 815 of her passengers and 688 of her crew were drowned and 705 +rescued by the Carpathia." + +Such is the record of the Titanic, the largest ship the world had ever +seen--she was three inches longer than the Olympic and one thousand +tons more in gross tonnage--and her end was the greatest maritime +disaster known. The whole civilized world was stirred to its depths +when the full extent of loss of life was learned, and it has not yet +recovered from the shock. And that is without doubt a good thing. It +should not recover from it until the possibility of such a disaster +occurring again has been utterly removed from human society, whether +by separate legislation in different countries or by international +agreement. No living person should seek to dwell in thought for one +moment on such a disaster except in the endeavour to glean from it +knowledge that will be of profit to the whole world in the future. +When such knowledge is practically applied in the construction, +equipment, and navigation of passenger steamers--and not until +then--will be the time to cease to think of the Titanic disaster and +of the hundreds of men and women so needlessly sacrificed. + +A few words on the ship's construction and equipment will be necessary +in order to make clear many points that arise in the course of this +book. A few figures have been added which it is hoped will help the +reader to follow events more closely than he otherwise could. + +The considerations that inspired the builders to design the Titanic on +the lines on which she was constructed were those of speed, weight of +displacement, passenger and cargo accommodation. High speed is very +expensive, because the initial cost of the necessary powerful +machinery is enormous, the running expenses entailed very heavy, and +passenger and cargo accommodation have to be fined down to make the +resistance through the water as little as possible and to keep the +weight down. An increase in size brings a builder at once into +conflict with the question of dock and harbour accommodation at the +ports she will touch: if her total displacement is very great while +the lines are kept slender for speed, the draught limit may be +exceeded. The Titanic, therefore, was built on broader lines than the +ocean racers, increasing the total displacement; but because of the +broader build, she was able to keep within the draught limit at each +port she visited. At the same time she was able to accommodate more +passengers and cargo, and thereby increase largely her earning +capacity. A comparison between the Mauretania and the Titanic +illustrates the difference in these respects:-- + + + Displacement Horse power Speed in knots + Mauretania 44,640 70,000 26 + Titanic 60,000 46,000 21 + +The vessel when completed was 883 feet long, 92 1/2 feet broad; her +height from keel to bridge was 104 feet. She had 8 steel decks, a +cellular double bottom, 5 1/4 feet through (the inner and outer +"skins" so-called), and with bilge keels projecting 2 feet for 300 +feet of her length amidships. These latter were intended to lessen the +tendency to roll in a sea; they no doubt did so very well, but, as it +happened, they proved to be a weakness, for this was the first portion +of the ship touched by the iceberg and it has been suggested that the +keels were forced inwards by the collision and made the work of +smashing in the two "skins" a more simple matter. Not that the final +result would have been any different. + +Her machinery was an expression of the latest progress in marine +engineering, being a combination of reciprocating engines with +Parsons's low-pressure turbine engine,--a combination which gives +increased power with the same steam consumption, an advance on the use +of reciprocating engines alone. The reciprocating engines drove the +wing-propellers and the turbine a mid-propeller, making her a +triple-screw vessel. To drive these engines she had 29 enormous +boilers and 159 furnaces. Three elliptical funnels, 24 feet 6 inches +in the widest diameter, took away smoke and water gases; the fourth +one was a dummy for ventilation. + +She was fitted with 16 lifeboats 30 feet long, swung on davits of the +Welin double-acting type. These davits are specially designed for +dealing with two, and, where necessary, three, sets of lifeboats,--i.e., +48 altogether; more than enough to have saved every soul on board +on the night of the collision. She was divided into 16 compartments by +15 transverse watertight bulkheads reaching from the double bottom +to the upper deck in the forward end and to the saloon deck in the +after end (Fig. 2), in both cases well above the water line. +Communication between the engine rooms and boiler rooms was +through watertight doors, which could all be closed instantly from the +captain's bridge: a single switch, controlling powerful electro-magnets, +operated them. They could also be closed by hand with a lever, +and in case the floor below them was flooded by accident, a +float underneath the flooring shut them automatically. These +compartments were so designed that if the two largest were flooded +with water--a most unlikely contingency in the ordinary way--the ship +would still be quite safe. Of course, more than two were flooded the +night of the collision, but exactly how many is not yet thoroughly +established. + +Her crew had a complement of 860, made up of 475 stewards, cooks, +etc., 320 engineers, and 65 engaged in her navigation. The machinery +and equipment of the Titanic was the finest obtainable and represented +the last word in marine construction. All her structure was of steel, +of a weight, size, and thickness greater than that of any ship yet +known: the girders, beams, bulkheads, and floors all of exceptional +strength. It would hardly seem necessary to mention this, were it not +that there is an impression among a portion of the general public that +the provision of Turkish baths, gymnasiums, and other so-called +luxuries involved a sacrifice of some more essential things, the +absence of which was responsible for the loss of so many lives. But +this is quite an erroneous impression. All these things were an +additional provision for the comfort and convenience of passengers, +and there is no more reason why they should not be provided on these +ships than in a large hotel. There were places on the Titanic's deck +where more boats and rafts could have been stored without sacrificing +these things. The fault lay in not providing them, not in designing +the ship without places to put them. On whom the responsibility must +rest for their not being provided is another matter and must be left +until later. + +When arranging a tour round the United States, I had decided to cross +in the Titanic for several reasons--one, that it was rather a novelty +to be on board the largest ship yet launched, and another that friends +who had crossed in the Olympic described her as a most comfortable +boat in a seaway, and it was reported that the Titanic had been still +further improved in this respect by having a thousand tons more built +in to steady her. I went on board at Southampton at 10 A.M. Wednesday, +April 10, after staying the night in the town. It is pathetic to +recall that as I sat that morning in the breakfast room of an hotel, +from the windows of which could be seen the four huge funnels of the +Titanic towering over the roofs of the various shipping offices +opposite, and the procession of stokers and stewards wending their way +to the ship, there sat behind me three of the Titanic's passengers +discussing the coming voyage and estimating, among other things, the +probabilities of an accident at sea to the ship. As I rose from +breakfast, I glanced at the group and recognized them later on board, +but they were not among the number who answered to the roll-call on +the Carpathia on the following Monday morning. + +Between the time of going on board and sailing, I inspected, in the +company of two friends who had come from Exeter to see me off, the +various decks, dining-saloons and libraries; and so extensive were +they that it is no exaggeration to say that it was quite easy to lose +one's way on such a ship. We wandered casually into the gymnasium on +the boatdeck, and were engaged in bicycle exercise when the instructor +came in with two photographers and insisted on our remaining there +while his friends--as we thought at the time--made a record for him of +his apparatus in use. It was only later that we discovered that they +were the photographers of one of the illustrated London papers. More +passengers came in, and the instructor ran here and there, looking the +very picture of robust, rosy-cheeked health and "fitness" in his white +flannels, placing one passenger on the electric "horse," another on +the "camel," while the laughing group of onlookers watched the +inexperienced riders vigorously shaken up and down as he controlled +the little motor which made the machines imitate so realistically +horse and camel exercise. + +It is related that on the night of the disaster, right up to the time +of the Titanic's sinking, while the band grouped outside the gymnasium +doors played with such supreme courage in face of the water which rose +foot by foot before their eyes, the instructor was on duty inside, +with passengers on the bicycles and the rowing-machines, still +assisting and encouraging to the last. Along with the bandsmen it is +fitting that his name, which I do not think has yet been put on +record--it is McCawley--should have a place in the honourable list of +those who did their duty faithfully to the ship and the line they +served. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION + + +Soon after noon the whistles blew for friends to go ashore, the +gangways were withdrawn, and the Titanic moved slowly down the dock, +to the accompaniment of last messages and shouted farewells of those +on the quay. There was no cheering or hooting of steamers' whistles +from the fleet of ships that lined the dock, as might seem probable on +the occasion of the largest vessel in the world putting to sea on her +maiden voyage; the whole scene was quiet and rather ordinary, with +little of the picturesque and interesting ceremonial which imagination +paints as usual in such circumstances. But if this was lacking, two +unexpected dramatic incidents supplied a thrill of excitement and +interest to the departure from dock. The first of these occurred just +before the last gangway was withdrawn:--a knot of stokers ran along +the quay, with their kit slung over their shoulders in bundles, and +made for the gangway with the evident intention of joining the ship. +But a petty officer guarding the shore end of the gangway firmly +refused to allow them on board; they argued, gesticulated, apparently +attempting to explain the reasons why they were late, but he remained +obdurate and waved them back with a determined hand, the gangway was +dragged back amid their protests, putting a summary ending to their +determined efforts to join the Titanic. Those stokers must be thankful +men to-day that some circumstance, whether their own lack of +punctuality or some unforeseen delay over which they had no control, +prevented their being in time to run up that last gangway! They will +have told--and will no doubt tell for years--the story of how their +lives were probably saved by being too late to join the Titanic. + +The second incident occurred soon afterwards, and while it has no +doubt been thoroughly described at the time by those on shore, perhaps +a view of the occurrence from the deck of the Titanic will not be +without interest. As the Titanic moved majestically down the dock, the +crowd of friends keeping pace with us along the quay, we came together +level with the steamer New York lying moored to the side of the dock +along with the Oceanic, the crowd waving "good-byes" to those on board +as well as they could for the intervening bulk of the two ships. But +as the bows of our ship came about level with those of the New York, +there came a series of reports like those of a revolver, and on the +quay side of the New York snaky coils of thick rope flung themselves +high in the air and fell backwards among the crowd, which retreated in +alarm to escape the flying ropes. We hoped that no one was struck by +the ropes, but a sailor next to me was certain he saw a woman carried +away to receive attention. And then, to our amazement the New York +crept towards us, slowly and stealthily, as if drawn by some invisible +force which she was powerless to withstand. It reminded me instantly +of an experiment I had shown many times to a form of boys learning the +elements of physics in a laboratory, in which a small magnet is made +to float on a cork in a bowl of water and small steel objects placed +on neighbouring pieces of cork are drawn up to the floating magnet by +magnetic force. It reminded me, too, of seeing in my little boy's bath +how a large celluloid floating duck would draw towards itself, by what +is called capillary attraction, smaller ducks, frogs, beetles, and +other animal folk, until the menagerie floated about as a unit, +oblivious of their natural antipathies and reminding us of the "happy +families" one sees in cages on the seashore. On the New York there was +shouting of orders, sailors running to and fro, paying out ropes and +putting mats over the side where it seemed likely we should collide; +the tug which had a few moments before cast off from the bows of the +Titanic came up around our stern and passed to the quay side of the +New York's stern, made fast to her and started to haul her back with +all the force her engines were capable of; but it did not seem that +the tug made much impression on the New York. Apart from the serious +nature of the accident, it made an irresistibly comic picture to see +the huge vessel drifting down the dock with a snorting tug at its +heels, for all the world like a small boy dragging a diminutive puppy +down the road with its teeth locked on a piece of rope, its feet +splayed out, its head and body shaking from side to side in the effort +to get every ounce of its weight used to the best advantage. At first +all appearance showed that the sterns of the two vessels would +collide; but from the stern bridge of the Titanic an officer directing +operations stopped us dead, the suction ceased, and the New York with +her tug trailing behind moved obliquely down the dock, her stern +gliding along the side of the Titanic some few yards away. It gave an +extraordinary impression of the absolute helplessness of a big liner +in the absence of any motive power to guide her. But all excitement +was not yet over: the New York turned her bows inward towards the +quay, her stern swinging just clear of and passing in front of our +bows, and moved slowly head on for the Teutonic lying moored to the +side; mats were quickly got out and so deadened the force of the +collision, which from where we were seemed to be too slight to cause +any damage. Another tug came up and took hold of the New York by the +bows; and between the two of them they dragged her round the corner of +the quay which just here came to an end on the side of the river. + +We now moved slowly ahead and passed the Teutonic at a creeping pace, +but notwithstanding this, the latter strained at her ropes so much +that she heeled over several degrees in her efforts to follow the +Titanic: the crowd were shouted back, a group of gold-braided +officials, probably the harbour-master and his staff, standing on the +sea side of the moored ropes, jumped back over them as they drew up +taut to a rigid line, and urged the crowd back still farther. But we +were just clear, and as we slowly turned the corner into the river I +saw the Teutonic swing slowly back into her normal station, relieving +the tension alike of the ropes and of the minds of all who witnessed +the incident. + +[Illustration: FOUR DECKS OF OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF TITANIC] + +Unpleasant as this incident was, it was interesting to all the +passengers leaning over the rails to see the means adopted by the +officers and crew of the various vessels to avoid collision, to see on +the Titanic's docking-bridge (at the stern) an officer and seamen +telephoning and ringing bells, hauling up and down little red and +white flags, as danger of collision alternately threatened and +diminished. No one was more interested than a young American +kinematograph photographer, who, with his wife, followed the whole +scene with eager eyes, turning the handle of his camera with the most +evident pleasure as he recorded the unexpected incident on his films. +It was obviously quite a windfall for him to have been on board at +such a time. But neither the film nor those who exposed it reached the +other side, and the record of the accident from the Titanic's deck has +never been thrown on the screen. + +As we steamed down the river, the scene we had just witnessed was the +topic of every conversation: the comparison with the Olympic-Hawke +collision was drawn in every little group of passengers, and it seemed +to be generally agreed that this would confirm the suction theory +which was so successfully advanced by the cruiser Hawke in the law +courts, but which many people scoffed at when the British Admiralty +first suggested it as the explanation of the cruiser ramming the +Olympic. And since this is an attempt to chronicle facts as they +happened on board the Titanic, it must be recorded that there were +among the passengers and such of the crew as were heard to speak on +the matter, the direst misgivings at the incident we had just +witnessed. Sailors are proverbially superstitious; far too many people +are prone to follow their lead, or, indeed, the lead of any one who +asserts a statement with an air of conviction and the opportunity of +constant repetition; the sense of mystery that shrouds a prophetic +utterance, particularly if it be an ominous one (for so constituted +apparently is the human mind that it will receive the impress of an +evil prophecy far more readily than it will that of a beneficent one, +possibly through subservient fear to the thing it dreads, possibly +through the degraded, morbid attraction which the sense of evil has +for the innate evil in the human mind), leads many people to pay a +certain respect to superstitious theories. Not that they wholly +believe in them or would wish their dearest friends to know they ever +gave them a second thought; but the feeling that other people do so +and the half conviction that there "may be something in it, after +all," sways them into tacit obedience to the most absurd and childish +theories. I wish in a later chapter to discuss the subject of +superstition in its reference to our life on board the Titanic, but +will anticipate events here a little by relating a second so-called +"bad omen" which was hatched at Queenstown. As one of the tenders +containing passengers and mails neared the Titanic, some of those on +board gazed up at the liner towering above them, and saw a stoker's +head, black from his work in the stokehold below, peering out at them +from the top of one of the enormous funnels--a dummy one for +ventilation--that rose many feet above the highest deck. He had +climbed up inside for a joke, but to some of those who saw him there +the sight was seed for the growth of an "omen," which bore fruit in an +unknown dread of dangers to come. An American lady--may she forgive me +if she reads these lines!--has related to me with the deepest +conviction and earnestness of manner that she saw the man and +attributes the sinking of the Titanic largely to that. Arrant +foolishness, you may say! Yes, indeed, but not to those who believe in +it; and it is well not to have such prophetic thoughts of danger +passed round among passengers and crew: it would seem to have an +unhealthy influence. + +We dropped down Spithead, past the shores of the Isle of Wight looking +superbly beautiful in new spring foliage, exchanged salutes with a +White Star tug lying-to in wait for one of their liners inward bound, +and saw in the distance several warships with attendant black +destroyers guarding the entrance from the sea. In the calmest weather +we made Cherbourg just as it grew dusk and left again about 8.30, +after taking on board passengers and mails. We reached Queenstown +about 12 noon on Thursday, after a most enjoyable passage across the +Channel, although the wind was almost too cold to allow of sitting out +on deck on Thursday morning. + +The coast of Ireland looked very beautiful as we approached Queenstown +Harbour, the brilliant morning sun showing up the green hillsides and +picking out groups of dwellings dotted here and there above the rugged +grey cliffs that fringed the coast. We took on board our pilot, ran +slowly towards the harbour with the sounding-line dropping all the +time, and came to a stop well out to sea, with our screws churning up +the bottom and turning the sea all brown with sand from below. It had +seemed to me that the ship stopped rather suddenly, and in my +ignorance of the depth of the harbour entrance, that perhaps the +sounding-line had revealed a smaller depth than was thought safe for +the great size of the Titanic: this seemed to be confirmed by the +sight of sand churned up from the bottom--but this is mere +supposition. Passengers and mails were put on board from two tenders, +and nothing could have given us a better idea of the enormous length +and bulk of the Titanic than to stand as far astern as possible and +look over the side from the top deck, forwards and downwards to where +the tenders rolled at her bows, the merest cockleshells beside the +majestic vessel that rose deck after deck above them. Truly she was a +magnificent boat! There was something so graceful in her movement as +she rode up and down on the slight swell in the harbour, a slow, +stately dip and recover, only noticeable by watching her bows in +comparison with some landmark on the coast in the near distance; the +two little tenders tossing up and down like corks beside her +illustrated vividly the advance made in comfort of motion from the +time of the small steamer. + +Presently the work of transfer was ended, the tenders cast off, and at +1.30 P.M., with the screws churning up the sea bottom again, the +Titanic turned slowly through a quarter-circle until her nose pointed +down along the Irish coast, and then steamed rapidly away from +Queenstown, the little house on the left of the town gleaming white on +the hillside for many miles astern. In our wake soared and screamed +hundreds of gulls, which had quarrelled and fought over the remnants +of lunch pouring out of the waste pipes as we lay-to in the harbour +entrance; and now they followed us in the expectation of further +spoil. I watched them for a long time and was astonished at the ease +with which they soared and kept up with the ship with hardly a motion +of their wings: picking out a particular gull, I would keep him under +observation for minutes at a time and see no motion of his wings +downwards or upwards to aid his flight. He would tilt all of a piece +to one side or another as the gusts of wind caught him: rigidly +unbendable, as an aeroplane tilts sideways in a puff of wind. And yet +with graceful ease he kept pace with the Titanic forging through the +water at twenty knots: as the wind met him he would rise upwards and +obliquely forwards, and come down slantingly again, his wings curved +in a beautiful arch and his tail feathers outspread as a fan. It was +plain that he was possessed of a secret we are only just beginning to +learn--that of utilizing air-currents as escalators up and down which +he can glide at will with the expenditure of the minimum amount of +energy, or of using them as a ship does when it sails within one or +two points of a head wind. Aviators, of course, are imitating the +gull, and soon perhaps we may see an aeroplane or a glider dipping +gracefully up and down in the face of an opposing wind and all the +time forging ahead across the Atlantic Ocean. The gulls were still +behind us when night fell, and still they screamed and dipped down +into the broad wake of foam which we left behind; but in the morning +they were gone: perhaps they had seen in the night a steamer bound for +their Queenstown home and had escorted her back. + +All afternoon we steamed along the coast of Ireland, with grey cliffs +guarding the shores, and hills rising behind gaunt and barren; as dusk +fell, the coast rounded away from us to the northwest, and the last we +saw of Europe was the Irish mountains dim and faint in the dropping +darkness. With the thought that we had seen the last of land until we +set foot on the shores of America, I retired to the library to write +letters, little knowing that many things would happen to us all--many +experiences, sudden, vivid and impressive to be encountered, many +perils to be faced, many good and true people for whom we should have +to mourn--before we saw land again. + +There is very little to relate from the time of leaving Queenstown on +Thursday to Sunday morning. The sea was calm,--so calm, indeed, +that very few were absent from meals: the wind westerly and +southwesterly,--"fresh" as the daily chart described it,--but often +rather cold, generally too cold to sit out on deck to read or write, +so that many of us spent a good part of the time in the library, +reading and writing. I wrote a large number of letters and posted them +day by day in the box outside the library door: possibly they are +there yet. + +Each morning the sun rose behind us in a sky of circular clouds, +stretching round the horizon in long, narrow streaks and rising tier +upon tier above the sky-line, red and pink and fading from pink to +white, as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was a beautiful sight to +one who had not crossed the ocean before (or indeed been out of sight +of the shores of England) to stand on the top deck and watch the swell +of the sea extending outwards from the ship in an unbroken circle +until it met the sky-line with its hint of infinity: behind, the wake +of the vessel white with foam where, fancy suggested, the propeller +blades had cut up the long Atlantic rollers and with them made a level +white road bounded on either side by banks of green, blue, and +blue-green waves that would presently sweep away the white road, +though as yet it stretched back to the horizon and dipped over the +edge of the world back to Ireland and the gulls, while along it the +morning sun glittered and sparkled. And each night the sun sank right +in our eyes along the sea, making an undulating glittering path way, a +golden track charted on the surface of the ocean which our ship +followed unswervingly until the sun dipped below the edge of the +horizon, and the pathway ran ahead of us faster than we could steam +and slipped over the edge of the skyline,--as if the sun had been a +golden ball and had wound up its thread of gold too quickly for us to +follow. + +From 12 noon Thursday to 12 noon Friday we ran 386 miles, Friday to +Saturday 519 miles, Saturday to Sunday 546 miles. The second day's run +of 519 miles was, the purser told us, a disappointment, and we should +not dock until Wednesday morning instead of Tuesday night, as we had +expected; however, on Sunday we were glad to see a longer run had been +made, and it was thought we should make New York, after all, on +Tuesday night. The purser remarked: "They are not pushing her this +trip and don't intend to make any fast running: I don't suppose we +shall do more than 546 now; it is not a bad day's run for the first +trip." This was at lunch, and I remember the conversation then turned +to the speed and build of Atlantic liners as factors in their comfort +of motion: all those who had crossed many times were unanimous in +saying the Titanic was the most comfortable boat they had been on, and +they preferred the speed we were making to that of the faster boats, +from the point of view of lessened vibration as well as because the +faster boats would bore through the waves with a twisted, screw-like +motion instead of the straight up-and-down swing of the Titanic. I +then called the attention of our table to the way the Titanic listed +to port (I had noticed this before), and we all watched the sky-line +through the portholes as we sat at the purser's table in the saloon: +it was plain she did so, for the sky-line and sea on the port side +were visible most of the time and on the starboard only sky. The +purser remarked that probably coal had been used mostly from the +starboard side. It is no doubt a common occurrence for all vessels to +list to some degree; but in view of the fact that the Titanic was cut +open on the starboard side and before she sank listed so much to port +that there was quite a chasm between her and the swinging lifeboats, +across which ladies had to be thrown or to cross on chairs laid flat, +the previous listing to port may be of interest. + +Returning for a moment to the motion of the Titanic, it was +interesting to stand on the boat-deck, as I frequently did, in the +angle between lifeboats 13 and 15 on the starboard side (two boats I +have every reason to remember, for the first carried me in safety to +the Carpathia, and it seemed likely at one time that the other would +come down on our heads as we sat in 13 trying to get away from the +ship's side), and watch the general motion of the ship through the +waves resolve itself into two motions--one to be observed by +contrasting the docking-bridge, from which the log-line trailed away +behind in the foaming wake, with the horizon, and observing the long, +slow heave as we rode up and down. I timed the average period occupied +in one up-and-down vibration, but do not now remember the figures. The +second motion was a side-to-side roll, and could be calculated by +watching the port rail and contrasting it with the horizon as before. +It seems likely that this double motion is due to the angle at which +our direction to New York cuts the general set of the Gulf Stream +sweeping from the Gulf of Mexico across to Europe; but the almost +clock-like regularity of the two vibratory movements was what +attracted my attention: it was while watching the side roll that I +first became aware of the list to port. Looking down astern from the +boat-deck or from B deck to the steerage quarters, I often noticed how +the third-class passengers were enjoying every minute of the time: a +most uproarious skipping game of the mixed-double type was the great +favourite, while "in and out and roundabout" went a Scotchman with his +bagpipes playing something that Gilbert says "faintly resembled an +air." Standing aloof from all of them, generally on the raised stern +deck above the "playing field," was a man of about twenty to +twenty-four years of age, well-dressed, always gloved and nicely +groomed, and obviously quite out of place among his fellow-passengers: +he never looked happy all the time. I watched him, and classified him +at hazard as the man who had been a failure in some way at home and +had received the proverbial shilling plus third-class fare to America: +he did not look resolute enough or happy enough to be working out his +own problem. Another interesting man was travelling steerage, but had +placed his wife in the second cabin: he would climb the stairs leading +from the steerage to the second deck and talk affectionately with his +wife across the low gate which separated them. I never saw him after +the collision, but I think his wife was on the Carpathia. Whether they +ever saw each other on the Sunday night is very doubtful: he would not +at first be allowed on the second-class deck, and if he were, the +chances of seeing his wife in the darkness and the crowd would be very +small, indeed. Of all those playing so happily on the steerage deck I +did not recognize many afterwards on the Carpathia. + +Coming now to Sunday, the day on which the Titanic struck the iceberg, +it will be interesting, perhaps, to give the day's events in some +detail, to appreciate the general attitude of passengers to their +surroundings just before the collision. Service was held in the saloon +by the purser in the morning, and going on deck after lunch we found +such a change in temperature that not many cared to remain to face the +bitter wind--an artificial wind created mainly, if not entirely, by +the ship's rapid motion through the chilly atmosphere. I should judge +there was no wind blowing at the time, for I had noticed about the +same force of wind approaching Queenstown, to find that it died away +as soon as we stopped, only to rise again as we steamed away from the +harbour. + +Returning to the library, I stopped for a moment to read again the +day's run and observe our position on the chart; the Rev. Mr. Carter, +a clergyman of the Church of England, was similarly engaged, and we +renewed a conversation we had enjoyed for some days: it had +commenced with a discussion of the relative merits of his +university--Oxford--with mine--Cambridge--as world-wide educational +agencies, the opportunities at each for the formation of character +apart from mere education as such, and had led on to the lack of +sufficiently qualified men to take up the work of the Church of +England (a matter apparently on which he felt very deeply) and from +that to his own work in England as a priest. He told me some of his +parish problems and spoke of the impossibility of doing half his work +in his Church without the help his wife gave. I knew her only slightly +at that time, but meeting her later in the day, I realized something +of what he meant in attributing a large part of what success he had as +a vicar to her. My only excuse for mentioning these details about the +Carters--now and later in the day--is that, while they have perhaps +not much interest for the average reader, they will no doubt be some +comfort to the parish over which he presided and where I am sure he +was loved. He next mentioned the absence of a service in the evening +and asked if I knew the purser well enough to request the use of the +saloon in the evening where he would like to have a "hymn sing-song"; +the purser gave his consent at once, and Mr. Carter made preparations +during the afternoon by asking all he knew--and many he did not--to +come to the saloon at 8.30 P.M. + +The library was crowded that afternoon, owing to the cold on deck: but +through the windows we could see the clear sky with brilliant sunlight +that seemed to augur a fine night and a clear day to-morrow, and the +prospect of landing in two days, with calm weather all the way to New +York, was a matter of general satisfaction among us all. I can look +back and see every detail of the library that afternoon--the +beautifully furnished room, with lounges, armchairs, and small writing +or card-tables scattered about, writing-bureaus round the walls of the +room, and the library in glass-cased shelves flanking one side,--the +whole finished in mahogany relieved with white fluted wooden columns +that supported the deck above. Through the windows there is the +covered corridor, reserved by general consent as the children's +playground, and here are playing the two Navatril children with their +father,--devoted to them, never absent from them. Who would have +thought of the dramatic history of the happy group at play in the +corridor that afternoon!--the abduction of the children in Nice, the +assumed name, the separation of father and children in a few hours, +his death and their subsequent union with their mother after a period +of doubt as to their parentage! How many more similar secrets the +Titanic revealed in the privacy of family life, or carried down with +her untold, we shall never know. + +In the same corridor is a man and his wife with two children, and one +of them he is generally carrying: they are all young and happy: he is +dressed always in a grey knickerbocker suit--with a camera slung over +his shoulder. I have not seen any of them since that afternoon. + +Close beside me--so near that I cannot avoid hearing scraps of their +conversation--are two American ladies, both dressed in white, young, +probably friends only: one has been to India and is returning by way +of England, the other is a school-teacher in America, a graceful girl +with a distinguished air heightened by a pair of _pince-nez_. +Engaged in conversation with them is a gentleman whom I subsequently +identified from a photograph as a well-known resident of Cambridge, +Massachusetts, genial, polished, and with a courtly air towards the +two ladies, whom he has known but a few hours; from time to time as +they talk, a child acquaintance breaks in on their conversation and +insists on their taking notice of a large doll clasped in her arms; I +have seen none of this group since then. In the opposite corner are +the young American kinematograph photographer and his young wife, +evidently French, very fond of playing patience, which she is doing +now, while he sits back in his chair watching the game and interposing +from time to time with suggestions. I did not see them again. In the +middle of the room are two Catholic priests, one quietly +reading,--either English or Irish, and probably the latter,--the +other, dark, bearded, with broad-brimmed hat, talking earnestly to a +friend in German and evidently explaining some verse in the open Bible +before him; near them a young fire engineer on his way to Mexico, and +of the same religion as the rest of the group. None of them were +saved. It may be noted here that the percentage of men saved in the +second-class is the lowest of any other division--only eight per cent. + +Many other faces recur to thought, but it is impossible to describe +them all in the space of a short book: of all those in the library +that Sunday afternoon, I can remember only two or three persons who +found their way to the Carpathia. Looking over this room, with his +back to the library shelves, is the library steward, thin, stooping, +sad-faced, and generally with nothing to do but serve out books; but +this afternoon he is busier than I have ever seen him, serving out +baggage declaration-forms for passengers to fill in. Mine is before me +as I write: "Form for nonresidents in the United States. Steamship +Titanic: No. 31444, D," etc. I had filled it in that afternoon and +slipped it in my pocket-book instead of returning it to the steward. +Before me, too, is a small cardboard square: "White Star Line. R.M.S. +Titanic. 208. This label must be given up when the article is +returned. The property will be deposited in the Purser's safe. The +Company will not be liable to passengers for the loss of money, +jewels, or ornaments, by theft or otherwise, not so deposited." The +"property deposited" in my case was money, placed in an envelope, +sealed, with my name written across the flap, and handed to the +purser; the "label" is my receipt. Along with other similar envelopes +it may be still intact in the safe at the bottom of the sea, but in +all probability it is not, as will be seen presently. + +After dinner, Mr. Carter invited all who wished to the saloon, and +with the assistance at the piano of a gentleman who sat at the +purser's table opposite me (a young Scotch engineer going out to join +his brother fruit-farming at the foot of the Rockies), he started some +hundred passengers singing hymns. They were asked to choose whichever +hymn they wished, and with so many to choose, it was impossible for +him to do more than have the greatest favourites sung. As he announced +each hymn, it was evident that he was thoroughly versed in their +history: no hymn was sung but that he gave a short sketch of its +author and in some cases a description of the circumstances in which +it was composed. I think all were impressed with his knowledge of +hymns and with his eagerness to tell us all he knew of them. It was +curious to see how many chose hymns dealing with dangers at sea. I +noticed the hushed tone with which all sang the hymn, "For those in +peril on the Sea." + +The singing must have gone on until after ten o'clock, when, seeing +the stewards standing about waiting to serve biscuits and coffee +before going off duty, Mr. Carter brought the evening to a close by a +few words of thanks to the purser for the use of the saloon, a short +sketch of the happiness and safety of the voyage hitherto, the great +confidence all felt on board this great liner with her steadiness and +her size, and the happy outlook of landing in a few hours in New York +at the close of a delightful voyage; and all the time he spoke, a few +miles ahead of us lay the "peril on the sea" that was to sink this +same great liner with many of those on board who listened with +gratitude to his simple, heartfelt words. So much for the frailty of +human hopes and for the confidence reposed in material human designs. + +Think of the shame of it, that a mass of ice of no use to any one or +anything should have the power fatally to injure the beautiful +Titanic! That an insensible block should be able to threaten, even in +the smallest degree, the lives of many good men and women who think +and plan and hope and love--and not only to threaten, but to end their +lives. It is unbearable! Are we never to educate ourselves to foresee +such dangers and to prevent them before they happen? All the evidence +of history shows that laws unknown and unsuspected are being +discovered day by day: as this knowledge accumulates for the use of +man, is it not certain that the ability to see and destroy beforehand +the threat of danger will be one of the privileges the whole world +will utilize? May that day come soon. Until it does, no precaution too +rigorous can be taken, no safety appliance, however costly, must be +omitted from a ship's equipment. + +After the meeting had broken up, I talked with the Carters over a cup +of coffee, said good-night to them, and retired to my cabin at about +quarter to eleven. They were good people and this world is much poorer +by their loss. + +It may be a matter of pleasure to many people to know that their +friends were perhaps among that gathering of people in the saloon, and +that at the last the sound of the hymns still echoed in their ears as +they stood on the deck so quietly and courageously. Who can tell how +much it had to do with the demeanour of some of them and the example +this would set to others? + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS + + +I had been fortunate enough to secure a two-berth cabin to myself,--D +56,--quite close to the saloon and most convenient in every way for +getting about the ship; and on a big ship like the Titanic it was +quite a consideration to be on D deck, only three decks below the top +or boat-deck. Below D again were cabins on E and F decks, and to walk +from a cabin on F up to the top deck, climbing five flights of stairs +on the way, was certainly a considerable task for those not able to +take much exercise. The Titanic management has been criticised, among +other things, for supplying the boat with lifts: it has been said they +were an expensive luxury and the room they took up might have been +utilized in some way for more life-saving appliances. Whatever else +may have been superfluous, lifts certainly were not: old ladies, for +example, in cabins on F deck, would hardly have got to the top deck +during the whole voyage had they not been able to ring for the +lift-boy. Perhaps nothing gave one a greater impression of the size of +the ship than to take the lift from the top and drop slowly down past +the different floors, discharging and taking in passengers just as in +a large hotel. I wonder where the lift-boy was that night. I would +have been glad to find him in our boat, or on the Carpathia when we +took count of the saved. He was quite young,--not more than sixteen, I +think,--a bright-eyed, handsome boy, with a love for the sea and the +games on deck and the view over the ocean--and he did not get any of +them. One day, as he put me out of his lift and saw through the +vestibule windows a game of deck quoits in progress, he said, in a +wistful tone, "My! I wish I could go out there sometimes!" I wished he +could, too, and made a jesting offer to take charge of his lift for an +hour while he went out to watch the game; but he smilingly shook his +head and dropped down in answer to an imperative ring from below. I +think he was not on duty with his lift after the collision, but if he +were, he would smile at his passengers all the time as he took them up +to the boats waiting to leave the sinking ship. + +After undressing and climbing into the top berth, I read from about +quarter-past eleven to the time we struck, about quarter to twelve. +During this time I noticed particularly the increased vibration of the +ship, and I assumed that we were going at a higher speed than at any +other time since we sailed from Queenstown. Now I am aware that this +is an important point, and bears strongly on the question of +responsibility for the effects of the collision; but the impression of +increased vibration is fixed in my memory so strongly that it seems +important to record it. Two things led me to this conclusion--first, +that as I sat on the sofa undressing, with bare feet on the floor, the +jar of the vibration came up from the engines below very noticeably; +and second, that as I sat up in the berth reading, the spring mattress +supporting me was vibrating more rapidly than usual: this cradle-like +motion was always noticeable as one lay in bed, but that night there +was certainly a marked increase in the motion. Referring to the plan, +[Footnote: See Figure 2, page 116.] it will be seen that the vibration +must have come almost directly up from below, when it is mentioned +that the saloon was immediately above the engines as shown in the +plan, and my cabin next to the saloon. From these two data, on the +assumption that greater vibration is an indication of higher +speed,--and I suppose it must be,--then I am sure we were going faster +that night at the time we struck the iceberg than we had done before, +i.e., during the hours I was awake and able to take note of anything. + +And then, as I read in the quietness of the night, broken only by the +muffled sound that came to me through the ventilators of stewards +talking and moving along the corridors, when nearly all the passengers +were in their cabins, some asleep in bed, others undressing, and +others only just down from the smoking-room and still discussing many +things, there came what seemed to me nothing more than an extra heave +of the engines and a more than usually obvious dancing motion of the +mattress on which I sat. Nothing more than that--no sound of a crash +or of anything else: no sense of shock, no jar that felt like one +heavy body meeting another. And presently the same thing repeated with +about the same intensity. The thought came to me that they must have +still further increased the speed. And all this time the Titanic was +being cut open by the iceberg and water was pouring in her side, and +yet no evidence that would indicate such a disaster had been presented +to us. It fills me with astonishment now to think of it. Consider the +question of list alone. Here was this enormous vessel running +starboard-side on to an iceberg, and a passenger sitting quietly in +bed, reading, felt no motion or list to the opposite or port side, and +this must have been felt had it been more than the usual roll of the +ship--never very much in the calm weather we had all the way. Again, +my bunk was fixed to the wall on the starboard side, and any list to +port would have tended to fling me out on the floor: I am sure I +should have noted it had there been any. And yet the explanation is +simple enough: the Titanic struck the berg with a force of impact of +over a million foot-tons; her plates were less than an inch thick, and +they must have been cut through as a knife cuts paper: there would be +no need to list; it would have been better if she had listed and +thrown us out on the floor, for it would have been an indication that +our plates were strong enough to offer, at any rate, some resistance +to the blow, and we might all have been safe to-day. + +And so, with no thought of anything serious having happened to the +ship, I continued my reading; and still the murmur from the stewards +and from adjoining cabins, and no other sound: no cry in the night; no +alarm given; no one afraid--there was then nothing which could cause +fear to the most timid person. But in a few moments I felt the engines +slow and stop; the dancing motion and the vibration ceased suddenly +after being part of our very existence for four days, and that was the +first hint that anything out of the ordinary had happened. We have all +"heard" a loud-ticking clock stop suddenly in a quiet room, and then +have noticed the clock and the ticking noise, of which we seemed until +then quite unconscious. So in the same way the fact was suddenly +brought home to all in the ship that the engines--that part of the +ship that drove us through the sea--had stopped dead. But the stopping +of the engines gave us no information: we had to make our own +calculations as to why we had stopped. Like a flash it came to me: "We +have dropped a propeller blade: when this happens the engines always +race away until they are controlled, and this accounts for the extra +heave they gave"; not a very logical conclusion when considered now, +for the engines should have continued to heave all the time until we +stopped, but it was at the time a sufficiently tenable hypothesis to +hold. Acting on it, I jumped out of bed, slipped on a dressing-gown +over pyjamas, put on shoes, and went out of my cabin into the hall +near the saloon. Here was a steward leaning against the staircase, +probably waiting until those in the smoke-room above had gone to bed +and he could put out the lights. I said, "Why have we stopped?" "I +don't know, sir," he replied, "but I don't suppose it is anything +much." "Well," I said, "I am going on deck to see what it is," and +started towards the stairs. He smiled indulgently at me as I passed +him, and said, "All right, sir, but it is mighty cold up there." I am +sure at that time he thought I was rather foolish to go up with so +little reason, and I must confess I felt rather absurd for not +remaining in the cabin: it seemed like making a needless fuss to walk +about the ship in a dressing-gown. But it was my first trip across the +sea; I had enjoyed every minute of it and was keenly alive to note +every new experience; and certainly to stop in the middle of the sea +with a propeller dropped seemed sufficient reason for going on deck. +And yet the steward, with his fatherly smile, and the fact that no one +else was about the passages or going upstairs to reconnoitre, made me +feel guilty in an undefined way of breaking some code of a ship's +regime--an Englishman's fear of being thought "unusual," perhaps! + +I climbed the three flights of stairs, opened the vestibule door +leading to the top deck, and stepped out into an atmosphere that cut +me, clad as I was, like a knife. Walking to the starboard side, I +peered over and saw the sea many feet below, calm and black; forward, +the deserted deck stretching away to the first-class quarters and the +captain's bridge; and behind, the steerage quarters and the stern +bridge; nothing more: no iceberg on either side or astern as far as we +could see in the darkness. There were two or three men on deck, and +with one--the Scotch engineer who played hymns in the saloon--I +compared notes of our experiences. He had just begun to undress when +the engines stopped and had come up at once, so that he was fairly +well-clad; none of us could see anything, and all being quiet and +still, the Scotchman and I went down to the next deck. Through the +windows of the smoking-room we saw a game of cards going on, with +several onlookers, and went in to enquire if they knew more than we +did. They had apparently felt rather more of the heaving motion, but +so far as I remember, none of them had gone out on deck to make any +enquiries, even when one of them had seen through the windows an +iceberg go by towering above the decks. He had called their attention +to it, and they all watched it disappear, but had then at once resumed +the game. We asked them the height of the berg and some said one +hundred feet, others, sixty feet; one of the onlookers--a motor +engineer travelling to America with a model carburetter (he had filled +in his declaration form near me in the afternoon and had questioned +the library steward how he should declare his patent)--said, "Well, I +am accustomed to estimating distances and I put it at between eighty +and ninety feet." We accepted his estimate and made guesses as to what +had happened to the Titanic: the general impression was that we had +just scraped the iceberg with a glancing blow on the starboard side, +and they had stopped as a wise precaution, to examine her thoroughly +all over. "I expect the iceberg has scratched off some of her new +paint," said one, "and the captain doesn't like to go on until she is +painted up again." We laughed at his estimate of the captain's care +for the ship. Poor Captain Smith!--he knew by this time only too well +what had happened. + +One of the players, pointing to his glass of whiskey standing at his +elbow, and turning to an onlooker, said, "Just run along the deck and +see if any ice has come aboard: I would like some for this." Amid the +general laughter at what we thought was his imagination,--only too +realistic, alas! for when he spoke the forward deck was covered with +ice that had tumbled over,--and seeing that no more information was +forthcoming, I left the smoking-room and went down to my cabin, where +I sat for some time reading again. I am filled with sorrow to think I +never saw any of the occupants of that smoking-room again: nearly all +young men full of hope for their prospects in a new world; mostly +unmarried; keen, alert, with the makings of good citizens. Presently, +hearing people walking about the corridors, I looked out and saw +several standing in the hall talking to a steward--most of them ladies +in dressing-gowns; other people were going upstairs, and I decided to +go on deck again, but as it was too cold to do so in a dressing-gown, +I dressed in a Norfolk jacket and trousers and walked up. There were +now more people looking over the side and walking about, questioning +each other as to why we had stopped, but without obtaining any +definite information. I stayed on deck some minutes, walking about +vigorously to keep warm and occasionally looking downwards to the sea +as if something there would indicate the reason for delay. The ship +had now resumed her course, moving very slowly through the water with +a little white line of foam on each side. I think we were all glad to +see this: it seemed better than standing still. I soon decided to go +down again, and as I crossed from the starboard to the port side to go +down by the vestibule door, I saw an officer climb on the last +lifeboat on the port side--number 16--and begin to throw off the +cover, but I do not remember that any one paid any particular +attention to him. Certainly no one thought they were preparing to man +the lifeboats and embark from the ship. All this time there was no +apprehension of any danger in the minds of passengers, and no one was +in any condition of panic or hysteria; after all, it would have been +strange if they had been, without any definite evidence of danger. + +As I passed to the door to go down, I looked forward again and saw to +my surprise an undoubted tilt downwards from the stern to the bows: +only a slight slope, which I don't think any one had noticed,--at any +rate, they had not remarked on it. As I went downstairs a confirmation +of this tilting forward came in something unusual about the stairs, a +curious sense of something out of balance and of not being able to put +one's feet down in the right place: naturally, being tilted forward, +the stairs would slope downwards at an angle and tend to throw one +forward. I could not see any visible slope of the stairway: it was +perceptible only by the sense of balance at this time. + +On D deck were three ladies--I think they were all saved, and it is a +good thing at least to be able to chronicle meeting some one who was +saved after so much record of those who were not--standing in the +passage near the cabin. "Oh! why have we stopped?" they said. "We did +stop," I replied, "but we are now going on again.". "Oh, no," one +replied; "I cannot feel the engines as I usually do, or hear them. +Listen!" We listened, and there was no throb audible. Having noticed +that the vibration of the engines is most noticeable lying in a bath, +where the throb comes straight from the floor through its metal +sides--too much so ordinarily for one to put one's head back with +comfort on the bath,--I took them along the corridor to a bathroom and +made them put their hands on the side of the bath: they were much +reassured to feel the engines throbbing down below and to know we were +making some headway. I left them and on the way to my cabin passed +some stewards standing unconcernedly against the walls of the saloon: +one of them, the library steward again, was leaning over a table, +writing. It is no exaggeration to say that they had neither any +knowledge of the accident nor any feeling of alarm that we had stopped +and had not yet gone on again full speed: their whole attitude +expressed perfect confidence in the ship and officers. + +Turning into my gangway (my cabin being the first in the gangway), I +saw a man standing at the other end of it fastening his tie. "Anything +fresh?" he said. "Not much," I replied; "we are going ahead slowly and +she is down a little at the bows, but I don't think it is anything +serious." "Come in and look at this man," he laughed; "he won't get +up." I looked in, and in the top bunk lay a man with his back to me, +closely wrapped in his bed-clothes and only the back of his head +visible. "Why won't he get up? Is he asleep?" I said. "No," laughed +the man dressing, "he says--" But before he could finish the sentence +the man above grunted: "You don't catch me leaving a warm bed to go up +on that cold deck at midnight. I know better than that." We both told +him laughingly why he had better get up, but he was certain he was +just as safe there and all this dressing was quite unnecessary; so I +left them and went again to my cabin. I put on some underclothing, sat +on the sofa, and read for some ten minutes, when I heard through the +open door, above, the noise of people passing up and down, and a loud +shout from above: "All passengers on deck with lifebelts on." + +I placed the two books I was reading in the side pockets of my Norfolk +jacket, picked up my lifebelt (curiously enough, I had taken it down +for the first time that night from the wardrobe when I first retired +to my cabin) and my dressing-gown, and walked upstairs tying on the +lifebelt. As I came out of my cabin, I remember seeing the purser's +assistant, with his foot on the stairs about to climb them, whisper to +a steward and jerk his head significantly behind him; not that I +thought anything of it at the time, but I have no doubt he was telling +him what had happened up in the bows, and was giving him orders to +call all passengers. + +Going upstairs with other passengers,--no one ran a step or seemed +alarmed,--we met two ladies coming down: one seized me by the arm and +said, "Oh! I have no lifebelt; will you come down to my cabin and help +me to find it?" I returned with them to F deck,--the lady who had +addressed me holding my arm all the time in a vise-like grip, much to +my amusement,--and we found a steward in her gangway who took them in +and found their lifebelts. Coming upstairs again, I passed the +purser's window on F deck, and noticed a light inside; when halfway up +to E deck, I heard the heavy metallic clang of the safe door, followed +by a hasty step retreating along the corridor towards the first-class +quarters. I have little doubt it was the purser, who had taken all +valuables from his safe and was transferring them to the charge of the +first-class purser, in the hope they might all be saved in one +package. That is why I said above that perhaps the envelope containing +my money was not in the safe at the bottom of the sea: it is probably +in a bundle, with many others like it, waterlogged at the bottom. + +Reaching the top deck, we found many people assembled there,--some +fully dressed, with coats and wraps, well-prepared for anything that +might happen; others who had thrown wraps hastily round them when they +were called or heard the summons to equip themselves with +lifebelts--not in much condition to face the cold of that night. +Fortunately there was no wind to beat the cold air through our +clothing: even the breeze caused by the ship's motion had died +entirely away, for the engines had stopped again and the Titanic lay +peacefully on the surface of the sea--motionless, quiet, not even +rocking to the roll of the sea; indeed, as we were to discover +presently, the sea was as calm as an inland lake save for the gentle +swell which could impart no motion to a ship the size of the Titanic. +To stand on the deck many feet above the water lapping idly against +her sides, and looking much farther off than it really was because of +the darkness, gave one a sense of wonderful security: to feel her so +steady and still was like standing on a large rock in the middle of +the ocean. But there were now more evidences of the coming catastrophe +to the observer than had been apparent when on deck last: one was the +roar and hiss of escaping steam from the boilers, issuing out of a +large steam pipe reaching high up one of the funnels: a harsh, +deafening boom that made conversation difficult and no doubt increased +the apprehension of some people merely because of the volume of noise: +if one imagines twenty locomotives blowing off steam in a low key it +would give some idea of the unpleasant sound that met us as we climbed +out on the top deck. + +But after all it was the kind of phenomenon we ought to expect: +engines blow off steam when standing in a station, and why should not +a ship's boilers do the same when the ship is not moving? I never +heard any one connect this noise with the danger of boiler explosion, +in the event of the ship sinking with her boilers under a high +pressure of steam, which was no doubt the true explanation of this +precaution. But this is perhaps speculation; some people may have +known it quite well, for from the time we came on deck until boat 13 +got away, I heard very little conversation of any kind among the +passengers. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that no signs +of alarm were exhibited by any one: there was no indication of panic +or hysteria; no cries of fear, and no running to and fro to discover +what was the matter, why we had been summoned on deck with lifebelts, +and what was to be done with us now we were there. We stood there +quietly looking on at the work of the crew as they manned the +lifeboats, and no one ventured to interfere with them or offered to +help them. It was plain we should be of no use; and the crowd of men +and women stood quietly on the deck or paced slowly up and down +waiting for orders from the officers. Now, before we consider any +further the events that followed, the state of mind of passengers at +this juncture, and the motives which led each one to act as he or she +did in the circumstances, it is important to keep in thought the +amount of information at our disposal. Men and women act according to +judgment based on knowledge of the conditions around them, and the +best way to understand some apparently inconceivable things that +happened is for any one to imagine himself or herself standing on deck +that night. It seems a mystery to some people that women refused to +leave the ship, that some persons retired to their cabins, and so on; +but it is a matter of judgment, after all. + +So that if the reader will come and stand with the crowd on deck, he +must first rid himself entirely of the knowledge that the Titanic has +sunk--an important necessity, for he cannot see conditions as they +existed there through the mental haze arising from knowledge of the +greatest maritime tragedy the world has known: he must get rid of any +foreknowledge of disaster to appreciate why people acted as they did. +Secondly, he had better get rid of any picture in thought painted +either by his own imagination or by some artist, whether pictorial or +verbal, "from information supplied." Some are most inaccurate (these, +mostly word-pictures), and where they err, they err on the highly +dramatic side. They need not have done so: the whole conditions were +dramatic enough in all their bare simplicity, without the addition of +any high colouring. + +Having made these mental erasures, he will find himself as one of the +crowd faced with the following conditions: a perfectly still +atmosphere; a brilliantly beautiful starlight night, but no moon, and +so with little light that was of any use; a ship that had come quietly +to rest without any indication of disaster--no iceberg visible, no +hole in the ship's side through which water was pouring in, nothing +broken or out of place, no sound of alarm, no panic, no movement of +any one except at a walking pace; the absence of any knowledge of the +nature of the accident, of the extent of damage, of the danger of the +ship sinking in a few hours, of the numbers of boats, rafts, and other +lifesaving appliances available, their capacity, what other ships were +near or coming to help--in fact, an almost complete absence of any +positive knowledge on any point. I think this was the result of +deliberate judgment on the part of the officers, and perhaps, it was +the best thing that could be done. In particular, he must remember +that the ship was a sixth of a mile long, with passengers on three +decks open to the sea, and port and starboard sides to each deck: he +will then get some idea of the difficulty presented to the officers of +keeping control over such a large area, and the impossibility of any +one knowing what was happening except in his own immediate vicinity. +Perhaps the whole thing can be summed up best by saying that, after we +had embarked in the lifeboats and rowed away from the Titanic, it +would not have surprised us to hear that all passengers would be +saved: the cries of drowning people after the Titanic gave the final +plunge were a thunderbolt to us. I am aware that the experiences of +many of those saved differed in some respects from the above: some had +knowledge of certain things, some were experienced travellers and +sailors, and therefore deduced more rapidly what was likely to happen; +but I think the above gives a fairly accurate representation of the +state of mind of most of those on deck that night. + +All this time people were pouring up from the stairs and adding to the +crowd: I remember at that moment thinking it would be well to return +to my cabin and rescue some money and warmer clothing if we were to +embark in boats, but looking through the vestibule windows and seeing +people still coming upstairs, I decided it would only cause confusion +passing them on the stairs, and so remained on deck. + +I was now on the starboard side of the top boat deck; the time about +12.20. We watched the crew at work on the lifeboats, numbers 9, 11, +13, 15, some inside arranging the oars, some coiling ropes on the +deck,--the ropes which ran through the pulleys to lower to the +sea,--others with cranks fitted to the rocking arms of the davits. As +we watched, the cranks were turned, the davits swung outwards until +the boats hung clear of the edge of the deck. Just then an officer +came along from the first-class deck and shouted above the noise of +escaping steam, "All women and children get down to deck below and all +men stand back from the boats." He had apparently been off duty when +the ship struck, and was lightly dressed, with a white muffler twisted +hastily round his neck. The men fell back and the women retired below +to get into the boats from the next deck. Two women refused at first +to leave their husbands, but partly by persuasion and partly by force +they were separated from them and sent down to the next deck. I think +that by this time the work on the lifeboats and the separation of men +and women impressed on us slowly the presence of imminent danger, but +it made no difference in the attitude of the crowd: they were just as +prepared to obey orders and to do what came next as when they first +came on deck. I do not mean that they actually reasoned it out: they +were the average Teutonic crowd, with an inborn respect for law and +order and for traditions bequeathed to them by generations of +ancestors: the reasons that made them act as they did were impersonal, +instinctive, hereditary. + +But if there were any one who had not by now realized that the ship +was in danger, all doubt on this point was to be set at rest in a +dramatic manner. Suddenly a rush of light from the forward deck, a +hissing roar that made us all turn from watching the boats, and a +rocket leapt upwards to where the stars blinked and twinkled above us. +Up it went, higher and higher, with a sea of faces upturned to watch +it, and then an explosion that seemed to split the silent night in +two, and a shower of stars sank slowly down and went out one by one. +And with a gasping sigh one word escaped the lips of the crowd: +"Rockets!" Anybody knows what rockets at sea mean. And presently +another, and then a third. It is no use denying the dramatic intensity +of the scene: separate it if you can from all the terrible events that +followed, and picture the calmness of the night, the sudden light on +the decks crowded with people in different stages of dress and +undress, the background of huge funnels and tapering masts revealed by +the soaring rocket, whose flash illumined at the same time the faces +and minds of the obedient crowd, the one with mere physical light, the +other with a sudden revelation of what its message was. Every one knew +without being told that we were calling for help from any one who was +near enough to see. + +The crew were now in the boats, the sailors standing by the pulley +ropes let them slip through the cleats in jerks, and down the boats +went till level with B deck; women and children climbed over the rail +into the boats and filled them; when full, they were lowered one by +one, beginning with number 9, the first on the second-class deck, and +working backwards towards 15. All this we could see by peering over +the edge of the boat-deck, which was now quite open to the sea, the +four boats which formed a natural barrier being lowered from the deck +and leaving it exposed. + +About this time, while walking the deck, I saw two ladies come over +from the port side and walk towards the rail separating the +second-class from the first-class deck. There stood an officer barring +the way. "May we pass to the boats?" they said. "No, madam," he +replied politely, "your boats are down on your own deck," pointing to +where they swung below. The ladies turned and went towards the +stairway, and no doubt were able to enter one of the boats: they had +ample time. I mention this to show that there was, at any rate, some +arrangement--whether official or not--for separating the classes in +embarking in boats; how far it was carried out, I do not know, but if +the second-class ladies were not expected to enter a boat from the +first-class deck, while steerage passengers were allowed access to the +second-class deck, it would seem to press rather hardly on the +second-class men, and this is rather supported by the low percentage +saved. + +Almost immediately after this incident, a report went round among men +on the top deck--the starboard side--that men were to be taken off on +the port side; how it originated, I am quite unable to say, but can +only suppose that as the port boats, numbers 10 to 16, were not +lowered from the top deck quite so soon as the starboard boats (they +could still be seen on deck), it might be assumed that women were +being taken off on one side and men on the other; but in whatever way +the report started, it was acted on at once by almost all the men, who +crowded across to the port side and watched the preparation for +lowering the boats, leaving the starboard side almost deserted. Two or +three men remained, However: not for any reason that we were +consciously aware of; I can personally think of no decision arising +from reasoned thought that induced me to remain rather than to cross +over. But while there was no process of conscious reason at work, I am +convinced that what was my salvation was a recognition of the +necessity of being quiet and waiting in patience for some opportunity +of safety to present itself. + +Soon after the men had left the starboard side, I saw a bandsman--the +'cellist--come round the vestibule corner from the staircase entrance +and run down the now deserted starboard deck, his 'cello trailing +behind him, the spike dragging along the floor. This must have been +about 12.40 A.M. I suppose the band must have begun to play soon after +this and gone on until after 2 A.M. Many brave things were done that +night, but none more brave than by those few men playing minute after +minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea and the +sea rose higher and higher to where they stood; the music they played +serving alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be +recorded on the rolls of undying fame. + +Looking forward and downward, we could see several of the boats now in +the water, moving slowly one by one from the side, without confusion +or noise, and stealing away in the darkness which swallowed them in +turn as the crew bent to the oars. An officer--I think First Officer +Murdock--came striding along the deck, clad in a long coat, from his +manner and face evidently in great agitation, but determined and +resolute; he looked over the side and shouted to the boats being +lowered: "Lower away, and when afloat, row around to the gangway and +wait for orders." "Aye, aye, sir," was the reply; and the officer +passed by and went across the ship to the port side. + +Almost immediately after this, I heard a cry from below of, "Any more +ladies?" and looking over the edge of the deck, saw boat 13 swinging +level with the rail of B deck, with the crew, some stokers, a few men +passengers and the rest ladies,--the latter being about half the total +number; the boat was almost full and just about to be lowered. The +call for ladies was repeated twice again, but apparently there were +none to be found. Just then one of the crew looked up and saw me +looking over. "Any ladies on your deck?" he said. "No," I replied. +"Then you had better jump." I sat on the edge of the deck with my feet +over, threw the dressing-gown (which I had carried on my arm all of +the time) into the boat, dropped, and fell in the boat near the stern. + +As I picked myself up, I heard a shout: "Wait a moment, here are two +more ladies," and they were pushed hurriedly over the side and tumbled +into the boat, one into the middle and one next to me in the stern. +They told me afterwards that they had been assembled on a lower deck +with other ladies, and had come up to B deck not by the usual stairway +inside, but by one of the vertically upright iron ladders that connect +each deck with the one below it, meant for the use of sailors passing +about the ship. Other ladies had been in front of them and got up +quickly, but these two were delayed a long time by the fact that one +of them--the one that was helped first over the side into boat 13 near +the middle--was not at all active: it seemed almost impossible for her +to climb up a vertical ladder. We saw her trying to climb the swinging +rope ladder up the Carpathia's side a few hours later, and she had the +same difficulty. + +As they tumbled in, the crew shouted, "Lower away"; but before the +order was obeyed, a man with his wife and a baby came quickly to the +side: the baby was handed to the lady in the stern, the mother got in +near the middle and the father at the last moment dropped in as the +boat began its journey down to the sea many feet below. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT + + +Looking back now on the descent of our boat down the ship's side, it +is a matter of surprise, I think, to all the occupants to remember how +little they thought of it at the time. It was a great adventure, +certainly: it was exciting to feel the boat sink by jerks, foot by +foot, as the ropes were paid out from above and shrieked as they +passed through the pulley blocks, the new ropes and gear creaking +under the strain of a boat laden with people, and the crew calling to +the sailors above as the boat tilted slightly, now at one end, now at +the other, "Lower aft!" "Lower stern!" and "Lower together!" as she +came level again--but I do not think we felt much apprehension about +reaching the water safely. It certainly was thrilling to see the black +hull of the ship on one side and the sea, seventy feet below, on the +other, or to pass down by cabins and saloons brilliantly lighted; but +we knew nothing of the apprehension felt in the minds of some of the +officers whether the boats and lowering-gear would stand the strain of +the weight of our sixty people. The ropes, however, were new and +strong, and the boat did not buckle in the middle as an older boat +might have done. Whether it was right or not to lower boats full of +people to the water,--and it seems likely it was not,--I think there +can be nothing but the highest praise given to the officers and crew +above for the way in which they lowered the boats one after the other +safely to the water; it may seem a simple matter, to read about such a +thing, but any sailor knows, apparently, that it is not so. An +experienced officer has told me that he has seen a boat lowered in +practice from a ship's deck, with a trained crew and no passengers in +the boat, with practised sailors paying out the ropes, in daylight, in +calm weather, with the ship lying in dock--and has seen the boat tilt +over and pitch the crew headlong into the sea. Contrast these +conditions with those obtaining that Monday morning at 12.45 A.M., and +it is impossible not to feel that, whether the lowering crew were +trained or not, whether they had or had not drilled since coming on +board, they did their duty in a way that argues the greatest +efficiency. I cannot help feeling the deepest gratitude to the two +sailors who stood at the ropes above and lowered us to the sea: I do +not suppose they were saved. + +Perhaps one explanation of our feeling little sense of the unusual in +leaving the Titanic in this way was that it seemed the climax to a +series of extraordinary occurrences: the magnitude of the whole thing +dwarfed events that in the ordinary way would seem to be full of +imminent peril. It is easy to imagine it,--a voyage of four days on a +calm sea, without a single untoward incident; the presumption, perhaps +already mentally half realized, that we should be ashore in +forty-eight hours and so complete a splendid voyage,--and then to feel +the engine stop, to be summoned on deck with little time to dress, to +tie on a lifebelt, to see rockets shooting aloft in call for help, to +be told to get into a lifeboat,--after all these things, it did not +seem much to feel the boat sinking down to the sea: it was the natural +sequence of previous events, and we had learned in the last hour to +take things just as they came. At the same time, if any one should +wonder what the sensation is like, it is quite easy to measure +seventy-five feet from the windows of a tall house or a block of +flats, look down to the ground and fancy himself with some sixty other +people crowded into a boat so tightly that he could not sit down or +move about, and then picture the boat sinking down in a continuous +series of jerks, as the sailors pay out the ropes through cleats +above. There are more pleasant sensations than this! How thankful we +were that the sea was calm and the Titanic lay so steadily and quietly +as we dropped down her side. We were spared the bumping and grinding +against the side which so often accompanies the launching of boats: I +do not remember that we even had to fend off our boat while we were +trying to get free. + +As we went down, one of the crew shouted, "We are just over the +condenser exhaust: we don't want to stay in that long or we shall be +swamped; feel down on the floor and be ready to pull up the pin which +lets the ropes free as soon as we are afloat." I had often looked over +the side and noticed this stream of water coming out of the side of +the Titanic just above the water-line: in fact so large was the volume +of water that as we ploughed along and met the waves coming towards +us, this stream would cause a splash that sent spray flying. We felt, +as well as we could in the crowd of people, on the floor, along the +sides, with no idea where the pin could be found,--and none of the +crew knew where it was, only of its existence somewhere,--but we never +found it. And all the time we got closer to the sea and the exhaust +roared nearer and nearer--until finally we floated with the ropes +still holding us from above, the exhaust washing us away and the force +of the tide driving us back against the side,--the latter not of much +account in influencing the direction, however. Thinking over what +followed, I imagine we must have touched the water with the condenser +stream at our bows, and not in the middle as I thought at one time: at +any rate, the resultant of these three forces was that we were carried +parallel to the ship, directly under the place where boat 15 would +drop from her davits into the sea. Looking up we saw her already +coming down rapidly from B deck: she must have filled almost +immediately after ours. We shouted up, "Stop lowering 14," [Footnote: +In an account which appeared in the newspapers of April 19 I have +described this boat as 14, not knowing they were numbered +alternately.] and the crew and passengers in the boat above, hearing +us shout and seeing our position immediately below them, shouted the +same to the sailors on the boat deck; but apparently they did not +hear, for she dropped down foot by foot,--twenty feet, fifteen, +ten,--and a stoker and I in the bows reached up and touched her bottom +swinging above our heads, trying to push away our boat from under her. +It seemed now as if nothing could prevent her dropping on us, but at +this moment another stoker sprang with his knife to the ropes that +still held us and I heard him shout, "One! Two!" as he cut them +through. The next moment we had swung away from underneath 15, and +were clear of her as she dropped into the water in the space we had +just before occupied. I do not know how the bow ropes were freed, but +imagine that they were cut in the same way, for we were washed clear +of the Titanic at once by the force of the stream and floated away as +the oars were got out. + +I think we all felt that that was quite the most exciting thing we had +yet been through, and a great sigh of relief and gratitude went up as +we swung away from the boat above our heads; but I heard no one cry +aloud during the experience--not a woman's voice was raised in fear or +hysteria. I think we all learnt many things that night about the bogey +called "fear," and how the facing of it is much less than the dread of +it. + +The crew was made up of cooks and stewards, mostly the former, I +think; their white jackets showing up in the darkness as they pulled +away, two to an oar: I do not think they can have had any practice in +rowing, for all night long their oars crossed and clashed; if our +safety had depended on speed or accuracy in keeping time it would have +gone hard with us. Shouting began from one end of the boat to the +other as to what we should do, where we should go, and no one seemed +to have any knowledge how to act. At last we asked, "Who is in charge +of this boat?" but there was no reply. We then agreed by general +consent that the stoker who stood in the stern with the tiller should +act as captain, and from that time he directed the course, shouting to +other boats and keeping in touch with them. Not that there was +anywhere to go or anything we could do. Our plan of action was simple: +to keep all the boats together as far as possible and wait until we +were picked up by other liners. The crew had apparently heard of the +wireless communications before they left the Titanic, but I never +heard them say that we were in touch with any boat but the Olympic: it +was always the Olympic that was coming to our rescue. They thought +they knew even her distance, and making a calculation, we came to the +conclusion that we ought to be picked up by her about two o'clock in +the afternoon. But this was not our only hope of rescue: we watched +all the time the darkness lasted for steamers' lights, thinking there +might be a chance of other steamers coming near enough to see the +lights which some of our boats carried. I am sure there was no feeling +in the minds of any one that we should not be picked up next day: we +knew that wireless messages would go out from ship to ship, and as one +of the stokers said: "The sea will be covered with ships to-morrow +afternoon: they will race up from all over the sea to find us." Some +even thought that fast torpedo boats might run up ahead of the +Olympic. And yet the Olympic was, after all, the farthest away of them +all; eight other ships lay within three hundred miles of us. + +How thankful we should have been to know how near help was, and how +many ships had heard our message and were rushing to the Titanic's +aid. I think nothing has surprised us more than to learn so many ships +were near enough to rescue us in a few hours. Almost immediately after +leaving the Titanic we saw what we all said was a ship's lights down +on the horizon on the Titanic's port side: two lights, one above the +other, and plainly not one of our boats; we even rowed in that +direction for some time, but the lights drew away and disappeared +below the horizon. + +But this is rather anticipating: we did none of these things first. We +had no eyes for anything but the ship we had just left. As the oarsmen +pulled slowly away we all turned and took a long look at the mighty +vessel towering high above our midget boat, and I know it must have +been the most extraordinary sight I shall ever be called upon to +witness; I realize now how totally inadequate language is to convey to +some other person who was not there any real impression of what we +saw. + +But the task must be attempted: the whole picture is so intensely +dramatic that, while it is not possible to place on paper for eyes to +see the actual likeness of the ship as she lay there, some sketch of +the scene will be possible. First of all, the climatic conditions were +extraordinary. The night was one of the most beautiful I have ever +seen: the sky without a single cloud to mar the perfect brilliance of +the stars, clustered so thickly together that in places there seemed +almost more dazzling points of light set in the black sky than +background of sky itself; and each star seemed, in the keen +atmosphere, free from any haze, to have increased its brilliance +tenfold and to twinkle and glitter with a staccato flash that made the +sky seem nothing but a setting made for them in which to display their +wonder. They seemed so near, and their light so much more intense than +ever before, that fancy suggested they saw this beautiful ship in dire +distress below and all their energies had awakened to flash messages +across the black dome of the sky to each other; telling and warning of +the calamity happening in the world beneath. Later, when the Titanic +had gone down and we lay still on the sea waiting for the day to dawn +or a ship to come, I remember looking up at the perfect sky and +realizing why Shakespeare wrote the beautiful words he puts in the +mouth of Lorenzo:-- + + + "Jessica, look how the floor of heaven + Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold. + There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st + But in his motion like an angel sings, + Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims; + Such harmony is in immortal souls; + But whilst this muddy vesture of decay + Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it." + + +But it seemed almost as if we could--that night: the stars seemed +really to be alive and to talk. The complete absence of haze produced +a phenomenon I had never seen before: where the sky met the sea the +line was as clear and definite as the edge of a knife, so that the +water and the air never merged gradually into each other and blended +to a softened rounded horizon, but each element was so exclusively +separate that where a star came low down in the sky near the clear-cut +edge of the waterline, it still lost none of its brilliance. As the +earth revolved and the water edge came up and covered partially the +star, as it were, it simply cut the star in two, the upper half +continuing to sparkle as long as it was not entirely hidden, and +throwing a long beam of light along the sea to us. + +In the evidence before the United States Senate Committee the captain +of one of the ships near us that night said the stars were so +extraordinarily bright near the horizon that he was deceived into +thinking that they were ships' lights: he did not remember seeing such +a night before. Those who were afloat will all agree with that +statement: _we_ were often deceived into thinking they were +lights of a ship. + +And next the cold air! Here again was something quite new to us: there +was not a breath of wind to blow keenly round us as we stood in the +boat, and because of its continued persistence to make us feel cold; +it was just a keen, bitter, icy, motionless cold that came from +nowhere and yet was there all the time; the stillness of it--if one +can imagine "cold" being motionless and still--was what seemed new and +strange. + +And these--the sky and the air--were overhead; and below was the sea. +Here again something uncommon: the surface was like a lake of oil, +heaving gently up and down with a quiet motion that rocked our boat +dreamily to and fro. We did not need to keep her head to the swell: +often I watched her lying broadside on to the tide, and with a boat +loaded as we were, this would have been impossible with anything like +a swell. The sea slipped away smoothly under the boat, and I think we +never heard it lapping on the sides, so oily in appearance was the +water. So when one of the stokers said he had been to sea for +twenty-six years and never yet seen such a calm night, we accepted it +as true without comment. Just as expressive was the remark of +another--"It reminds me of a bloomin' picnic!" It was quite true; it +did: a picnic on a lake, or a quiet inland river like the Cam, or a +backwater on the Thames. + +And so in these conditions of sky and air and sea, we gazed broadside +on the Titanic from a short distance. She was absolutely still--indeed +from the first it seemed as if the blow from the iceberg had taken all +the courage out of her and she had just come quietly to rest and was +settling down without an effort to save herself, without a murmur of +protest against such a foul blow. For the sea could not rock her: the +wind was not there to howl noisily round the decks, and make the ropes +hum; from the first what must have impressed all as they watched was +the sense of stillness about her and the slow, insensible way she sank +lower and lower in the sea, like a stricken animal. + +The mere bulk alone of the ship viewed from the sea below was an +awe-inspiring sight. Imagine a ship nearly a sixth of a mile long, 75 +feet high to the top decks, with four enormous funnels above the +decks, and masts again high above the funnels; with her hundreds of +portholes, all her saloons and other rooms brilliant with light, and +all round her, little boats filled with those who until a few hours +before had trod her decks and read in her libraries and listened to +the music of her band in happy content; and who were now looking up in +amazement at the enormous mass above them and rowing away from her +because she was sinking. + +I had often wanted to see her from some distance away, and only a few +hours before, in conversation at lunch with a fellow-passenger, had +registered a vow to get a proper view of her lines and dimensions when +we landed at New York: to stand some distance away to take in a full +view of her beautiful proportions, which the narrow approach to the +dock at Southampton made impossible. Little did I think that the +opportunity was to be found so quickly and so dramatically. The +background, too, was a different one from what I had planned for her: +the black outline of her profile against the sky was bordered all +round by stars studded in the sky, and all her funnels and masts were +picked out in the same way: her bulk was seen where the stars were +blotted out. And one other thing was different from expectation: the +thing that ripped away from us instantly, as we saw it, all sense of +the beauty of the night, the beauty of the ship's lines, and the +beauty of her lights,--and all these taken in themselves were +intensely beautiful,--that thing was the awful angle made by the level +of the sea with the rows of porthole lights along her side in dotted +lines, row above row. The sea level and the rows of lights should have +been parallel--should never have met--and now they met at an angle +inside the black hull of the ship. There was nothing else to indicate +she was injured; nothing but this apparent violation of a simple +geometrical law--that parallel lines should "never meet even if +produced ever so far both ways"; but it meant the Titanic had sunk by +the head until the lowest portholes in the bows were under the sea, +and the portholes in the stern were lifted above the normal height. We +rowed away from her in the quietness of the night, hoping and praying +with all our hearts that she would sink no more and the day would find +her still in the same position as she was then. The crew, however, did +not think so. It has been said frequently that the officers and crew +felt assured that she would remain afloat even after they knew the +extent of the damage. Some of them may have done so--and perhaps, from +their scientific knowledge of her construction, with more reason at +the time than those who said she would sink--but at any rate the +stokers in our boat had no such illusion. One of them--I think he was +the same man that cut us free from the pulley ropes--told us how he +was at work in the stoke-hole, and in anticipation of going off duty +in quarter of an hour,--thus confirming the time of the collision as +11.45,--had near him a pan of soup keeping hot on some part of the +machinery; suddenly the whole side of the compartment came in, and the +water rushed him off his feet. Picking himself up, he sprang for the +compartment doorway and was just through the aperture when the +watertight door came down behind him, "like a knife," as he said; +"they work them from the bridge." He had gone up on deck but was +ordered down again at once and with others was told to draw the fires +from under the boiler, which they did, and were then at liberty to +come on deck again. It seems that this particular knot of stokers must +have known almost as soon as any one of the extent of injury. He added +mournfully, "I could do with that hot soup now"--and indeed he could: +he was clad at the time of the collision, he said, in trousers and +singlet, both very thin on account of the intense heat in the +stoke-hole; and although he had added a short jacket later, his teeth +were chattering with the cold. He found a place to lie down underneath +the tiller on the little platform where our captain stood, and there +he lay all night with a coat belonging to another stoker thrown over +him and I think he must have been almost unconscious. A lady next to +him, who was warmly clad with several coats, tried to insist on his +having one of hers--a fur-lined one--thrown over him, but he +absolutely refused while some of the women were insufficiently clad; +and so the coat was given to an Irish girl with pretty auburn hair +standing near, leaning against the gunwale--with an "outside berth" +and so more exposed to the cold air. This same lady was able to +distribute more of her wraps to the passengers, a rug to one, a fur +boa to another; and she has related with amusement that at the moment +of climbing up the Carpathia's side, those to whom these articles had +been lent offered them all back to her; but as, like the rest of us, +she was encumbered with a lifebelt, she had to say she would receive +them back at the end of the climb, I had not seen my dressing-gown +since I dropped into the boat, but some time in the night a steerage +passenger found it on the floor and put it on. + +It is not easy at this time to call to mind who were in the boat, +because in the night it was not possible to see more than a few feet +away, and when dawn came we had eyes only for the rescue ship and the +icebergs; but so far as my memory serves the list was as follows: no +first-class passengers; three women, one baby, two men from the second +cabin; and the other passengers steerage--mostly women; a total of +about 35 passengers. The rest, about 25 (and possibly more), were crew +and stokers. Near to me all night was a group of three Swedish girls, +warmly clad, standing close together to keep warm, and very silent; +indeed there was very little talking at any time. + +One conversation took place that is, I think, worth repeating: one +more proof that the world after all is a small place. The ten months' +old baby which was handed down at the last moment was received by a +lady next to me--the same who shared her wraps and coats. The mother +had found a place in the middle and was too tightly packed to come +through to the child, and so it slept contentedly for about an hour in +a stranger's arms; it then began to cry and the temporary nurse said: +"Will you feel down and see if the baby's feet are out of the blanket! +I don't know much about babies but I think their feet must be kept +warm." Wriggling down as well as I could, I found its toes exposed to +the air and wrapped them well up, when it ceased crying at once: it +was evidently a successful diagnosis! Having recognized the lady by +her voice,--it was much too dark to see faces,--as one of my vis-a-vis +at the purser's table, I said,--"Surely you are Miss ----?" "Yes," +she replied, "and you must be Mr. Beesley; how curious we should find +ourselves in the same boat!" Remembering that she had joined the boat +at Queenstown, I said, "Do you know Clonmel? a letter from a great +friend of mine who is staying there at ---- [giving the address] came +aboard at Queenstown." "Yes, it is my home: and I was dining +at ---- just before I came away." It seemed that she knew my friend, +too; and we agreed that of all places in the world to recognize mutual +friends, a crowded lifeboat afloat in mid-ocean at 2 A.M. twelve +hundred miles from our destination was one of the most unexpected. + +And all the time, as we watched, the Titanic sank lower and lower by +the head and the angle became wider and wider as the stern porthole +lights lifted and the bow lights sank, and it was evident she was not +to stay afloat much longer. The captain-stoker now told the oarsmen to +row away as hard as they could. Two reasons seemed to make this a wise +decision: one that as she sank she would create such a wave of suction +that boats, if not sucked under by being too near, would be in danger +of being swamped by the wave her sinking would create--and we all knew +our boat was in no condition to ride big waves, crowded as it was and +manned with untrained oarsmen. The second was that an explosion might +result from the water getting to the boilers, and debris might fall +within a wide radius. And yet, as it turned out, neither of these +things happened. + +At about 2.15 A.M. I think we were any distance from a mile to two +miles away. It is difficult for a landsman to calculate distance at +sea but we had been afloat an hour and a half, the boat was heavily +loaded, the oarsmen unskilled, and our course erratic: following now +one light and now another, sometimes a star and sometimes a light from +a port lifeboat which had turned away from the Titanic in the opposite +direction and lay almost on our horizon; and so we could not have gone +very far away. + +About this time, the water had crept up almost to her sidelight and +the captain's bridge, and it seemed a question only of minutes before +she sank. The oarsmen lay on their oars, and all in the lifeboat were +motionless as we watched her in absolute silence--save some who would +not look and buried their heads on each others' shoulders. The lights +still shone with the same brilliance, but not so many of them: many +were now below the surface. I have often wondered since whether they +continued to light up the cabins when the portholes were under water; +they may have done so. + +And then, as we gazed awe-struck, she tilted slowly up, revolving +apparently about a centre of gravity just astern of amidships, until +she attained a vertically upright position; and there she +remained--motionless! As she swung up, her lights, which had shone +without a flicker all night, went out suddenly, came on again for a +single flash, then went out altogether. And as they did so, there came +a noise which many people, wrongly I think, have described as an +explosion; it has always seemed to me that it was nothing but the +engines and machinery coming loose from their bolts and bearings, and +falling through the compartments, smashing everything in their way. It +was partly a roar, partly a groan, partly a rattle, and partly a +smash, and it was not a sudden roar as an explosion would be: it went +on successively for some seconds, possibly fifteen to twenty, as the +heavy machinery dropped down to the bottom (now the bows) of the ship: +I suppose it fell through the end and sank first, before the ship. But +it was a noise no one had heard before, and no one wishes to hear +again: it was stupefying, stupendous, as it came to us along the +water. It was as if all the heavy things one could think of had been +thrown downstairs from the top of a house, smashing each other and the +stairs and everything in the way. Several apparently authentic +accounts have been given, in which definite stories of explosions have +been related--in some cases even with wreckage blown up and the ship +broken in two; but I think such accounts will not stand close +analysis. In the first place the fires had been withdrawn and the +steam allowed to escape some time before she sank, and the possibility +of explosion from this cause seems very remote. Then, as just related, +the noise was not sudden and definite, but prolonged--more like the +roll and crash of thunder. The probability of the noise being caused +by engines falling down will be seen by referring to Figure 2, page +116, where the engines are placed in compartments 3, 4, and 5. As the +Titanic tilted up they would almost certainly fall loose from their +bed and plunge down through the other compartments. + +No phenomenon like that pictured in some American and English papers +occurred--that of the ship breaking in two, and the two ends being +raised above the surface. I saw these drawings in preparation on board +the Carpathia, and said at the time that they bore no resemblance to +what actually happened. + +When the noise was over the Titanic was still upright like a column: +we could see her now only as the stern and some 150 feet of her stood +outlined against the star-specked sky, looming black in the darkness, +and in this position she continued for some minutes--I think as much +as five minutes, but it may have been less. Then, first sinking back a +little at the stern, I thought, she slid slowly forwards through the +water and dived slantingly down; the sea closed over her and we had +seen the last of the beautiful ship on which we had embarked four days +before at Southampton. + +And in place of the ship on which all our interest had been +concentrated for so long and towards which we looked most of the time +because it was still the only object on the sea which was a fixed +point to us--in place of the Titanic, we had the level sea now +stretching in an unbroken expanse to the horizon: heaving gently just +as before, with no indication on the surface that the waves had just +closed over the most wonderful vessel ever built by man's hand; the +stars looked down just the same and the air was just as bitterly cold. + +There seemed a great sense of loneliness when we were left on the sea +in a small boat without the Titanic: not that we were uncomfortable +(except for the cold) nor in danger: we did not think we were either, +but the Titanic was no longer there. + +We waited head on for the wave which we thought might come--the wave +we had heard so much of from the crew and which they said had been +known to travel for miles--and it never came. But although the Titanic +left us no such legacy of a wave as she went to the bottom, she left +us something we would willingly forget forever, something which it is +well not to let the imagination dwell on--the cries of many hundreds +of our fellow-passengers struggling in the ice-cold water. + +I would willingly omit any further mention of this part of the +disaster from this book, but for two reasons it is not possible--first, +that as a matter of history it should be put on record; +and secondly, that these cries were not only an appeal for +help in the awful conditions of danger in which the drowning +found themselves,--an appeal that could never be answered,--but +an appeal to the whole world to make such conditions of +danger and hopelessness impossible ever again; a cry that called +to the heavens for the very injustice of its own existence; a cry +that clamoured for its own destruction. + +We were utterly surprised to hear this cry go up as the waves closed +over the Titanic: we had heard no sound of any kind from her since we +left her side; and, as mentioned before, we did not know how many +boats she had or how many rafts. The crew may have known, but they +probably did not, and if they did, they never told the passengers; we +should not have been surprised to know all were safe on some +life-saving device. + +So that unprepared as we were for such a thing, the cries of the +drowning floating across the quiet sea filled us with stupefaction: we +longed to return and rescue at least some of the drowning, but we knew +it was impossible. The boat was filled to standing-room, and to return +would mean the swamping of us all, and so the captain-stoker told his +crew to row away from the cries. We tried to sing to keep all from +thinking of them; but there was no heart for singing in the boat at +that time. + +The cries, which were loud and numerous at first, died away gradually +one by one, but the night was clear, frosty and still, the water +smooth, and the sounds must have carried on its level surface free +from any obstruction for miles, certainly much farther from the ship +than we were situated. I think the last of them must have been heard +nearly forty minutes after the Titanic sank. Lifebelts would keep the +survivors afloat for hours; but the cold water was what stopped the +cries. + +There must have come to all those safe in the lifeboats, scattered +round the drowning at various distances, a deep resolve that, if +anything could be done by them in the future to prevent the repetition +of such sounds, they would do it--at whatever cost of time or other +things. And not only to them are those cries an imperative call, but +to every man and woman who has known of them. It is not possible that +ever again can such conditions exist; but it is a duty imperative on +one and all to see that they do not. Think of it! a few more boats, a +few more planks of wood nailed together in a particular way at a +trifling cost, and all those men and women whom the world can so ill +afford to lose would be with us to-day, there would be no mourning in +thousands of homes which now are desolate, and these words need not +have been written. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE RESCUE + + +All accounts agree that the Titanic sunk about 2:20 A.M.: a watch in +our boat gave the time as 2:30 A.M. shortly afterwards. We were then +in touch with three other boats: one was 15, on our starboard quarter, +and the others I have always supposed were 9 and 11, but I do not know +definitely. We never got into close touch with each other, but called +occasionally across the darkness and saw them looming near and then +drawing away again; we called to ask if any officer were aboard the +other three, but did not find one. So in the absence of any plan of +action, we rowed slowly forward--or what we thought was forward, for +it was in the direction the Titanic's bows were pointing before she +sank. I see now that we must have been pointing northwest, for we +presently saw the Northern Lights on the starboard, and again, when +the Carpathia came up from the south, we saw her from behind us on the +southeast, and turned our boat around to get to her. I imagine the +boats must have spread themselves over the ocean fanwise as they +escaped from the Titanic: those on the starboard and port sides +forward being almost dead ahead of her and the stern boats being +broadside from her; this explains why the port boats were so much +longer in reaching the Carpathia--as late as 8.30 A.M.--while some of +the starboard boats came up as early as 4.10 A.M. Some of the port +boats had to row across the place where the Titanic sank to get to the +Carpathia, through the debris of chairs and wreckage of all kinds. + +None of the other three boats near us had a light--and we missed +lights badly: we could not see each other in the darkness; we could +not signal to ships which might be rushing up full speed from any +quarter to the Titanic's rescue; and now we had been through so much +it would seem hard to have to encounter the additional danger of being +in the line of a rescuing ship. We felt again for the lantern beneath +our feet, along the sides, and I managed this time to get down to the +locker below the tiller platform and open it in front by removing a +board, to find nothing but the zinc airtank which renders the boat +unsinkable when upset. I do not think there was a light in the boat. +We felt also for food and water, and found none, and came to the +conclusion that none had been put in; but here we were mistaken. I +have a letter from Second Officer Lightoller in which he assures me +that he and Fourth Officer Pitman examined every lifeboat from the +Titanic as they lay on the Carpathia's deck afterwards and found +biscuits and water in each. Not that we wanted any food or water then: +we thought of the time that might elapse before the Olympic picked us +up in the afternoon. + +Towards 3 A.M. we saw a faint glow in the sky ahead on the starboard +quarter, the first gleams, we thought, of the coming dawn. We were not +certain of the time and were eager perhaps to accept too readily any +relief from darkness--only too glad to be able to look each other in +the face and see who were our companions in good fortune; to be free +from the hazard of lying in a steamer's track, invisible in the +darkness. But we were doomed to disappointment: the soft light +increased for a time, and died away a little; glowed again, and then +remained stationary for some minutes! "The Northern Lights"! It +suddenly came to me, and so it was: presently the light arched fanwise +across the northern sky, with faint streamers reaching towards the +Pole-star. I had seen them of about the same intensity in England some +years ago and knew them again. A sigh of disappointment went through +the boat as we realized that the day was not yet; but had we known it, +something more comforting even than the day was in store for us. All +night long we had watched the horizon with eager eyes for signs of a +steamer's lights; we heard from the captain-stoker that the first +appearance would be a single light on the horizon, the masthead light, +followed shortly by a second one, lower down, on the deck; if these +two remained in vertical alignment and the distance between them +increased as the lights drew nearer, we might be certain it was a +steamer. But what a night to see that first light on the horizon! We +saw it many times as the earth revolved, and some stars rose on the +clear horizon and others sank down to it: there were "lights" on every +quarter. Some we watched and followed until we saw the deception and +grew wiser; some were lights from those of our boats that were +fortunate enough to have lanterns, but these were generally easily +detected, as they rose and fell in the near distance. Once they raised +our hopes, only to sink them to zero again. Near what seemed to be the +horizon on the port quarter we saw two lights close together, and +thought this must be our double light; but as we gazed across the +miles that separated us, the lights slowly drew apart and we realized +that they were two boats' lanterns at different distances from us, in +line, one behind the other. They were probably the forward port boats +that had to return so many miles next morning across the Titanic's +graveyard. + +But notwithstanding these hopes and disappointments, the absence of +lights, food and water (as we thought), and the bitter cold, it would +not be correct to say we were unhappy in those early morning hours: +the cold that settled down on us like a garment that wraps close +around was the only real discomfort, and that we could keep at bay by +not thinking too much about it as well as by vigorous friction and +gentle stamping on the floor (it made too much noise to stamp hard!). +I never heard that any one in boat B had any after effects from the +cold--even the stoker who was so thinly clad came through without +harm. After all, there were many things to be thankful for: so many +that they made insignificant the temporary inconvenience of the cold, +the crowded boat, the darkness and the hundred and one things that in +the ordinary way we might regard as unpleasant. The quiet sea, the +beautiful night (how different from two nights later when flashes of +lightning and peals of thunder broke the sleep of many on board the +Carpathia!), and above all the fact of being in a boat at all when so +many of our fellow-passengers and crew--whose cries no longer moaned +across the water to us--were silent in the water. Gratitude was the +dominant note in our feelings then. But grateful as we were, our +gratitude was soon to be increased a hundred fold. About 3:30 A.M., as +nearly as I can judge, some one in the bow called our attention to a +faint far-away gleam in the southeast. We all turned quickly to look +and there it was certainly: streaming up from behind the horizon like +a distant flash of a warship's searchlight; then a faint boom like +guns afar off, and the light died away again. The stoker who had lain +all night under the tiller sat up suddenly as if from a dream, the +overcoat hanging from his shoulders. I can see him now, staring out +across the sea, to where the sound had come from, and hear him shout, +"That was a cannon!" But it was not: it was the Carpathia's rocket, +though we did not know it until later. But we did know now that +something was not far away, racing up to our help and signalling to us +a preliminary message to cheer our hearts until she arrived. + +With every sense alert, eyes gazing intently at the horizon and ears +open for the least sound, we waited in absolute silence in the quiet +night. And then, creeping over the edge of the sea where the flash had +been, we saw a single light, and presently a second below it, and in a +few minutes they were well above the horizon and they remained in +line! But we had been deceived before, and we waited a little longer +before we allowed ourselves to say we were safe. The lights came up +rapidly: so rapidly it seemed only a few minutes (though it must have +been longer) between first seeing them and finding them well above the +horizon and bearing down rapidly on us. We did not know what sort of a +vessel was coming, but we knew she was coming quickly, and we searched +for paper, rags,--anything that would burn (we were quite prepared to +burn our coats if necessary). A hasty paper torch was twisted out of +letters found in some one's pocket, lighted, and held aloft by the +stoker standing on the tiller platform. The little light shone in +flickers on the faces of the occupants of the boat, ran in broken +lines for a few yards along the black oily sea (where for the first +time I saw the presence of that awful thing which had caused the whole +terrible disaster--ice--in little chunks the size of one's fist, +bobbing harmlessly up and down), and spluttered away to blackness +again as the stoker threw the burning remnants of paper overboard. But +had we known it, the danger of being run down was already over, one +reason being that the Carpathia had already seen the lifeboat which +all night long had shown a green light, the first indication the +Carpathia had of our position. But the real reason is to be found in +the Carpathia's log:--"Went full speed ahead during the night; stopped +at 4 A.M. with an iceberg dead ahead." It was a good reason. + +With our torch burnt and in darkness again we saw the headlights stop, +and realized that the rescuer had hove to. A sigh of relief went up +when we thought no hurried scramble had to be made to get out of her +way, with a chance of just being missed by her, and having to meet the +wash of her screws as she tore by us. We waited and she slowly swung +round and revealed herself to us as a large steamer with all her +portholes alight. I think the way those lights came slowly into view +was one of the most wonderful things we shall ever see. It meant +deliverance at once: that was the amazing thing to us all. We had +thought of the afternoon as our time of rescue, and here only a few +hours after the Titanic sank, before it was yet light, we were to be +taken aboard. It seemed almost too good to be true, and I think +everyone's eyes filled with tears, men's as well as women's, as they +saw again the rows of lights one above the other shining kindly to +them across the water, and "Thank God!" was murmured in heartfelt +tones round the boat. The boat swung round and the crew began their +long row to the steamer; the captain called for a song and led off +with "Pull for the shore, boys." The crew took it up quaveringly and +the passengers joined in, but I think one verse was all they sang. It +was too early yet, gratitude was too deep and sudden in its +overwhelming intensity, for us to sing very steadily. Presently, +finding the song had not gone very well, we tried a cheer, and that +went better. It was more easy to relieve our feelings with a noise, +and time and tune were not necessary ingredients in a cheer. + +In the midst of our thankfulness for deliverance, one name was +mentioned with the deepest feeling of gratitude: that of Marconi. I +wish that he had been there to hear the chorus of gratitude that went +out to him for the wonderful invention that spared us many hours, and +perhaps many days, of wandering about the sea in hunger and storm and +cold. Perhaps our gratitude was sufficiently intense and vivid to +"Marconi" some of it to him that night. + +All around we saw boats making for the Carpathia and heard their +shouts and cheers. Our crew rowed hard in friendly rivalry with other +boats to be among the first home, but we must have been eighth or +ninth at the side. We had a heavy load aboard, and had to row round a +huge iceberg on the way. + +And then, as if to make everything complete for our happiness, came +the dawn. First a beautiful, quiet shimmer away in the east, then a +soft golden glow that crept up stealthily from behind the sky-line as +if it were trying not to be noticed as it stole over the sea and +spread itself quietly in every direction--so quietly, as if to make us +believe it had been there all the time and we had not observed it. +Then the sky turned faintly pink and in the distance the thinnest, +fleeciest clouds stretched in thin bands across the horizon and close +down to it, becoming every moment more and more pink. And next the +stars died, slowly,--save one which remained long after the others +just above the horizon; and near by, with the crescent turned to the +north, and the lower horn just touching the horizon, the thinnest, +palest of moons. + +And with the dawn came a faint breeze from the west, the first breath +of wind we had felt since the Titanic stopped her engines. +Anticipating a few hours,--as the day drew on to 8 A.M., the time the +last boats came up,--this breeze increased to a fresh wind which +whipped up the sea, so that the last boat laden with people had an +anxious time in the choppy waves before they reached the Carpathia. An +officer remarked that one of the boats could not have stayed afloat +another hour: the wind had held off just long enough. + +The captain shouted along our boat to the crew, as they strained at +the oars,--two pulling and an extra one facing them and pushing to try +to keep pace with the other boats,--"A new moon! Turn your money over, +boys! That is, if you have any!" We laughed at him for the quaint +superstition at such a time, and it was good to laugh again, but he +showed his disbelief in another superstition when he added, "Well, I +shall never say again that 13 is an unlucky number. Boat 13 is the +best friend we ever had." + +If there had been among us--and it is almost certain that there were, +so fast does superstition cling--those who feared events connected +with the number thirteen, I am certain they agreed with him, and never +again will they attach any importance to such a foolish belief. +Perhaps the belief itself will receive a shock when it is remembered +that boat 13 of the Titanic brought away a full load from the sinking +vessel, carried them in such comfort all night that they had not even +a drop of water on them, and landed them safely at the Carpathia's +side, where they climbed aboard without a single mishap. It almost +tempts one to be the thirteenth at table, or to choose a house +numbered 13 fearless of any croaking about flying in the face of what +is humorously called "Providence." + +Looking towards the Carpathia in the faint light, we saw what seemed +to be two large fully rigged sailing ships near the horizon, with all +sails set, standing up near her, and we decided that they must be +fishing vessels off the Banks of Newfoundland which had seen the +Carpathia stop and were waiting to see if she wanted help of any kind. +But in a few minutes more the light shone on them and they stood +revealed as huge icebergs, peaked in a way that readily suggested a +ship. When the sun rose higher, it turned them pink, and sinister as +they looked towering like rugged white peaks of rock out of the sea, +and terrible as was the disaster one of them had caused, there was an +awful beauty about them which could not be overlooked. Later, when the +sun came above the horizon, they sparkled and glittered in its rays; +deadly white, like frozen snow rather than translucent ice. + +As the dawn crept towards us there lay another almost directly in the +line between our boat and the Carpathia, and a few minutes later, +another on her port quarter, and more again on the southern and +western horizons, as far as the eye could reach: all differing in +shape and size and tones of colour according as the sun shone through +them or was reflected directly or obliquely from them. + +[Illustration: THE CARPATHIA] + +We drew near our rescuer and presently could discern the bands on her +funnel, by which the crew could tell she was a Cunarder; and already +some boats were at her side and passengers climbing up her ladders. We +had to give the iceberg a wide berth and make a detour to the south: +we knew it was sunk a long way below the surface with such things as +projecting ledges--not that it was very likely there was one so near +the surface as to endanger our small boat, but we were not inclined to +take any risks for the sake of a few more minutes when safety lay so +near. + +Once clear of the berg, we could read the Cunarder's name--C A R P A T +H I A--a name we are not likely ever to forget. We shall see her +sometimes, perhaps, in the shipping lists,--as I have done already +once when she left Genoa on her return voyage,--and the way her lights +climbed up over the horizon in the darkness, the way she swung and +showed her lighted portholes, and the moment when we read her name on +her side will all come back in a flash; we shall live again the scene +of rescue, and feel the same thrill of gratitude for all she brought +us that night. + +We rowed up to her about 4.30, and sheltering on the port side from +the swell, held on by two ropes at the stern and bow. Women went up +the side first, climbing rope ladders with a noose round their +shoulders to help their ascent; men passengers scrambled next, and the +crew last of all. The baby went up in a bag with the opening tied up: +it had been quite well all the time, and never suffered any ill +effects from its cold journey in the night. We set foot on deck with +very thankful hearts, grateful beyond the possibility of adequate +expression to feel a solid ship beneath us once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM HER DECK + + +The two preceding chapters have been to a large extent the narrative +of a single eyewitness and an account of the escape of one boat only +from the Titanic's side. It will be well now to return to the Titanic +and reconstruct a more general and complete account from the +experiences of many people in different parts of the ship. A +considerable part of these experiences was related to the writer first +hand by survivors, both on board the Carpathia and at other times, but +some are derived from other sources which are probably as accurate as +first-hand information. Other reports, which seemed at first sight to +have been founded on the testimony of eyewitnesses, have been found on +examination to have passed through several hands, and have therefore +been rejected. The testimony even of eye-witnesses has in some cases +been excluded when it seemed not to agree with direct evidence of a +number of other witnesses or with what reasoned judgment considered +probable in the circumstances. In this category are the reports of +explosions before the Titanic sank, the breaking of the ship in two +parts, the suicide of officers. It would be well to notice here that +the Titanic was in her correct course, the southerly one, and in the +position which prudence dictates as a safe one under the ordinary +conditions at that time of the year: to be strictly accurate she was +sixteen miles south of the regular summer route which all companies +follow from January to August. + +Perhaps the real history of the disaster should commence with the +afternoon of Sunday, when Marconigrams were received by the Titanic +from the ships ahead of her, warning her of the existence of icebergs. +In connection with this must be taken the marked fall of temperature +observed by everyone in the afternoon and evening of this day as well +as the very low temperature of the water. These have generally been +taken to indicate that without any possibility of doubt we were near +an iceberg region, and the severest condemnation has been poured on +the heads of the officers and captain for not having regard to these +climatic conditions; but here caution is necessary. There can be +little doubt now that the low temperature observed can be traced to +the icebergs and ice-field subsequently encountered, but experienced +sailors are aware that it might have been observed without any +icebergs being near. The cold Labrador current sweeps down by +Newfoundland across the track of Atlantic liners, but does not +necessarily carry icebergs with it; cold winds blow from Greenland and +Labrador and not always from icebergs and ice-fields. So that falls in +temperature of sea and air are not prima facie evidence of the close +proximity of icebergs. On the other hand, a single iceberg separated +by many miles from its fellows might sink a ship, but certainly would +not cause a drop in temperature either of the air or water. Then, as +the Labrador current meets the warm Gulf Stream flowing from the Gulf +of Mexico across to Europe, they do not necessarily intermingle, nor +do they always run side by side or one on top of the other, but often +interlaced, like the fingers of two hands. As a ship sails across this +region the thermometer will record within a few miles temperatures of +34 deg., 58 deg., 35 deg., 59 deg., and so on. + +It is little wonder then that sailors become accustomed to place +little reliance on temperature conditions as a means of estimating the +probabilities of encountering ice in their track. An experienced +sailor has told me that nothing is more difficult to diagnose than the +presence of icebergs, and a strong confirmation of this is found in +the official sailing directions issued by the Hydrographic Department +of the British Admiralty. "No reliance can be placed on any warning +being conveyed to the mariner, by a fall in temperature, either of sea +or air, of approaching ice. Some decrease in temperature has +occasionally been recorded, but more often none has been observed." + +But notification by Marconigram of the exact location of icebergs is a +vastly different matter. I remember with deep feeling the effect this +information had on us when it first became generally known on board +the Carpathia. Rumours of it went round on Wednesday morning, grew to +definite statements in the afternoon, and were confirmed when one of +the Titanic officers admitted the truth of it in reply to a direct +question. I shall never forget the overwhelming sense of hopelessness +that came over some of us as we obtained definite knowledge of the +warning messages. It was not then the unavoidable accident we had +hitherto supposed: the sudden plunging into a region crowded with +icebergs which no seaman, however skilled a navigator he might be, +could have avoided! The beautiful Titanic wounded too deeply to +recover, the cries of the drowning still ringing in our ears and the +thousands of homes that mourned all these calamities--none of all +these things need ever have been! + +It is no exaggeration to say that men who went through all the +experiences of the collision and the rescue and the subsequent scenes +on the quay at New York with hardly a tremor, were quite overcome by +this knowledge and turned away, unable to speak; I for one, did so, +and I know others who told me they were similarly affected. + +I think we all came to modify our opinions on this matter, however, +when we learnt more of the general conditions attending trans-Atlantic +steamship services. The discussion as to who was responsible for these +warnings being disregarded had perhaps better be postponed to a later +chapter. One of these warnings was handed to Mr. Ismay by Captain +Smith at 5 P.M. and returned at the latter's request at 7 P.M., that +it might be posted for the information of officers; as a result of the +messages they were instructed to keep a special lookout for ice. This, +Second Officer Lightoller did until he was relieved at 10 P.M. by +First Officer Murdock, to whom he handed on the instructions. During +Mr. Lightoller's watch, about 9 P.M., the captain had joined him on +the bridge and discussed "the time we should be getting up towards the +vicinity of the ice, and how we should recognize it if we should see +it, and refreshing our minds on the indications that ice gives when it +is in the vicinity." Apparently, too, the officers had discussed among +themselves the proximity of ice and Mr. Lightoller had remarked that +they would be approaching the position where ice had been reported +during his watch. The lookouts were cautioned similarly, but no ice +was sighted until a few minutes before the collision, when the lookout +man saw the iceberg and rang the bell three times, the usual signal +from the crow's nest when anything is seen dead-ahead. + +By telephone he reported to the bridge the presence of an iceberg, but +Mr. Murdock had already ordered Quartermaster Hichens at the wheel to +starboard the helm, and the vessel began to swing away from the berg. +But it was far too late at the speed she was going to hope to steer +the huge Titanic, over a sixth of a mile long, out of reach of danger. +Even if the iceberg had been visible half a mile away it is doubtful +whether some portion of her tremendous length would not have been +touched, and it is in the highest degree unlikely that the lookout +could have seen the berg half a mile away in the conditions that +existed that night, even with glasses. The very smoothness of the +water made the presence of ice a more difficult matter to detect. In +ordinary conditions the dash of the waves against the foot of an +iceberg surrounds it with a circle of white foam visible for some +distance, long before the iceberg itself; but here was an oily sea +sweeping smoothly round the deadly monster and causing no indication +of its presence. + +There is little doubt, moreover, that the crow's nest is not a good +place from which to detect icebergs. It is proverbial that they adopt +to a large extent the colour of their surroundings; and seen from +above at a high angle, with the black, foam-free sea behind, the +iceberg must have been almost invisible until the Titanic was close +upon it. I was much struck by a remark of Sir Ernest Shackleton on his +method of detecting icebergs--to place a lookout man as low down near +the water-line as he could get him. Remembering how we had watched the +Titanic with all her lights out, standing upright like "an enormous +black finger," as one observer stated, and had only seen her thus +because she loomed black against the sky behind her, I saw at once how +much better the sky was than the black sea to show up an iceberg's +bulk. And so in a few moments the Titanic had run obliquely on the +berg, and with a shock that was astonishingly slight--so slight that +many passengers never noticed it--the submerged portion of the berg +had cut her open on the starboard side in the most vulnerable portion +of her anatomy--the bilge. [Footnote: See Figure 4, page 50.] The most +authentic accounts say that the wound began at about the location of +the foremast and extended far back to the stern, the brunt of the blow +being taken by the forward plates, which were either punctured through +both bottoms directly by the blow, or through one skin only, and as +this was torn away it ripped out some of the inner plates. The fact +that she went down by the head shows that probably only the forward +plates were doubly punctured, the stern ones being cut open through +the outer skin only. After the collision, Murdock had at once reversed +the engines and brought the ship to a standstill, but the iceberg had +floated away astern. The shock, though little felt by the enormous +mass of the ship, was sufficient to dislodge a large quantity of ice +from the berg: the forecastle deck was found to be covered with pieces +of ice. + +Feeling the shock, Captain Smith rushed out of his cabin to the +bridge, and in reply to his anxious enquiry was told by Murdock that +ice had been struck and the emergency doors instantly closed. The +officers roused by the collision went on deck: some to the bridge; +others, while hearing nothing of the extent of the damage, saw no +necessity for doing so. Captain Smith at once sent the carpenter below +to sound the ship, and Fourth Officer Boxhall to the steerage to +report damage. The latter found there a very dangerous condition of +things and reported to Captain Smith, who then sent him to the +mail-room; and here again, it was easy to see, matters looked very +serious. Mail-bags were floating about and the water rising rapidly. +All this was reported to the captain, who ordered the lifeboats to be +got ready at once. Mr. Boxhall went to the chartroom to work out the +ship's position, which he then handed to the Marconi operators for +transmission to any ship near enough to help in the work of rescue. + +Reports of the damage done were by this time coming to the captain +from many quarters, from the chief engineer, from the designer,--Mr. +Andrews,--and in a dramatic way from the sudden appearance on deck of +a swarm of stokers who had rushed up from below as the water poured +into the boiler-rooms and coal-bunkers: they were immediately ordered +down below to duty again. Realizing the urgent heed of help, he went +personally to the Marconi room and gave orders to the operators to get +into touch with all the ships they could and to tell them to come +quickly. The assistant operator Bride had been asleep, and knew of the +damage only when Phillips, in charge of the Marconi room, told him ice +had been encountered. They started to send out the well-known "C.Q.D." +message,--which interpreted means: C.Q. "all stations attend," and D, +"distress," the position of the vessel in latitude and longitude +following. Later, they sent out "S.O.S.," an arbitrary message agreed +upon as an international code-signal. + +Soon after the vessel struck, Mr. Ismay had learnt of the nature of +the accident from the captain and chief engineer, and after dressing +and going on deck had spoken to some of the officers not yet +thoroughly acquainted with the grave injury done to the vessel. By +this time all those in any way connected with the management and +navigation must have known the importance of making use of all the +ways of safety known to them--and that without any delay. That they +thought at first that the Titanic would sink as soon as she did is +doubtful; but probably as the reports came in they knew that her +ultimate loss in a few hours was a likely contingency. On the other +hand, there is evidence that some of the officers in charge of boats +quite expected the embarkation was a precautionary measure and they +would all return after daylight. Certainly the first information that +ice had been struck conveyed to those in charge no sense of the +gravity of the circumstances: one officer even retired to his cabin +and another advised a steward to go back to his berth as there was no +danger. + +And so the order was sent round, "All passengers on deck with +lifebelts on"; and in obedience to this a crowd of hastily dressed or +partially dressed people began to assemble on the decks belonging to +their respective classes (except the steerage passengers who were +allowed access to other decks), tying on lifebelts over their +clothing. In some parts of the ship women were separated from the men +and assembled together near the boats, in others men and women mingled +freely together, husbands helping their own wives and families and +then other women and children into the boats. The officers spread +themselves about the decks, superintending the work of lowering and +loading the boats, and in three cases were ordered by their superior +officers to take charge of them. At this stage great difficulty was +experienced in getting women to leave the ship, especially where the +order was so rigorously enforced, "Women and children only." Women in +many cases refused to leave their husbands, and were actually forcibly +lifted up and dropped in the boats. They argued with the officers, +demanding reasons, and in some cases even when induced to get in were +disposed to think the whole thing a joke, or a precaution which it +seemed to them rather foolish to take. In this they were encouraged by +the men left behind, who, in the same condition of ignorance, said +good-bye to their friends as they went down, adding that they would +see them again at breakfast-time. To illustrate further how little +danger was apprehended--when it was discovered on the first-class deck +that the forward lower deck was covered with small ice, snowballing +matches were arranged for the following morning, and some passengers +even went down to the deck and brought back small pieces of ice which +were handed round. + +Below decks too was additional evidence that no one thought of +immediate danger. Two ladies walking along one of the corridors came +across a group of people gathered round a door which they were trying +vainly to open, and on the other side of which a man was demanding in +loud terms to be let out. Either his door was locked and the key not +to be found, or the collision had jammed the lock and prevented the +key from turning. The ladies thought he must be afflicted in some way +to make such a noise, but one of the men was assuring him that in no +circumstances should he be left, and that his (the bystander's) son +would be along soon and would smash down his door if it was not opened +in the mean time. "He has a stronger arm than I have," he added. The +son arrived presently and proceeded to make short work of the door: it +was smashed in and the inmate released, to his great satisfaction and +with many expressions of gratitude to his rescuer. But one of the head +stewards who came up at this juncture was so incensed at the damage +done to the property of his company, and so little aware of the +infinitely greater damage done the ship, that he warned the man who +had released the prisoner that he would be arrested on arrival in New +York. + +It must be borne in mind that no general warning had been issued to +passengers: here and there were experienced travellers to whom +collision with an iceberg was sufficient to cause them to make every +preparation for leaving the ship, but the great majority were never +enlightened as to the amount of damage done, or even as to what had +happened. We knew in a vague way that we had collided with an iceberg, +but there our knowledge ended, and most of us drew no deductions from +that fact alone. Another factor that prevented some from taking to the +boats was the drop to the water below and the journey into the unknown +sea: certainly it looked a tremendous way down in the darkness, the +sea and the night both seemed very cold and lonely; and here was the +ship, so firm and well lighted and warm. + +But perhaps what made so many people declare their decision to remain +was their strong belief in the theory of the Titanic's unsinkable +construction. Again and again was it repeated, "This ship cannot sink; +it is only a question of waiting until another ship comes up and takes +us off." Husbands expected to follow their wives and join them either +in New York or by transfer in mid-ocean from steamer to steamer. Many +passengers relate that they were told by officers that the ship was a +lifeboat and could not go down; one lady affirms that the captain told +her the Titanic could not sink for two or three days; no doubt this +was immediately after the collision. + +It is not any wonder, then, that many elected to remain, deliberately +choosing the deck of the Titanic to a place in a lifeboat. And yet the +boats had to go down, and so at first they went half-full: this is the +real explanation of why they were not as fully loaded as the later +ones. It is important then to consider the question how far the +captain was justified in withholding all the knowledge he had from +every passenger. From one point of view he should have said to them, +"This ship will sink in a few hours: there are the boats, and only +women and children can go to them." But had he the authority to +enforce such an order? There are such things as panics and rushes +which get beyond the control of a handful of officers, even if armed, +and where even the bravest of men get swept off their feet--mentally +as well as physically. + +On the other hand, if he decided to withhold all definite knowledge of +danger from all passengers and at the same time persuade--and if it +was not sufficient, compel--women and children to take to the boats, +it might result in their all being saved. He could not foresee the +tenacity of their faith in the boat: there is ample evidence that he +left the bridge when the ship had come to rest and went among +passengers urging them to get into the boat and rigorously excluding +all but women and children. Some would not go. Officer Lowe testified +that he shouted, "Who's next for the boat?" and could get no replies. +The boats even were sent away half-loaded,--although the fear of their +buckling in the middle was responsible as well for this,--but the +captain with the few boats at his disposal could hardly do more than +persuade and advise in the terrible circumstances in which he was +placed. + +How appalling to think that with a few more boats--and the ship was +provided with that particular kind of davit that would launch more +boats--there would have been no decision of that kind to make! It +could have been stated plainly: "This ship will sink in a few hours: +there is room in the boats for all passengers, beginning with women +and children." + +Poor Captain Smith! I care not whether the responsibility for such +speed in iceberg regions will rest on his shoulders or not: no man +ever had to make such a choice as he had that night, and it seems +difficult to see how he can be blamed for withholding from passengers +such information as he had of the danger that was imminent. + +When one reads in the Press that lifeboats arrived at the Carpathia +half full, it seems at first sight a dreadful thing that this should +have been allowed to happen; but it is so easy to make these +criticisms afterwards, so easy to say that Captain Smith should have +told everyone of the condition of the vessel. He was faced with many +conditions that night which such criticism overlooks. Let any +fair-minded person consider some few of the problems presented to +him--the ship was bound to sink in a few hours; there was lifeboat +accommodation for all women and children and some men; there was no +way of getting some women to go except by telling them the ship was +doomed, a course he deemed it best not to take; and he knew the danger +of boats buckling when loaded full. His solution of these problems was +apparently the following:--to send the boats down half full, with such +women as would go, and to tell the boats to stand by to pick up more +passengers passed down from the cargo ports. There is good evidence +that this was part of the plan: I heard an officer give the order to +four boats and a lady in number 4 boat on the port side tells me the +sailors were so long looking for the port where the captain personally +had told them to wait, that they were in danger of being sucked under +by the vessel. How far any systematic attempt was made to stand by the +ports, I do not know: I never saw one open or any boat standing near +on the starboard side; but then, boats 9 to 15 went down full, and on +reaching the sea rowed away at once. There is good evidence, then, +that Captain Smith fully intended to load the boats full in this way. +The failure to carry out the intention is one of the things the whole +world regrets, but consider again the great size of the ship and the +short time to make decisions, and the omission is more easily +understood. The fact is that such a contingency as lowering away boats +was not even considered beforehand, and there is much cause for +gratitude that as many as seven hundred and five people were rescued. +The whole question of a captain's duties seems to require revision. It +was totally impossible for any one man to attempt to control the ship +that night, and the weather conditions could not well have been more +favourable for doing so. One of the reforms that seem inevitable is +that one man shall be responsible for the boats, their manning, +loading and lowering, leaving the captain free to be on the bridge to +the last moment. + +But to return for a time to the means taken to attract the notice of +other ships. The wireless operators were now in touch with several +ships, and calling to them to come quickly for the water was pouring +in and the Titanic beginning to go down by the head. Bride testified +that the first reply received was from a German boat, the Frankfurt, +which was: "All right: stand by," but not giving her position. From +comparison of the strength of signals received from the Frankfurt and +from other boats, the operators estimated the Frankfurt was the +nearest; but subsequent events proved that this was not so. She was, +in fact, one hundred and forty miles away and arrived at 10.50 A.M. +next morning, when the Carpathia had left with the rescued. The next +reply was from the Carpathia, fifty-eight miles away on the outbound +route to the Mediterranean, and it was a prompt and welcome +one--"Coming hard," followed by the position. Then followed the +Olympic, and with her they talked for some time, but she was five +hundred and sixty miles away on the southern route, too far to be of +any immediate help. At the speed of 23 knots she would expect to be up +about 1 P.M. next day, and this was about the time that those in boat +13 had calculated. We had always assumed in the boat that the stokers +who gave this information had it from one of the officers before they +left; but in the absence of any knowledge of the much nearer ship, the +Carpathia, it is more probable that they knew in a general way where +the sister ship, the Olympic, should be, and had made a rough +calculation. + +Other ships in touch by wireless were the Mount Temple, fifty miles; +the Birma, one hundred miles; the Parisian, one hundred and fifty +miles; the Virginian, one hundred and fifty miles; and the Baltic, +three hundred miles. But closer than any of these--closer even than +the Carpathia--were two ships: the Californian, less than twenty miles +away, with the wireless operator off duty and unable to catch the +"C.Q.D." signal which was now making the air for many miles around +quiver in its appeal for help--immediate, urgent help--for the +hundreds of people who stood on the Titanic's deck. + +The second vessel was a small steamer some few miles ahead on the port +side, without any wireless apparatus, her name and destination still +unknown; and yet the evidence for her presence that night seems too +strong to be disregarded. Mr. Boxhall states that he and Captain Smith +saw her quite plainly some five miles away, and could distinguish the +mast-head lights and a red port light. They at once hailed her with +rockets and Morse electric signals, to which Boxhall saw no reply, but +Captain Smith and stewards affirmed they did. The second and third +officers saw the signals sent and her lights, the latter from the +lifeboat of which he was in charge. Seaman Hopkins testified that he +was told by the captain to row for the light; and we in boat 13 +certainly saw it in the same position and rowed towards it for some +time. But notwithstanding all the efforts made to attract its +attention, it drew slowly away and the lights sank below the horizon. + +The pity of it! So near, and so many people waiting for the shelter +its decks could have given so easily. It seems impossible to think +that this ship ever replied to the signals: those who said so must +have been mistaken. The United State Senate Committee in its report +does not hesitate to say that this unknown steamer and the Californian +are identical, and that the failure on the part of the latter to come +to the help of the Titanic is culpable negligence. There is undoubted +evidence that some of the crew on the Californian saw our rockets; but +it seems impossible to believe that the captain and officers knew of +our distress and deliberately ignored it. Judgment on the matter had +better be suspended until further information is forthcoming. An +engineer who has served in the trans-Atlantic service tells me that it +is a common practice for small boats to leave the fishing smacks to +which they belong and row away for miles; sometimes even being lost +and wandering about among icebergs, and even not being found again. In +these circumstances, rockets are part of a fishing smack's equipment, +and are sent up to indicate to the small boats how to return. Is it +conceivable that the Californian thought our rockets were such +signals, and therefore paid no attention to them? + +Incidentally, this engineer did not hesitate to add that it is +doubtful if a big liner would stop to help a small fishing-boat +sending off distress signals, or even would turn about to help one +which she herself had cut down as it lay in her path without a light. +He was strong in his affirmation that such things were commonly known +to all officers in the trans-Atlantic service. + +With regard to the other vessels in wireless communication, the Mount +Temple was the only one near enough from the point of distance to have +arrived in time to be of help, but between her and the Titanic lay the +enormous ice-floe, and icebergs were near her in addition. + +The seven ships which caught the message started at once to her help +but were all stopped on the way (except the Birma) by the Carpathia's +wireless announcing the fate of the Titanic and the people aboard her. +The message must have affected the captains of these ships very +deeply: they would understand far better than the travelling public +what it meant to lose such a beautiful ship on her first voyage. + +The only thing now left to be done was to get the lifeboats away as +quickly as possible, and to this task the other officers were in the +meantime devoting all their endeavours. Mr. Lightoller sent away boat +after boat: in one he had put twenty-four women and children, in +another thirty, in another thirty-five; and then, running short of +seamen to man the boats he sent Major Peuchen, an expert yachtsman, in +the next, to help with its navigation. By the time these had been +filled, he had difficulty in finding women for the fifth and sixth +boats for the reasons already stated. All this time the passengers +remained--to use his own expression--"as quiet as if in church." To +man and supervise the loading of six boats must have taken him nearly +up to the time of the Titanic's sinking, taking an average of some +twenty minutes to a boat. Still at work to the end, he remained on the +ship till she sank and went down with her. His evidence before the +United States Committee was as follows: "Did you leave the ship?" "No, +sir." "Did the ship leave you?" "Yes, sir." + +It was a piece of work well and cleanly done, and his escape from the +ship, one of the most wonderful of all, seems almost a reward for his +devotion to duty. + +Captain Smith, Officers Wilde and Murdock were similarly engaged in +other parts of the ship, urging women to get in the boats, in some +cases directing junior officers to go down in some of them,--Officers +Pitman, Boxhall, and Lowe were sent in this way,--in others placing +members of the crew in charge. As the boats were lowered, orders were +shouted to them where to make for: some were told to stand by and wait +for further instructions, others to row for the light of the +disappearing steamer. + +It is a pitiful thing to recall the effects of sending down the first +boats half full. In some cases men in the company of their wives had +actually taken seats in the boats--young men, married only a few weeks +and on their wedding trip--and had done so only because no more women +could then be found; but the strict interpretation by the particular +officer in charge there of the rule of "Women and children only," +compelled them to get out again. Some of these boats were lowered and +reached the Carpathia with many vacant seats. The anguish of the young +wives in such circumstances can only be imagined. In other parts of +the ship, however, a different interpretation was placed on the rule, +and men were allowed and even invited by officers to get in--not only +to form part of the crew, but even as passengers. This, of course, in +the first boats and when no more women could be found. + +The varied understanding of this rule was a frequent subject of +discussion on the Carpathia--in fact, the rule itself was debated with +much heart-searching. There were not wanting many who doubted the +justice of its rigid enforcement, who could not think it well that a +husband should be separated from his wife and family, leaving them +penniless, or a young bridegroom from his wife of a few short weeks, +while ladies with few relatives, with no one dependent upon them, and +few responsibilities of any kind, were saved. It was mostly these +ladies who pressed this view, and even men seemed to think there was a +good deal to be said for it. Perhaps there is, theoretically, but it +would be impossible, I think, in practice. To quote Mr. Lightoller +again in his evidence before the United States Senate Committee,--when +asked if it was a rule of the sea that women and children be saved +first, he replied, "No, it is a rule of human nature." That is no +doubt the real reason for its existence. + +But the selective process of circumstances brought about results that +were very bitter to some. It was heartrending for ladies who had lost +all they held dearest in the world to hear that in one boat was a +stoker picked up out of the sea so drunk that he stood up and +brandished his arms about, and had to be thrown down by ladies and sat +upon to keep him quiet. If comparisons can be drawn, it did seem +better that an educated, refined man should be saved than one who had +flown to drink as his refuge in time of danger. + +These discussions turned sometimes to the old enquiry--"What is the +purpose of all this? Why the disaster? Why this man saved and that man +lost? Who has arranged that my husband should live a few short happy +years in the world, and the happiest days in those years with me these +last few weeks, and then be taken from me?" I heard no one attribute +all this to a Divine Power who ordains and arranges the lives of men, +and as part of a definite scheme sends such calamity and misery in +order to purify, to teach, to spiritualize. I do not say there were +not people who thought and said they saw Divine Wisdom in it all,--so +inscrutable that we in our ignorance saw it not; but I did not hear it +expressed, and this book is intended to be no more than a partial +chronicle of the many different experiences and convictions. + +There were those, on the other hand, who did not fail to say +emphatically that indifference to the rights and feelings of others, +blindness to duty towards our fellow men and women, was in the last +analysis the cause of most of the human misery in the world. And it +should undoubtedly appeal more to our sense of justice to attribute +these things to our own lack of consideration for others than to shift +the responsibility on to a Power whom we first postulate as being +All-wise and All-loving. + +All the boats were lowered and sent away by about 2 A.M., and by this +time the ship was very low in the water, the forecastle deck +completely submerged, and the sea creeping steadily up to the bridge +and probably only a few yards away. + +No one on the ship can have had any doubt now as to her ultimate fate, +and yet the fifteen hundred passengers and crew on board made no +demonstration, and not a sound came from them as they stood quietly on +the decks or went about their duties below. It seems incredible, and +yet if it was a continuation of the same feeling that existed on deck +before the boats left,--and I have no doubt it was,--the explanation +is straightforward and reasonable in its simplicity. An attempt is +made in the last chapter to show why the attitude of the crowd was so +quietly courageous. There are accounts which picture excited crowds +running about the deck in terror, fighting and struggling, but two of +the most accurate observers, Colonel Gracie and Mr. Lightoller, affirm +that this was not so, that absolute order and quietness prevailed. The +band still played to cheer the hearts of all near; the engineers and +their crew--I have never heard any one speak of a single engineer +being seen on deck--still worked at the electric light engines, far +away below, keeping them going until no human being could do so a +second longer, right until the ship tilted on end and the engines +broke loose and fell down. The light failed then only because the +engines were no longer there to produce light, not because the men who +worked them were not standing by them to do their duty. To be down in +the bowels of the ship, far away from the deck where at any rate there +was a chance of a dive and a swim and a possible rescue; to know that +when the ship went--as they knew it must soon--there could be no +possible hope of climbing up in time to reach the sea; to know all +these things and yet to keep the engines going that the decks might be +lighted to the last moment, required sublime courage. + +But this courage is required of every engineer and it is not called by +that name: it is called "duty." To stand by his engines to the last +possible moment is his duty. There could be no better example of the +supremest courage being but duty well done than to remember the +engineers of the Titanic still at work as she heeled over and flung +them with their engines down the length of the ship. The simple +statement that the lights kept on to the last is really their epitaph, +but Lowell's words would seem to apply to them with peculiar force-- + + + "The longer on this earth we live + And weigh the various qualities of men-- + The more we feel the high, stern-featured beauty + Of plain devotedness to duty. + Steadfast and still, nor paid with mortal praise, + But finding amplest recompense + For life's ungarlanded expense + In work done squarely and unwasted days." + +For some time before she sank, the Titanic had a considerable list to +port, so much so that one boat at any rate swung so far away from the +side that difficulty was experienced in getting passengers in. This +list was increased towards the end, and Colonel Gracie relates that +Mr. Lightoller, who has a deep, powerful voice, ordered all passengers +to the starboard side. This was close before the end. They crossed +over, and as they did so a crowd of steerage passengers rushed up and +filled the decks so full that there was barely room to move. Soon +afterwards the great vessel swung slowly, stern in the air, the lights +went out, and while some were flung into the water and others dived +off, the great majority still clung to the rails, to the sides and +roofs of deck-structures, lying prone on the deck. And in this +position they were when, a few minutes later, the enormous vessel +dived obliquely downwards. As she went, no doubt many still clung to +the rails, but most would do their best to get away from her and jump +as she slid forwards and downwards. Whatever they did, there can be +little question that most of them would be taken down by suction, to +come up again a few moments later and to fill the air with those +heartrending cries which fell on the ears of those in the lifeboats +with such amazement. Another survivor, on the other hand, relates that +he had dived from the stern before she heeled over, and swam round +under her enormous triple screws lifted by now high out of the water +as she stood on end. Fascinated by the extraordinary sight, he watched +them up above his head, but presently realizing the necessity of +getting away as quickly as possible, he started to swim from the ship, +but as he did she dived forward, the screws passing near his head. His +experience is that not only was no suction present, but even a wave +was created which washed him away from the place where she had gone +down. + +Of all those fifteen hundred people, flung into the sea as the Titanic +went down, innocent victims of thoughtlessness and apathy of those +responsible for their safety, only a very few found their way to the +Carpathia. It will serve no good purpose to dwell any longer on the +scene of helpless men and women struggling in the water. The heart of +everyone who has read of their helplessness has gone out to them in +deepest love and sympathy; and the knowledge that their struggle in +the water was in most cases short and not physically painful because +of the low temperature--the evidence seems to show that few lost their +lives by drowning--is some consolation. + +If everyone sees to it that his sympathy with them is so practical as +to force him to follow up the question of reforms personally, not +leaving it to experts alone, then he will have at any rate done +something to atone for the loss of so many valuable lives. + +We had now better follow the adventures of those who were rescued from +the final event in the disaster. Two accounts--those of Colonel Gracie +and Mr. Lightoller--agree very closely. The former went down clinging +to a rail, the latter dived before the ship went right under, but was +sucked down and held against one of the blowers. They were both +carried down for what seemed a long distance, but Mr. Lightoller was +finally blown up again by a "terrific gust" that came up the blower +and forced him clear. Colonel Gracie came to the surface after holding +his breath for what seemed an eternity, and they both swam about +holding on to any wreckage they could find. Finally they saw an +upturned collapsible boat and climbed on it in company with twenty +other men, among them Bride the Marconi operator. After remaining thus +for some hours, with the sea washing them to the waist, they stood up +as day broke, in two rows, back to back, balancing themselves as well +as they could, and afraid to turn lest the boat should roll over. +Finally a lifeboat saw them and took them off, an operation attended +with the greatest difficulty, and they reached the Carpathia in the +early dawn. Not many people have gone through such an experience as +those men did, lying all night on an overturned, ill-balanced boat, +and praying together, as they did all the time, for the day and a ship +to take them off. + +Some account must now be attempted of the journey of the fleet of +boats to the Carpathia, but it must necessarily be very brief. +Experiences differed considerably: some had no encounters at all with +icebergs, no lack of men to row, discovered lights and food and water, +were picked up after only a few hours' exposure, and suffered very +little discomfort; others seemed to see icebergs round them all night +long and to be always rowing round them; others had so few men +aboard--in some cases only two or three--that ladies had to row and in +one case to steer, found no lights, food or water, and were adrift +many hours, in some cases nearly eight. + +The first boat to be picked up by the Carpathia was one in charge of +Mr. Boxhall. There was only one other man rowing and ladies worked at +the oars. A green light burning in this boat all night was the +greatest comfort to the rest of us who had nothing to steer by: +although it meant little in the way of safety in itself, it was a +point to which we could look. The green light was the first intimation +Captain Rostron had of our position, and he steered for it and picked +up its passengers first. + +Mr. Pitman was sent by First Officer Murdock in charge of boat 5, with +forty passengers and five of the crew. It would have held more, but no +women could be found at the time it was lowered. Mr. Pitman says that +after leaving the ship he felt confident she would float and they +would all return. A passenger in this boat relates that men could not +be induced to embark when she went down, and made appointments for the +next morning with him. Tied to boat 5 was boat 7, one of those that +contained few people: a few were transferred from number 5, but it +would have held many more. + +Fifth Officer Lowe was in charge of boat 14, with fifty-five women and +children, and some of the crew. So full was the boat that as she went +down Mr. Lowe had to fire his revolver along the ship's side to +prevent any more climbing in and causing her to buckle. This boat, +like boat 13, was difficult to release from the lowering tackle, and +had to be cut away after reaching the sea. Mr. Lowe took in charge +four other boats, tied them together with lines, found some of them +not full, and transferred all his passengers to these, distributing +them in the darkness as well as he could. Then returning to the place +where the Titanic had sunk, he picked up some of those swimming in the +water and went back to the four boats. On the way to the Carpathia he +encountered one of the collapsible boats, and took aboard all those in +her, as she seemed to be sinking. + +Boat 12 was one of the four tied together, and the seaman in charge +testified that he tried to row to the drowning, but with forty women +and children and only one other man to row, it was not possible to +pull such a heavy boat to the scene of the wreck. + +Boat 2 was a small ship's boat and had four or five passengers and +seven of the crew. Boat 4 was one of the last to leave on the port +side, and by this time there was such a list that deck chairs had to +bridge the gap between the boat and the deck. When lowered, it +remained for some time still attached to the ropes, and as the Titanic +was rapidly sinking it seemed she would be pulled under. The boat was +full of women, who besought the sailors to leave the ship, but in +obedience to orders from the captain to stand by the cargo port, they +remained near; so near, in fact, that they heard china falling and +smashing as the ship went down by the head, and were nearly hit by +wreckage thrown overboard by some of the officers and crew and +intended to serve as rafts. They got clear finally, and were only a +short distance away when the ship sank, so that they were able to pull +some men aboard as they came to the surface. + +This boat had an unpleasant experience in the night with icebergs; +many were seen and avoided with difficulty. + +Quartermaster Hickens was in charge of boat 6, and in the absence of +sailors Major Peuchen was sent to help to man her. They were told to +make for the light of the steamer seen on the port side, and followed +it until it disappeared. There were forty women and children here. + +Boat 8 had only one seaman, and as Captain Smith had enforced the rule +of "Women and children only," ladies had to row. Later in the night, +when little progress had been made, the seaman took an oar and put a +lady in charge of the tiller. This boat again was in the midst of +icebergs. + +Of the four collapsible boats--although collapsible is not really the +correct term, for only a small portion collapses, the canvas edge; +"surf boats" is really their name--one was launched at the last moment +by being pushed over as the sea rose to the edge of the deck, and was +never righted. This is the one twenty men climbed on. Another was +caught up by Mr. Lowe and the passengers transferred, with the +exception of three men who had perished from the effects of immersion. +The boat was allowed to drift away and was found more than a month +later by the Celtic in just the same condition. It is interesting to +note how long this boat had remained afloat after she was supposed to +be no longer seaworthy. A curious coincidence arose from the fact that +one of my brothers happened to be travelling on the Celtic, and +looking over the side, saw adrift on the sea a boat belonging to the +Titanic in which I had been wrecked. + +The two other collapsible boats came to the Carpathia carrying full +loads of passengers: in one, the forward starboard boat and one of the +last to leave, was Mr. Ismay. Here four Chinamen were concealed under +the feet of the passengers. How they got there no one knew--or indeed +how they happened to be on the Titanic, for by the immigration laws of +the United States they are not allowed to enter her ports. + +It must be said, in conclusion, that there is the greatest cause for +gratitude that all the boats launched carried their passengers safely +to the rescue ship. It would not be right to accept this fact without +calling attention to it: it would be easy to enumerate many things +which might have been present as elements of danger. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK + + +The journey of the Carpathia from the time she caught the "C.Q.D." +from the Titanic at about 12.30 A.M. on Monday morning and turned +swiftly about to her rescue, until she arrived at New York on the +following Thursday at 8.30 P.M. was one that demanded of the captain, +officers and crew of the vessel the most exact knowledge of +navigation, the utmost vigilance in every department both before and +after the rescue, and a capacity for organization that must sometimes +have been taxed to the breaking point. + +The extent to which all these qualities were found present and the +manner in which they were exercised stands to the everlasting credit +of the Cunard Line and those of its servants who were in charge of the +Carpathia. Captain Rostron's part in all this is a great one, and +wrapped up though his action is in a modesty that is conspicuous in +its nobility, it stands out even in his own account as a piece of work +well and courageously done. + +As soon as the Titanic called for help and gave her position, the +Carpathia was turned and headed north: all hands were called on duty, +a new watch of stokers was put on, and the highest speed of which she +was capable was demanded of the engineers, with the result that the +distance of fifty-eight miles between the two ships was covered in +three and a half hours, a speed well beyond her normal capacity. The +three doctors on board each took charge of a saloon, in readiness to +render help to any who needed their services, the stewards and +catering staff were hard at work preparing hot drinks and meals, and +the purser's staff ready with blankets and berths for the shipwrecked +passengers as soon as they got on board. On deck the sailors got ready +lifeboats, swung them out on the davits, and stood by, prepared to +lower away their crews if necessary; fixed rope-ladders, +cradle-chairs, nooses, and bags for the children at the hatches, to +haul the rescued up the side. On the bridge was the captain with his +officers, peering into the darkness eagerly to catch the first signs +of the crippled Titanic, hoping, in spite of her last despairing +message of "Sinking by the head," to find her still afloat when her +position was reached. A double watch of lookout men was set, for there +were other things as well as the Titanic to look for that night, and +soon they found them. As Captain Rostron said in his evidence, they +saw icebergs on either side of them between 2.45 and 4 A.M., passing +twenty large ones, one hundred to two hundred feet high, and many +smaller ones, and "frequently had to manoeuvre the ship to avoid +them." It was a time when every faculty was called upon for the +highest use of which it was capable. With the knowledge before them +that the enormous Titanic, the supposedly unsinkable ship, had struck +ice and was sinking rapidly; with the lookout constantly calling to +the bridge, as he must have done, "Icebergs on the starboard," +"Icebergs on the port," it required courage and judgment beyond the +ordinary to drive the ship ahead through that lane of icebergs and +"manoeuvre round them." As he himself said, he "took the risk of full +speed in his desire to save life, and probably some people might blame +him for taking such a risk." But the Senate Committee assured him that +they, at any rate, would not, and we of the lifeboats have certainly +no desire to do so. + +The ship was finally stopped at 4 A.M., with an iceberg reported dead +ahead (the same no doubt we had to row around in boat 13 as we +approached the Carpathia), and about the same time the first lifeboat +was sighted. Again she had to be manoeuvred round the iceberg to pick +up the boat, which was the one in charge of Mr. Boxhall. From him the +captain learned that the Titanic had gone down, and that he was too +late to save any one but those in lifeboats, which he could now see +drawing up from every part of the horizon. Meanwhile, the passengers +of the Carpathia, some of them aroused by the unusual vibration of the +screw, some by sailors tramping overhead as they swung away the +lifeboats and got ropes and lowering tackle ready, were beginning to +come on deck just as day broke; and here an extraordinary sight met +their eyes. As far as the eye could reach to the north and west lay an +unbroken stretch of field ice, with icebergs still attached to the +floe and rearing aloft their mass as a hill might suddenly rise from a +level plain. Ahead and to the south and east huge floating monsters +were showing up through the waning darkness, their number added to +moment by moment as the dawn broke and flushed the horizon pink. It is +remarkable how "busy" all those icebergs made the sea look: to have +gone to bed with nothing but sea and sky and to come on deck to find +so many objects in sight made quite a change in the character of the +sea: it looked quite crowded; and a lifeboat alongside and people +clambering aboard, mostly women, in nightdresses and dressing-gowns, +in cloaks and shawls, in anything but ordinary clothes! Out ahead and +on all sides little torches glittered faintly for a few moments and +then guttered out--and shouts and cheers floated across the quiet sea. +It would be difficult to imagine a more unexpected sight than this +that lay before the Carpathia's passengers as they lined the sides +that morning in the early dawn. + +No novelist would dare to picture such an array of beautiful climatic +conditions,--the rosy dawn, the morning star, the moon on the horizon, +the sea stretching in level beauty to the sky-line,--and on this sea +to place an ice-field like the Arctic regions and icebergs in numbers +everywhere,--white and turning pink and deadly cold,--and near them, +rowing round the icebergs to avoid them, little boats coming suddenly +out of mid-ocean, with passengers rescued from the most wonderful ship +the world has known. No artist would have conceived such a picture: it +would have seemed so highly dramatic as to border on the impossible, +and would not have been attempted. Such a combination of events would +pass the limit permitted the imagination of both author and artist. + +The passengers crowded the rails and looked down at us as we rowed up +in the early morning; stood quietly aside while the crew at the +gangways below took us aboard, and watched us as if the ship had been +in dock and we had rowed up to join her in a somewhat unusual way. +Some of them have related that we were very quiet as we came aboard: +it is quite true, we were; but so were they. There was very little +excitement on either side: just the quiet demeanour of people who are +in the presence of something too big as yet to lie within their mental +grasp, and which they cannot yet discuss. And so they asked us +politely to have hot coffee, which we did; and food, which we +generally declined,--we were not hungry,--and they said very little at +first about the lost Titanic and our adventures in the night. + +Much that is exaggerated and false has been written about the mental +condition of passengers as they came aboard: we have been described as +being too dazed to understand what was happening, as being too +overwhelmed to speak, and as looking before us with "set, staring +gaze," "dazed with the shadow of the dread event." That is, no doubt, +what most people would expect in the circumstances, but I know it does +not give a faithful record of how we did arrive: in fact it is simply +not true. As remarked before, the one thing that matters in describing +an event of this kind is the exact truth, as near as the fallible +human mind can state it; and my own impression of our mental condition +is that of supreme gratitude and relief at treading the firm decks of +a ship again. I am aware that experiences differed considerably +according to the boats occupied; that those who were uncertain of the +fate of their relatives and friends had much to make them anxious and +troubled; and that it is not possible to look into another person's +consciousness and say what is written there; but dealing with mental +conditions as far as they are delineated by facial and bodily +expressions, I think joy, relief, gratitude were the dominant emotions +written on the faces of those who climbed the rope-ladders and were +hauled up in cradles. + +It must not be forgotten that no one in any one boat knew who were +saved in other boats: few knew even how many boats there were and how +many passengers could be saved. It was at the time probable that +friends would follow them to the Carpathia, or be found on other +steamers, or even on the pier at which we landed. The hysterical +scenes that have been described are imaginative; true, one woman did +fill the saloon with hysterical cries immediately after coming aboard, +but she could not have known for a certainty that any of her friends +were lost: probably the sense of relief after some hours of journeying +about the sea was too much for her for a time. + +One of the first things we did was to crowd round a steward with a +bundle of telegraph forms. He was the bearer of the welcome news that +passengers might send Marconigrams to their relatives free of charge, +and soon he bore away the first sheaf of hastily scribbled messages to +the operator; by the time the last boatload was aboard, the pile must +have risen high in the Marconi cabin. We learned afterwards that many +of these never reached their destination; and this is not a matter for +surprise. There was only one operator--Cottam--on board, and although +he was assisted to some extent later, when Bride from the Titanic had +recovered from his injuries sufficiently to work the apparatus, he had +so much to do that he fell asleep over this work on Tuesday night +after three days' continuous duty without rest. But we did not know +the messages were held back, and imagined our friends were aware of +our safety; then, too, a roll-call of the rescued was held in the +Carpathia's saloon on the Monday, and this was Marconied to land in +advance of all messages. It seemed certain, then, that friends at home +would have all anxiety removed, but there were mistakes in the +official list first telegraphed. The experience of my own friends +illustrates this: the Marconigram I wrote never got through to +England; nor was my name ever mentioned in any list of the saved (even +a week after landing in New York, I saw it in a black-edged "final" +list of the missing), and it seemed certain that I had never reached +the Carpathia; so much so that, as I write, there are before me +obituary notices from the English papers giving a short sketch of my +life in England. After landing in New York and realizing from the +lists of the saved which a reporter showed me that my friends had no +news since the Titanic sank on Monday morning until that night +(Thursday 9 P.M.), I cabled to England at once (as I had but two +shillings rescued from the Titanic, the White Star Line paid for the +cables), but the messages were not delivered until 8.20 A.M. next +morning. At 9 A.M. my friends read in the papers a short account of +the disaster which I had supplied to the press, so that they knew of +my safety and experiences in the wreck almost at the same time. I am +grateful to remember that many of my friends in London refused to +count me among the missing during the three days when I was so +reported. + +There is another side to this record of how the news came through, and +a sad one, indeed. Again I wish it were not necessary to tell such +things, but since they all bear on the equipment of the trans-Atlantic +lines--powerful Marconi apparatus, relays of operators, etc.,--it is +best they should be told. The name of an American gentleman--the same +who sat near me in the library on Sunday afternoon and whom I +identified later from a photograph--was consistently reported in the +lists as saved and aboard the Carpathia: his son journeyed to New York +to meet him, rejoicing at his deliverance, and never found him there. +When I met his family some days later and was able to give them some +details of his life aboard ship, it seemed almost cruel to tell them +of the opposite experience that had befallen my friends at home. + +Returning to the journey of the Carpathia--the last boatload of +passengers was taken aboard at 8.30 A.M., the lifeboats were hauled on +deck while the collapsibles were abandoned, and the Carpathia +proceeded to steam round the scene of the wreck in the hope of picking +up anyone floating on wreckage. Before doing so the captain arranged +in the saloon a service over the spot where the Titanic sank, as +nearly as could be calculated,--a service, as he said, of respect to +those who were lost and of gratitude for those who were saved. + +She cruised round and round the scene, but found nothing to indicate +there was any hope of picking up more passengers; and as the +Californian had now arrived, followed shortly afterwards by the Birma, +a Russian tramp steamer, Captain Rostron decided to leave any further +search to them and to make all speed with the rescued to land. As we +moved round, there was surprisingly little wreckage to be seen: wooden +deck-chairs and small pieces of other wood, but nothing of any size. +But covering the sea in huge patches was a mass of reddish-yellow +"seaweed," as we called it for want of a name. It was said to be cork, +but I never heard definitely its correct description. + +The problem of where to land us had next to be decided. The Carpathia +was bound for Gibraltar, and the captain might continue his journey +there, landing us at the Azores on the way; but he would require more +linen and provisions, the passengers were mostly women and children, +ill-clad, dishevelled, and in need of many attentions he could not +give them. Then, too, he would soon be out of the range of wireless +communication, with the weak apparatus his ship had, and he soon +decided against that course. Halifax was the nearest in point of +distance, but this meant steaming north through the ice, and he +thought his passengers did not want to see more ice. He headed back +therefore to New York, which he had left the previous Thursday, +working all afternoon along the edge of the ice-field which stretched +away north as far as the unaided eye could reach. I have wondered +since if we could possibly have landed our passengers on this ice-floe +from the lifeboats and gone back to pick up those swimming, had we +known it was there; I should think it quite feasible to have done so. +It was certainly an extraordinary sight to stand on deck and see the +sea covered with solid ice, white and dazzling in the sun and dotted +here and there with icebergs. We ran close up, only two or three +hundred yards away, and steamed parallel to the floe, until it ended +towards night and we saw to our infinite satisfaction the last of the +icebergs and the field fading away astern. Many of the rescued have no +wish ever to see an iceberg again. We learnt afterwards the field was +nearly seventy miles long and twelve miles wide, and had lain between +us and the Birma on her way to the rescue. Mr. Boxhall testified that +he had crossed the Grand Banks many times, but had never seen +field-ice before. The testimony of the captains and officers of other +steamers in the neighbourhood is of the same kind: they had "never +seen so many icebergs this time of the year," or "never seen such +dangerous ice floes and threatening bergs." Undoubtedly the Titanic +was faced that night with unusual and unexpected conditions of ice: +the captain knew not the extent of these conditions, but he knew +somewhat of their existence. Alas, that he heeded not their warning! + +During the day, the bodies of eight of the crew were committed to the +deep: four of them had been taken out of the boats dead and four died +during the day. The engines were stopped and all passengers on deck +bared their heads while a short service was read; when it was over the +ship steamed on again to carry the living back to land. + +The passengers on the Carpathia were by now hard at work finding +clothing for the survivors: the barber's shop was raided for ties, +collars, hair-pins, combs, etc., of which it happened there was a +large stock in hand; one good Samaritan went round the ship with a box +of tooth-brushes offering them indiscriminately to all. In some cases, +clothing could not be found for the ladies and they spent the rest of +the time on board in their dressing-gowns and cloaks in which they +came away from the Titanic. They even slept in them, for, in the +absence of berths, women had to sleep on the floor of the saloons and +in the library each night on straw _paillasses_, and here it was +not possible to undress properly. The men were given the smoking-room +floor and a supply of blankets, but the room was small, and some +elected to sleep out on deck. I found a pile of towels on the bathroom +floor ready for next morning's baths, and made up a very comfortable +bed on these. Later I was waked in the middle of the night by a man +offering me a berth in his four-berth cabin: another occupant was +unable to leave his berth for physical reasons, and so the cabin could +not be given up to ladies. + +On Tuesday the survivors met in the saloon and formed a committee +among themselves to collect subscriptions for a general fund, out of +which it was resolved by vote to provide as far as possible for the +destitute among the steerage passengers, to present a loving cup to +Captain Rostron and medals to the officers and crew of the Carpathia, +and to divide any surplus among the crew of the Titanic. The work of +this committee is not yet (June 1st) at an end, but all the +resolutions except the last one have been acted upon, and that is now +receiving the attention of the committee. The presentations to the +captain and crew were made the day the Carpathia returned to New York +from her Mediterranean trip, and it is a pleasure to all the survivors +to know that the United States Senate has recognized the service +rendered to humanity by the Carpathia and has voted Captain Rostron a +gold medal commemorative of the rescue. On the afternoon of Tuesday, I +visited the steerage in company with a fellow-passenger, to take +down the names of all who were saved. We grouped them into +nationalities,--English Irish, and Swedish mostly,--and learnt from +them their names and homes, the amount of money they possessed, and +whether they had friends in America. The Irish girls almost +universally had no money rescued from the wreck, and were going to +friends in New York or places near, while the Swedish passengers, +among whom were a considerable number of men, had saved the greater +part of their money and in addition had railway tickets through to +their destinations inland. The saving of their money marked a curious +racial difference, for which I can offer no explanation: no doubt the +Irish girls never had very much but they must have had the necessary +amount fixed by the immigration laws. There were some pitiful cases of +women with children and the husband lost; some with one or two +children saved and the others lost; in one case, a whole family was +missing, and only a friend left to tell of them. Among the Irish group +was one girl of really remarkable beauty, black hair and deep violet +eyes with long lashes, and perfectly shaped features, and quite young, +not more than eighteen or twenty; I think she lost no relatives on the +Titanic. + +The following letter to the London "Times" is reproduced here to show +something of what our feeling was on board the Carpathia towards the +loss of the Titanic. It was written soon after we had the definite +information on the Wednesday that ice warnings had been sent to the +Titanic, and when we all felt that something must be done to awaken +public opinion to safeguard ocean travel in the future. We were not +aware, of course, how much the outside world knew, and it seemed well +to do something to inform the English public of what had happened at +as early an opportunity as possible. I have not had occasion to change +any of the opinions expressed in this letter. + +SIR:-- + +As one of few surviving Englishmen from the steamship Titanic, which +sank in mid-Atlantic on Monday morning last, I am asking you to lay +before your readers a few facts concerning the disaster, in the hope +that something may be done in the near future to ensure the safety of +that portion of the travelling public who use the Atlantic highway for +business or pleasure. + +I wish to dissociate myself entirely from any report that would seek +to fix the responsibility on any person or persons or body of people, +and by simply calling attention to matters of fact the authenticity of +which is, I think, beyond question and can be established in any Court +of Inquiry, to allow your readers to draw their own conclusions as to +the responsibility for the collision. + +First, that it was known to those in charge of the Titanic that we +were in the iceberg region; that the atmospheric and temperature +conditions suggested the near presence of icebergs; that a wireless +message was received from a ship ahead of us warning us that they had +been seen in the locality of which latitude and longitude were given. + +Second, that at the time of the collision the Titanic was running at a +high rate of speed. + +Third, that the accommodation for saving passengers and crew was +totally inadequate, being sufficient only for a total of about 950. +This gave, with the highest possible complement of 3400, a less than +one in three chance of being saved in the case of accident. + +Fourth, that the number landed in the Carpathia, approximately 700, is +a high percentage of the possible 950, and bears excellent testimony +to the courage, resource, and devotion to duty of the officers and +crew of the vessel; many instances of their nobility and personal +self-sacrifice are within our possession, and we know that they did +all they could do with the means at their disposal. + +Fifth, that the practice of running mail and passenger vessels through +fog and iceberg regions at a high speed is a common one; they are +timed to run almost as an express train is run, and they cannot, +therefore, slow down more than a few knots in time of possible danger. + +I have neither knowledge nor experience to say what remedies I +consider should be applied; but, perhaps, the following suggestions +may serve as a help:-- + +First, that no vessel should be allowed to leave a British port +without sufficient boat and other accommodation to allow each +passenger and member of the crew a seat; and that at the time of +booking this fact should be pointed out to a passenger, and the number +of the seat in the particular boat allotted to him then. + +Second, that as soon as is practicable after sailing each passenger +should go through boat drill in company with the crew assigned to his +boat. + +Third, that each passenger boat engaged in the Transatlantic service +should be instructed to slow down to a few knots when in the iceberg +region, and should be fitted with an efficient searchlight. + +Yours faithfully, + +LAWRENCE BEESLEY. + +It seemed well, too, while on the Carpathia to prepare as accurate an +account as possible of the disaster and to have this ready for the +press, in order to calm public opinion and to forestall the incorrect +and hysterical accounts which some American reporters are in the habit +of preparing on occasions of this kind. The first impression is often +the most permanent, and in a disaster of this magnitude, where exact +and accurate information is so necessary, preparation of a report was +essential. It was written in odd corners of the deck and saloon of the +Carpathia, and fell, it seemed very happily, into the hands of the one +reporter who could best deal with it, the Associated Press. I +understand it was the first report that came through and had a good +deal of the effect intended. + +The Carpathia returned to New York in almost every kind of climatic +conditions: icebergs, ice-fields and bitter cold to commence with; +brilliant warm sun, thunder and lightning in the middle of one night +(and so closely did the peal follow the flash that women in the saloon +leaped up in alarm saying rockets were being sent up again); cold +winds most of the time; fogs every morning and during a good part of +one day, with the foghorn blowing constantly; rain; choppy sea with +the spray blowing overboard and coming in through the saloon windows; +we said we had almost everything but hot weather and stormy seas. So +that when we were told that Nantucket Lightship had been sighted on +Thursday morning from the bridge, a great sigh of relief went round to +think New York and land would be reached before next morning. + +There is no doubt that a good many felt the waiting period of those +four days very trying: the ship crowded far beyond its limits of +comfort, the want of necessities of clothing and toilet, and above all +the anticipation of meeting with relatives on the pier, with, in many +cases, the knowledge that other friends were left behind and would not +return home again. A few looked forward to meeting on the pier their +friends to whom they had said au revoir on the Titanic's deck, brought +there by a faster boat, they said, or at any rate to hear that they +were following behind us in another boat: a very few, indeed, for the +thought of the icy water and the many hours' immersion seemed to weigh +against such a possibility; but we encouraged them to hope the +Californian and the Birma had picked some up; stranger things have +happened, and we had all been through strange experiences. But in the +midst of this rather tense feeling, one fact stands out as +remarkable--no one was ill. Captain Rostron testified that on Tuesday +the doctor reported a clean bill of health, except for frost-bites and +shaken nerves. There were none of the illnesses supposed to follow +from exposure for hours in the cold night--and, it must be remembered, +a considerable number swam about for some time when the Titanic sank, +and then either sat for hours in their wet things or lay flat on an +upturned boat with the sea water washing partly over them until they +were taken off in a lifeboat; no scenes of women weeping and brooding +over their losses hour by hour until they were driven mad with +grief--yet all this has been reported to the press by people on board +the Carpathia. These women met their sorrow with the sublimest +courage, came on deck and talked with their fellow-men and women face +to face, and in the midst of their loss did not forget to rejoice with +those who had joined their friends on the Carpathia's deck or come +with them in a boat. There was no need for those ashore to call the +Carpathia a "death-ship," or to send coroners and coffins to the pier +to meet her: her passengers were generally in good health and they did +not pretend they were not. + +Presently land came in sight, and very good it was to see it again: it +was eight days since we left Southampton, but the time seemed to have +"stretched out to the crack of doom," and to have become eight weeks +instead. So many dramatic incidents had been crowded into the last few +days that the first four peaceful, uneventful days, marked by nothing +that seared the memory, had faded almost out of recollection. It +needed an effort to return to Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown, +as though returning to some event of last year. I think we all +realized that time may be measured more by events than by seconds and +minutes: what the astronomer would call "2.20 A.M. April 15th, 1912," +the survivors called "the sinking of the Titanic"; the "hours" that +followed were designated "being adrift in an open sea," and "4.30 +A.M." was "being rescued by the Carpathia." The clock was a mental +one, and the hours, minutes and seconds marked deeply on its face were +emotions, strong and silent. + +Surrounded by tugs of every kind, from which (as well as from every +available building near the river) magnesium bombs were shot off by +photographers, while reporters shouted for news of the disaster and +photographs of passengers, the Carpathia drew slowly to her station at +the Cunard pier, the gangways were pushed across, and we set foot at +last on American soil, very thankful, grateful people. + +The mental and physical condition of the rescued as they came ashore +has, here again, been greatly exaggerated--one description says we +were "half-fainting, half-hysterical, bordering on hallucination, only +now beginning to realize the horror." It is unfortunate such pictures +should be presented to the world. There were some painful scenes of +meeting between relatives of those who were lost, but once again women +showed their self-control and went through the ordeal in most cases +with extraordinary calm. It is well to record that the same account +added: "A few, strangely enough, are calm and lucid"; if for "few" we +read "a large majority," it will be much nearer the true description +of the landing on the Cunard pier in New York. There seems to be no +adequate reason why a report of such a scene should depict mainly the +sorrow and grief, should seek for every detail to satisfy the horrible +and the morbid in the human mind. The first questions the excited +crowds of reporters asked as they crowded round were whether it was +true that officers shot passengers, and then themselves; whether +passengers shot each other; whether any scenes of horror had been +noticed, and what they were. + +It would have been well to have noticed the wonderful state of health +of most of the rescued, their gratitude for their deliverance, the +thousand and one things that gave cause for rejoicing. In the midst of +so much description of the hysterical side of the scene, place should +be found for the normal--and I venture to think the normal was the +dominant feature in the landing that night. In the last chapter I +shall try to record the persistence of the normal all through the +disaster. Nothing has been a greater surprise than to find people that +do not act in conditions of danger and grief as they would be +generally supposed to act--and, I must add, as they are generally +described as acting. + +And so, with her work of rescue well done, the good ship Carpathia +returned to New York. Everyone who came in her, everyone on the dock, +and everyone who heard of her journey will agree with Captain Rostron +when he says: "I thank God that I was within wireless hailing +distance, and that I got there in time to pick up the survivors of the +wreck." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC + + +One of the most pitiful things in the relations of human beings to +each other--the action and reaction of events that is called +concretely "human life"--is that every now and then some of them +should be called upon to lay down their lives from no sense of +imperative, calculated duty such as inspires the soldier or the +sailor, but suddenly, without any previous knowledge or warning of +danger, without any opportunity of escape, and without any desire to +risk such conditions of danger of their own free will. It is a blot on +our civilization that these things are necessary from time to time, to +arouse those responsible for the safety of human life from the +lethargic selfishness which has governed them. The Titanic's two +thousand odd passengers went aboard thinking they were +on an absolutely safe ship, and all the time there were many +people--designers, builders, experts, government officials--who knew +there were insufficient boats on board, that the Titanic had no right +to go fast in iceberg regions,--who knew these things and took no +steps and enacted no laws to prevent their happening. Not that they +omitted to do these things deliberately, but were lulled into a state +of selfish inaction from which it needed such a tragedy as this to +arouse them. It was a cruel necessity which demanded that a few should +die to arouse many millions to a sense of their own insecurity, to the +fact that for years the possibility of such a disaster has been +imminent. Passengers have known none of these things, and while no +good end would have been served by relating to them needless tales of +danger on the high seas, one thing is certain--that, had they known +them, many would not have travelled in such conditions and thereby +safeguards would soon have been forced on the builders, the companies, +and the Government. But there were people who knew and did not fail to +call attention to the dangers: in the House of Commons the matter has +been frequently brought up privately, and an American naval officer, +Captain E. K. Boden, in an article that has since been widely +reproduced, called attention to the defects of this very ship, the +Titanic--taking her as an example of all other liners--and pointed out +that she was not unsinkable and had not proper boat accommodation. + +The question, then, of responsibility for the loss of the Titanic must +be considered: not from any idea that blame should be laid here or +there and a scapegoat provided--that is a waste of time. But if a +fixing of responsibility leads to quick and efficient remedy, then it +should be done relentlessly: our simple duty to those whom the Titanic +carried down with her demands no less. Dealing first with the +precautions for the safety of the ship as apart from safety +appliances, there can be no question, I suppose, that the direct +responsibility for the loss of the Titanic and so many lives must be +laid on her captain. He was responsible for setting the course, day by +day and hour by hour, for the speed she was travelling; and he alone +would have the power to decide whether or not speed must be slackened +with icebergs ahead. No officer would have any right to interfere in +the navigation, although they would no doubt be consulted. Nor would +any official connected with the management of the line--Mr. Ismay, for +example--be allowed to direct the captain in these matters, and there +is no evidence that he ever tried to do so. The very fact that the +captain of a ship has such absolute authority increases his +responsibility enormously. Even supposing the White Star Line and Mr. +Ismay had urged him before sailing to make a record,--again an +assumption,--they cannot be held directly responsible for the +collision: he was in charge of the lives of everyone on board and no +one but he was supposed to estimate the risk of travelling at the +speed he did, when ice was reported ahead of him. His action cannot be +justified on the ground of prudent seamanship. + +But the question of indirect responsibility raises at once many issues +and, I think, removes from Captain Smith a good deal of personal +responsibility for the loss of his ship. Some of these issues it will +be well to consider. + +In the first place, disabusing our minds again of the knowledge that +the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, let us estimate the +probabilities of such a thing happening. An iceberg is small and +occupies little room by comparison with the broad ocean on which it +floats; and the chances of another small object like a ship colliding +with it and being sunk are very small: the chances are, as a matter of +fact, one in a million. This is not a figure of speech: that is the +actual risk for total loss by collision with an iceberg as accepted by +insurance companies. The one-in-a-million accident was what sunk the +Titanic. + +Even so, had Captain Smith been alone in taking that risk, he would +have had to bear all the blame for the resulting disaster. But it +seems he is not alone: the same risk has been taken over and over +again by fast mail-passenger liners, in fog and in iceberg regions. +Their captains have taken the long--very long--chance many times and +won every time; he took it as he had done many times before, and lost. +Of course, the chances that night of striking an iceberg were much +greater than one in a million: they had been enormously increased by +the extreme southerly position of icebergs and field ice and by the +unusual number of the former. Thinking over the scene that met our +eyes from the deck of the Carpathia after we boarded her,--the great +number of icebergs wherever the eye could reach,--the chances of +_not_ hitting one in the darkness of the night seemed small. +Indeed, the more one thinks about the Carpathia coming at full speed +through all those icebergs in the darkness, the more inexplicable does +it seem. True, the captain had an extra lookout watch and every sense +of every man on the bridge alert to detect the least sign of danger, +and again he was not going so fast as the Titanic and would have his +ship under more control; but granted all that, he appears to have +taken a great risk as he dogged and twisted round the awful +two-hundred-foot monsters in the dark night. Does it mean that the +risk is not so great as we who have seen the abnormal and not the +normal side of taking risks with icebergs might suppose? He had his +own ship and passengers to consider, and he had no right to take too +great a risk. + +But Captain Smith could not know icebergs were there in such numbers: +what warnings he had of them is not yet thoroughly established,--there +were probably three,--but it is in the highest degree unlikely that he +knew that any vessel had seen them in such quantities as we saw them +Monday morning; in fact, it is unthinkable. He thought, no doubt, he +was taking an ordinary risk, and it turned out to be an extraordinary +one. To read some criticisms it would seem as if he deliberately ran +his ship in defiance of all custom through a region infested with +icebergs, and did a thing which no one has ever done before; that he +outraged all precedent by not slowing down. But it is plain that he +did not. Every captain who has run full speed through fog and iceberg +regions is to blame for the disaster as much as he is: they got +through and he did not. Other liners can go faster than the Titanic +could possibly do; had they struck ice they would have been injured +even more deeply than she was, for it must not be forgotten that the +force of impact varies as the _square_ of the velocity--i.e., it +is four times as much at sixteen knots as at eight knots, nine times +as much at twenty-four, and so on. And with not much margin of time +left for these fast boats, they must go full speed ahead nearly all +the time. Remember how they advertise to "Leave New York Wednesday, +dine in London the following Monday,"--and it is done regularly, much +as an express train is run to time. Their officers, too, would have +been less able to avoid a collision than Murdock of the Titanic was, +for at the greater speed, they would be on the iceberg in shorter +time. Many passengers can tell of crossing with fog a good deal of the +way, sometimes almost all the way, and they have been only a few hours +late at the end of the journey. + +So that it is the custom that is at fault, not one particular captain. +Custom is established largely by demand, and supply too is the answer +to demand. What the public demanded the White Star Line supplied, and +so both the public and the Line are concerned with the question of +indirect responsibility. + +The public has demanded, more and more every year, greater speed as +well as greater comfort, and by ceasing to patronize the low-speed +boats has gradually forced the pace to what it is at present. Not that +speed in itself is a dangerous thing,--it is sometimes much safer to +go quickly than slowly,--but that, given the facilities for speed and +the stimulus exerted by the constant public demand for it, occasions +arise when the judgment of those in command of a ship becomes +swayed--largely unconsciously, no doubt--in favour of taking risks +which the smaller liners would never take. The demand on the skipper +of a boat like the Californian, for example, which lay hove-to +nineteen miles away with her engines stopped, is infinitesimal +compared with that on Captain Smith. An old traveller told me on the +Carpathia that he has often grumbled to the officers for what he +called absurd precautions in lying to and wasting his time, which he +regarded as very valuable; but after hearing of the Titanic's loss he +recognized that he was to some extent responsible for the speed at +which she had travelled, and would never be so again. He had been one +of the travelling public who had constantly demanded to be taken to +his journey's end in the shortest possible time, and had "made a row" +about it if he was likely to be late. There are some business men to +whom the five or six days on board are exceedingly irksome and +represent a waste of time; even an hour saved at the journey's end is +a consideration to them. And if the demand is not always a conscious +one, it is there as an unconscious factor always urging the highest +speed of which the ship is capable. The man who demands fast travel +unreasonably must undoubtedly take his share in the responsibility. He +asks to be taken over at a speed which will land him in something over +four days; he forgets perhaps that Columbus took ninety days in a +forty-ton boat, and that only fifty years ago paddle steamers took six +weeks, and all the time the demand is greater and the strain is more: +the public demand speed and luxury; the lines supply it, until +presently the safety limit is reached, the undue risk is taken--and +the Titanic goes down. All of us who have cried for greater speed must +take our share in the responsibility. The expression of such a desire +and the discontent with so-called slow travel are the seed sown in the +minds of men, to bear fruit presently in an insistence on greater +speed. We may not have done so directly, but we may perhaps have +talked about it and thought about it, and we know no action begins +without thought. + +The White Star Line has received very rough handling from some of the +press, but the greater part of this criticism seems to be unwarranted +and to arise from the desire to find a scapegoat. After all they had +made better provision for the passengers the Titanic carried than any +other line has done, for they had built what they believed to be a +huge lifeboat, unsinkable in all ordinary conditions. Those who +embarked in her were almost certainly in the safest ship (along with +the Olympic) afloat: she was probably quite immune from the ordinary +effects of wind, waves and collisions at sea, and needed to fear +nothing but running on a rock or, what was worse, a floating iceberg; +for the effects of collision were, so far as damage was concerned, the +same as if it had been a rock, and the danger greater, for one is +charted and the other is not. Then, too, while the theory of the +unsinkable boat has been destroyed at the same time as the boat +itself, we should not forget that it served a useful purpose on deck +that night--it eliminated largely the possibility of panic, and those +rushes for the boats which might have swamped some of them. I do not +wish for a moment to suggest that such things would have happened, +because the more information that comes to hand of the conduct of the +people on board, the more wonderful seems the complete self-control of +all, even when the last boats had gone and nothing but the rising +waters met their eyes--only that the generally entertained theory +rendered such things less probable. The theory, indeed, was really a +safeguard, though built on a false premise. + +There is no evidence that the White Star Line instructed the captain +to push the boat or to make any records: the probabilities are that no +such attempt would be made on the first trip. The general instructions +to their commanders bear quite the other interpretation: it will be +well to quote them in full as issued to the press during the sittings +of the United States Senate Committee. + +_Instructions to commanders_ + +Commanders must distinctly understand that the issue of regulations +does not in any way relieve them from responsibility for the safe and +efficient navigation of their respective vessels, and they are also +enjoined to remember that they must run no risks which might by any +possibility result in accident to their ships. It is to be hoped that +they will ever bear in mind that the safety of the lives and property +entrusted to their care is the ruling principle that should govern +them in the navigation of their vessels, and that no supposed gain in +expedition or saving of time on the voyage is to be purchased at the +risk of accident. + +Commanders are reminded that the steamers are to a great extent +uninsured, and that their own livelihood, as well as the company's +success, depends upon immunity from accident; no precaution which +ensures safe navigation is to be considered excessive. + +Nothing could be plainer than these instructions, and had they been +obeyed, the disaster would never have happened: they warn commanders +against the only thing left as a menace to their unsinkable boat--the +lack of "precaution which ensures safe navigation." + +In addition, the White Star Line had complied to the full extent with +the requirements of the British Government: their ship had been +subjected to an inspection so rigid that, as one officer remarked in +evidence, it became a nuisance. The Board of Trade employs the best +experts, and knows the dangers that attend ocean travel and the +precautions that should be taken by every commander. If these +precautions are not taken, it will be necessary to legislate until +they are. No motorist is allowed to career at full speed along a +public highway in dangerous conditions, and it should be an offence +for a captain to do the same on the high seas with a ship full of +unsuspecting passengers. They have entrusted their lives to the +government of their country--through its regulations--and they are +entitled to the same protection in mid-Atlantic as they are in Oxford +Street or Broadway. The open sea should no longer be regarded as a +neutral zone where no country's police laws are operative. + +Of course there are difficulties in the way of drafting international +regulations: many governments would have to be consulted and many +difficulties that seem insuperable overcome; but that is the purpose +for which governments are employed, that is why experts and ministers +of governments are appointed and paid--to overcome difficulties for +the people who appoint them and who expect them, among other things, +to protect their lives. + +The American Government must share the same responsibility: it is +useless to attempt to fix it on the British Board of Trade for the +reason that the boats were built in England and inspected there by +British officials. They carried American citizens largely, and entered +American ports. It would have been the simplest matter for the United +States Government to veto the entry of any ship which did not conform +to its laws of regulating speed in conditions of fog and icebergs--had +they provided such laws. The fact is that the American nation has +practically no mercantile marine, and in time of a disaster such as +this it forgets, perhaps, that it has exactly the same right--and +therefore the same responsibility--as the British Government to +inspect, and to legislate: the right that is easily enforced by +refusal to allow entry. The regulation of speed in dangerous regions +could well be undertaken by some fleet of international police patrol +vessels, with power to stop if necessary any boat found guilty of +reckless racing. The additional duty of warning ships of the exact +locality of icebergs could be performed by these boats. It would not +of course be possible or advisable to fix a "speed limit," because the +region of icebergs varies in position as the icebergs float south, +varies in point of danger as they melt and disappear, and the whole +question has to be left largely to the judgment of the captain on the +spot; but it would be possible to make it an offence against the law +to go beyond a certain speed in known conditions of danger. + +So much for the question of regulating speed on the high seas. The +secondary question of safety appliances is governed by the same +principle--that, in the last analysis, it is not the captain, not the +passenger, not the builders and owners, but the governments through +their experts, who are to be held responsible for the provision of +lifesaving devices. Morally, of course, the owners and builders are +responsible, but at present moral responsibility is too weak an +incentive in human affairs--that is the miserable part of the whole +wretched business--to induce owners generally to make every possible +provision for the lives of those in their charge; to place human +safety so far above every other consideration that no plan shall be +left unconsidered, no device left untested, by which passengers can +escape from a sinking ship. But it is not correct to say, as has been +said frequently, that it is greed and dividend-hunting that have +characterized the policy of the steamship companies in their failure +to provide safety appliances: these things in themselves are not +expensive. They have vied with each other in making their lines +attractive in point of speed, size and comfort, and they have been +quite justified in doing so: such things are the product of ordinary +competition between commercial houses. + +Where they have all failed morally is to extend to their passengers +the consideration that places their lives as of more interest to them +than any other conceivable thing. They are not alone in this: +thousands of other people have done the same thing and would do it +to-day--in factories, in workshops, in mines, did not the government +intervene and insist on safety precautions. The thing is a defect in +human life of to-day--thoughtlessness for the well-being of our +fellow-men; and we are all guilty of it in some degree. It is folly +for the public to rise up now and condemn the steamship companies: +their failing is the common failing of the immorality of indifference. + +The remedy is the law, and it is the only remedy at present that will +really accomplish anything. The British law on the subject dates from +1894, and requires only twenty boats for a ship the size of the +Titanic: the owners and builders have obeyed this law and fulfilled +their legal responsibility. Increase this responsibility and they will +fulfil it again--and the matter is ended so far as appliances are +concerned. It should perhaps be mentioned that in a period of ten +years only nine passengers were lost on British ships: the law seemed +to be sufficient in fact. + +The position of the American Government, however, is worse than that +of the British Government. Its regulations require more than double +the boat accommodation which the British regulations do, and yet it +has allowed hundreds of thousands of its subjects to enter its ports +on boats that defied its own laws. Had their government not been +guilty of the same indifference, passengers would not have been +allowed aboard any British ship lacking in boat-accommodation--the +simple expedient again of refusing entry. The reply of the British +Government to the Senate Committee, accusing the Board of Trade of +"insufficient requirements and lax inspection," might well be--"Ye +have a law: see to it yourselves!" + +It will be well now to consider briefly the various appliances that +have been suggested to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and +in doing so it may be remembered that the average man and woman has +the same right as the expert to consider and discuss these things: +they are not so technical as to prevent anyone of ordinary +intelligence from understanding their construction. Using the term in +its widest sense, we come first to:-- + +_Bulkheads and water-tight compartments_ + +It is impossible to attempt a discussion here of the exact +constructional details of these parts of a ship; but in order to +illustrate briefly what is the purpose of having bulkheads, we may +take the Titanic as an example. She was divided into sixteen +compartments by fifteen transverse steel walls called bulkheads. +[Footnote: See Figures 1 and 2 page 116.] If a hole is made in the +side of the ship in any one compartment, steel water-tight doors seal +off the only openings in that compartment and separate it as a damaged +unit from the rest of the ship and the vessel is brought to land in +safety. Ships have even put into the nearest port for inspection after +collision, and finding only one compartment full of water and no other +damage, have left again, for their home port without troubling to +disembark passengers and effect repairs. + +The design of the Titanic's bulkheads calls for some attention. The +"Scientific American," in an excellent article on the comparative +safety of the Titanic's and other types of water-tight compartments, +draws attention to the following weaknesses in the former--from the +point of view of possible collision with an iceberg. She had no +longitudinal bulkheads, which would subdivide her into smaller +compartments and prevent the water filling the whole of a large +compartment. Probably, too, the length of a large compartment was in +any case too great--fifty-three feet. + +The Mauretania, on the other hand, in addition to transverse +bulkheads, is fitted with longitudinal torpedo bulkheads, and the +space between them and the side of the ship is utilised as a coal +bunker. Then, too, in the Mauretania all bulkheads are carried up to +the top deck, whereas in the case of the Titanic they reached in some +parts only to the saloon deck and in others to a lower deck +still,--the weakness of this being that, when the water reached to the +top of a bulkhead as the ship sank by the head, it flowed over and +filled the next compartment. The British Admiralty, which subsidizes +the Mauretania and Lusitania as fast cruisers in time of war, insisted +on this type of construction, and it is considered vastly better than +that used in the Titanic. The writer of the article thinks it possible +that these ships might not have sunk as the result of a similar +collision. But the ideal ship from the point of bulkhead construction, +he considers to have been the Great Eastern, constructed many years +ago by the famous engineer Brunel. So thorough was her system of +compartments divided and subdivided by many transverse and +longitudinal bulkheads that when she tore a hole eighty feet long in +her side by striking a rock, she reached port in safety. Unfortunately +the weight and cost of this method was so great that his plan was +subsequently abandoned. + +But it would not be just to say that the construction of the Titanic +was a serious mistake on the part of the White Star Line or her +builders, on the ground that her bulkheads were not so well +constructed as those of the Lusitania and Mauretania, which were built +to fulfil British Admiralty regulations for time of war--an +extraordinary risk which no builder of a passenger steamer--as +such--would be expected to take into consideration when designing the +vessel. It should be constantly borne in mind that the Titanic met +extraordinary conditions on the night of the collision: she was +probably the safest ship afloat in all ordinary conditions. Collision +with an iceberg is not an ordinary risk; but this disaster will +probably result in altering the whole construction of bulkheads and +compartments to the Great Eastern type, in order to include the +one-in-a-million risk of iceberg collision and loss. + +Here comes in the question of increased cost of construction, and in +addition the great loss of cargo-carrying space with decreased earning +capacity, both of which will mean an increase in the passenger rates. +This the travelling public will have to face and undoubtedly will be +willing to face for the satisfaction of knowing that what was so +confidently affirmed by passengers on the Titanic's deck that night of +the collision will then be really true,--that "we are on an unsinkable +boat,"--so far as human forethought can devise. After all, this +_must_ be the solution to the problem how best to ensure safety +at sea. Other safety appliances are useful and necessary, but not +useable in certain conditions of weather. The ship itself must always +be the "safety appliance" that is really trustworthy, and nothing must +be left undone to ensure this. + +_Wireless apparatus and operators_ + +The range of the apparatus might well be extended, but the principal +defect is the lack of an operator for night duty on some ships. The +awful fact that the Californian lay a few miles away, able to save +every soul on board, and could not catch the message because the +operator was asleep, seems too cruel to dwell upon. Even on the +Carpathia, the operator was on the point of retiring when the message +arrived, and we should have been much longer afloat--and some boats +possibly swamped--had he not caught the message when he did. It has +been suggested that officers should have a working knowledge of +wireless telegraphy, and this is no doubt a wise provision. It would +enable them to supervise the work of the operators more closely and +from all the evidence, this seems a necessity. The exchange of vitally +important messages between a sinking ship and those rushing to her +rescue should be under the control of an experienced officer. To take +but one example--Bride testified that after giving the Birma the +"C.Q.D." message and the position (incidentally Signer Marconi has +stated that this has been abandoned in favour of "S.O.S.") and getting +a reply, they got into touch with the Carpathia, and while talking +with her were interrupted by the Birma asking what was the matter. No +doubt it was the duty of the Birma to come at once without asking any +questions, but the reply from the Titanic, telling the Birma's +operator not to be a "fool" by interrupting, seems to have been a +needless waste of precious moments: to reply, "We are sinking" would +have taken no longer, especially when in their own estimation of the +strength of the signals they thought the Birma was the nearer ship. It +is well to notice that some large liners have already a staff of three +operators. + +_Submarine signalling apparatus_ + +There are occasions when wireless apparatus is useless as a means of +saving life at sea promptly. + +One of its weaknesses is that when the ships' engines are stopped, +messages can no longer be sent out, that is, with the system at +present adopted. It will be remembered that the Titanic's messages got +gradually fainter and then ceased altogether as she came to rest with +her engines shut down. + +Again, in fogs,--and most accidents occur in fogs,--while wireless +informs of the accident, it does not enable one ship to locate another +closely enough to take off her passengers at once. There is as yet no +method known by which wireless telegraphy will fix the direction of a +message; and after a ship has been in fog for any considerable length +of time it is more difficult to give the exact position to another +vessel bringing help. + +Nothing could illustrate these two points better than the story of how +the Baltic found the Republic in the year 1909, in a dense fog off +Nantucket Lightship, when the latter was drifting helplessly after +collision with the Florida. The Baltic received a wireless message +stating the Republic's condition and the information that she was in +touch with Nantucket through a submarine bell which she could hear +ringing. The Baltic turned and went towards the position in the fog, +picked up the submarine bell-signal from Nantucket, and then began +searching near this position for the Republic. It took her twelve +hours to find the damaged ship, zigzagging across a circle within +which she thought the Republic might lie. In a rough sea it is +doubtful whether the Republic would have remained afloat long enough +for the Baltic to find her and take off all her passengers. + +Now on these two occasions when wireless telegraphy was found to be +unreliable, the usefulness of the submarine bell at once becomes +apparent. The Baltic could have gone unerringly to the Republic in the +dense fog had the latter been fitted with a submarine emergency bell. +It will perhaps be well to spend a little time describing the +submarine signalling apparatus to see how this result could have been +obtained: twelve anxious hours in a dense fog on a ship which was +injured so badly that she subsequently foundered, is an experience +which every appliance known to human invention should be enlisted to +prevent. + +Submarine signalling has never received that public notice which +wireless telegraphy has, for the reason that it does not appeal so +readily to the popular mind. That it is an absolute necessity to every +ship carrying passengers--or carrying anything, for that matter--is +beyond question. It is an additional safeguard that no ship can afford +to be without. + +There are many occasions when the atmosphere fails lamentably as a +medium for carrying messages. When fog falls down, as it does +sometimes in a moment, on the hundreds of ships coasting down the +traffic ways round our shores--ways which are defined so easily in +clear weather and with such difficulty in fogs--the hundreds of +lighthouses and lightships which serve as warning beacons, and on +which many millions of money have been spent, are for all practical +purposes as useless to the navigator as if they had never been built: +he is just as helpless as if he were back in the years before 1514, +when Trinity House was granted a charter by Henry VIII "for the +relief...of the shipping of this realm of England," and began a system +of lights on the shores, of which the present chain of lighthouses and +lightships is the outcome. + +Nor is the foghorn much better: the presence of different layers of +fog and air, and their varying densities, which cause both reflection +and refraction of sound, prevent the air from being a reliable medium +for carrying it. Now, submarine signalling has none of these defects, +for the medium is water, subject to no such variable conditions as the +air. Its density is practically non variable, and sound travels +through it at the rate of 4400 feet per second, without deviation or +reflection. + +The apparatus consists of a bell designed to ring either pneumatically +from a lightship, electrically from the shore (the bell itself being a +tripod at the bottom of the sea), automatically from a floating +bell-buoy, or by hand from a ship or boat. The sound travels from the +bell in every direction, like waves in a pond, and falls, it may be, +on the side of a ship. The receiving apparatus is fixed inside the +skin of the ship and consists of a small iron tank, 16 inches square +and 18 inches deep. The front of the tank facing the ship's iron skin +is missing and the tank, being filled with water, is bolted to the +framework and sealed firmly to the ship's side by rubber facing. In +this way a portion of the ship's iron hull is washed by the sea on one +side and water in the tank on the other. Vibrations from a bell +ringing at a distance fall on the iron side, travel through, and +strike on two microphones hanging in the tank. These microphones +transmit the sound along wires to the chart room, where telephones +convey the message to the officer on duty. + +There are two of these tanks or "receivers" fitted against the ship's +side, one on the port and one on the starboard side, near the bows, +and as far down below the water level as is possible. The direction of +sounds coming to the microphones hanging in these tanks can be +estimated by switching alternately to the port and starboard tanks. If +the sound is of greater intensity on the port side, then the bell +signalling is off the port bows; and similarly on the starboard side. + +The ship is turned towards the sound until the same volume of sound is +heard from both receivers, when the bell is known to be dead ahead. So +accurate is this in practice that a trained operator can steer his +ship in the densest fog directly to a lightship or any other point +where a submarine bell is sending its warning beneath the sea. It must +be repeated that the medium in which these signals are transmitted is +a constant one, not subject to any of the limitations and variations +imposed on the atmosphere and the ether as media for the transmission +of light, blasts of a foghorn, and wireless vibrations. At present the +chief use of submarine signalling is from the shore or a lightship to +ships at sea, and not from ship to ship or from ship to the shore: in +other words ships carry only receiving apparatus, and lighthouses and +lightships use only signalling apparatus. Some of the lighthouses and +lightships on our coasts already have these submarine bells in +addition to their lights, and in bad weather the bells send out their +messages to warn ships of their proximity to a danger point. This +invention enables ships to pick up the sound of bell after bell on a +coast and run along it in the densest fog almost as well as in +daylight; passenger steamers coming into port do not have to wander +about in the fog, groping their way blindly into harbour. By having a +code of rings, and judging by the intensity of the sound, it is +possible to tell almost exactly where a ship is in relation to the +coast or to some lightship. The British Admiralty report in 1906 said: +"If the lightships round the coast were fitted with submarine bells, +it would be possible for ships fitted with receiving apparatus to +navigate in fog with almost as great certainty as in clear weather." +And the following remark of a captain engaged in coast service is +instructive. He had been asked to cut down expenses by omitting the +submarine signalling apparatus, but replied: "I would rather take out +the wireless. That only enables me to tell other people where I am. +The submarine signal enables me to find out where I am myself." + +The range of the apparatus is not so wide as that of wireless +telegraphy, varying from 10 to 15 miles for a large ship (although +instances of 20 to 30 are on record), and from 3 to 8 miles for a +small ship. + +At present the receiving apparatus is fixed on only some 650 steamers +of the merchant marine, these being mostly the first-class passenger +liners. There is no question that it should be installed, along with +wireless apparatus, on every ship of over 1000 tons gross tonnage. +Equally important is the provision of signalling apparatus on board +ships: it is obviously just as necessary to transmit a signal as to +receive one; but at present the sending of signals from ships has not +been perfected. The invention of signal-transmitting apparatus to be +used while the ship is under way is as yet in the experimental stage; +but while she is at rest a bell similar to those used by lighthouses +can be sunk over her side and rung by hand with exactly the same +effect. But liners are not provided with them (they cost only 60 Pounds!). +As mentioned before, with another 60 Pounds spent on the Republic's +equipment, the Baltic could have picked up her bell and steered direct +to her--just as they both heard the bell of Nantucket Lightship. +Again, if the Titanic had been provided with a bell and the +Californian with receiving apparatus,--neither of them was,--the +officer on the bridge could have heard the signals from the telephones +near. + +A smaller size for use in lifeboats is provided, and would be heard by +receiving apparatus for approximately five miles. If we had hung one +of these bells over the side of the lifeboats afloat that night we +should have been free from the anxiety of being run down as we lay +across the Carpathia's path, without a light. Or if we had gone adrift +in a dense fog and wandered miles apart from each other on the sea (as +we inevitably should have done), the Carpathia could still have picked +up each boat individually by means of the bell signal. + +In those ships fitted with receiving apparatus, at least one officer +is obliged to understand the working of the apparatus: a very wise +precaution, and, as suggested above, one that should be taken with +respect to wireless apparatus also. + +It was a very great pleasure to me to see all this apparatus in +manufacture and in use at one of the principal submarine signalling +works in America and to hear some of the remarkable stories of its +value in actual practice. I was struck by the aptness of the motto +adopted by them--"De profundis clamavi"--in relation to the Titanic's +end and the calls of our passengers from the sea when she sank. "Out +of the deep have I called unto Thee" is indeed a suitable motto for +those who are doing all they can to prevent such calls arising from +their fellow men and women "out of the deep." + +_Fixing of steamship routes_ + +The "lanes" along which the liners travel are fixed by agreement among +the steamship companies in consultation with the Hydrographic +departments of the different countries. These routes are arranged so +that east-bound steamers are always a number of miles away from those +going west, and thus the danger of collision between east and +west-bound vessels is entirely eliminated. The "lanes" can be moved +farther south if icebergs threaten, and north again when the danger is +removed. Of course the farther south they are placed, the longer the +journey to be made, and the longer the time spent on board, with +consequent grumbling by some passengers. For example, the lanes since +the disaster to the Titanic have been moved one hundred miles farther +south, which means one hundred and eighty miles longer journey, taking +eight hours. + +The only real precaution against colliding with icebergs is to go +south of the place where they are likely to be: there is no other way. + +_Lifeboats_ + +The provision was of course woefully inadequate. The only humane plan +is to have a numbered seat in a boat assigned to each passenger and +member of the crew. It would seem well to have this number pointed out +at the time of booking a berth, and to have a plan in each cabin +showing where the boat is and how to get to it the most direct way--a +most important consideration with a ship like the Titanic with over +two miles of deck space. Boat-drills of the passengers and crew of +each boat should be held, under compulsion, as soon as possible after +leaving port. I asked an officer as to the possibility of having such +a drill immediately after the gangways are withdrawn and before the +tugs are allowed to haul the ship out of dock, but he says the +difficulties are almost insuperable at such a time. If so, the drill +should be conducted in sections as soon as possible after sailing, and +should be conducted in a thorough manner. Children in school are +called upon suddenly to go through fire-drill, and there is no reason +why passengers on board ship should not be similarly trained. So much +depends on order and readiness in time of danger. Undoubtedly, the +whole subject of manning, provisioning, loading and lowering of +lifeboats should be in the hands of an expert officer, who should have +no other duties. The modern liner has become far too big to permit the +captain to exercise control over the whole ship, and all vitally +important subdivisions should be controlled by a separate authority. +It seems a piece of bitter irony to remember that on the Titanic a +special chef was engaged at a large salary,--larger perhaps than that +of any officer,--and no boatmaster (or some such officer) was +considered necessary. The general system again--not criminal neglect, +as some hasty criticisms would say, but lack of consideration for our +fellow-man, the placing of luxurious attractions above that kindly +forethought that allows no precaution to be neglected for even the +humblest passenger. But it must not be overlooked that the provision +of sufficient lifeboats on deck is not evidence they will all be +launched easily or all the passengers taken off safely. It must be +remembered that ideal conditions prevailed that night for launching +boats from the decks of the Titanic: there was no list that prevented +the boats getting away, they could be launched on both sides, and when +they were lowered the sea was so calm that they pulled away without +any of the smashing against the side that is possible in rough seas. +Sometimes it would mean that only those boats on the side sheltered +from a heavy sea could ever get away, and this would at once halve the +boat accommodation. And when launched, there would be the danger of +swamping in such a heavy sea. All things considered, lifeboats might +be the poorest sort of safeguard in certain conditions. + +Life-rafts are said to be much inferior to lifeboats in a rough sea, +and collapsible boats made of canvas and thin wood soon decay under +exposure to weather and are danger-traps at a critical moment. + +Some of the lifeboats should be provided with motors, to keep the +boats together and to tow if necessary. The launching is an important +matter: the Titanic's davits worked excellently and no doubt were +largely responsible for all the boats getting away safely: they were +far superior to those on most liners. + +_Pontoons_ + +After the sinking of the Bourgogne, when two Americans lost their +lives, a prize of 4000 Pounds was offered by their heirs for the best +life-saving device applicable to ships at sea. A board sat to consider +the various appliances sent in by competitors, and finally awarded the +prize to an Englishman, whose design provided for a flat structure the +width of the ship, which could be floated off when required and would +accommodate several hundred passengers. It has never been adopted +by any steamship line. Other similar designs are known, by which the +whole of the after deck can be pushed over from the stern by a ratchet +arrangement, with air-tanks below to buoy it up: it seems to be a +practical suggestion. + +One point where the Titanic management failed lamentably was to +provide a properly trained crew to each lifeboat. The rowing was in +most cases execrable. There is no more reason why a steward should be +able to row than a passenger--less so than some of the passengers who +were lost; men of leisure accustomed to all kinds of sport (including +rowing), and in addition probably more fit physically than a steward +to row for hours on the open sea. And if a steward cannot row, he has +no right to be at an oar; so that, under the unwritten rule that +passengers take precedence of the crew when there is not sufficient +accommodation for all (a situation that should never be allowed to +arise again, for a member of the crew should have an equal opportunity +with a passenger to save his life), the majority of stewards and cooks +should have stayed behind and passengers have come instead: they could +not have been of less use, and they might have been of more. It will +be remembered that the proportion of crew saved to passengers was 210 +to 495, a high proportion. + +Another point arises out of these figures--deduct 21 members of the +crew who were stewardesses, and 189 men of the crew are left as +against the 495 passengers. Of these some got on the overturned +collapsible boat after the Titanic sank, and a few were picked up by +the lifeboats, but these were not many in all. Now with the 17 boats +brought to the Carpathia and an average of six of the crew to man each +boat,--probably a higher average than was realized,--we get a total of +102 who should have been saved as against 189 who actually were. There +were, as is known, stokers and stewards in the boats who were not +members of the lifeboats' crews. It may seem heartless to analyze +figures in this way, and suggest that some of the crew who got to the +Carpathia never should have done so; but, after all, passengers took +their passage under certain rules,--written and unwritten,--and one is +that in times of danger the servants of the company in whose boats +they sail shall first of all see to the safety of the passengers +before thinking of their own. There were only 126 men passengers saved +as against 189 of the crew, and 661 men lost as against 686 of the +crew, so that actually the crew had a greater percentage saved than +the men passengers--22 per cent against 16. + +But steamship companies are faced with real difficulties in this +matter. The crews are never the same for two voyages together: they +sign on for the one trip, then perhaps take a berth on shore as +waiters, stokers in hotel furnace-rooms, etc.,--to resume life on +board any other ship that is handy when the desire comes to go to sea +again. They can in no sense be regarded as part of a homogeneous crew, +subject to regular discipline and educated to appreciate the morale of +a particular liner, as a man of war's crew is. + +_Searchlights_ + +These seem an absolute necessity, and the wonder is that they have not +been fitted before to all ocean liners. Not only are they of use in +lighting up the sea a long distance ahead, but as flashlight signals +they permit of communication with other ships. As I write, through the +window can be seen the flashes from river steamers plying up the +Hudson in New York, each with its searchlight, examining the river, +lighting up the bank for hundreds of yards ahead, and bringing every +object within its reach into prominence. They are regularly used too +in the Suez Canal. + +I suppose there is no question that the collision would have been +avoided had a searchlight been fitted to the Titanic's masthead: the +climatic conditions for its use must have been ideal that night. There +are other things besides icebergs: derelicts are reported from time to +time, and fishermen lie in the lanes without lights. They would not +always be of practical use, however. They would be of no service in +heavy rain, in fog, in snow, or in flying spray, and the effect is +sometimes to dazzle the eyes of the lookout. + +While writing of the lookout, much has been made of the omission to +provide the lookout on the Titanic with glasses. The general opinion +of officers seems to be that it is better not to provide them, but to +rely on good eyesight and wide-awake men. After all, in a question of +actual practice, the opinion of officers should be accepted as final, +even if it seems to the landsman the better thing to provide glasses. + +_Cruising lightships_ + +One or two internationally owned and controlled lightships, fitted +with every known device for signalling and communication, would rob +those regions of most of their terrors. They could watch and chart the +icebergs, report their exact position, the amount and direction of +daily drift in the changing currents that are found there. To them, +too, might be entrusted the duty of police patrol. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SOME IMPRESSIONS + + +No one can pass through an event like the wreck of the Titanic without +recording mentally many impressions, deep and vivid, of what has been +seen and felt. In so far as such impressions are of benefit to mankind +they should not be allowed to pass unnoticed, and this chapter is an +attempt to picture how people thought and felt from the time they +first heard of the disaster to the landing in New York, when there was +opportunity to judge of events somewhat from a distance. While it is +to some extent a personal record, the mental impressions of other +survivors have been compared and found to be in many cases closely in +agreement. Naturally it is very imperfect, and pretends to be no more +than a sketch of the way people act under the influence of strong +emotions produced by imminent danger. + +In the first place, the principal fact that stands out is the almost +entire absence of any expressions of fear or alarm on the part of +passengers, and the conformity to the normal on the part of almost +everyone. I think it is no exaggeration to say that those who read of +the disaster quietly at home, and pictured to themselves the scene as +the Titanic was sinking, had more of the sense of horror than those +who stood on the deck and watched her go down inch by inch. The fact +is that the sense of fear came to the passengers very slowly--a result +of the absence of any signs of danger and the peaceful night--and as +it became evident gradually that there was serious damage to the ship, +the fear that came with the knowledge was largely destroyed as it +came. There was no sudden overwhelming sense of danger that passed +through thought so quickly that it was difficult to catch up and +grapple with it--no need for the warning to "be not afraid of sudden +fear," such as might have been present had we collided head-on with a +crash and a shock that flung everyone out of his bunk to the floor. +Everyone had time to give each condition of danger attention as it +came along, and the result of their judgment was as if they had said: +"Well, here is this thing to be faced, and we must see it through as +quietly as we can." Quietness and self-control were undoubtedly the +two qualities most expressed. There were times when danger loomed more +nearly and there was temporarily some excitement,--for example when +the first rocket went up,--but after the first realization of what it +meant, the crowd took hold of the situation and soon gained the same +quiet control that was evident at first. As the sense of fear ebbed +and flowed, it was so obviously a thing within one's own power to +control, that, quite unconsciously realizing the absolute necessity of +keeping cool, every one for his own safety put away the thought of +danger as far as was possible. Then, too, the curious sense of the +whole thing being a dream was very prominent: that all were looking on +at the scene from a near-by vantage point in a position of perfect +safety, and that those who walked the decks or tied one another's +lifebelts on were the actors in a scene of which we were but +spectators: that the dream would end soon and we should wake up to +find the scene had vanished. Many people have had a similar experience +in times of danger, but it was very noticeable standing on the +Titanic's deck. I remember observing it particularly while tying on a +lifebelt for a man on the deck. It is fortunate that it should be so: +to be able to survey such a scene dispassionately is a wonderful aid +inn the destruction of the fear that go with it. One thing that helped +considerably to establish this orderly condition of affairs was the +quietness of the surroundings. It may seem weariness to refer again to +this, but I am convinced it had much to do with keeping everyone calm. +The ship was motionless; there was not a breath of wind; the sky was +clear; the sea like a mill-pond--the general "atmosphere" was +peaceful, and all on board responded unconsciously to it. But what +controlled the situation principally was the quality of obedience and +respect for authority which is a dominant characteristic of the +Teutonic race. Passengers did as they were told by the officers in +charge: women went to the decks below, men remained where they were +told and waited in silence for the next order, knowing instinctively +that this was the only way to bring about the best result for all on +board. The officers, in their turn, carried out the work assigned to +them by their superior officers as quickly and orderly as +circumstances permitted, the senior ones being in control of the +manning, filling and lowering of the lifeboats, while the junior +officers were lowered in individual boats to take command of the fleet +adrift on the sea. Similarly, the engineers below, the band, the +gymnasium instructor, were all performing their tasks as they came +along: orderly, quietly, without question or stopping to consider what +was their chance of safety. This correlation on the part of +passengers, officers and crew was simply obedience to duty, and it was +innate rather than the product of reasoned judgment. + +I hope it will not seem to detract in any way from the heroism of +those who faced the last plunge of the Titanic so courageously when +all the boats had gone,--if it does, it is the difficulty of +expressing an idea in adequate words,--to say that their quiet heroism +was largely unconscious, temperamental, not a definite choice between +two ways of acting. All that was visible on deck before the boats left +tended to this conclusion and the testimony of those who went down +with the ship and were afterwards rescued is of the same kind. + +Certainly it seems to express much more general nobility of character +in a race of people--consisting of different nationalities--to find +heroism an unconscious quality of the race than to have it arising as +an effort of will, to have to bring it out consciously. + +It is unfortunate that some sections of the press should seek to +chronicle mainly the individual acts of heroism: the collective +behaviour of a crowd is of so much more importance to the world and so +much more a test--if a test be wanted--of how a race of people +behaves. The attempt to record the acts of individuals leads +apparently to such false reports as that of Major Butt holding at bay +with a revolver a crowd of passengers and shooting them down as they +tried to rush the boats, or of Captain Smith shouting, "Be British," +through a megaphone, and subsequently committing suicide along with +First Officer Murdock. It is only a morbid sense of things that would +describe such incidents as heroic. Everyone knows that Major Butt was +a brave man, but his record of heroism would not be enhanced if he, a +trained army officer, were compelled under orders from the captain to +shoot down unarmed passengers. It might in other conditions have been +necessary, but it would not be heroic. Similarly there could be +nothing heroic in Captain Smith or Murdock putting an end to their +lives. It is conceivable men might be so overwhelmed by the sense of +disaster that they knew not how they were acting; but to be really +heroic would have been to stop with the ship--as of course they +did--with the hope of being picked up along with passengers and crew +and returning to face an enquiry and to give evidence that would be of +supreme value to the whole world for the prevention of similar +disasters. It was not possible; but if heroism consists in doing the +greatest good to the greatest number, it would have been heroic for +both officers to _expect_ to be saved. We do not know what they +thought, but I, for one, like to imagine that they did so. Second +Officer Lightoller worked steadily at the boats until the last +possible moment, went down with the ship, was saved in what seemed a +miraculous manner, and returned to give valuable evidence before the +commissions of two countries. + +The second thing that stands out prominently in the emotions produced +by the disaster is that in moments of urgent need men and women turn +for help to something entirely outside themselves. I remember reading +some years ago a story of an atheist who was the guest at dinner of a +regimental mess in India. The colonel listened to his remarks on +atheism in silence, and invited him for a drive the following morning. +He took his guest up a rough mountain road in a light carriage drawn +by two ponies, and when some distance from the plain below, turned the +carriage round and allowed the ponies to run away--as it +seemed--downhill. In the terror of approaching disaster, the atheist +was lifted out of his reasoned convictions and prayed aloud for help, +when the colonel reined in his ponies, and with the remark that the +whole drive had been planned with the intention of proving to his +guest that there was a power outside his own reason, descended quietly +to level ground. + +The story may or may not be true, and in any case is not introduced as +an attack on atheism, but it illustrates in a striking way the frailty +of dependence on a man's own power and resource in imminent danger. To +those men standing on the top deck with the boats all lowered, and +still more so when the boats had all left, there came the realization +that human resources were exhausted and human avenues of escape +closed. With it came the appeal to whatever consciousness each had of +a Power that had created the universe. After all, some Power had made +the brilliant stars above, countless millions of miles away, moving in +definite order, formed on a definite plan and obeying a definite law: +had made each one of the passengers with ability to think and act; +with the best proof, after all, of being created--the knowledge of +their own existence; and now, if at any time, was the time to appeal +to that Power. When the boats had left and it was seen the ship was +going down rapidly, men stood in groups on the deck engaged in prayer, +and later, as some of them lay on the overturned collapsible +boat, they repeated together over and over again the Lord's +Prayer--irrespective of religious beliefs, some, perhaps, without +religious beliefs, united in a common appeal for deliverance from +their surroundings. And this was not because it was a habit, because +they had learned this prayer "at their mother's knee": men do not do +such things through habit. It must have been because each one saw +removed the thousand and one ways in which he had relied on human, +material things to help him--including even dependence on the +overturned boat with its bubble of air inside, which any moment a +rising swell might remove as it tilted the boat too far sideways, and +sink the boat below the surface--saw laid bare his utter dependence on +something that had made him and given him power to think--whether he +named it God or Divine Power or First Cause or Creator, or named it +not at all but recognized it unconsciously--saw these things and +expressed them in the form of words he was best acquainted with in +common with his fellow-men. He did so, not through a sense of duty to +his particular religion, not because he had learned the words, but +because he recognized that it was the most practical thing to do--the +thing best fitted to help him. Men do practical things in times like +that: they would not waste a moment on mere words if those words were +not an expression of the most intensely real conviction of which they +were capable. Again, like the feeling of heroism, this appeal is +innate and intuitive, and it certainly has its foundation on a +knowledge--largely concealed, no doubt--of immortality. I think this +must be obvious: there could be no other explanation of such a general +sinking of all the emotions of the human mind expressed in a thousand +different ways by a thousand different people in favour of this single +appeal. + +The behaviour of people during the hours in the lifeboats, the landing +on the Carpathia, the life there and the landing in New York, can all +be summarized by saying that people did not act at all as they were +expected to act--or rather as most people expected they would act, and +in some cases have erroneously said they did act. Events were there to +be faced, and not to crush people down. Situations arose which +demanded courage, resource, and in the cases of those who had lost +friends most dear to them, enormous self-control; but very wonderfully +they responded. There was the same quiet demeanour and poise, the same +inborn dominion over circumstances, the same conformity to a normal +standard which characterized the crowd of passengers on the deck of +the Titanic--and for the same reasons. + +The first two or three days ashore were undoubtedly rather trying to +some of the survivors. It seemed as if coming into the world +again--the four days shut off from any news seemed a long time--and +finding what a shock the disaster had produced, the flags half-mast, +the staring head-lines, the sense of gloom noticeable everywhere, made +things worse than they had been on the Carpathia. The difference in +"atmosphere" was very marked, and people gave way to some extent under +it and felt the reaction. Gratitude for their deliverance and a desire +to "make the best of things" must have helped soon, however, to +restore them to normal conditions. It is not at all surprising that +some survivors felt quieter on the Carpathia with its lack of news +from the outside world, if the following extract from a leading New +York evening paper was some of the material of which the "atmosphere" +on shore was composed:--"Stunned by the terrific impact, the dazed +passengers rushed from their staterooms into the main saloon amid the +crash of splintering steel, rending of plates and shattering of +girders, while the boom of falling pinnacles of ice upon the broken +deck of the great vessel added to the horror.... In a wild +ungovernable mob they poured out of the saloons to witness one of the +most appalling scenes possible to conceive.... For a hundred feet the +bow was a shapeless mass of bent, broken and splintered steel and +iron." + +And so on, horror piled on horror, and not a word of it true, or +remotely approaching the truth. + +This paper was selling in the streets of New York while the Carpathia +was coming into dock, while relatives of those on board were at the +docks to meet them and anxiously buying any paper that might contain +news. No one on the Carpathia could have supplied such information; +there was no one else in the world at that moment who knew any details +of the Titanic disaster, and the only possible conclusion is that the +whole thing was a deliberate fabrication to sell the paper. + +This is a repetition of the same defect in human nature noticed in the +provision of safety appliances on board ship--the lack of +consideration for the other man. The remedy is the same--the law: it +should be a criminal offence for anyone to disseminate deliberate +falsehoods that cause fear and grief. The moral responsibility of the +press is very great, and its duty of supplying the public with only +clean, correct news is correspondingly heavy. If the general public is +not yet prepared to go so far as to stop the publication of such news +by refusing to buy those papers that publish it, then the law should +be enlarged to include such cases. Libel is an offence, and this is +very much worse than any libel could ever be. + +It is only right to add that the majority of the New York papers were +careful only to report such news as had been obtained legitimately +from survivors or from Carpathia passengers. It was sometimes +exaggerated and sometimes not true at all, but from the point of +reporting what was heard, most of it was quite correct. + +One more thing must be referred to--the prevalence of superstitious +beliefs concerning the Titanic. I suppose no ship ever left port with +so much miserable nonsense showered on her. In the first place, there +is no doubt many people refused to sail on her because it was her +maiden voyage, and this apparently is a common superstition: even the +clerk of the White Star Office where I purchased my ticket admitted it +was a reason that prevented people from sailing. A number of people +have written to the press to say they had thought of sailing on her, +or had decided to sail on her, but because of "omens" cancelled the +passage. Many referred to the sister ship, the Olympic, pointed to the +"ill luck" that they say has dogged her--her collision with the Hawke, +and a second mishap necessitating repairs and a wait in harbour, where +passengers deserted her; they prophesied even greater disaster for the +Titanic, saying they would not dream of travelling on the boat. Even +some aboard were very nervous, in an undefined way. One lady said she +had never wished to take this boat, but her friends had insisted and +bought her ticket and she had not had a happy moment since. A friend +told me of the voyage of the Olympic from Southampton after the wait +in harbour, and said there was a sense of gloom pervading the whole +ship: the stewards and stewardesses even going so far as to say it was +a "death-ship." This crew, by the way, was largely transferred to the +Titanic. + +The incident with the New York at Southampton, the appearance of the +stoker at Queenstown in the funnel, combine with all this to make a +mass of nonsense in which apparently sensible people believe, or which +at any rate they discuss. Correspondence is published with an official +of the White Star Line from some one imploring them not to name the +new ship "Gigantic," because it seems like "tempting fate" when the +Titanic has been sunk. It would seem almost as if we were back in the +Middle Ages when witches were burned because they kept black cats. +There seems no more reason why a black stoker should be an ill omen +for the Titanic than a black cat should be for an old woman. + +The only reason for referring to these foolish details is that a +surprisingly large number of people think there may be "something in +it." The effect is this: that if a ship's company and a number of +passengers get imbued with that undefined dread of the unknown--the +relics no doubt of the savage's fear of what he does not +understand--it has an unpleasant effect on the harmonious working of +the ship: the officers and crew feel the depressing influence, and it +may even spread so far as to prevent them being as alert and keen as +they otherwise would; may even result in some duty not being as well +done as usual. Just as the unconscious demand for speed and haste to +get across the Atlantic may have tempted captains to take a risk they +might otherwise not have done, so these gloomy forebodings may have +more effect sometimes than we imagine. Only a little thing is required +sometimes to weigh down the balance for and against a certain course +of action. + +At the end of this chapter of mental impressions it must be recorded +that one impression remains constant with us all to-day--that of the +deepest gratitude that we came safely through the wreck of the +Titanic; and its corollary--that our legacy from the wreck, our debt +to those who were lost with her, is to see, as far as in us lies, that +such things are impossible ever again. Meanwhile we can say of them, +as Shelley, himself the victim of a similar disaster, says of his +friend Keats in "Adonais":-- + +"Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep--He hath awakened +from the dream of life--He lives, he wakes--'Tis Death is dead, not +he; Mourn not for Adonais." + +THE END + +[Illustration: FIG 4. TRANSVERSE VIEW OF THE DECKS THE TITANIC + + S Sun deck + A Upper promenade deck + B Promenade deck, glass enclosed + C Upper deck + D Saloon deck + E Main deck + F Middle deck + G Lower deck: cargo, coal bunkers, boilers, engines + (a) Welin davits with lifeboats + (b) Bilge + (c) Double bottom] + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + +***** This file should be named 6675.txt or 6675.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/6/7/6675/ + +Produced by Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from +images generously made available by the CWRU Preservation +Department Digital Library. HTML version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/6675.zip b/6675.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c24b7e --- /dev/null +++ b/6675.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a732dd --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #6675 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6675) diff --git a/old/lsttn10.txt b/old/lsttn10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..44c0a40 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lsttn10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4979 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Loss of the SS. Titanic + +Author: Lawrence Beesley + +Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6675] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 12, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII, with some ISO-8859-1 characters + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + + + + +Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. +This file was produced from images generously made available by the CWRU +Preservation Department Digital Library + + + + + + +THE LOSS OF THE S. S. TITANIC + + +ITS STORY AND ITS LESSONS + +BY + +LAWRENCE BEESLEY + +B. A. (_Cantab_.) + +Scholar of Gonville and Caius College + +ONE OF THE SURVIVORS + + + +PREFACE + +The circumstances in which this book came to be written are as +follows. Some five weeks after the survivors from the Titanic landed +in New York, I was the guest at luncheon of Hon. Samuel J. Elder and +Hon. Charles T. Gallagher, both well-known lawyers in Boston. After +luncheon I was asked to relate to those present the experiences of the +survivors in leaving the Titanic and reaching the Carpathia. + +When I had done so, Mr. Robert Lincoln O'Brien, the editor of the +_Boston Herald_, urged me as a matter of public interest to write +a correct history of the Titanic disaster, his reason being that he +knew several publications were in preparation by people who had not +been present at the disaster, but from newspaper accounts were piecing +together a description of it. He said that these publications would +probably be erroneous, full of highly coloured details, and generally +calculated to disturb public thought on the matter. He was supported +in his request by all present, and under this general pressure I +accompanied him to Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company, where we +discussed the question of publication. + +Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company took at that time exactly the same +view that I did, that it was probably not advisable to put on record +the incidents connected with the Titanic's sinking: it seemed better +to forget details as rapidly as possible. + +However, we decided to take a few days to think about it. At our next +meeting we found ourselves in agreement again,--but this time on the +common ground that it would probably be a wise thing to write a +history of the Titanic disaster as correctly as possible. I was +supported in this decision by the fact that a short account, which I +wrote at intervals on board the Carpathia, in the hope that it would +calm public opinion by stating the truth of what happened as nearly as +I could recollect it, appeared in all the American, English, and +Colonial papers and had exactly the effect it was intended to have. +This encourages me to hope that the effect of this work will be the +same. + +Another matter aided me in coming to a decision,--the duty that we, as +survivors of the disaster, owe to those who went down with the ship, +to see that the reforms so urgently needed are not allowed to be +forgotten. + +Whoever reads the account of the cries that came to us afloat on the +sea from those sinking in the ice-cold water must remember that they +were addressed to him just as much as to those who heard them, and +that the duty, of seeing that reforms are carried out devolves on +every one who knows that such cries were heard in utter helplessness +the night the Titanic sank. + + + +CONTENTS + +I. CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE + +II. FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION + +III. THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS + +IV. THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT + +V. THE RESCUE + +VI. THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, SEEN FROM HER DECK + +VII. THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK + +VIII. THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC + +IX. SOME IMPRESSIONS + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +THE TITANIC From a photograph taken in Belfast Harbour. Copyrighted by +Underwood and Underwood, New York. + +VIEW OF FOUR DECKS OF THE OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF THE TITANIC From a +photograph published in the "Sphere," May 4,1918 TRANSVERSE (amidship) +SECTION THROUGH THE TITANIC After a drawing furnished by the White +Star Line. + +LONGITUDINAL SECTIONS AND DECK PLAN OF THE TITANIC After plans +published in the "Shipbuilder." + +THE CARPATHIA From a photograph furnished by the Cunard Steamship Co. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST VOYAGE + + +The history of the R.M.S. Titanic, of the White Star Line, is one of +the most tragically short it is possible to conceive. The world had +waited expectantly for its launching and again for its sailing; had +read accounts of its tremendous size and its unexampled completeness +and luxury; had felt it a matter of the greatest satisfaction that +such a comfortable, and above all such a safe boat had been designed +and built--the "unsinkable lifeboat";--and then in a moment to hear +that it had gone to the bottom as if it had been the veriest tramp +steamer of a few hundred tons; and with it fifteen hundred passengers, +some of them known the world over! The improbability of such a thing +ever happening was what staggered humanity. + +If its history had to be written in a single paragraph it would be +somewhat as follows:-- + +"The R.M.S. Titanic was built by Messrs. Harland & Wolff at their +well-known ship-building works at Queen's Island, Belfast, side by +side with her sister ship the Olympic. The twin vessels marked such an +increase in size that specially laid-out joiner and boiler shops were +prepared to aid in their construction, and the space usually taken up +by three building slips was given up to them. The keel of the Titanic +was laid on March 31, 1909, and she was launched on May 31, 1911; she +passed her trials before the Board of Trade officials on March 31, +1912, at Belfast, arrived at Southampton on April 4, and sailed the +following Wednesday, April 10, with 2208 passengers and crew, on her +maiden voyage to New York. She called at Cherbourg the same day, +Queenstown Thursday, and left for New York in the afternoon, expecting +to arrive the following Wednesday morning. But the voyage was never +completed. She collided with an iceberg on Sunday at 11.45 P.M. in +Lat. 41° 46' N. and Long. 50° 14' W., and sank two hours and a half +later; 815 of her passengers and 688 of her crew were drowned and 705 +rescued by the Carpathia." + +Such is the record of the Titanic, the largest ship the world had ever +seen--she was three inches longer than the Olympic and one thousand +tons more in gross tonnage--and her end was the greatest maritime +disaster known. The whole civilized world was stirred to its depths +when the full extent of loss of life was learned, and it has not yet +recovered from the shock. And that is without doubt a good thing. It +should not recover from it until the possibility of such a disaster +occurring again has been utterly removed from human society, whether +by separate legislation in different countries or by international +agreement. No living person should seek to dwell in thought for one +moment on such a disaster except in the endeavour to glean from it +knowledge that will be of profit to the whole world in the future. +When such knowledge is practically applied in the construction, +equipment, and navigation of passenger steamers--and not until +then--will be the time to cease to think of the Titanic disaster and +of the hundreds of men and women so needlessly sacrificed. + +A few words on the ship's construction and equipment will be necessary +in order to make clear many points that arise in the course of this +book. A few figures have been added which it is hoped will help the +reader to follow events more closely than he otherwise could. + +The considerations that inspired the builders to design the Titanic on +the lines on which she was constructed were those of speed, weight of +displacement, passenger and cargo accommodation. High speed is very +expensive, because the initial cost of the necessary powerful +machinery is enormous, the running expenses entailed very heavy, and +passenger and cargo accommodation have to be fined down to make the +resistance through the water as little as possible and to keep the +weight down. An increase in size brings a builder at once into +conflict with the question of dock and harbour accommodation at the +ports she will touch: if her total displacement is very great while +the lines are kept slender for speed, the draught limit may be +exceeded. The Titanic, therefore, was built on broader lines than the +ocean racers, increasing the total displacement; but because of the +broader build, she was able to keep within the draught limit at each +port she visited. At the same time she was able to accommodate more +passengers and cargo, and thereby increase largely her earning +capacity. A comparison between the Mauretania and the Titanic +illustrates the difference in these respects:-- + + + Displacement Horse power Speed in knots + Mauretania 44,640 70,000 26 + Titanic 60,000 46,000 21 + +The vessel when completed was 883 feet long, 92 1/2 feet broad; her +height from keel to bridge was 104 feet. She had 8 steel decks, a +cellular double bottom, 5 1/4 feet through (the inner and outer +"skins" so-called), and with bilge keels projecting 2 feet for 300 +feet of her length amidships. These latter were intended to lessen the +tendency to roll in a sea; they no doubt did so very well, but, as it +happened, they proved to be a weakness, for this was the first portion +of the ship touched by the iceberg and it has been suggested that the +keels were forced inwards by the collision and made the work of +smashing in the two "skins" a more simple matter. Not that the final +result would have been any different. + +Her machinery was an expression of the latest progress in marine +engineering, being a combination of reciprocating engines with +Parsons's low-pressure turbine engine,--a combination which gives +increased power with the same steam consumption, an advance on the use +of reciprocating engines alone. The reciprocating engines drove the +wing-propellers and the turbine a mid-propeller, making her a +triple-screw vessel. To drive these engines she had 29 enormous +boilers and 159 furnaces. Three elliptical funnels, 24 feet 6 inches +in the widest diameter, took away smoke and water gases; the fourth +one was a dummy for ventilation. + +She was fitted with 16 lifeboats 30 feet long, swung on davits of the +Welin double-acting type. These davits are specially designed for +dealing with two, and, where necessary, three, sets of lifeboats,--i.e., +48 altogether; more than enough to have saved every soul on board +on the night of the collision. She was divided into 16 compartments by +15 transverse watertight bulkheads reaching from the double bottom +to the upper deck in the forward end and to the saloon deck in the +after end (Fig. 2), in both cases well above the water line. +Communication between the engine rooms and boiler rooms was +through watertight doors, which could all be closed instantly from the +captain's bridge: a single switch, controlling powerful electro-magnets, +operated them. They could also be closed by hand with a lever, +and in case the floor below them was flooded by accident, a +float underneath the flooring shut them automatically. These +compartments were so designed that if the two largest were flooded +with water--a most unlikely contingency in the ordinary way--the ship +would still be quite safe. Of course, more than two were flooded the +night of the collision, but exactly how many is not yet thoroughly +established. + +Her crew had a complement of 860, made up of 475 stewards, cooks, +etc., 320 engineers, and 65 engaged in her navigation. The machinery +and equipment of the Titanic was the finest obtainable and represented +the last word in marine construction. All her structure was of steel, +of a weight, size, and thickness greater than that of any ship yet +known: the girders, beams, bulkheads, and floors all of exceptional +strength. It would hardly seem necessary to mention this, were it not +that there is an impression among a portion of the general public that +the provision of Turkish baths, gymnasiums, and other so-called +luxuries involved a sacrifice of some more essential things, the +absence of which was responsible for the loss of so many lives. But +this is quite an erroneous impression. All these things were an +additional provision for the comfort and convenience of passengers, +and there is no more reason why they should not be provided on these +ships than in a large hotel. There were places on the Titanic's deck +where more boats and rafts could have been stored without sacrificing +these things. The fault lay in not providing them, not in designing +the ship without places to put them. On whom the responsibility must +rest for their not being provided is another matter and must be left +until later. + +When arranging a tour round the United States, I had decided to cross +in the Titanic for several reasons--one, that it was rather a novelty +to be on board the largest ship yet launched, and another that friends +who had crossed in the Olympic described her as a most comfortable +boat in a seaway, and it was reported that the Titanic had been still +further improved in this respect by having a thousand tons more built +in to steady her. I went on board at Southampton at 10 A.M. Wednesday, +April 10, after staying the night in the town. It is pathetic to +recall that as I sat that morning in the breakfast room of an hotel, +from the windows of which could be seen the four huge funnels of the +Titanic towering over the roofs of the various shipping offices +opposite, and the procession of stokers and stewards wending their way +to the ship, there sat behind me three of the Titanic's passengers +discussing the coming voyage and estimating, among other things, the +probabilities of an accident at sea to the ship. As I rose from +breakfast, I glanced at the group and recognized them later on board, +but they were not among the number who answered to the roll-call on +the Carpathia on the following Monday morning. + +Between the time of going on board and sailing, I inspected, in the +company of two friends who had come from Exeter to see me off, the +various decks, dining-saloons and libraries; and so extensive were +they that it is no exaggeration to say that it was quite easy to lose +one's way on such a ship. We wandered casually into the gymnasium on +the boatdeck, and were engaged in bicycle exercise when the instructor +came in with two photographers and insisted on our remaining there +while his friends--as we thought at the time--made a record for him of +his apparatus in use. It was only later that we discovered that they +were the photographers of one of the illustrated London papers. More +passengers came in, and the instructor ran here and there, looking the +very picture of robust, rosy-cheeked health and "fitness" in his white +flannels, placing one passenger on the electric "horse," another on +the "camel," while the laughing group of onlookers watched the +inexperienced riders vigorously shaken up and down as he controlled +the little motor which made the machines imitate so realistically +horse and camel exercise. + +It is related that on the night of the disaster, right up to the time +of the Titanic's sinking, while the band grouped outside the gymnasium +doors played with such supreme courage in face of the water which rose +foot by foot before their eyes, the instructor was on duty inside, +with passengers on the bicycles and the rowing-machines, still +assisting and encouraging to the last. Along with the bandsmen it is +fitting that his name, which I do not think has yet been put on +record--it is McCawley--should have a place in the honourable list of +those who did their duty faithfully to the ship and the line they +served. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO THE NIGHT OF THE COLLISION + + +Soon after noon the whistles blew for friends to go ashore, the +gangways were withdrawn, and the Titanic moved slowly down the dock, +to the accompaniment of last messages and shouted farewells of those +on the quay. There was no cheering or hooting of steamers' whistles +from the fleet of ships that lined the dock, as might seem probable on +the occasion of the largest vessel in the world putting to sea on her +maiden voyage; the whole scene was quiet and rather ordinary, with +little of the picturesque and interesting ceremonial which imagination +paints as usual in such circumstances. But if this was lacking, two +unexpected dramatic incidents supplied a thrill of excitement and +interest to the departure from dock. The first of these occurred just +before the last gangway was withdrawn:--a knot of stokers ran along +the quay, with their kit slung over their shoulders in bundles, and +made for the gangway with the evident intention of joining the ship. +But a petty officer guarding the shore end of the gangway firmly +refused to allow them on board; they argued, gesticulated, apparently +attempting to explain the reasons why they were late, but he remained +obdurate and waved them back with a determined hand, the gangway was +dragged back amid their protests, putting a summary ending to their +determined efforts to join the Titanic. Those stokers must be thankful +men to-day that some circumstance, whether their own lack of +punctuality or some unforeseen delay over which they had no control, +prevented their being in time to run up that last gangway! They will +have told--and will no doubt tell for years--the story of how their +lives were probably saved by being too late to join the Titanic. + +The second incident occurred soon afterwards, and while it has no +doubt been thoroughly described at the time by those on shore, perhaps +a view of the occurrence from the deck of the Titanic will not be +without interest. As the Titanic moved majestically down the dock, the +crowd of friends keeping pace with us along the quay, we came together +level with the steamer New York lying moored to the side of the dock +along with the Oceanic, the crowd waving "good-byes" to those on board +as well as they could for the intervening bulk of the two ships. But +as the bows of our ship came about level with those of the New York, +there came a series of reports like those of a revolver, and on the +quay side of the New York snaky coils of thick rope flung themselves +high in the air and fell backwards among the crowd, which retreated in +alarm to escape the flying ropes. We hoped that no one was struck by +the ropes, but a sailor next to me was certain he saw a woman carried +away to receive attention. And then, to our amazement the New York +crept towards us, slowly and stealthily, as if drawn by some invisible +force which she was powerless to withstand. It reminded me instantly +of an experiment I had shown many times to a form of boys learning the +elements of physics in a laboratory, in which a small magnet is made +to float on a cork in a bowl of water and small steel objects placed +on neighbouring pieces of cork are drawn up to the floating magnet by +magnetic force. It reminded me, too, of seeing in my little boy's bath +how a large celluloid floating duck would draw towards itself, by what +is called capillary attraction, smaller ducks, frogs, beetles, and +other animal folk, until the menagerie floated about as a unit, +oblivious of their natural antipathies and reminding us of the "happy +families" one sees in cages on the seashore. On the New York there was +shouting of orders, sailors running to and fro, paying out ropes and +putting mats over the side where it seemed likely we should collide; +the tug which had a few moments before cast off from the bows of the +Titanic came up around our stern and passed to the quay side of the +New York's stern, made fast to her and started to haul her back with +all the force her engines were capable of; but it did not seem that +the tug made much impression on the New York. Apart from the serious +nature of the accident, it made an irresistibly comic picture to see +the huge vessel drifting down the dock with a snorting tug at its +heels, for all the world like a small boy dragging a diminutive puppy +down the road with its teeth locked on a piece of rope, its feet +splayed out, its head and body shaking from side to side in the effort +to get every ounce of its weight used to the best advantage. At first +all appearance showed that the sterns of the two vessels would +collide; but from the stern bridge of the Titanic an officer directing +operations stopped us dead, the suction ceased, and the New York with +her tug trailing behind moved obliquely down the dock, her stern +gliding along the side of the Titanic some few yards away. It gave an +extraordinary impression of the absolute helplessness of a big liner +in the absence of any motive power to guide her. But all excitement +was not yet over: the New York turned her bows inward towards the +quay, her stern swinging just clear of and passing in front of our +bows, and moved slowly head on for the Teutonic lying moored to the +side; mats were quickly got out and so deadened the force of the +collision, which from where we were seemed to be too slight to cause +any damage. Another tug came up and took hold of the New York by the +bows; and between the two of them they dragged her round the corner of +the quay which just here came to an end on the side of the river. + +We now moved slowly ahead and passed the Teutonic at a creeping pace, +but notwithstanding this, the latter strained at her ropes so much +that she heeled over several degrees in her efforts to follow the +Titanic: the crowd were shouted back, a group of gold-braided +officials, probably the harbour-master and his staff, standing on the +sea side of the moored ropes, jumped back over them as they drew up +taut to a rigid line, and urged the crowd back still farther. But we +were just clear, and as we slowly turned the corner into the river I +saw the Teutonic swing slowly back into her normal station, relieving +the tension alike of the ropes and of the minds of all who witnessed +the incident. + +[Illustration: FOUR DECKS OF OLYMPIC, SISTER SHIP OF TITANIC] + +Unpleasant as this incident was, it was interesting to all the +passengers leaning over the rails to see the means adopted by the +officers and crew of the various vessels to avoid collision, to see on +the Titanic's docking-bridge (at the stern) an officer and seamen +telephoning and ringing bells, hauling up and down little red and +white flags, as danger of collision alternately threatened and +diminished. No one was more interested than a young American +kinematograph photographer, who, with his wife, followed the whole +scene with eager eyes, turning the handle of his camera with the most +evident pleasure as he recorded the unexpected incident on his films. +It was obviously quite a windfall for him to have been on board at +such a time. But neither the film nor those who exposed it reached the +other side, and the record of the accident from the Titanic's deck has +never been thrown on the screen. + +As we steamed down the river, the scene we had just witnessed was the +topic of every conversation: the comparison with the Olympic-Hawke +collision was drawn in every little group of passengers, and it seemed +to be generally agreed that this would confirm the suction theory +which was so successfully advanced by the cruiser Hawke in the law +courts, but which many people scoffed at when the British Admiralty +first suggested it as the explanation of the cruiser ramming the +Olympic. And since this is an attempt to chronicle facts as they +happened on board the Titanic, it must be recorded that there were +among the passengers and such of the crew as were heard to speak on +the matter, the direst misgivings at the incident we had just +witnessed. Sailors are proverbially superstitious; far too many people +are prone to follow their lead, or, indeed, the lead of any one who +asserts a statement with an air of conviction and the opportunity of +constant repetition; the sense of mystery that shrouds a prophetic +utterance, particularly if it be an ominous one (for so constituted +apparently is the human mind that it will receive the impress of an +evil prophecy far more readily than it will that of a beneficent one, +possibly through subservient fear to the thing it dreads, possibly +through the degraded, morbid attraction which the sense of evil has +for the innate evil in the human mind), leads many people to pay a +certain respect to superstitious theories. Not that they wholly +believe in them or would wish their dearest friends to know they ever +gave them a second thought; but the feeling that other people do so +and the half conviction that there "may be something in it, after +all," sways them into tacit obedience to the most absurd and childish +theories. I wish in a later chapter to discuss the subject of +superstition in its reference to our life on board the Titanic, but +will anticipate events here a little by relating a second so-called +"bad omen" which was hatched at Queenstown. As one of the tenders +containing passengers and mails neared the Titanic, some of those on +board gazed up at the liner towering above them, and saw a stoker's +head, black from his work in the stokehold below, peering out at them +from the top of one of the enormous funnels--a dummy one for +ventilation--that rose many feet above the highest deck. He had +climbed up inside for a joke, but to some of those who saw him there +the sight was seed for the growth of an "omen," which bore fruit in an +unknown dread of dangers to come. An American lady--may she forgive me +if she reads these lines!--has related to me with the deepest +conviction and earnestness of manner that she saw the man and +attributes the sinking of the Titanic largely to that. Arrant +foolishness, you may say! Yes, indeed, but not to those who believe in +it; and it is well not to have such prophetic thoughts of danger +passed round among passengers and crew: it would seem to have an +unhealthy influence. + +We dropped down Spithead, past the shores of the Isle of Wight looking +superbly beautiful in new spring foliage, exchanged salutes with a +White Star tug lying-to in wait for one of their liners inward bound, +and saw in the distance several warships with attendant black +destroyers guarding the entrance from the sea. In the calmest weather +we made Cherbourg just as it grew dusk and left again about 8.30, +after taking on board passengers and mails. We reached Queenstown +about 12 noon on Thursday, after a most enjoyable passage across the +Channel, although the wind was almost too cold to allow of sitting out +on deck on Thursday morning. + +The coast of Ireland looked very beautiful as we approached Queenstown +Harbour, the brilliant morning sun showing up the green hillsides and +picking out groups of dwellings dotted here and there above the rugged +grey cliffs that fringed the coast. We took on board our pilot, ran +slowly towards the harbour with the sounding-line dropping all the +time, and came to a stop well out to sea, with our screws churning up +the bottom and turning the sea all brown with sand from below. It had +seemed to me that the ship stopped rather suddenly, and in my +ignorance of the depth of the harbour entrance, that perhaps the +sounding-line had revealed a smaller depth than was thought safe for +the great size of the Titanic: this seemed to be confirmed by the +sight of sand churned up from the bottom--but this is mere +supposition. Passengers and mails were put on board from two tenders, +and nothing could have given us a better idea of the enormous length +and bulk of the Titanic than to stand as far astern as possible and +look over the side from the top deck, forwards and downwards to where +the tenders rolled at her bows, the merest cockleshells beside the +majestic vessel that rose deck after deck above them. Truly she was a +magnificent boat! There was something so graceful in her movement as +she rode up and down on the slight swell in the harbour, a slow, +stately dip and recover, only noticeable by watching her bows in +comparison with some landmark on the coast in the near distance; the +two little tenders tossing up and down like corks beside her +illustrated vividly the advance made in comfort of motion from the +time of the small steamer. + +Presently the work of transfer was ended, the tenders cast off, and at +1.30 P.M., with the screws churning up the sea bottom again, the +Titanic turned slowly through a quarter-circle until her nose pointed +down along the Irish coast, and then steamed rapidly away from +Queenstown, the little house on the left of the town gleaming white on +the hillside for many miles astern. In our wake soared and screamed +hundreds of gulls, which had quarrelled and fought over the remnants +of lunch pouring out of the waste pipes as we lay-to in the harbour +entrance; and now they followed us in the expectation of further +spoil. I watched them for a long time and was astonished at the ease +with which they soared and kept up with the ship with hardly a motion +of their wings: picking out a particular gull, I would keep him under +observation for minutes at a time and see no motion of his wings +downwards or upwards to aid his flight. He would tilt all of a piece +to one side or another as the gusts of wind caught him: rigidly +unbendable, as an aeroplane tilts sideways in a puff of wind. And yet +with graceful ease he kept pace with the Titanic forging through the +water at twenty knots: as the wind met him he would rise upwards and +obliquely forwards, and come down slantingly again, his wings curved +in a beautiful arch and his tail feathers outspread as a fan. It was +plain that he was possessed of a secret we are only just beginning to +learn--that of utilizing air-currents as escalators up and down which +he can glide at will with the expenditure of the minimum amount of +energy, or of using them as a ship does when it sails within one or +two points of a head wind. Aviators, of course, are imitating the +gull, and soon perhaps we may see an aeroplane or a glider dipping +gracefully up and down in the face of an opposing wind and all the +time forging ahead across the Atlantic Ocean. The gulls were still +behind us when night fell, and still they screamed and dipped down +into the broad wake of foam which we left behind; but in the morning +they were gone: perhaps they had seen in the night a steamer bound for +their Queenstown home and had escorted her back. + +All afternoon we steamed along the coast of Ireland, with grey cliffs +guarding the shores, and hills rising behind gaunt and barren; as dusk +fell, the coast rounded away from us to the northwest, and the last we +saw of Europe was the Irish mountains dim and faint in the dropping +darkness. With the thought that we had seen the last of land until we +set foot on the shores of America, I retired to the library to write +letters, little knowing that many things would happen to us all--many +experiences, sudden, vivid and impressive to be encountered, many +perils to be faced, many good and true people for whom we should have +to mourn--before we saw land again. + +There is very little to relate from the time of leaving Queenstown on +Thursday to Sunday morning. The sea was calm,--so calm, indeed, +that very few were absent from meals: the wind westerly and +southwesterly,--"fresh" as the daily chart described it,--but often +rather cold, generally too cold to sit out on deck to read or write, +so that many of us spent a good part of the time in the library, +reading and writing. I wrote a large number of letters and posted them +day by day in the box outside the library door: possibly they are +there yet. + +Each morning the sun rose behind us in a sky of circular clouds, +stretching round the horizon in long, narrow streaks and rising tier +upon tier above the sky-line, red and pink and fading from pink to +white, as the sun rose higher in the sky. It was a beautiful sight to +one who had not crossed the ocean before (or indeed been out of sight +of the shores of England) to stand on the top deck and watch the swell +of the sea extending outwards from the ship in an unbroken circle +until it met the sky-line with its hint of infinity: behind, the wake +of the vessel white with foam where, fancy suggested, the propeller +blades had cut up the long Atlantic rollers and with them made a level +white road bounded on either side by banks of green, blue, and +blue-green waves that would presently sweep away the white road, +though as yet it stretched back to the horizon and dipped over the +edge of the world back to Ireland and the gulls, while along it the +morning sun glittered and sparkled. And each night the sun sank right +in our eyes along the sea, making an undulating glittering path way, a +golden track charted on the surface of the ocean which our ship +followed unswervingly until the sun dipped below the edge of the +horizon, and the pathway ran ahead of us faster than we could steam +and slipped over the edge of the skyline,--as if the sun had been a +golden ball and had wound up its thread of gold too quickly for us to +follow. + +From 12 noon Thursday to 12 noon Friday we ran 386 miles, Friday to +Saturday 519 miles, Saturday to Sunday 546 miles. The second day's run +of 519 miles was, the purser told us, a disappointment, and we should +not dock until Wednesday morning instead of Tuesday night, as we had +expected; however, on Sunday we were glad to see a longer run had been +made, and it was thought we should make New York, after all, on +Tuesday night. The purser remarked: "They are not pushing her this +trip and don't intend to make any fast running: I don't suppose we +shall do more than 546 now; it is not a bad day's run for the first +trip." This was at lunch, and I remember the conversation then turned +to the speed and build of Atlantic liners as factors in their comfort +of motion: all those who had crossed many times were unanimous in +saying the Titanic was the most comfortable boat they had been on, and +they preferred the speed we were making to that of the faster boats, +from the point of view of lessened vibration as well as because the +faster boats would bore through the waves with a twisted, screw-like +motion instead of the straight up-and-down swing of the Titanic. I +then called the attention of our table to the way the Titanic listed +to port (I had noticed this before), and we all watched the sky-line +through the portholes as we sat at the purser's table in the saloon: +it was plain she did so, for the sky-line and sea on the port side +were visible most of the time and on the starboard only sky. The +purser remarked that probably coal had been used mostly from the +starboard side. It is no doubt a common occurrence for all vessels to +list to some degree; but in view of the fact that the Titanic was cut +open on the starboard side and before she sank listed so much to port +that there was quite a chasm between her and the swinging lifeboats, +across which ladies had to be thrown or to cross on chairs laid flat, +the previous listing to port may be of interest. + +Returning for a moment to the motion of the Titanic, it was +interesting to stand on the boat-deck, as I frequently did, in the +angle between lifeboats 13 and 15 on the starboard side (two boats I +have every reason to remember, for the first carried me in safety to +the Carpathia, and it seemed likely at one time that the other would +come down on our heads as we sat in 13 trying to get away from the +ship's side), and watch the general motion of the ship through the +waves resolve itself into two motions--one to be observed by +contrasting the docking-bridge, from which the log-line trailed away +behind in the foaming wake, with the horizon, and observing the long, +slow heave as we rode up and down. I timed the average period occupied +in one up-and-down vibration, but do not now remember the figures. The +second motion was a side-to-side roll, and could be calculated by +watching the port rail and contrasting it with the horizon as before. +It seems likely that this double motion is due to the angle at which +our direction to New York cuts the general set of the Gulf Stream +sweeping from the Gulf of Mexico across to Europe; but the almost +clock-like regularity of the two vibratory movements was what +attracted my attention: it was while watching the side roll that I +first became aware of the list to port. Looking down astern from the +boat-deck or from B deck to the steerage quarters, I often noticed how +the third-class passengers were enjoying every minute of the time: a +most uproarious skipping game of the mixed-double type was the great +favourite, while "in and out and roundabout" went a Scotchman with his +bagpipes playing something that Gilbert says "faintly resembled an +air." Standing aloof from all of them, generally on the raised stern +deck above the "playing field," was a man of about twenty to +twenty-four years of age, well-dressed, always gloved and nicely +groomed, and obviously quite out of place among his fellow-passengers: +he never looked happy all the time. I watched him, and classified him +at hazard as the man who had been a failure in some way at home and +had received the proverbial shilling plus third-class fare to America: +he did not look resolute enough or happy enough to be working out his +own problem. Another interesting man was travelling steerage, but had +placed his wife in the second cabin: he would climb the stairs leading +from the steerage to the second deck and talk affectionately with his +wife across the low gate which separated them. I never saw him after +the collision, but I think his wife was on the Carpathia. Whether they +ever saw each other on the Sunday night is very doubtful: he would not +at first be allowed on the second-class deck, and if he were, the +chances of seeing his wife in the darkness and the crowd would be very +small, indeed. Of all those playing so happily on the steerage deck I +did not recognize many afterwards on the Carpathia. + +Coming now to Sunday, the day on which the Titanic struck the iceberg, +it will be interesting, perhaps, to give the day's events in some +detail, to appreciate the general attitude of passengers to their +surroundings just before the collision. Service was held in the saloon +by the purser in the morning, and going on deck after lunch we found +such a change in temperature that not many cared to remain to face the +bitter wind--an artificial wind created mainly, if not entirely, by +the ship's rapid motion through the chilly atmosphere. I should judge +there was no wind blowing at the time, for I had noticed about the +same force of wind approaching Queenstown, to find that it died away +as soon as we stopped, only to rise again as we steamed away from the +harbour. + +Returning to the library, I stopped for a moment to read again the +day's run and observe our position on the chart; the Rev. Mr. Carter, +a clergyman of the Church of England, was similarly engaged, and we +renewed a conversation we had enjoyed for some days: it had +commenced with a discussion of the relative merits of his +university--Oxford--with mine--Cambridge--as world-wide educational +agencies, the opportunities at each for the formation of character +apart from mere education as such, and had led on to the lack of +sufficiently qualified men to take up the work of the Church of +England (a matter apparently on which he felt very deeply) and from +that to his own work in England as a priest. He told me some of his +parish problems and spoke of the impossibility of doing half his work +in his Church without the help his wife gave. I knew her only slightly +at that time, but meeting her later in the day, I realized something +of what he meant in attributing a large part of what success he had as +a vicar to her. My only excuse for mentioning these details about the +Carters--now and later in the day--is that, while they have perhaps +not much interest for the average reader, they will no doubt be some +comfort to the parish over which he presided and where I am sure he +was loved. He next mentioned the absence of a service in the evening +and asked if I knew the purser well enough to request the use of the +saloon in the evening where he would like to have a "hymn sing-song"; +the purser gave his consent at once, and Mr. Carter made preparations +during the afternoon by asking all he knew--and many he did not--to +come to the saloon at 8.30 P.M. + +The library was crowded that afternoon, owing to the cold on deck: but +through the windows we could see the clear sky with brilliant sunlight +that seemed to augur a fine night and a clear day to-morrow, and the +prospect of landing in two days, with calm weather all the way to New +York, was a matter of general satisfaction among us all. I can look +back and see every detail of the library that afternoon--the +beautifully furnished room, with lounges, armchairs, and small writing +or card-tables scattered about, writing-bureaus round the walls of the +room, and the library in glass-cased shelves flanking one side,--the +whole finished in mahogany relieved with white fluted wooden columns +that supported the deck above. Through the windows there is the +covered corridor, reserved by general consent as the children's +playground, and here are playing the two Navatril children with their +father,--devoted to them, never absent from them. Who would have +thought of the dramatic history of the happy group at play in the +corridor that afternoon!--the abduction of the children in Nice, the +assumed name, the separation of father and children in a few hours, +his death and their subsequent union with their mother after a period +of doubt as to their parentage! How many more similar secrets the +Titanic revealed in the privacy of family life, or carried down with +her untold, we shall never know. + +In the same corridor is a man and his wife with two children, and one +of them he is generally carrying: they are all young and happy: he is +dressed always in a grey knickerbocker suit--with a camera slung over +his shoulder. I have not seen any of them since that afternoon. + +Close beside me--so near that I cannot avoid hearing scraps of their +conversation--are two American ladies, both dressed in white, young, +probably friends only: one has been to India and is returning by way +of England, the other is a school-teacher in America, a graceful girl +with a distinguished air heightened by a pair of _pince-nez_. +Engaged in conversation with them is a gentleman whom I subsequently +identified from a photograph as a well-known resident of Cambridge, +Massachusetts, genial, polished, and with a courtly air towards the +two ladies, whom he has known but a few hours; from time to time as +they talk, a child acquaintance breaks in on their conversation and +insists on their taking notice of a large doll clasped in her arms; I +have seen none of this group since then. In the opposite corner are +the young American kinematograph photographer and his young wife, +evidently French, very fond of playing patience, which she is doing +now, while he sits back in his chair watching the game and interposing +from time to time with suggestions. I did not see them again. In the +middle of the room are two Catholic priests, one quietly +reading,--either English or Irish, and probably the latter,--the +other, dark, bearded, with broad-brimmed hat, talking earnestly to a +friend in German and evidently explaining some verse in the open Bible +before him; near them a young fire engineer on his way to Mexico, and +of the same religion as the rest of the group. None of them were +saved. It may be noted here that the percentage of men saved in the +second-class is the lowest of any other division--only eight per cent. + +Many other faces recur to thought, but it is impossible to describe +them all in the space of a short book: of all those in the library +that Sunday afternoon, I can remember only two or three persons who +found their way to the Carpathia. Looking over this room, with his +back to the library shelves, is the library steward, thin, stooping, +sad-faced, and generally with nothing to do but serve out books; but +this afternoon he is busier than I have ever seen him, serving out +baggage declaration-forms for passengers to fill in. Mine is before me +as I write: "Form for nonresidents in the United States. Steamship +Titanic: No. 31444, D," etc. I had filled it in that afternoon and +slipped it in my pocket-book instead of returning it to the steward. +Before me, too, is a small cardboard square: "White Star Line. R.M.S. +Titanic. 208. This label must be given up when the article is +returned. The property will be deposited in the Purser's safe. The +Company will not be liable to passengers for the loss of money, +jewels, or ornaments, by theft or otherwise, not so deposited." The +"property deposited" in my case was money, placed in an envelope, +sealed, with my name written across the flap, and handed to the +purser; the "label" is my receipt. Along with other similar envelopes +it may be still intact in the safe at the bottom of the sea, but in +all probability it is not, as will be seen presently. + +After dinner, Mr. Carter invited all who wished to the saloon, and +with the assistance at the piano of a gentleman who sat at the +purser's table opposite me (a young Scotch engineer going out to join +his brother fruit-farming at the foot of the Rockies), he started some +hundred passengers singing hymns. They were asked to choose whichever +hymn they wished, and with so many to choose, it was impossible for +him to do more than have the greatest favourites sung. As he announced +each hymn, it was evident that he was thoroughly versed in their +history: no hymn was sung but that he gave a short sketch of its +author and in some cases a description of the circumstances in which +it was composed. I think all were impressed with his knowledge of +hymns and with his eagerness to tell us all he knew of them. It was +curious to see how many chose hymns dealing with dangers at sea. I +noticed the hushed tone with which all sang the hymn, "For those in +peril on the Sea." + +The singing must have gone on until after ten o'clock, when, seeing +the stewards standing about waiting to serve biscuits and coffee +before going off duty, Mr. Carter brought the evening to a close by a +few words of thanks to the purser for the use of the saloon, a short +sketch of the happiness and safety of the voyage hitherto, the great +confidence all felt on board this great liner with her steadiness and +her size, and the happy outlook of landing in a few hours in New York +at the close of a delightful voyage; and all the time he spoke, a few +miles ahead of us lay the "peril on the sea" that was to sink this +same great liner with many of those on board who listened with +gratitude to his simple, heartfelt words. So much for the frailty of +human hopes and for the confidence reposed in material human designs. + +Think of the shame of it, that a mass of ice of no use to any one or +anything should have the power fatally to injure the beautiful +Titanic! That an insensible block should be able to threaten, even in +the smallest degree, the lives of many good men and women who think +and plan and hope and love--and not only to threaten, but to end their +lives. It is unbearable! Are we never to educate ourselves to foresee +such dangers and to prevent them before they happen? All the evidence +of history shows that laws unknown and unsuspected are being +discovered day by day: as this knowledge accumulates for the use of +man, is it not certain that the ability to see and destroy beforehand +the threat of danger will be one of the privileges the whole world +will utilize? May that day come soon. Until it does, no precaution too +rigorous can be taken, no safety appliance, however costly, must be +omitted from a ship's equipment. + +After the meeting had broken up, I talked with the Carters over a cup +of coffee, said good-night to them, and retired to my cabin at about +quarter to eleven. They were good people and this world is much poorer +by their loss. + +It may be a matter of pleasure to many people to know that their +friends were perhaps among that gathering of people in the saloon, and +that at the last the sound of the hymns still echoed in their ears as +they stood on the deck so quietly and courageously. Who can tell how +much it had to do with the demeanour of some of them and the example +this would set to others? + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE COLLISION AND EMBARKATION IN LIFEBOATS + + +I had been fortunate enough to secure a two-berth cabin to myself,--D +56,--quite close to the saloon and most convenient in every way for +getting about the ship; and on a big ship like the Titanic it was +quite a consideration to be on D deck, only three decks below the top +or boat-deck. Below D again were cabins on E and F decks, and to walk +from a cabin on F up to the top deck, climbing five flights of stairs +on the way, was certainly a considerable task for those not able to +take much exercise. The Titanic management has been criticised, among +other things, for supplying the boat with lifts: it has been said they +were an expensive luxury and the room they took up might have been +utilized in some way for more life-saving appliances. Whatever else +may have been superfluous, lifts certainly were not: old ladies, for +example, in cabins on F deck, would hardly have got to the top deck +during the whole voyage had they not been able to ring for the +lift-boy. Perhaps nothing gave one a greater impression of the size of +the ship than to take the lift from the top and drop slowly down past +the different floors, discharging and taking in passengers just as in +a large hotel. I wonder where the lift-boy was that night. I would +have been glad to find him in our boat, or on the Carpathia when we +took count of the saved. He was quite young,--not more than sixteen, I +think,--a bright-eyed, handsome boy, with a love for the sea and the +games on deck and the view over the ocean--and he did not get any of +them. One day, as he put me out of his lift and saw through the +vestibule windows a game of deck quoits in progress, he said, in a +wistful tone, "My! I wish I could go out there sometimes!" I wished he +could, too, and made a jesting offer to take charge of his lift for an +hour while he went out to watch the game; but he smilingly shook his +head and dropped down in answer to an imperative ring from below. I +think he was not on duty with his lift after the collision, but if he +were, he would smile at his passengers all the time as he took them up +to the boats waiting to leave the sinking ship. + +After undressing and climbing into the top berth, I read from about +quarter-past eleven to the time we struck, about quarter to twelve. +During this time I noticed particularly the increased vibration of the +ship, and I assumed that we were going at a higher speed than at any +other time since we sailed from Queenstown. Now I am aware that this +is an important point, and bears strongly on the question of +responsibility for the effects of the collision; but the impression of +increased vibration is fixed in my memory so strongly that it seems +important to record it. Two things led me to this conclusion--first, +that as I sat on the sofa undressing, with bare feet on the floor, the +jar of the vibration came up from the engines below very noticeably; +and second, that as I sat up in the berth reading, the spring mattress +supporting me was vibrating more rapidly than usual: this cradle-like +motion was always noticeable as one lay in bed, but that night there +was certainly a marked increase in the motion. Referring to the plan, +[Footnote: See Figure 2, page 116.] it will be seen that the vibration +must have come almost directly up from below, when it is mentioned +that the saloon was immediately above the engines as shown in the +plan, and my cabin next to the saloon. From these two data, on the +assumption that greater vibration is an indication of higher +speed,--and I suppose it must be,--then I am sure we were going faster +that night at the time we struck the iceberg than we had done before, +i.e., during the hours I was awake and able to take note of anything. + +And then, as I read in the quietness of the night, broken only by the +muffled sound that came to me through the ventilators of stewards +talking and moving along the corridors, when nearly all the passengers +were in their cabins, some asleep in bed, others undressing, and +others only just down from the smoking-room and still discussing many +things, there came what seemed to me nothing more than an extra heave +of the engines and a more than usually obvious dancing motion of the +mattress on which I sat. Nothing more than that--no sound of a crash +or of anything else: no sense of shock, no jar that felt like one +heavy body meeting another. And presently the same thing repeated with +about the same intensity. The thought came to me that they must have +still further increased the speed. And all this time the Titanic was +being cut open by the iceberg and water was pouring in her side, and +yet no evidence that would indicate such a disaster had been presented +to us. It fills me with astonishment now to think of it. Consider the +question of list alone. Here was this enormous vessel running +starboard-side on to an iceberg, and a passenger sitting quietly in +bed, reading, felt no motion or list to the opposite or port side, and +this must have been felt had it been more than the usual roll of the +ship--never very much in the calm weather we had all the way. Again, +my bunk was fixed to the wall on the starboard side, and any list to +port would have tended to fling me out on the floor: I am sure I +should have noted it had there been any. And yet the explanation is +simple enough: the Titanic struck the berg with a force of impact of +over a million foot-tons; her plates were less than an inch thick, and +they must have been cut through as a knife cuts paper: there would be +no need to list; it would have been better if she had listed and +thrown us out on the floor, for it would have been an indication that +our plates were strong enough to offer, at any rate, some resistance +to the blow, and we might all have been safe to-day. + +And so, with no thought of anything serious having happened to the +ship, I continued my reading; and still the murmur from the stewards +and from adjoining cabins, and no other sound: no cry in the night; no +alarm given; no one afraid--there was then nothing which could cause +fear to the most timid person. But in a few moments I felt the engines +slow and stop; the dancing motion and the vibration ceased suddenly +after being part of our very existence for four days, and that was the +first hint that anything out of the ordinary had happened. We have all +"heard" a loud-ticking clock stop suddenly in a quiet room, and then +have noticed the clock and the ticking noise, of which we seemed until +then quite unconscious. So in the same way the fact was suddenly +brought home to all in the ship that the engines--that part of the +ship that drove us through the sea--had stopped dead. But the stopping +of the engines gave us no information: we had to make our own +calculations as to why we had stopped. Like a flash it came to me: "We +have dropped a propeller blade: when this happens the engines always +race away until they are controlled, and this accounts for the extra +heave they gave"; not a very logical conclusion when considered now, +for the engines should have continued to heave all the time until we +stopped, but it was at the time a sufficiently tenable hypothesis to +hold. Acting on it, I jumped out of bed, slipped on a dressing-gown +over pyjamas, put on shoes, and went out of my cabin into the hall +near the saloon. Here was a steward leaning against the staircase, +probably waiting until those in the smoke-room above had gone to bed +and he could put out the lights. I said, "Why have we stopped?" "I +don't know, sir," he replied, "but I don't suppose it is anything +much." "Well," I said, "I am going on deck to see what it is," and +started towards the stairs. He smiled indulgently at me as I passed +him, and said, "All right, sir, but it is mighty cold up there." I am +sure at that time he thought I was rather foolish to go up with so +little reason, and I must confess I felt rather absurd for not +remaining in the cabin: it seemed like making a needless fuss to walk +about the ship in a dressing-gown. But it was my first trip across the +sea; I had enjoyed every minute of it and was keenly alive to note +every new experience; and certainly to stop in the middle of the sea +with a propeller dropped seemed sufficient reason for going on deck. +And yet the steward, with his fatherly smile, and the fact that no one +else was about the passages or going upstairs to reconnoitre, made me +feel guilty in an undefined way of breaking some code of a ship's +régime--an Englishman's fear of being thought "unusual," perhaps! + +I climbed the three flights of stairs, opened the vestibule door +leading to the top deck, and stepped out into an atmosphere that cut +me, clad as I was, like a knife. Walking to the starboard side, I +peered over and saw the sea many feet below, calm and black; forward, +the deserted deck stretching away to the first-class quarters and the +captain's bridge; and behind, the steerage quarters and the stern +bridge; nothing more: no iceberg on either side or astern as far as we +could see in the darkness. There were two or three men on deck, and +with one--the Scotch engineer who played hymns in the saloon--I +compared notes of our experiences. He had just begun to undress when +the engines stopped and had come up at once, so that he was fairly +well-clad; none of us could see anything, and all being quiet and +still, the Scotchman and I went down to the next deck. Through the +windows of the smoking-room we saw a game of cards going on, with +several onlookers, and went in to enquire if they knew more than we +did. They had apparently felt rather more of the heaving motion, but +so far as I remember, none of them had gone out on deck to make any +enquiries, even when one of them had seen through the windows an +iceberg go by towering above the decks. He had called their attention +to it, and they all watched it disappear, but had then at once resumed +the game. We asked them the height of the berg and some said one +hundred feet, others, sixty feet; one of the onlookers--a motor +engineer travelling to America with a model carburetter (he had filled +in his declaration form near me in the afternoon and had questioned +the library steward how he should declare his patent)--said, "Well, I +am accustomed to estimating distances and I put it at between eighty +and ninety feet." We accepted his estimate and made guesses as to what +had happened to the Titanic: the general impression was that we had +just scraped the iceberg with a glancing blow on the starboard side, +and they had stopped as a wise precaution, to examine her thoroughly +all over. "I expect the iceberg has scratched off some of her new +paint," said one, "and the captain doesn't like to go on until she is +painted up again." We laughed at his estimate of the captain's care +for the ship. Poor Captain Smith!--he knew by this time only too well +what had happened. + +One of the players, pointing to his glass of whiskey standing at his +elbow, and turning to an onlooker, said, "Just run along the deck and +see if any ice has come aboard: I would like some for this." Amid the +general laughter at what we thought was his imagination,--only too +realistic, alas! for when he spoke the forward deck was covered with +ice that had tumbled over,--and seeing that no more information was +forthcoming, I left the smoking-room and went down to my cabin, where +I sat for some time reading again. I am filled with sorrow to think I +never saw any of the occupants of that smoking-room again: nearly all +young men full of hope for their prospects in a new world; mostly +unmarried; keen, alert, with the makings of good citizens. Presently, +hearing people walking about the corridors, I looked out and saw +several standing in the hall talking to a steward--most of them ladies +in dressing-gowns; other people were going upstairs, and I decided to +go on deck again, but as it was too cold to do so in a dressing-gown, +I dressed in a Norfolk jacket and trousers and walked up. There were +now more people looking over the side and walking about, questioning +each other as to why we had stopped, but without obtaining any +definite information. I stayed on deck some minutes, walking about +vigorously to keep warm and occasionally looking downwards to the sea +as if something there would indicate the reason for delay. The ship +had now resumed her course, moving very slowly through the water with +a little white line of foam on each side. I think we were all glad to +see this: it seemed better than standing still. I soon decided to go +down again, and as I crossed from the starboard to the port side to go +down by the vestibule door, I saw an officer climb on the last +lifeboat on the port side--number 16--and begin to throw off the +cover, but I do not remember that any one paid any particular +attention to him. Certainly no one thought they were preparing to man +the lifeboats and embark from the ship. All this time there was no +apprehension of any danger in the minds of passengers, and no one was +in any condition of panic or hysteria; after all, it would have been +strange if they had been, without any definite evidence of danger. + +As I passed to the door to go down, I looked forward again and saw to +my surprise an undoubted tilt downwards from the stern to the bows: +only a slight slope, which I don't think any one had noticed,--at any +rate, they had not remarked on it. As I went downstairs a confirmation +of this tilting forward came in something unusual about the stairs, a +curious sense of something out of balance and of not being able to put +one's feet down in the right place: naturally, being tilted forward, +the stairs would slope downwards at an angle and tend to throw one +forward. I could not see any visible slope of the stairway: it was +perceptible only by the sense of balance at this time. + +On D deck were three ladies--I think they were all saved, and it is a +good thing at least to be able to chronicle meeting some one who was +saved after so much record of those who were not--standing in the +passage near the cabin. "Oh! why have we stopped?" they said. "We did +stop," I replied, "but we are now going on again.". "Oh, no," one +replied; "I cannot feel the engines as I usually do, or hear them. +Listen!" We listened, and there was no throb audible. Having noticed +that the vibration of the engines is most noticeable lying in a bath, +where the throb comes straight from the floor through its metal +sides--too much so ordinarily for one to put one's head back with +comfort on the bath,--I took them along the corridor to a bathroom and +made them put their hands on the side of the bath: they were much +reassured to feel the engines throbbing down below and to know we were +making some headway. I left them and on the way to my cabin passed +some stewards standing unconcernedly against the walls of the saloon: +one of them, the library steward again, was leaning over a table, +writing. It is no exaggeration to say that they had neither any +knowledge of the accident nor any feeling of alarm that we had stopped +and had not yet gone on again full speed: their whole attitude +expressed perfect confidence in the ship and officers. + +Turning into my gangway (my cabin being the first in the gangway), I +saw a man standing at the other end of it fastening his tie. "Anything +fresh?" he said. "Not much," I replied; "we are going ahead slowly and +she is down a little at the bows, but I don't think it is anything +serious." "Come in and look at this man," he laughed; "he won't get +up." I looked in, and in the top bunk lay a man with his back to me, +closely wrapped in his bed-clothes and only the back of his head +visible. "Why won't he get up? Is he asleep?" I said. "No," laughed +the man dressing, "he says--" But before he could finish the sentence +the man above grunted: "You don't catch me leaving a warm bed to go up +on that cold deck at midnight. I know better than that." We both told +him laughingly why he had better get up, but he was certain he was +just as safe there and all this dressing was quite unnecessary; so I +left them and went again to my cabin. I put on some underclothing, sat +on the sofa, and read for some ten minutes, when I heard through the +open door, above, the noise of people passing up and down, and a loud +shout from above: "All passengers on deck with lifebelts on." + +I placed the two books I was reading in the side pockets of my Norfolk +jacket, picked up my lifebelt (curiously enough, I had taken it down +for the first time that night from the wardrobe when I first retired +to my cabin) and my dressing-gown, and walked upstairs tying on the +lifebelt. As I came out of my cabin, I remember seeing the purser's +assistant, with his foot on the stairs about to climb them, whisper to +a steward and jerk his head significantly behind him; not that I +thought anything of it at the time, but I have no doubt he was telling +him what had happened up in the bows, and was giving him orders to +call all passengers. + +Going upstairs with other passengers,--no one ran a step or seemed +alarmed,--we met two ladies coming down: one seized me by the arm and +said, "Oh! I have no lifebelt; will you come down to my cabin and help +me to find it?" I returned with them to F deck,--the lady who had +addressed me holding my arm all the time in a vise-like grip, much to +my amusement,--and we found a steward in her gangway who took them in +and found their lifebelts. Coming upstairs again, I passed the +purser's window on F deck, and noticed a light inside; when halfway up +to E deck, I heard the heavy metallic clang of the safe door, followed +by a hasty step retreating along the corridor towards the first-class +quarters. I have little doubt it was the purser, who had taken all +valuables from his safe and was transferring them to the charge of the +first-class purser, in the hope they might all be saved in one +package. That is why I said above that perhaps the envelope containing +my money was not in the safe at the bottom of the sea: it is probably +in a bundle, with many others like it, waterlogged at the bottom. + +Reaching the top deck, we found many people assembled there,--some +fully dressed, with coats and wraps, well-prepared for anything that +might happen; others who had thrown wraps hastily round them when they +were called or heard the summons to equip themselves with +lifebelts--not in much condition to face the cold of that night. +Fortunately there was no wind to beat the cold air through our +clothing: even the breeze caused by the ship's motion had died +entirely away, for the engines had stopped again and the Titanic lay +peacefully on the surface of the sea--motionless, quiet, not even +rocking to the roll of the sea; indeed, as we were to discover +presently, the sea was as calm as an inland lake save for the gentle +swell which could impart no motion to a ship the size of the Titanic. +To stand on the deck many feet above the water lapping idly against +her sides, and looking much farther off than it really was because of +the darkness, gave one a sense of wonderful security: to feel her so +steady and still was like standing on a large rock in the middle of +the ocean. But there were now more evidences of the coming catastrophe +to the observer than had been apparent when on deck last: one was the +roar and hiss of escaping steam from the boilers, issuing out of a +large steam pipe reaching high up one of the funnels: a harsh, +deafening boom that made conversation difficult and no doubt increased +the apprehension of some people merely because of the volume of noise: +if one imagines twenty locomotives blowing off steam in a low key it +would give some idea of the unpleasant sound that met us as we climbed +out on the top deck. + +But after all it was the kind of phenomenon we ought to expect: +engines blow off steam when standing in a station, and why should not +a ship's boilers do the same when the ship is not moving? I never +heard any one connect this noise with the danger of boiler explosion, +in the event of the ship sinking with her boilers under a high +pressure of steam, which was no doubt the true explanation of this +precaution. But this is perhaps speculation; some people may have +known it quite well, for from the time we came on deck until boat 13 +got away, I heard very little conversation of any kind among the +passengers. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that no signs +of alarm were exhibited by any one: there was no indication of panic +or hysteria; no cries of fear, and no running to and fro to discover +what was the matter, why we had been summoned on deck with lifebelts, +and what was to be done with us now we were there. We stood there +quietly looking on at the work of the crew as they manned the +lifeboats, and no one ventured to interfere with them or offered to +help them. It was plain we should be of no use; and the crowd of men +and women stood quietly on the deck or paced slowly up and down +waiting for orders from the officers. Now, before we consider any +further the events that followed, the state of mind of passengers at +this juncture, and the motives which led each one to act as he or she +did in the circumstances, it is important to keep in thought the +amount of information at our disposal. Men and women act according to +judgment based on knowledge of the conditions around them, and the +best way to understand some apparently inconceivable things that +happened is for any one to imagine himself or herself standing on deck +that night. It seems a mystery to some people that women refused to +leave the ship, that some persons retired to their cabins, and so on; +but it is a matter of judgment, after all. + +So that if the reader will come and stand with the crowd on deck, he +must first rid himself entirely of the knowledge that the Titanic has +sunk--an important necessity, for he cannot see conditions as they +existed there through the mental haze arising from knowledge of the +greatest maritime tragedy the world has known: he must get rid of any +foreknowledge of disaster to appreciate why people acted as they did. +Secondly, he had better get rid of any picture in thought painted +either by his own imagination or by some artist, whether pictorial or +verbal, "from information supplied." Some are most inaccurate (these, +mostly word-pictures), and where they err, they err on the highly +dramatic side. They need not have done so: the whole conditions were +dramatic enough in all their bare simplicity, without the addition of +any high colouring. + +Having made these mental erasures, he will find himself as one of the +crowd faced with the following conditions: a perfectly still +atmosphere; a brilliantly beautiful starlight night, but no moon, and +so with little light that was of any use; a ship that had come quietly +to rest without any indication of disaster--no iceberg visible, no +hole in the ship's side through which water was pouring in, nothing +broken or out of place, no sound of alarm, no panic, no movement of +any one except at a walking pace; the absence of any knowledge of the +nature of the accident, of the extent of damage, of the danger of the +ship sinking in a few hours, of the numbers of boats, rafts, and other +lifesaving appliances available, their capacity, what other ships were +near or coming to help--in fact, an almost complete absence of any +positive knowledge on any point. I think this was the result of +deliberate judgment on the part of the officers, and perhaps, it was +the best thing that could be done. In particular, he must remember +that the ship was a sixth of a mile long, with passengers on three +decks open to the sea, and port and starboard sides to each deck: he +will then get some idea of the difficulty presented to the officers of +keeping control over such a large area, and the impossibility of any +one knowing what was happening except in his own immediate vicinity. +Perhaps the whole thing can be summed up best by saying that, after we +had embarked in the lifeboats and rowed away from the Titanic, it +would not have surprised us to hear that all passengers would be +saved: the cries of drowning people after the Titanic gave the final +plunge were a thunderbolt to us. I am aware that the experiences of +many of those saved differed in some respects from the above: some had +knowledge of certain things, some were experienced travellers and +sailors, and therefore deduced more rapidly what was likely to happen; +but I think the above gives a fairly accurate representation of the +state of mind of most of those on deck that night. + +All this time people were pouring up from the stairs and adding to the +crowd: I remember at that moment thinking it would be well to return +to my cabin and rescue some money and warmer clothing if we were to +embark in boats, but looking through the vestibule windows and seeing +people still coming upstairs, I decided it would only cause confusion +passing them on the stairs, and so remained on deck. + +I was now on the starboard side of the top boat deck; the time about +12.20. We watched the crew at work on the lifeboats, numbers 9, 11, +13, 15, some inside arranging the oars, some coiling ropes on the +deck,--the ropes which ran through the pulleys to lower to the +sea,--others with cranks fitted to the rocking arms of the davits. As +we watched, the cranks were turned, the davits swung outwards until +the boats hung clear of the edge of the deck. Just then an officer +came along from the first-class deck and shouted above the noise of +escaping steam, "All women and children get down to deck below and all +men stand back from the boats." He had apparently been off duty when +the ship struck, and was lightly dressed, with a white muffler twisted +hastily round his neck. The men fell back and the women retired below +to get into the boats from the next deck. Two women refused at first +to leave their husbands, but partly by persuasion and partly by force +they were separated from them and sent down to the next deck. I think +that by this time the work on the lifeboats and the separation of men +and women impressed on us slowly the presence of imminent danger, but +it made no difference in the attitude of the crowd: they were just as +prepared to obey orders and to do what came next as when they first +came on deck. I do not mean that they actually reasoned it out: they +were the average Teutonic crowd, with an inborn respect for law and +order and for traditions bequeathed to them by generations of +ancestors: the reasons that made them act as they did were impersonal, +instinctive, hereditary. + +But if there were any one who had not by now realized that the ship +was in danger, all doubt on this point was to be set at rest in a +dramatic manner. Suddenly a rush of light from the forward deck, a +hissing roar that made us all turn from watching the boats, and a +rocket leapt upwards to where the stars blinked and twinkled above us. +Up it went, higher and higher, with a sea of faces upturned to watch +it, and then an explosion that seemed to split the silent night in +two, and a shower of stars sank slowly down and went out one by one. +And with a gasping sigh one word escaped the lips of the crowd: +"Rockets!" Anybody knows what rockets at sea mean. And presently +another, and then a third. It is no use denying the dramatic intensity +of the scene: separate it if you can from all the terrible events that +followed, and picture the calmness of the night, the sudden light on +the decks crowded with people in different stages of dress and +undress, the background of huge funnels and tapering masts revealed by +the soaring rocket, whose flash illumined at the same time the faces +and minds of the obedient crowd, the one with mere physical light, the +other with a sudden revelation of what its message was. Every one knew +without being told that we were calling for help from any one who was +near enough to see. + +The crew were now in the boats, the sailors standing by the pulley +ropes let them slip through the cleats in jerks, and down the boats +went till level with B deck; women and children climbed over the rail +into the boats and filled them; when full, they were lowered one by +one, beginning with number 9, the first on the second-class deck, and +working backwards towards 15. All this we could see by peering over +the edge of the boat-deck, which was now quite open to the sea, the +four boats which formed a natural barrier being lowered from the deck +and leaving it exposed. + +About this time, while walking the deck, I saw two ladies come over +from the port side and walk towards the rail separating the +second-class from the first-class deck. There stood an officer barring +the way. "May we pass to the boats?" they said. "No, madam," he +replied politely, "your boats are down on your own deck," pointing to +where they swung below. The ladies turned and went towards the +stairway, and no doubt were able to enter one of the boats: they had +ample time. I mention this to show that there was, at any rate, some +arrangement--whether official or not--for separating the classes in +embarking in boats; how far it was carried out, I do not know, but if +the second-class ladies were not expected to enter a boat from the +first-class deck, while steerage passengers were allowed access to the +second-class deck, it would seem to press rather hardly on the +second-class men, and this is rather supported by the low percentage +saved. + +Almost immediately after this incident, a report went round among men +on the top deck--the starboard side--that men were to be taken off on +the port side; how it originated, I am quite unable to say, but can +only suppose that as the port boats, numbers 10 to 16, were not +lowered from the top deck quite so soon as the starboard boats (they +could still be seen on deck), it might be assumed that women were +being taken off on one side and men on the other; but in whatever way +the report started, it was acted on at once by almost all the men, who +crowded across to the port side and watched the preparation for +lowering the boats, leaving the starboard side almost deserted. Two or +three men remained, However: not for any reason that we were +consciously aware of; I can personally think of no decision arising +from reasoned thought that induced me to remain rather than to cross +over. But while there was no process of conscious reason at work, I am +convinced that what was my salvation was a recognition of the +necessity of being quiet and waiting in patience for some opportunity +of safety to present itself. + +Soon after the men had left the starboard side, I saw a bandsman--the +'cellist--come round the vestibule corner from the staircase entrance +and run down the now deserted starboard deck, his 'cello trailing +behind him, the spike dragging along the floor. This must have been +about 12.40 A.M. I suppose the band must have begun to play soon after +this and gone on until after 2 A.M. Many brave things were done that +night, but none more brave than by those few men playing minute after +minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea and the +sea rose higher and higher to where they stood; the music they played +serving alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be +recorded on the rolls of undying fame. + +Looking forward and downward, we could see several of the boats now in +the water, moving slowly one by one from the side, without confusion +or noise, and stealing away in the darkness which swallowed them in +turn as the crew bent to the oars. An officer--I think First Officer +Murdock--came striding along the deck, clad in a long coat, from his +manner and face evidently in great agitation, but determined and +resolute; he looked over the side and shouted to the boats being +lowered: "Lower away, and when afloat, row around to the gangway and +wait for orders." "Aye, aye, sir," was the reply; and the officer +passed by and went across the ship to the port side. + +Almost immediately after this, I heard a cry from below of, "Any more +ladies?" and looking over the edge of the deck, saw boat 13 swinging +level with the rail of B deck, with the crew, some stokers, a few men +passengers and the rest ladies,--the latter being about half the total +number; the boat was almost full and just about to be lowered. The +call for ladies was repeated twice again, but apparently there were +none to be found. Just then one of the crew looked up and saw me +looking over. "Any ladies on your deck?" he said. "No," I replied. +"Then you had better jump." I sat on the edge of the deck with my feet +over, threw the dressing-gown (which I had carried on my arm all of +the time) into the boat, dropped, and fell in the boat near the stern. + +As I picked myself up, I heard a shout: "Wait a moment, here are two +more ladies," and they were pushed hurriedly over the side and tumbled +into the boat, one into the middle and one next to me in the stern. +They told me afterwards that they had been assembled on a lower deck +with other ladies, and had come up to B deck not by the usual stairway +inside, but by one of the vertically upright iron ladders that connect +each deck with the one below it, meant for the use of sailors passing +about the ship. Other ladies had been in front of them and got up +quickly, but these two were delayed a long time by the fact that one +of them--the one that was helped first over the side into boat 13 near +the middle--was not at all active: it seemed almost impossible for her +to climb up a vertical ladder. We saw her trying to climb the swinging +rope ladder up the Carpathia's side a few hours later, and she had the +same difficulty. + +As they tumbled in, the crew shouted, "Lower away"; but before the +order was obeyed, a man with his wife and a baby came quickly to the +side: the baby was handed to the lady in the stern, the mother got in +near the middle and the father at the last moment dropped in as the +boat began its journey down to the sea many feet below. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM A LIFEBOAT + + +Looking back now on the descent of our boat down the ship's side, it +is a matter of surprise, I think, to all the occupants to remember how +little they thought of it at the time. It was a great adventure, +certainly: it was exciting to feel the boat sink by jerks, foot by +foot, as the ropes were paid out from above and shrieked as they +passed through the pulley blocks, the new ropes and gear creaking +under the strain of a boat laden with people, and the crew calling to +the sailors above as the boat tilted slightly, now at one end, now at +the other, "Lower aft!" "Lower stern!" and "Lower together!" as she +came level again--but I do not think we felt much apprehension about +reaching the water safely. It certainly was thrilling to see the black +hull of the ship on one side and the sea, seventy feet below, on the +other, or to pass down by cabins and saloons brilliantly lighted; but +we knew nothing of the apprehension felt in the minds of some of the +officers whether the boats and lowering-gear would stand the strain of +the weight of our sixty people. The ropes, however, were new and +strong, and the boat did not buckle in the middle as an older boat +might have done. Whether it was right or not to lower boats full of +people to the water,--and it seems likely it was not,--I think there +can be nothing but the highest praise given to the officers and crew +above for the way in which they lowered the boats one after the other +safely to the water; it may seem a simple matter, to read about such a +thing, but any sailor knows, apparently, that it is not so. An +experienced officer has told me that he has seen a boat lowered in +practice from a ship's deck, with a trained crew and no passengers in +the boat, with practised sailors paying out the ropes, in daylight, in +calm weather, with the ship lying in dock--and has seen the boat tilt +over and pitch the crew headlong into the sea. Contrast these +conditions with those obtaining that Monday morning at 12.45 A.M., and +it is impossible not to feel that, whether the lowering crew were +trained or not, whether they had or had not drilled since coming on +board, they did their duty in a way that argues the greatest +efficiency. I cannot help feeling the deepest gratitude to the two +sailors who stood at the ropes above and lowered us to the sea: I do +not suppose they were saved. + +Perhaps one explanation of our feeling little sense of the unusual in +leaving the Titanic in this way was that it seemed the climax to a +series of extraordinary occurrences: the magnitude of the whole thing +dwarfed events that in the ordinary way would seem to be full of +imminent peril. It is easy to imagine it,--a voyage of four days on a +calm sea, without a single untoward incident; the presumption, perhaps +already mentally half realized, that we should be ashore in +forty-eight hours and so complete a splendid voyage,--and then to feel +the engine stop, to be summoned on deck with little time to dress, to +tie on a lifebelt, to see rockets shooting aloft in call for help, to +be told to get into a lifeboat,--after all these things, it did not +seem much to feel the boat sinking down to the sea: it was the natural +sequence of previous events, and we had learned in the last hour to +take things just as they came. At the same time, if any one should +wonder what the sensation is like, it is quite easy to measure +seventy-five feet from the windows of a tall house or a block of +flats, look down to the ground and fancy himself with some sixty other +people crowded into a boat so tightly that he could not sit down or +move about, and then picture the boat sinking down in a continuous +series of jerks, as the sailors pay out the ropes through cleats +above. There are more pleasant sensations than this! How thankful we +were that the sea was calm and the Titanic lay so steadily and quietly +as we dropped down her side. We were spared the bumping and grinding +against the side which so often accompanies the launching of boats: I +do not remember that we even had to fend off our boat while we were +trying to get free. + +As we went down, one of the crew shouted, "We are just over the +condenser exhaust: we don't want to stay in that long or we shall be +swamped; feel down on the floor and be ready to pull up the pin which +lets the ropes free as soon as we are afloat." I had often looked over +the side and noticed this stream of water coming out of the side of +the Titanic just above the water-line: in fact so large was the volume +of water that as we ploughed along and met the waves coming towards +us, this stream would cause a splash that sent spray flying. We felt, +as well as we could in the crowd of people, on the floor, along the +sides, with no idea where the pin could be found,--and none of the +crew knew where it was, only of its existence somewhere,--but we never +found it. And all the time we got closer to the sea and the exhaust +roared nearer and nearer--until finally we floated with the ropes +still holding us from above, the exhaust washing us away and the force +of the tide driving us back against the side,--the latter not of much +account in influencing the direction, however. Thinking over what +followed, I imagine we must have touched the water with the condenser +stream at our bows, and not in the middle as I thought at one time: at +any rate, the resultant of these three forces was that we were carried +parallel to the ship, directly under the place where boat 15 would +drop from her davits into the sea. Looking up we saw her already +coming down rapidly from B deck: she must have filled almost +immediately after ours. We shouted up, "Stop lowering 14," [Footnote: +In an account which appeared in the newspapers of April 19 I have +described this boat as 14, not knowing they were numbered +alternately.] and the crew and passengers in the boat above, hearing +us shout and seeing our position immediately below them, shouted the +same to the sailors on the boat deck; but apparently they did not +hear, for she dropped down foot by foot,--twenty feet, fifteen, +ten,--and a stoker and I in the bows reached up and touched her bottom +swinging above our heads, trying to push away our boat from under her. +It seemed now as if nothing could prevent her dropping on us, but at +this moment another stoker sprang with his knife to the ropes that +still held us and I heard him shout, "One! Two!" as he cut them +through. The next moment we had swung away from underneath 15, and +were clear of her as she dropped into the water in the space we had +just before occupied. I do not know how the bow ropes were freed, but +imagine that they were cut in the same way, for we were washed clear +of the Titanic at once by the force of the stream and floated away as +the oars were got out. + +I think we all felt that that was quite the most exciting thing we had +yet been through, and a great sigh of relief and gratitude went up as +we swung away from the boat above our heads; but I heard no one cry +aloud during the experience--not a woman's voice was raised in fear or +hysteria. I think we all learnt many things that night about the bogey +called "fear," and how the facing of it is much less than the dread of +it. + +The crew was made up of cooks and stewards, mostly the former, I +think; their white jackets showing up in the darkness as they pulled +away, two to an oar: I do not think they can have had any practice in +rowing, for all night long their oars crossed and clashed; if our +safety had depended on speed or accuracy in keeping time it would have +gone hard with us. Shouting began from one end of the boat to the +other as to what we should do, where we should go, and no one seemed +to have any knowledge how to act. At last we asked, "Who is in charge +of this boat?" but there was no reply. We then agreed by general +consent that the stoker who stood in the stern with the tiller should +act as captain, and from that time he directed the course, shouting to +other boats and keeping in touch with them. Not that there was +anywhere to go or anything we could do. Our plan of action was simple: +to keep all the boats together as far as possible and wait until we +were picked up by other liners. The crew had apparently heard of the +wireless communications before they left the Titanic, but I never +heard them say that we were in touch with any boat but the Olympic: it +was always the Olympic that was coming to our rescue. They thought +they knew even her distance, and making a calculation, we came to the +conclusion that we ought to be picked up by her about two o'clock in +the afternoon. But this was not our only hope of rescue: we watched +all the time the darkness lasted for steamers' lights, thinking there +might be a chance of other steamers coming near enough to see the +lights which some of our boats carried. I am sure there was no feeling +in the minds of any one that we should not be picked up next day: we +knew that wireless messages would go out from ship to ship, and as one +of the stokers said: "The sea will be covered with ships to-morrow +afternoon: they will race up from all over the sea to find us." Some +even thought that fast torpedo boats might run up ahead of the +Olympic. And yet the Olympic was, after all, the farthest away of them +all; eight other ships lay within three hundred miles of us. + +How thankful we should have been to know how near help was, and how +many ships had heard our message and were rushing to the Titanic's +aid. I think nothing has surprised us more than to learn so many ships +were near enough to rescue us in a few hours. Almost immediately after +leaving the Titanic we saw what we all said was a ship's lights down +on the horizon on the Titanic's port side: two lights, one above the +other, and plainly not one of our boats; we even rowed in that +direction for some time, but the lights drew away and disappeared +below the horizon. + +But this is rather anticipating: we did none of these things first. We +had no eyes for anything but the ship we had just left. As the oarsmen +pulled slowly away we all turned and took a long look at the mighty +vessel towering high above our midget boat, and I know it must have +been the most extraordinary sight I shall ever be called upon to +witness; I realize now how totally inadequate language is to convey to +some other person who was not there any real impression of what we +saw. + +But the task must be attempted: the whole picture is so intensely +dramatic that, while it is not possible to place on paper for eyes to +see the actual likeness of the ship as she lay there, some sketch of +the scene will be possible. First of all, the climatic conditions were +extraordinary. The night was one of the most beautiful I have ever +seen: the sky without a single cloud to mar the perfect brilliance of +the stars, clustered so thickly together that in places there seemed +almost more dazzling points of light set in the black sky than +background of sky itself; and each star seemed, in the keen +atmosphere, free from any haze, to have increased its brilliance +tenfold and to twinkle and glitter with a staccato flash that made the +sky seem nothing but a setting made for them in which to display their +wonder. They seemed so near, and their light so much more intense than +ever before, that fancy suggested they saw this beautiful ship in dire +distress below and all their energies had awakened to flash messages +across the black dome of the sky to each other; telling and warning of +the calamity happening in the world beneath. Later, when the Titanic +had gone down and we lay still on the sea waiting for the day to dawn +or a ship to come, I remember looking up at the perfect sky and +realizing why Shakespeare wrote the beautiful words he puts in the +mouth of Lorenzo:-- + + + "Jessica, look how the floor of heaven + Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold. + There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st + But in his motion like an angel sings, + Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims; + Such harmony is in immortal souls; + But whilst this muddy vesture of decay + Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it." + + +But it seemed almost as if we could--that night: the stars seemed +really to be alive and to talk. The complete absence of haze produced +a phenomenon I had never seen before: where the sky met the sea the +line was as clear and definite as the edge of a knife, so that the +water and the air never merged gradually into each other and blended +to a softened rounded horizon, but each element was so exclusively +separate that where a star came low down in the sky near the clear-cut +edge of the waterline, it still lost none of its brilliance. As the +earth revolved and the water edge came up and covered partially the +star, as it were, it simply cut the star in two, the upper half +continuing to sparkle as long as it was not entirely hidden, and +throwing a long beam of light along the sea to us. + +In the evidence before the United States Senate Committee the captain +of one of the ships near us that night said the stars were so +extraordinarily bright near the horizon that he was deceived into +thinking that they were ships' lights: he did not remember seeing such +a night before. Those who were afloat will all agree with that +statement: _we_ were often deceived into thinking they were +lights of a ship. + +And next the cold air! Here again was something quite new to us: there +was not a breath of wind to blow keenly round us as we stood in the +boat, and because of its continued persistence to make us feel cold; +it was just a keen, bitter, icy, motionless cold that came from +nowhere and yet was there all the time; the stillness of it--if one +can imagine "cold" being motionless and still--was what seemed new and +strange. + +And these--the sky and the air--were overhead; and below was the sea. +Here again something uncommon: the surface was like a lake of oil, +heaving gently up and down with a quiet motion that rocked our boat +dreamily to and fro. We did not need to keep her head to the swell: +often I watched her lying broadside on to the tide, and with a boat +loaded as we were, this would have been impossible with anything like +a swell. The sea slipped away smoothly under the boat, and I think we +never heard it lapping on the sides, so oily in appearance was the +water. So when one of the stokers said he had been to sea for +twenty-six years and never yet seen such a calm night, we accepted it +as true without comment. Just as expressive was the remark of +another--"It reminds me of a bloomin' picnic!" It was quite true; it +did: a picnic on a lake, or a quiet inland river like the Cam, or a +backwater on the Thames. + +And so in these conditions of sky and air and sea, we gazed broadside +on the Titanic from a short distance. She was absolutely still--indeed +from the first it seemed as if the blow from the iceberg had taken all +the courage out of her and she had just come quietly to rest and was +settling down without an effort to save herself, without a murmur of +protest against such a foul blow. For the sea could not rock her: the +wind was not there to howl noisily round the decks, and make the ropes +hum; from the first what must have impressed all as they watched was +the sense of stillness about her and the slow, insensible way she sank +lower and lower in the sea, like a stricken animal. + +The mere bulk alone of the ship viewed from the sea below was an +awe-inspiring sight. Imagine a ship nearly a sixth of a mile long, 75 +feet high to the top decks, with four enormous funnels above the +decks, and masts again high above the funnels; with her hundreds of +portholes, all her saloons and other rooms brilliant with light, and +all round her, little boats filled with those who until a few hours +before had trod her decks and read in her libraries and listened to +the music of her band in happy content; and who were now looking up in +amazement at the enormous mass above them and rowing away from her +because she was sinking. + +I had often wanted to see her from some distance away, and only a few +hours before, in conversation at lunch with a fellow-passenger, had +registered a vow to get a proper view of her lines and dimensions when +we landed at New York: to stand some distance away to take in a full +view of her beautiful proportions, which the narrow approach to the +dock at Southampton made impossible. Little did I think that the +opportunity was to be found so quickly and so dramatically. The +background, too, was a different one from what I had planned for her: +the black outline of her profile against the sky was bordered all +round by stars studded in the sky, and all her funnels and masts were +picked out in the same way: her bulk was seen where the stars were +blotted out. And one other thing was different from expectation: the +thing that ripped away from us instantly, as we saw it, all sense of +the beauty of the night, the beauty of the ship's lines, and the +beauty of her lights,--and all these taken in themselves were +intensely beautiful,--that thing was the awful angle made by the level +of the sea with the rows of porthole lights along her side in dotted +lines, row above row. The sea level and the rows of lights should have +been parallel--should never have met--and now they met at an angle +inside the black hull of the ship. There was nothing else to indicate +she was injured; nothing but this apparent violation of a simple +geometrical law--that parallel lines should "never meet even if +produced ever so far both ways"; but it meant the Titanic had sunk by +the head until the lowest portholes in the bows were under the sea, +and the portholes in the stern were lifted above the normal height. We +rowed away from her in the quietness of the night, hoping and praying +with all our hearts that she would sink no more and the day would find +her still in the same position as she was then. The crew, however, did +not think so. It has been said frequently that the officers and crew +felt assured that she would remain afloat even after they knew the +extent of the damage. Some of them may have done so--and perhaps, from +their scientific knowledge of her construction, with more reason at +the time than those who said she would sink--but at any rate the +stokers in our boat had no such illusion. One of them--I think he was +the same man that cut us free from the pulley ropes--told us how he +was at work in the stoke-hole, and in anticipation of going off duty +in quarter of an hour,--thus confirming the time of the collision as +11.45,--had near him a pan of soup keeping hot on some part of the +machinery; suddenly the whole side of the compartment came in, and the +water rushed him off his feet. Picking himself up, he sprang for the +compartment doorway and was just through the aperture when the +watertight door came down behind him, "like a knife," as he said; +"they work them from the bridge." He had gone up on deck but was +ordered down again at once and with others was told to draw the fires +from under the boiler, which they did, and were then at liberty to +come on deck again. It seems that this particular knot of stokers must +have known almost as soon as any one of the extent of injury. He added +mournfully, "I could do with that hot soup now"--and indeed he could: +he was clad at the time of the collision, he said, in trousers and +singlet, both very thin on account of the intense heat in the +stoke-hole; and although he had added a short jacket later, his teeth +were chattering with the cold. He found a place to lie down underneath +the tiller on the little platform where our captain stood, and there +he lay all night with a coat belonging to another stoker thrown over +him and I think he must have been almost unconscious. A lady next to +him, who was warmly clad with several coats, tried to insist on his +having one of hers--a fur-lined one--thrown over him, but he +absolutely refused while some of the women were insufficiently clad; +and so the coat was given to an Irish girl with pretty auburn hair +standing near, leaning against the gunwale--with an "outside berth" +and so more exposed to the cold air. This same lady was able to +distribute more of her wraps to the passengers, a rug to one, a fur +boa to another; and she has related with amusement that at the moment +of climbing up the Carpathia's side, those to whom these articles had +been lent offered them all back to her; but as, like the rest of us, +she was encumbered with a lifebelt, she had to say she would receive +them back at the end of the climb, I had not seen my dressing-gown +since I dropped into the boat, but some time in the night a steerage +passenger found it on the floor and put it on. + +It is not easy at this time to call to mind who were in the boat, +because in the night it was not possible to see more than a few feet +away, and when dawn came we had eyes only for the rescue ship and the +icebergs; but so far as my memory serves the list was as follows: no +first-class passengers; three women, one baby, two men from the second +cabin; and the other passengers steerage--mostly women; a total of +about 35 passengers. The rest, about 25 (and possibly more), were crew +and stokers. Near to me all night was a group of three Swedish girls, +warmly clad, standing close together to keep warm, and very silent; +indeed there was very little talking at any time. + +One conversation took place that is, I think, worth repeating: one +more proof that the world after all is a small place. The ten months' +old baby which was handed down at the last moment was received by a +lady next to me--the same who shared her wraps and coats. The mother +had found a place in the middle and was too tightly packed to come +through to the child, and so it slept contentedly for about an hour in +a stranger's arms; it then began to cry and the temporary nurse said: +"Will you feel down and see if the baby's feet are out of the blanket! +I don't know much about babies but I think their feet must be kept +warm." Wriggling down as well as I could, I found its toes exposed to +the air and wrapped them well up, when it ceased crying at once: it +was evidently a successful diagnosis! Having recognized the lady by +her voice,--it was much too dark to see faces,--as one of my vis-à-vis +at the purser's table, I said,--"Surely you are Miss------?" "Yes," +she replied, "and you must be Mr. Beesley; how curious we should find +ourselves in the same boat!" Remembering that she had joined the boat +at Queenstown, I said, "Do you know Clonmel? a letter from a great +friend of mine who is staying there at------ [giving the address] came +aboard at Queenstown." "Yes, it is my home: and I was dining +at------just before I came away." It seemed that she knew my friend, +too; and we agreed that of all places in the world to recognize mutual +friends, a crowded lifeboat afloat in mid-ocean at 2 A.M. twelve +hundred miles from our destination was one of the most unexpected. + +And all the time, as we watched, the Titanic sank lower and lower by +the head and the angle became wider and wider as the stern porthole +lights lifted and the bow lights sank, and it was evident she was not +to stay afloat much longer. The captain-stoker now told the oarsmen to +row away as hard as they could. Two reasons seemed to make this a wise +decision: one that as she sank she would create such a wave of suction +that boats, if not sucked under by being too near, would be in danger +of being swamped by the wave her sinking would create--and we all knew +our boat was in no condition to ride big waves, crowded as it was and +manned with untrained oarsmen. The second was that an explosion might +result from the water getting to the boilers, and dèbris might fall +within a wide radius. And yet, as it turned out, neither of these +things happened. + +At about 2.15 A.M. I think we were any distance from a mile to two +miles away. It is difficult for a landsman to calculate distance at +sea but we had been afloat an hour and a half, the boat was heavily +loaded, the oarsmen unskilled, and our course erratic: following now +one light and now another, sometimes a star and sometimes a light from +a port lifeboat which had turned away from the Titanic in the opposite +direction and lay almost on our horizon; and so we could not have gone +very far away. + +About this time, the water had crept up almost to her sidelight and +the captain's bridge, and it seemed a question only of minutes before +she sank. The oarsmen lay on their oars, and all in the lifeboat were +motionless as we watched her in absolute silence--save some who would +not look and buried their heads on each others' shoulders. The lights +still shone with the same brilliance, but not so many of them: many +were now below the surface. I have often wondered since whether they +continued to light up the cabins when the portholes were under water; +they may have done so. + +And then, as we gazed awe-struck, she tilted slowly up, revolving +apparently about a centre of gravity just astern of amidships, until +she attained a vertically upright position; and there she +remained--motionless! As she swung up, her lights, which had shone +without a flicker all night, went out suddenly, came on again for a +single flash, then went out altogether. And as they did so, there came +a noise which many people, wrongly I think, have described as an +explosion; it has always seemed to me that it was nothing but the +engines and machinery coming loose from their bolts and bearings, and +falling through the compartments, smashing everything in their way. It +was partly a roar, partly a groan, partly a rattle, and partly a +smash, and it was not a sudden roar as an explosion would be: it went +on successively for some seconds, possibly fifteen to twenty, as the +heavy machinery dropped down to the bottom (now the bows) of the ship: +I suppose it fell through the end and sank first, before the ship. But +it was a noise no one had heard before, and no one wishes to hear +again: it was stupefying, stupendous, as it came to us along the +water. It was as if all the heavy things one could think of had been +thrown downstairs from the top of a house, smashing each other and the +stairs and everything in the way. Several apparently authentic +accounts have been given, in which definite stories of explosions have +been related--in some cases even with wreckage blown up and the ship +broken in two; but I think such accounts will not stand close +analysis. In the first place the fires had been withdrawn and the +steam allowed to escape some time before she sank, and the possibility +of explosion from this cause seems very remote. Then, as just related, +the noise was not sudden and definite, but prolonged--more like the +roll and crash of thunder. The probability of the noise being caused +by engines falling down will be seen by referring to Figure 2, page +116, where the engines are placed in compartments 3, 4, and 5. As the +Titanic tilted up they would almost certainly fall loose from their +bed and plunge down through the other compartments. + +No phenomenon like that pictured in some American and English papers +occurred--that of the ship breaking in two, and the two ends being +raised above the surface. I saw these drawings in preparation on board +the Carpathia, and said at the time that they bore no resemblance to +what actually happened. + +When the noise was over the Titanic was still upright like a column: +we could see her now only as the stern and some 150 feet of her stood +outlined against the star-specked sky, looming black in the darkness, +and in this position she continued for some minutes--I think as much +as five minutes, but it may have been less. Then, first sinking back a +little at the stern, I thought, she slid slowly forwards through the +water and dived slantingly down; the sea closed over her and we had +seen the last of the beautiful ship on which we had embarked four days +before at Southampton. + +And in place of the ship on which all our interest had been +concentrated for so long and towards which we looked most of the time +because it was still the only object on the sea which was a fixed +point to us--in place of the Titanic, we had the level sea now +stretching in an unbroken expanse to the horizon: heaving gently just +as before, with no indication on the surface that the waves had just +closed over the most wonderful vessel ever built by man's hand; the +stars looked down just the same and the air was just as bitterly cold. + +There seemed a great sense of loneliness when we were left on the sea +in a small boat without the Titanic: not that we were uncomfortable +(except for the cold) nor in danger: we did not think we were either, +but the Titanic was no longer there. + +We waited head on for the wave which we thought might come--the wave +we had heard so much of from the crew and which they said had been +known to travel for miles--and it never came. But although the Titanic +left us no such legacy of a wave as she went to the bottom, she left +us something we would willingly forget forever, something which it is +well not to let the imagination dwell on--the cries of many hundreds +of our fellow-passengers struggling in the ice-cold water. + +I would willingly omit any further mention of this part of the +disaster from this book, but for two reasons it is not possible-- +first, that as a matter of history it should be put on record; +and secondly, that these cries were not only an appeal for +help in the awful conditions of danger in which the drowning +found themselves,--an appeal that could never be answered, +--but an appeal to the whole world to make such conditions of +danger and hopelessness impossible ever again; a cry that called +to the heavens for the very injustice of its own existence; a cry +that clamoured for its own destruction. + +We were utterly surprised to hear this cry go up as the waves closed +over the Titanic: we had heard no sound of any kind from her since we +left her side; and, as mentioned before, we did not know how many +boats she had or how many rafts. The crew may have known, but they +probably did not, and if they did, they never told the passengers; we +should not have been surprised to know all were safe on some +life-saving device. + +So that unprepared as we were for such a thing, the cries of the +drowning floating across the quiet sea filled us with stupefaction: we +longed to return and rescue at least some of the drowning, but we knew +it was impossible. The boat was filled to standing-room, and to return +would mean the swamping of us all, and so the captain-stoker told his +crew to row away from the cries. We tried to sing to keep all from +thinking of them; but there was no heart for singing in the boat at +that time. + +The cries, which were loud and numerous at first, died away gradually +one by one, but the night was clear, frosty and still, the water +smooth, and the sounds must have carried on its level surface free +from any obstruction for miles, certainly much farther from the ship +than we were situated. I think the last of them must have been heard +nearly forty minutes after the Titanic sank. Lifebelts would keep the +survivors afloat for hours; but the cold water was what stopped the +cries. + +There must have come to all those safe in the lifeboats, scattered +round the drowning at various distances, a deep resolve that, if +anything could be done by them in the future to prevent the repetition +of such sounds, they would do it--at whatever cost of time or other +things. And not only to them are those cries an imperative call, but +to every man and woman who has known of them. It is not possible that +ever again can such conditions exist; but it is a duty imperative on +one and all to see that they do not. Think of it! a few more boats, a +few more planks of wood nailed together in a particular way at a +trifling cost, and all those men and women whom the world can so ill +afford to lose would be with us to-day, there would be no mourning in +thousands of homes which now are desolate, and these words need not +have been written. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE RESCUE + + +All accounts agree that the Titanic sunk about 2:20 A.M.: a watch in +our boat gave the time as 2:30 A.M. shortly afterwards. We were then +in touch with three other boats: one was 15, on our starboard quarter, +and the others I have always supposed were 9 and 11, but I do not know +definitely. We never got into close touch with each other, but called +occasionally across the darkness and saw them looming near and then +drawing away again; we called to ask if any officer were aboard the +other three, but did not find one. So in the absence of any plan of +action, we rowed slowly forward--or what we thought was forward, for +it was in the direction the Titanic's bows were pointing before she +sank. I see now that we must have been pointing northwest, for we +presently saw the Northern Lights on the starboard, and again, when +the Carpathia came up from the south, we saw her from behind us on the +southeast, and turned our boat around to get to her. I imagine the +boats must have spread themselves over the ocean fanwise as they +escaped from the Titanic: those on the starboard and port sides +forward being almost dead ahead of her and the stern boats being +broadside from her; this explains why the port boats were so much +longer in reaching the Carpathia--as late as 8.30 A.M.--while some of +the starboard boats came up as early as 4.10 A.M. Some of the port +boats had to row across the place where the Titanic sank to get to the +Carpathia, through the debris of chairs and wreckage of all kinds. + +None of the other three boats near us had a light--and we missed +lights badly: we could not see each other in the darkness; we could +not signal to ships which might be rushing up full speed from any +quarter to the Titanic's rescue; and now we had been through so much +it would seem hard to have to encounter the additional danger of being +in the line of a rescuing ship. We felt again for the lantern beneath +our feet, along the sides, and I managed this time to get down to the +locker below the tiller platform and open it in front by removing a +board, to find nothing but the zinc airtank which renders the boat +unsinkable when upset. I do not think there was a light in the boat. +We felt also for food and water, and found none, and came to the +conclusion that none had been put in; but here we were mistaken. I +have a letter from Second Officer Lightoller in which he assures me +that he and Fourth Officer Pitman examined every lifeboat from the +Titanic as they lay on the Carpathia's deck afterwards and found +biscuits and water in each. Not that we wanted any food or water then: +we thought of the time that might elapse before the Olympic picked us +up in the afternoon. + +Towards 3 A.M. we saw a faint glow in the sky ahead on the starboard +quarter, the first gleams, we thought, of the coming dawn. We were not +certain of the time and were eager perhaps to accept too readily any +relief from darkness--only too glad to be able to look each other in +the face and see who were our companions in good fortune; to be free +from the hazard of lying in a steamer's track, invisible in the +darkness. But we were doomed to disappointment: the soft light +increased for a time, and died away a little; glowed again, and then +remained stationary for some minutes! "The Northern Lights"! It +suddenly came to me, and so it was: presently the light arched fanwise +across the northern sky, with faint streamers reaching towards the +Pole-star. I had seen them of about the same intensity in England some +years ago and knew them again. A sigh of disappointment went through +the boat as we realized that the day was not yet; but had we known it, +something more comforting even than the day was in store for us. All +night long we had watched the horizon with eager eyes for signs of a +steamer's lights; we heard from the captain-stoker that the first +appearance would be a single light on the horizon, the masthead light, +followed shortly by a second one, lower down, on the deck; if these +two remained in vertical alignment and the distance between them +increased as the lights drew nearer, we might be certain it was a +steamer. But what a night to see that first light on the horizon! We +saw it many times as the earth revolved, and some stars rose on the +clear horizon and others sank down to it: there were "lights" on every +quarter. Some we watched and followed until we saw the deception and +grew wiser; some were lights from those of our boats that were +fortunate enough to have lanterns, but these were generally easily +detected, as they rose and fell in the near distance. Once they raised +our hopes, only to sink them to zero again. Near what seemed to be the +horizon on the port quarter we saw two lights close together, and +thought this must be our double light; but as we gazed across the +miles that separated us, the lights slowly drew apart and we realized +that they were two boats' lanterns at different distances from us, in +line, one behind the other. They were probably the forward port boats +that had to return so many miles next morning across the Titanic's +graveyard. + +But notwithstanding these hopes and disappointments, the absence of +lights, food and water (as we thought), and the bitter cold, it would +not be correct to say we were unhappy in those early morning hours: +the cold that settled down on us like a garment that wraps close +around was the only real discomfort, and that we could keep at bay by +not thinking too much about it as well as by vigorous friction and +gentle stamping on the floor (it made too much noise to stamp hard!). +I never heard that any one in boat B had any after effects from the +cold--even the stoker who was so thinly clad came through without +harm. After all, there were many things to be thankful for: so many +that they made insignificant the temporary inconvenience of the cold, +the crowded boat, the darkness and the hundred and one things that in +the ordinary way we might regard as unpleasant. The quiet sea, the +beautiful night (how different from two nights later when flashes of +lightning and peals of thunder broke the sleep of many on board the +Carpathia!), and above all the fact of being in a boat at all when so +many of our fellow-passengers and crew--whose cries no longer moaned +across the water to us--were silent in the water. Gratitude was the +dominant note in our feelings then. But grateful as we were, our +gratitude was soon to be increased a hundred fold. About 3:30 A.M., as +nearly as I can judge, some one in the bow called our attention to a +faint far-away gleam in the southeast. We all turned quickly to look +and there it was certainly: streaming up from behind the horizon like +a distant flash of a warship's searchlight; then a faint boom like +guns afar off, and the light died away again. The stoker who had lain +all night under the tiller sat up suddenly as if from a dream, the +overcoat hanging from his shoulders. I can see him now, staring out +across the sea, to where the sound had come from, and hear him shout, +"That was a cannon!" But it was not: it was the Carpathia's rocket, +though we did not know it until later. But we did know now that +something was not far away, racing up to our help and signalling to us +a preliminary message to cheer our hearts until she arrived. + +With every sense alert, eyes gazing intently at the horizon and ears +open for the least sound, we waited in absolute silence in the quiet +night. And then, creeping over the edge of the sea where the flash had +been, we saw a single light, and presently a second below it, and in a +few minutes they were well above the horizon and they remained in +line! But we had been deceived before, and we waited a little longer +before we allowed ourselves to say we were safe. The lights came up +rapidly: so rapidly it seemed only a few minutes (though it must have +been longer) between first seeing them and finding them well above the +horizon and bearing down rapidly on us. We did not know what sort of a +vessel was coming, but we knew she was coming quickly, and we searched +for paper, rags,--anything that would burn (we were quite prepared to +burn our coats if necessary). A hasty paper torch was twisted out of +letters found in some one's pocket, lighted, and held aloft by the +stoker standing on the tiller platform. The little light shone in +flickers on the faces of the occupants of the boat, ran in broken +lines for a few yards along the black oily sea (where for the first +time I saw the presence of that awful thing which had caused the whole +terrible disaster--ice--in little chunks the size of one's fist, +bobbing harmlessly up and down), and spluttered away to blackness +again as the stoker threw the burning remnants of paper overboard. But +had we known it, the danger of being run down was already over, one +reason being that the Carpathia had already seen the lifeboat which +all night long had shown a green light, the first indication the +Carpathia had of our position. But the real reason is to be found in +the Carpathia's log:--"Went full speed ahead during the night; stopped +at 4 A.M. with an iceberg dead ahead." It was a good reason. + +With our torch burnt and in darkness again we saw the headlights stop, +and realized that the rescuer had hove to. A sigh of relief went up +when we thought no hurried scramble had to be made to get out of her +way, with a chance of just being missed by her, and having to meet the +wash of her screws as she tore by us. We waited and she slowly swung +round and revealed herself to us as a large steamer with all her +portholes alight. I think the way those lights came slowly into view +was one of the most wonderful things we shall ever see. It meant +deliverance at once: that was the amazing thing to us all. We had +thought of the afternoon as our time of rescue, and here only a few +hours after the Titanic sank, before it was yet light, we were to be +taken aboard. It seemed almost too good to be true, and I think +everyone's eyes filled with tears, men's as well as women's, as they +saw again the rows of lights one above the other shining kindly to +them across the water, and "Thank God!" was murmured in heartfelt +tones round the boat. The boat swung round and the crew began their +long row to the steamer; the captain called for a song and led off +with "Pull for the shore, boys." The crew took it up quaveringly and +the passengers joined in, but I think one verse was all they sang. It +was too early yet, gratitude was too deep and sudden in its +overwhelming intensity, for us to sing very steadily. Presently, +finding the song had not gone very well, we tried a cheer, and that +went better. It was more easy to relieve our feelings with a noise, +and time and tune were not necessary ingredients in a cheer. + +In the midst of our thankfulness for deliverance, one name was +mentioned with the deepest feeling of gratitude: that of Marconi. I +wish that he had been there to hear the chorus of gratitude that went +out to him for the wonderful invention that spared us many hours, and +perhaps many days, of wandering about the sea in hunger and storm and +cold. Perhaps our gratitude was sufficiently intense and vivid to +"Marconi" some of it to him that night. + +All around we saw boats making for the Carpathia and heard their +shouts and cheers. Our crew rowed hard in friendly rivalry with other +boats to be among the first home, but we must have been eighth or +ninth at the side. We had a heavy load aboard, and had to row round a +huge iceberg on the way. + +And then, as if to make everything complete for our happiness, came +the dawn. First a beautiful, quiet shimmer away in the east, then a +soft golden glow that crept up stealthily from behind the sky-line as +if it were trying not to be noticed as it stole over the sea and +spread itself quietly in every direction--so quietly, as if to make us +believe it had been there all the time and we had not observed it. +Then the sky turned faintly pink and in the distance the thinnest, +fleeciest clouds stretched in thin bands across the horizon and close +down to it, becoming every moment more and more pink. And next the +stars died, slowly,--save one which remained long after the others +just above the horizon; and near by, with the crescent turned to the +north, and the lower horn just touching the horizon, the thinnest, +palest of moons. + +And with the dawn came a faint breeze from the west, the first breath +of wind we had felt since the Titanic stopped her engines. +Anticipating a few hours,--as the day drew on to 8 A.M., the time the +last boats came up,--this breeze increased to a fresh wind which +whipped up the sea, so that the last boat laden with people had an +anxious time in the choppy waves before they reached the Carpathia. An +officer remarked that one of the boats could not have stayed afloat +another hour: the wind had held off just long enough. + +The captain shouted along our boat to the crew, as they strained at +the oars,--two pulling and an extra one facing them and pushing to try +to keep pace with the other boats,--"A new moon! Turn your money over, +boys! That is, if you have any!" We laughed at him for the quaint +superstition at such a time, and it was good to laugh again, but he +showed his disbelief in another superstition when he added, "Well, I +shall never say again that 13 is an unlucky number. Boat 13 is the +best friend we ever had." + +If there had been among us--and it is almost certain that there were, +so fast does superstition cling--those who feared events connected +with the number thirteen, I am certain they agreed with him, and never +again will they attach any importance to such a foolish belief. +Perhaps the belief itself will receive a shock when it is remembered +that boat 13 of the Titanic brought away a full load from the sinking +vessel, carried them in such comfort all night that they had not even +a drop of water on them, and landed them safely at the Carpathia's +side, where they climbed aboard without a single mishap. It almost +tempts one to be the thirteenth at table, or to choose a house +numbered 13 fearless of any croaking about flying in the face of what +is humorously called "Providence." + +Looking towards the Carpathia in the faint light, we saw what seemed +to be two large fully rigged sailing ships near the horizon, with all +sails set, standing up near her, and we decided that they must be +fishing vessels off the Banks of Newfoundland which had seen the +Carpathia stop and were waiting to see if she wanted help of any kind. +But in a few minutes more the light shone on them and they stood +revealed as huge icebergs, peaked in a way that readily suggested a +ship. When the sun rose higher, it turned them pink, and sinister as +they looked towering like rugged white peaks of rock out of the sea, +and terrible as was the disaster one of them had caused, there was an +awful beauty about them which could not be overlooked. Later, when the +sun came above the horizon, they sparkled and glittered in its rays; +deadly white, like frozen snow rather than translucent ice. + +As the dawn crept towards us there lay another almost directly in the +line between our boat and the Carpathia, and a few minutes later, +another on her port quarter, and more again on the southern and +western horizons, as far as the eye could reach: all differing in +shape and size and tones of colour according as the sun shone through +them or was reflected directly or obliquely from them. + +[Illustration: THE CARPATHIA] + +We drew near our rescuer and presently could discern the bands on her +funnel, by which the crew could tell she was a Cunarder; and already +some boats were at her side and passengers climbing up her ladders. We +had to give the iceberg a wide berth and make a détour to the south: +we knew it was sunk a long way below the surface with such things as +projecting ledges--not that it was very likely there was one so near +the surface as to endanger our small boat, but we were not inclined to +take any risks for the sake of a few more minutes when safety lay so +near. + +Once clear of the berg, we could read the Cunarder's name--C A R P A T +H I A--a name we are not likely ever to forget. We shall see her +sometimes, perhaps, in the shipping lists,--as I have done already +once when she left Genoa on her return voyage,--and the way her lights +climbed up over the horizon in the darkness, the way she swung and +showed her lighted portholes, and the moment when we read her name on +her side will all come back in a flash; we shall live again the scene +of rescue, and feel the same thrill of gratitude for all she brought +us that night. + +We rowed up to her about 4.30, and sheltering on the port side from +the swell, held on by two ropes at the stern and bow. Women went up +the side first, climbing rope ladders with a noose round their +shoulders to help their ascent; men passengers scrambled next, and the +crew last of all. The baby went up in a bag with the opening tied up: +it had been quite well all the time, and never suffered any ill +effects from its cold journey in the night. We set foot on deck with +very thankful hearts, grateful beyond the possibility of adequate +expression to feel a solid ship beneath us once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC SEEN FROM HER DECK + + +The two preceding chapters have been to a large extent the narrative +of a single eyewitness and an account of the escape of one boat only +from the Titanic's side. It will be well now to return to the Titanic +and reconstruct a more general and complete account from the +experiences of many people in different parts of the ship. A +considerable part of these experiences was related to the writer first +hand by survivors, both on board the Carpathia and at other times, but +some are derived from other sources which are probably as accurate as +first-hand information. Other reports, which seemed at first sight to +have been founded on the testimony of eyewitnesses, have been found on +examination to have passed through several hands, and have therefore +been rejected. The testimony even of eye-witnesses has in some cases +been excluded when it seemed not to agree with direct evidence of a +number of other witnesses or with what reasoned judgment considered +probable in the circumstances. In this category are the reports of +explosions before the Titanic sank, the breaking of the ship in two +parts, the suicide of officers. It would be well to notice here that +the Titanic was in her correct course, the southerly one, and in the +position which prudence dictates as a safe one under the ordinary +conditions at that time of the year: to be strictly accurate she was +sixteen miles south of the regular summer route which all companies +follow from January to August. + +Perhaps the real history of the disaster should commence with the +afternoon of Sunday, when Marconigrams were received by the Titanic +from the ships ahead of her, warning her of the existence of icebergs. +In connection with this must be taken the marked fall of temperature +observed by everyone in the afternoon and evening of this day as well +as the very low temperature of the water. These have generally been +taken to indicate that without any possibility of doubt we were near +an iceberg region, and the severest condemnation has been poured on +the heads of the officers and captain for not having regard to these +climatic conditions; but here caution is necessary. There can be +little doubt now that the low temperature observed can be traced to +the icebergs and ice-field subsequently encountered, but experienced +sailors are aware that it might have been observed without any +icebergs being near. The cold Labrador current sweeps down by +Newfoundland across the track of Atlantic liners, but does not +necessarily carry icebergs with it; cold winds blow from Greenland and +Labrador and not always from icebergs and ice-fields. So that falls in +temperature of sea and air are not prima facie evidence of the close +proximity of icebergs. On the other hand, a single iceberg separated +by many miles from its fellows might sink a ship, but certainly would +not cause a drop in temperature either of the air or water. Then, as +the Labrador current meets the warm Gulf Stream flowing from the Gulf +of Mexico across to Europe, they do not necessarily intermingle, nor +do they always run side by side or one on top of the other, but often +interlaced, like the fingers of two hands. As a ship sails across this +region the thermometer will record within a few miles temperatures of +34°, 58°, 35°, 59°, and so on. + +It is little wonder then that sailors become accustomed to place +little reliance on temperature conditions as a means of estimating the +probabilities of encountering ice in their track. An experienced +sailor has told me that nothing is more difficult to diagnose than the +presence of icebergs, and a strong confirmation of this is found in +the official sailing directions issued by the Hydrographic Department +of the British Admiralty. "No reliance can be placed on any warning +being conveyed to the mariner, by a fall in temperature, either of sea +or air, of approaching ice. Some decrease in temperature has +occasionally been recorded, but more often none has been observed." + +But notification by Marconigram of the exact location of icebergs is a +vastly different matter. I remember with deep feeling the effect this +information had on us when it first became generally known on board +the Carpathia. Rumours of it went round on Wednesday morning, grew to +definite statements in the afternoon, and were confirmed when one of +the Titanic officers admitted the truth of it in reply to a direct +question. I shall never forget the overwhelming sense of hopelessness +that came over some of us as we obtained definite knowledge of the +warning messages. It was not then the unavoidable accident we had +hitherto supposed: the sudden plunging into a region crowded with +icebergs which no seaman, however skilled a navigator he might be, +could have avoided! The beautiful Titanic wounded too deeply to +recover, the cries of the drowning still ringing in our ears and the +thousands of homes that mourned all these calamities--none of all +these things need ever have been! + +It is no exaggeration to say that men who went through all the +experiences of the collision and the rescue and the subsequent scenes +on the quay at New York with hardly a tremor, were quite overcome by +this knowledge and turned away, unable to speak; I for one, did so, +and I know others who told me they were similarly affected. + +I think we all came to modify our opinions on this matter, however, +when we learnt more of the general conditions attending trans-Atlantic +steamship services. The discussion as to who was responsible for these +warnings being disregarded had perhaps better be postponed to a later +chapter. One of these warnings was handed to Mr. Ismay by Captain +Smith at 5 P.M. and returned at the latter's request at 7 P.M., that +it might be posted for the information of officers; as a result of the +messages they were instructed to keep a special lookout for ice. This, +Second Officer Lightoller did until he was relieved at 10 P.M. by +First Officer Murdock, to whom he handed on the instructions. During +Mr. Lightoller's watch, about 9 P.M., the captain had joined him on +the bridge and discussed "the time we should be getting up towards the +vicinity of the ice, and how we should recognize it if we should see +it, and refreshing our minds on the indications that ice gives when it +is in the vicinity." Apparently, too, the officers had discussed among +themselves the proximity of ice and Mr. Lightoller had remarked that +they would be approaching the position where ice had been reported +during his watch. The lookouts were cautioned similarly, but no ice +was sighted until a few minutes before the collision, when the lookout +man saw the iceberg and rang the bell three times, the usual signal +from the crow's nest when anything is seen dead-ahead. + +By telephone he reported to the bridge the presence of an iceberg, but +Mr. Murdock had already ordered Quartermaster Hichens at the wheel to +starboard the helm, and the vessel began to swing away from the berg. +But it was far too late at the speed she was going to hope to steer +the huge Titanic, over a sixth of a mile long, out of reach of danger. +Even if the iceberg had been visible half a mile away it is doubtful +whether some portion of her tremendous length would not have been +touched, and it is in the highest degree unlikely that the lookout +could have seen the berg half a mile away in the conditions that +existed that night, even with glasses. The very smoothness of the +water made the presence of ice a more difficult matter to detect. In +ordinary conditions the dash of the waves against the foot of an +iceberg surrounds it with a circle of white foam visible for some +distance, long before the iceberg itself; but here was an oily sea +sweeping smoothly round the deadly monster and causing no indication +of its presence. + +There is little doubt, moreover, that the crow's nest is not a good +place from which to detect icebergs. It is proverbial that they adopt +to a large extent the colour of their surroundings; and seen from +above at a high angle, with the black, foam-free sea behind, the +iceberg must have been almost invisible until the Titanic was close +upon it. I was much struck by a remark of Sir Ernest Shackleton on his +method of detecting icebergs--to place a lookout man as low down near +the water-line as he could get him. Remembering how we had watched the +Titanic with all her lights out, standing upright like "an enormous +black finger," as one observer stated, and had only seen her thus +because she loomed black against the sky behind her, I saw at once how +much better the sky was than the black sea to show up an iceberg's +bulk. And so in a few moments the Titanic had run obliquely on the +berg, and with a shock that was astonishingly slight--so slight that +many passengers never noticed it--the submerged portion of the berg +had cut her open on the starboard side in the most vulnerable portion +of her anatomy--the bilge. [Footnote: See Figure 4, page 50.] The most +authentic accounts say that the wound began at about the location of +the foremast and extended far back to the stern, the brunt of the blow +being taken by the forward plates, which were either punctured through +both bottoms directly by the blow, or through one skin only, and as +this was torn away it ripped out some of the inner plates. The fact +that she went down by the head shows that probably only the forward +plates were doubly punctured, the stern ones being cut open through +the outer skin only. After the collision, Murdock had at once reversed +the engines and brought the ship to a standstill, but the iceberg had +floated away astern. The shock, though little felt by the enormous +mass of the ship, was sufficient to dislodge a large quantity of ice +from the berg: the forecastle deck was found to be covered with pieces +of ice. + +Feeling the shock, Captain Smith rushed out of his cabin to the +bridge, and in reply to his anxious enquiry was told by Murdock that +ice had been struck and the emergency doors instantly closed. The +officers roused by the collision went on deck: some to the bridge; +others, while hearing nothing of the extent of the damage, saw no +necessity for doing so. Captain Smith at once sent the carpenter below +to sound the ship, and Fourth Officer Boxhall to the steerage to +report damage. The latter found there a very dangerous condition of +things and reported to Captain Smith, who then sent him to the +mail-room; and here again, it was easy to see, matters looked very +serious. Mail-bags were floating about and the water rising rapidly. +All this was reported to the captain, who ordered the lifeboats to be +got ready at once. Mr. Boxhall went to the chartroom to work out the +ship's position, which he then handed to the Marconi operators for +transmission to any ship near enough to help in the work of rescue. + +Reports of the damage done were by this time coming to the captain +from many quarters, from the chief engineer, from the designer,--Mr. +Andrews,--and in a dramatic way from the sudden appearance on deck of +a swarm of stokers who had rushed up from below as the water poured +into the boiler-rooms and coal-bunkers: they were immediately ordered +down below to duty again. Realizing the urgent heed of help, he went +personally to the Marconi room and gave orders to the operators to get +into touch with all the ships they could and to tell them to come +quickly. The assistant operator Bride had been asleep, and knew of the +damage only when Phillips, in charge of the Marconi room, told him ice +had been encountered. They started to send out the well-known "C.Q.D." +message,--which interpreted means: C.Q. "all stations attend," and D, +"distress," the position of the vessel in latitude and longitude +following. Later, they sent out "S.O.S.," an arbitrary message agreed +upon as an international code-signal. + +Soon after the vessel struck, Mr. Ismay had learnt of the nature of +the accident from the captain and chief engineer, and after dressing +and going on deck had spoken to some of the officers not yet +thoroughly acquainted with the grave injury done to the vessel. By +this time all those in any way connected with the management and +navigation must have known the importance of making use of all the +ways of safety known to them--and that without any delay. That they +thought at first that the Titanic would sink as soon as she did is +doubtful; but probably as the reports came in they knew that her +ultimate loss in a few hours was a likely contingency. On the other +hand, there is evidence that some of the officers in charge of boats +quite expected the embarkation was a precautionary measure and they +would all return after daylight. Certainly the first information that +ice had been struck conveyed to those in charge no sense of the +gravity of the circumstances: one officer even retired to his cabin +and another advised a steward to go back to his berth as there was no +danger. + +And so the order was sent round, "All passengers on deck with +lifebelts on"; and in obedience to this a crowd of hastily dressed or +partially dressed people began to assemble on the decks belonging to +their respective classes (except the steerage passengers who were +allowed access to other decks), tying on lifebelts over their +clothing. In some parts of the ship women were separated from the men +and assembled together near the boats, in others men and women mingled +freely together, husbands helping their own wives and families and +then other women and children into the boats. The officers spread +themselves about the decks, superintending the work of lowering and +loading the boats, and in three cases were ordered by their superior +officers to take charge of them. At this stage great difficulty was +experienced in getting women to leave the ship, especially where the +order was so rigorously enforced, "Women and children only." Women in +many cases refused to leave their husbands, and were actually forcibly +lifted up and dropped in the boats. They argued with the officers, +demanding reasons, and in some cases even when induced to get in were +disposed to think the whole thing a joke, or a precaution which it +seemed to them rather foolish to take. In this they were encouraged by +the men left behind, who, in the same condition of ignorance, said +good-bye to their friends as they went down, adding that they would +see them again at breakfast-time. To illustrate further how little +danger was apprehended--when it was discovered on the first-class deck +that the forward lower deck was covered with small ice, snowballing +matches were arranged for the following morning, and some passengers +even went down to the deck and brought back small pieces of ice which +were handed round. + +Below decks too was additional evidence that no one thought of +immediate danger. Two ladies walking along one of the corridors came +across a group of people gathered round a door which they were trying +vainly to open, and on the other side of which a man was demanding in +loud terms to be let out. Either his door was locked and the key not +to be found, or the collision had jammed the lock and prevented the +key from turning. The ladies thought he must be afflicted in some way +to make such a noise, but one of the men was assuring him that in no +circumstances should he be left, and that his (the bystander's) son +would be along soon and would smash down his door if it was not opened +in the mean time. "He has a stronger arm than I have," he added. The +son arrived presently and proceeded to make short work of the door: it +was smashed in and the inmate released, to his great satisfaction and +with many expressions of gratitude to his rescuer. But one of the head +stewards who came up at this juncture was so incensed at the damage +done to the property of his company, and so little aware of the +infinitely greater damage done the ship, that he warned the man who +had released the prisoner that he would be arrested on arrival in New +York. + +It must be borne in mind that no general warning had been issued to +passengers: here and there were experienced travellers to whom +collision with an iceberg was sufficient to cause them to make every +preparation for leaving the ship, but the great majority were never +enlightened as to the amount of damage done, or even as to what had +happened. We knew in a vague way that we had collided with an iceberg, +but there our knowledge ended, and most of us drew no deductions from +that fact alone. Another factor that prevented some from taking to the +boats was the drop to the water below and the journey into the unknown +sea: certainly it looked a tremendous way down in the darkness, the +sea and the night both seemed very cold and lonely; and here was the +ship, so firm and well lighted and warm. + +But perhaps what made so many people declare their decision to remain +was their strong belief in the theory of the Titanic's unsinkable +construction. Again and again was it repeated, "This ship cannot sink; +it is only a question of waiting until another ship comes up and takes +us off." Husbands expected to follow their wives and join them either +in New York or by transfer in mid-ocean from steamer to steamer. Many +passengers relate that they were told by officers that the ship was a +lifeboat and could not go down; one lady affirms that the captain told +her the Titanic could not sink for two or three days; no doubt this +was immediately after the collision. + +It is not any wonder, then, that many elected to remain, deliberately +choosing the deck of the Titanic to a place in a lifeboat. And yet the +boats had to go down, and so at first they went half-full: this is the +real explanation of why they were not as fully loaded as the later +ones. It is important then to consider the question how far the +captain was justified in withholding all the knowledge he had from +every passenger. From one point of view he should have said to them, +"This ship will sink in a few hours: there are the boats, and only +women and children can go to them." But had he the authority to +enforce such an order? There are such things as panics and rushes +which get beyond the control of a handful of officers, even if armed, +and where even the bravest of men get swept off their feet--mentally +as well as physically. + +On the other hand, if he decided to withhold all definite knowledge of +danger from all passengers and at the same time persuade--and if it +was not sufficient, compel--women and children to take to the boats, +it might result in their all being saved. He could not foresee the +tenacity of their faith in the boat: there is ample evidence that he +left the bridge when the ship had come to rest and went among +passengers urging them to get into the boat and rigorously excluding +all but women and children. Some would not go. Officer Lowe testified +that he shouted, "Who's next for the boat?" and could get no replies. +The boats even were sent away half-loaded,--although the fear of their +buckling in the middle was responsible as well for this,--but the +captain with the few boats at his disposal could hardly do more than +persuade and advise in the terrible circumstances in which he was +placed. + +How appalling to think that with a few more boats--and the ship was +provided with that particular kind of davit that would launch more +boats--there would have been no decision of that kind to make! It +could have been stated plainly: "This ship will sink in a few hours: +there is room in the boats for all passengers, beginning with women +and children." + +Poor Captain Smith! I care not whether the responsibility for such +speed in iceberg regions will rest on his shoulders or not: no man +ever had to make such a choice as he had that night, and it seems +difficult to see how he can be blamed for withholding from passengers +such information as he had of the danger that was imminent. + +When one reads in the Press that lifeboats arrived at the Carpathia +half full, it seems at first sight a dreadful thing that this should +have been allowed to happen; but it is so easy to make these +criticisms afterwards, so easy to say that Captain Smith should have +told everyone of the condition of the vessel. He was faced with many +conditions that night which such criticism overlooks. Let any +fair-minded person consider some few of the problems presented to +him--the ship was bound to sink in a few hours; there was lifeboat +accommodation for all women and children and some men; there was no +way of getting some women to go except by telling them the ship was +doomed, a course he deemed it best not to take; and he knew the danger +of boats buckling when loaded full. His solution of these problems was +apparently the following:--to send the boats down half full, with such +women as would go, and to tell the boats to stand by to pick up more +passengers passed down from the cargo ports. There is good evidence +that this was part of the plan: I heard an officer give the order to +four boats and a lady in number 4 boat on the port side tells me the +sailors were so long looking for the port where the captain personally +had told them to wait, that they were in danger of being sucked under +by the vessel. How far any systematic attempt was made to stand by the +ports, I do not know: I never saw one open or any boat standing near +on the starboard side; but then, boats 9 to 15 went down full, and on +reaching the sea rowed away at once. There is good evidence, then, +that Captain Smith fully intended to load the boats full in this way. +The failure to carry out the intention is one of the things the whole +world regrets, but consider again the great size of the ship and the +short time to make decisions, and the omission is more easily +understood. The fact is that such a contingency as lowering away boats +was not even considered beforehand, and there is much cause for +gratitude that as many as seven hundred and five people were rescued. +The whole question of a captain's duties seems to require revision. It +was totally impossible for any one man to attempt to control the ship +that night, and the weather conditions could not well have been more +favourable for doing so. One of the reforms that seem inevitable is +that one man shall be responsible for the boats, their manning, +loading and lowering, leaving the captain free to be on the bridge to +the last moment. + +But to return for a time to the means taken to attract the notice of +other ships. The wireless operators were now in touch with several +ships, and calling to them to come quickly for the water was pouring +in and the Titanic beginning to go down by the head. Bride testified +that the first reply received was from a German boat, the Frankfurt, +which was: "All right: stand by," but not giving her position. From +comparison of the strength of signals received from the Frankfurt and +from other boats, the operators estimated the Frankfurt was the +nearest; but subsequent events proved that this was not so. She was, +in fact, one hundred and forty miles away and arrived at 10.50 A.M. +next morning, when the Carpathia had left with the rescued. The next +reply was from the Carpathia, fifty-eight miles away on the outbound +route to the Mediterranean, and it was a prompt and welcome +one--"Coming hard," followed by the position. Then followed the +Olympic, and with her they talked for some time, but she was five +hundred and sixty miles away on the southern route, too far to be of +any immediate help. At the speed of 23 knots she would expect to be up +about 1 P.M. next day, and this was about the time that those in boat +13 had calculated. We had always assumed in the boat that the stokers +who gave this information had it from one of the officers before they +left; but in the absence of any knowledge of the much nearer ship, the +Carpathia, it is more probable that they knew in a general way where +the sister ship, the Olympic, should be, and had made a rough +calculation. + +Other ships in touch by wireless were the Mount Temple, fifty miles; +the Birma, one hundred miles; the Parisian, one hundred and fifty +miles; the Virginian, one hundred and fifty miles; and the Baltic, +three hundred miles. But closer than any of these--closer even than +the Carpathia--were two ships: the Californian, less than twenty miles +away, with the wireless operator off duty and unable to catch the +"C.Q.D." signal which was now making the air for many miles around +quiver in its appeal for help--immediate, urgent help--for the +hundreds of people who stood on the Titanic's deck. + +The second vessel was a small steamer some few miles ahead on the port +side, without any wireless apparatus, her name and destination still +unknown; and yet the evidence for her presence that night seems too +strong to be disregarded. Mr. Boxhall states that he and Captain Smith +saw her quite plainly some five miles away, and could distinguish the +mast-head lights and a red port light. They at once hailed her with +rockets and Morse electric signals, to which Boxhall saw no reply, but +Captain Smith and stewards affirmed they did. The second and third +officers saw the signals sent and her lights, the latter from the +lifeboat of which he was in charge. Seaman Hopkins testified that he +was told by the captain to row for the light; and we in boat 13 +certainly saw it in the same position and rowed towards it for some +time. But notwithstanding all the efforts made to attract its +attention, it drew slowly away and the lights sank below the horizon. + +The pity of it! So near, and so many people waiting for the shelter +its decks could have given so easily. It seems impossible to think +that this ship ever replied to the signals: those who said so must +have been mistaken. The United State Senate Committee in its report +does not hesitate to say that this unknown steamer and the Californian +are identical, and that the failure on the part of the latter to come +to the help of the Titanic is culpable negligence. There is undoubted +evidence that some of the crew on the Californian saw our rockets; but +it seems impossible to believe that the captain and officers knew of +our distress and deliberately ignored it. Judgment on the matter had +better be suspended until further information is forthcoming. An +engineer who has served in the trans-Atlantic service tells me that it +is a common practice for small boats to leave the fishing smacks to +which they belong and row away for miles; sometimes even being lost +and wandering about among icebergs, and even not being found again. In +these circumstances, rockets are part of a fishing smack's equipment, +and are sent up to indicate to the small boats how to return. Is it +conceivable that the Californian thought our rockets were such +signals, and therefore paid no attention to them? + +Incidentally, this engineer did not hesitate to add that it is +doubtful if a big liner would stop to help a small fishing-boat +sending off distress signals, or even would turn about to help one +which she herself had cut down as it lay in her path without a light. +He was strong in his affirmation that such things were commonly known +to all officers in the trans-Atlantic service. + +With regard to the other vessels in wireless communication, the Mount +Temple was the only one near enough from the point of distance to have +arrived in time to be of help, but between her and the Titanic lay the +enormous ice-floe, and icebergs were near her in addition. + +The seven ships which caught the message started at once to her help +but were all stopped on the way (except the Birma) by the Carpathia's +wireless announcing the fate of the Titanic and the people aboard her. +The message must have affected the captains of these ships very +deeply: they would understand far better than the travelling public +what it meant to lose such a beautiful ship on her first voyage. + +The only thing now left to be done was to get the lifeboats away as +quickly as possible, and to this task the other officers were in the +meantime devoting all their endeavours. Mr. Lightoller sent away boat +after boat: in one he had put twenty-four women and children, in +another thirty, in another thirty-five; and then, running short of +seamen to man the boats he sent Major Peuchen, an expert yachtsman, in +the next, to help with its navigation. By the time these had been +filled, he had difficulty in finding women for the fifth and sixth +boats for the reasons already stated. All this time the passengers +remained--to use his own expression--"as quiet as if in church." To +man and supervise the loading of six boats must have taken him nearly +up to the time of the Titanic's sinking, taking an average of some +twenty minutes to a boat. Still at work to the end, he remained on the +ship till she sank and went down with her. His evidence before the +United States Committee was as follows: "Did you leave the ship?" "No, +sir." "Did the ship leave you?" "Yes, sir." + +It was a piece of work well and cleanly done, and his escape from the +ship, one of the most wonderful of all, seems almost a reward for his +devotion to duty. + +Captain Smith, Officers Wilde and Murdock were similarly engaged in +other parts of the ship, urging women to get in the boats, in some +cases directing junior officers to go down in some of them,--Officers +Pitman, Boxhall, and Lowe were sent in this way,--in others placing +members of the crew in charge. As the boats were lowered, orders were +shouted to them where to make for: some were told to stand by and wait +for further instructions, others to row for the light of the +disappearing steamer. + +It is a pitiful thing to recall the effects of sending down the first +boats half full. In some cases men in the company of their wives had +actually taken seats in the boats--young men, married only a few weeks +and on their wedding trip--and had done so only because no more women +could then be found; but the strict interpretation by the particular +officer in charge there of the rule of "Women and children only," +compelled them to get out again. Some of these boats were lowered and +reached the Carpathia with many vacant seats. The anguish of the young +wives in such circumstances can only be imagined. In other parts of +the ship, however, a different interpretation was placed on the rule, +and men were allowed and even invited by officers to get in--not only +to form part of the crew, but even as passengers. This, of course, in +the first boats and when no more women could be found. + +The varied understanding of this rule was a frequent subject of +discussion on the Carpathia--in fact, the rule itself was debated with +much heart-searching. There were not wanting many who doubted the +justice of its rigid enforcement, who could not think it well that a +husband should be separated from his wife and family, leaving them +penniless, or a young bridegroom from his wife of a few short weeks, +while ladies with few relatives, with no one dependent upon them, and +few responsibilities of any kind, were saved. It was mostly these +ladies who pressed this view, and even men seemed to think there was a +good deal to be said for it. Perhaps there is, theoretically, but it +would be impossible, I think, in practice. To quote Mr. Lightoller +again in his evidence before the United States Senate Committee,--when +asked if it was a rule of the sea that women and children be saved +first, he replied, "No, it is a rule of human nature." That is no +doubt the real reason for its existence. + +But the selective process of circumstances brought about results that +were very bitter to some. It was heartrending for ladies who had lost +all they held dearest in the world to hear that in one boat was a +stoker picked up out of the sea so drunk that he stood up and +brandished his arms about, and had to be thrown down by ladies and sat +upon to keep him quiet. If comparisons can be drawn, it did seem +better that an educated, refined man should be saved than one who had +flown to drink as his refuge in time of danger. + +These discussions turned sometimes to the old enquiry--"What is the +purpose of all this? Why the disaster? Why this man saved and that man +lost? Who has arranged that my husband should live a few short happy +years in the world, and the happiest days in those years with me these +last few weeks, and then be taken from me?" I heard no one attribute +all this to a Divine Power who ordains and arranges the lives of men, +and as part of a definite scheme sends such calamity and misery in +order to purify, to teach, to spiritualize. I do not say there were +not people who thought and said they saw Divine Wisdom in it all,--so +inscrutable that we in our ignorance saw it not; but I did not hear it +expressed, and this book is intended to be no more than a partial +chronicle of the many different experiences and convictions. + +There were those, on the other hand, who did not fail to say +emphatically that indifference to the rights and feelings of others, +blindness to duty towards our fellow men and women, was in the last +analysis the cause of most of the human misery in the world. And it +should undoubtedly appeal more to our sense of justice to attribute +these things to our own lack of consideration for others than to shift +the responsibility on to a Power whom we first postulate as being +All-wise and All-loving. + +All the boats were lowered and sent away by about 2 A.M., and by this +time the ship was very low in the water, the forecastle deck +completely submerged, and the sea creeping steadily up to the bridge +and probably only a few yards away. + +No one on the ship can have had any doubt now as to her ultimate fate, +and yet the fifteen hundred passengers and crew on board made no +demonstration, and not a sound came from them as they stood quietly on +the decks or went about their duties below. It seems incredible, and +yet if it was a continuation of the same feeling that existed on deck +before the boats left,--and I have no doubt it was,--the explanation +is straightforward and reasonable in its simplicity. An attempt is +made in the last chapter to show why the attitude of the crowd was so +quietly courageous. There are accounts which picture excited crowds +running about the deck in terror, fighting and struggling, but two of +the most accurate observers, Colonel Gracie and Mr. Lightoller, affirm +that this was not so, that absolute order and quietness prevailed. The +band still played to cheer the hearts of all near; the engineers and +their crew--I have never heard any one speak of a single engineer +being seen on deck--still worked at the electric light engines, far +away below, keeping them going until no human being could do so a +second longer, right until the ship tilted on end and the engines +broke loose and fell down. The light failed then only because the +engines were no longer there to produce light, not because the men who +worked them were not standing by them to do their duty. To be down in +the bowels of the ship, far away from the deck where at any rate there +was a chance of a dive and a swim and a possible rescue; to know that +when the ship went--as they knew it must soon--there could be no +possible hope of climbing up in time to reach the sea; to know all +these things and yet to keep the engines going that the decks might be +lighted to the last moment, required sublime courage. + +But this courage is required of every engineer and it is not called by +that name: it is called "duty." To stand by his engines to the last +possible moment is his duty. There could be no better example of the +supremest courage being but duty well done than to remember the +engineers of the Titanic still at work as she heeled over and flung +them with their engines down the length of the ship. The simple +statement that the lights kept on to the last is really their epitaph, +but Lowell's words would seem to apply to them with peculiar force-- + + + "The longer on this earth we live + And weigh the various qualities of men-- + The more we feel the high, stern-featured beauty + Of plain devotedness to duty. + Steadfast and still, nor paid with mortal praise, + But finding amplest recompense + For life's ungarlanded expense + In work done squarely and unwasted days." + +For some time before she sank, the Titanic had a considerable list to +port, so much so that one boat at any rate swung so far away from the +side that difficulty was experienced in getting passengers in. This +list was increased towards the end, and Colonel Gracie relates that +Mr. Lightoller, who has a deep, powerful voice, ordered all passengers +to the starboard side. This was close before the end. They crossed +over, and as they did so a crowd of steerage passengers rushed up and +filled the decks so full that there was barely room to move. Soon +afterwards the great vessel swung slowly, stern in the air, the lights +went out, and while some were flung into the water and others dived +off, the great majority still clung to the rails, to the sides and +roofs of deck-structures, lying prone on the deck. And in this +position they were when, a few minutes later, the enormous vessel +dived obliquely downwards. As she went, no doubt many still clung to +the rails, but most would do their best to get away from her and jump +as she slid forwards and downwards. Whatever they did, there can be +little question that most of them would be taken down by suction, to +come up again a few moments later and to fill the air with those +heartrending cries which fell on the ears of those in the lifeboats +with such amazement. Another survivor, on the other hand, relates that +he had dived from the stern before she heeled over, and swam round +under her enormous triple screws lifted by now high out of the water +as she stood on end. Fascinated by the extraordinary sight, he watched +them up above his head, but presently realizing the necessity of +getting away as quickly as possible, he started to swim from the ship, +but as he did she dived forward, the screws passing near his head. His +experience is that not only was no suction present, but even a wave +was created which washed him away from the place where she had gone +down. + +Of all those fifteen hundred people, flung into the sea as the Titanic +went down, innocent victims of thoughtlessness and apathy of those +responsible for their safety, only a very few found their way to the +Carpathia. It will serve no good purpose to dwell any longer on the +scene of helpless men and women struggling in the water. The heart of +everyone who has read of their helplessness has gone out to them in +deepest love and sympathy; and the knowledge that their struggle in +the water was in most cases short and not physically painful because +of the low temperature--the evidence seems to show that few lost their +lives by drowning--is some consolation. + +If everyone sees to it that his sympathy with them is so practical as +to force him to follow up the question of reforms personally, not +leaving it to experts alone, then he will have at any rate done +something to atone for the loss of so many valuable lives. + +We had now better follow the adventures of those who were rescued from +the final event in the disaster. Two accounts--those of Colonel Gracie +and Mr. Lightoller--agree very closely. The former went down clinging +to a rail, the latter dived before the ship went right under, but was +sucked down and held against one of the blowers. They were both +carried down for what seemed a long distance, but Mr. Lightoller was +finally blown up again by a "terrific gust" that came up the blower +and forced him clear. Colonel Gracie came to the surface after holding +his breath for what seemed an eternity, and they both swam about +holding on to any wreckage they could find. Finally they saw an +upturned collapsible boat and climbed on it in company with twenty +other men, among them Bride the Marconi operator. After remaining thus +for some hours, with the sea washing them to the waist, they stood up +as day broke, in two rows, back to back, balancing themselves as well +as they could, and afraid to turn lest the boat should roll over. +Finally a lifeboat saw them and took them off, an operation attended +with the greatest difficulty, and they reached the Carpathia in the +early dawn. Not many people have gone through such an experience as +those men did, lying all night on an overturned, ill-balanced boat, +and praying together, as they did all the time, for the day and a ship +to take them off. + +Some account must now be attempted of the journey of the fleet of +boats to the Carpathia, but it must necessarily be very brief. +Experiences differed considerably: some had no encounters at all with +icebergs, no lack of men to row, discovered lights and food and water, +were picked up after only a few hours' exposure, and suffered very +little discomfort; others seemed to see icebergs round them all night +long and to be always rowing round them; others had so few men +aboard--in some cases only two or three--that ladies had to row and in +one case to steer, found no lights, food or water, and were adrift +many hours, in some cases nearly eight. + +The first boat to be picked up by the Carpathia was one in charge of +Mr. Boxhall. There was only one other man rowing and ladies worked at +the oars. A green light burning in this boat all night was the +greatest comfort to the rest of us who had nothing to steer by: +although it meant little in the way of safety in itself, it was a +point to which we could look. The green light was the first intimation +Captain Rostron had of our position, and he steered for it and picked +up its passengers first. + +Mr. Pitman was sent by First Officer Murdock in charge of boat 5, with +forty passengers and five of the crew. It would have held more, but no +women could be found at the time it was lowered. Mr. Pitman says that +after leaving the ship he felt confident she would float and they +would all return. A passenger in this boat relates that men could not +be induced to embark when she went down, and made appointments for the +next morning with him. Tied to boat 5 was boat 7, one of those that +contained few people: a few were transferred from number 5, but it +would have held many more. + +Fifth Officer Lowe was in charge of boat 14, with fifty-five women and +children, and some of the crew. So full was the boat that as she went +down Mr. Lowe had to fire his revolver along the ship's side to +prevent any more climbing in and causing her to buckle. This boat, +like boat 13, was difficult to release from the lowering tackle, and +had to be cut away after reaching the sea. Mr. Lowe took in charge +four other boats, tied them together with lines, found some of them +not full, and transferred all his passengers to these, distributing +them in the darkness as well as he could. Then returning to the place +where the Titanic had sunk, he picked up some of those swimming in the +water and went back to the four boats. On the way to the Carpathia he +encountered one of the collapsible boats, and took aboard all those in +her, as she seemed to be sinking. + +Boat 12 was one of the four tied together, and the seaman in charge +testified that he tried to row to the drowning, but with forty women +and children and only one other man to row, it was not possible to +pull such a heavy boat to the scene of the wreck. + +Boat 2 was a small ship's boat and had four or five passengers and +seven of the crew. Boat 4 was one of the last to leave on the port +side, and by this time there was such a list that deck chairs had to +bridge the gap between the boat and the deck. When lowered, it +remained for some time still attached to the ropes, and as the Titanic +was rapidly sinking it seemed she would be pulled under. The boat was +full of women, who besought the sailors to leave the ship, but in +obedience to orders from the captain to stand by the cargo port, they +remained near; so near, in fact, that they heard china falling and +smashing as the ship went down by the head, and were nearly hit by +wreckage thrown overboard by some of the officers and crew and +intended to serve as rafts. They got clear finally, and were only a +short distance away when the ship sank, so that they were able to pull +some men aboard as they came to the surface. + +This boat had an unpleasant experience in the night with icebergs; +many were seen and avoided with difficulty. + +Quartermaster Hickens was in charge of boat 6, and in the absence of +sailors Major Peuchen was sent to help to man her. They were told to +make for the light of the steamer seen on the port side, and followed +it until it disappeared. There were forty women and children here. + +Boat 8 had only one seaman, and as Captain Smith had enforced the rule +of "Women and children only," ladies had to row. Later in the night, +when little progress had been made, the seaman took an oar and put a +lady in charge of the tiller. This boat again was in the midst of +icebergs. + +Of the four collapsible boats--although collapsible is not really the +correct term, for only a small portion collapses, the canvas edge; +"surf boats" is really their name--one was launched at the last moment +by being pushed over as the sea rose to the edge of the deck, and was +never righted. This is the one twenty men climbed on. Another was +caught up by Mr. Lowe and the passengers transferred, with the +exception of three men who had perished from the effects of immersion. +The boat was allowed to drift away and was found more than a month +later by the Celtic in just the same condition. It is interesting to +note how long this boat had remained afloat after she was supposed to +be no longer seaworthy. A curious coincidence arose from the fact that +one of my brothers happened to be travelling on the Celtic, and +looking over the side, saw adrift on the sea a boat belonging to the +Titanic in which I had been wrecked. + +The two other collapsible boats came to the Carpathia carrying full +loads of passengers: in one, the forward starboard boat and one of the +last to leave, was Mr. Ismay. Here four Chinamen were concealed under +the feet of the passengers. How they got there no one knew--or indeed +how they happened to be on the Titanic, for by the immigration laws of +the United States they are not allowed to enter her ports. + +It must be said, in conclusion, that there is the greatest cause for +gratitude that all the boats launched carried their passengers safely +to the rescue ship. It would not be right to accept this fact without +calling attention to it: it would be easy to enumerate many things +which might have been present as elements of danger. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE CARPATHIA'S RETURN TO NEW YORK + + +The journey of the Carpathia from the time she caught the "C.Q.D." +from the Titanic at about 12.30 A.M. on Monday morning and turned +swiftly about to her rescue, until she arrived at New York on the +following Thursday at 8.30 P.M. was one that demanded of the captain, +officers and crew of the vessel the most exact knowledge of +navigation, the utmost vigilance in every department both before and +after the rescue, and a capacity for organization that must sometimes +have been taxed to the breaking point. + +The extent to which all these qualities were found present and the +manner in which they were exercised stands to the everlasting credit +of the Cunard Line and those of its servants who were in charge of the +Carpathia. Captain Rostron's part in all this is a great one, and +wrapped up though his action is in a modesty that is conspicuous in +its nobility, it stands out even in his own account as a piece of work +well and courageously done. + +As soon as the Titanic called for help and gave her position, the +Carpathia was turned and headed north: all hands were called on duty, +a new watch of stokers was put on, and the highest speed of which she +was capable was demanded of the engineers, with the result that the +distance of fifty-eight miles between the two ships was covered in +three and a half hours, a speed well beyond her normal capacity. The +three doctors on board each took charge of a saloon, in readiness to +render help to any who needed their services, the stewards and +catering staff were hard at work preparing hot drinks and meals, and +the purser's staff ready with blankets and berths for the shipwrecked +passengers as soon as they got on board. On deck the sailors got ready +lifeboats, swung them out on the davits, and stood by, prepared to +lower away their crews if necessary; fixed rope-ladders, +cradle-chairs, nooses, and bags for the children at the hatches, to +haul the rescued up the side. On the bridge was the captain with his +officers, peering into the darkness eagerly to catch the first signs +of the crippled Titanic, hoping, in spite of her last despairing +message of "Sinking by the head," to find her still afloat when her +position was reached. A double watch of lookout men was set, for there +were other things as well as the Titanic to look for that night, and +soon they found them. As Captain Rostron said in his evidence, they +saw icebergs on either side of them between 2.45 and 4 A.M., passing +twenty large ones, one hundred to two hundred feet high, and many +smaller ones, and "frequently had to manoeuvre the ship to avoid +them." It was a time when every faculty was called upon for the +highest use of which it was capable. With the knowledge before them +that the enormous Titanic, the supposedly unsinkable ship, had struck +ice and was sinking rapidly; with the lookout constantly calling to +the bridge, as he must have done, "Icebergs on the starboard," +"Icebergs on the port," it required courage and judgment beyond the +ordinary to drive the ship ahead through that lane of icebergs and +"manoeuvre round them." As he himself said, he "took the risk of full +speed in his desire to save life, and probably some people might blame +him for taking such a risk." But the Senate Committee assured him that +they, at any rate, would not, and we of the lifeboats have certainly +no desire to do so. + +The ship was finally stopped at 4 A.M., with an iceberg reported dead +ahead (the same no doubt we had to row around in boat 13 as we +approached the Carpathia), and about the same time the first lifeboat +was sighted. Again she had to be manoeuvred round the iceberg to pick +up the boat, which was the one in charge of Mr. Boxhall. From him the +captain learned that the Titanic had gone down, and that he was too +late to save any one but those in lifeboats, which he could now see +drawing up from every part of the horizon. Meanwhile, the passengers +of the Carpathia, some of them aroused by the unusual vibration of the +screw, some by sailors tramping overhead as they swung away the +lifeboats and got ropes and lowering tackle ready, were beginning to +come on deck just as day broke; and here an extraordinary sight met +their eyes. As far as the eye could reach to the north and west lay an +unbroken stretch of field ice, with icebergs still attached to the +floe and rearing aloft their mass as a hill might suddenly rise from a +level plain. Ahead and to the south and east huge floating monsters +were showing up through the waning darkness, their number added to +moment by moment as the dawn broke and flushed the horizon pink. It is +remarkable how "busy" all those icebergs made the sea look: to have +gone to bed with nothing but sea and sky and to come on deck to find +so many objects in sight made quite a change in the character of the +sea: it looked quite crowded; and a lifeboat alongside and people +clambering aboard, mostly women, in nightdresses and dressing-gowns, +in cloaks and shawls, in anything but ordinary clothes! Out ahead and +on all sides little torches glittered faintly for a few moments and +then guttered out--and shouts and cheers floated across the quiet sea. +It would be difficult to imagine a more unexpected sight than this +that lay before the Carpathia's passengers as they lined the sides +that morning in the early dawn. + +No novelist would dare to picture such an array of beautiful climatic +conditions,--the rosy dawn, the morning star, the moon on the horizon, +the sea stretching in level beauty to the sky-line,--and on this sea +to place an ice-field like the Arctic regions and icebergs in numbers +everywhere,--white and turning pink and deadly cold,--and near them, +rowing round the icebergs to avoid them, little boats coming suddenly +out of mid-ocean, with passengers rescued from the most wonderful ship +the world has known. No artist would have conceived such a picture: it +would have seemed so highly dramatic as to border on the impossible, +and would not have been attempted. Such a combination of events would +pass the limit permitted the imagination of both author and artist. + +The passengers crowded the rails and looked down at us as we rowed up +in the early morning; stood quietly aside while the crew at the +gangways below took us aboard, and watched us as if the ship had been +in dock and we had rowed up to join her in a somewhat unusual way. +Some of them have related that we were very quiet as we came aboard: +it is quite true, we were; but so were they. There was very little +excitement on either side: just the quiet demeanour of people who are +in the presence of something too big as yet to lie within their mental +grasp, and which they cannot yet discuss. And so they asked us +politely to have hot coffee, which we did; and food, which we +generally declined,--we were not hungry,--and they said very little at +first about the lost Titanic and our adventures in the night. + +Much that is exaggerated and false has been written about the mental +condition of passengers as they came aboard: we have been described as +being too dazed to understand what was happening, as being too +overwhelmed to speak, and as looking before us with "set, staring +gaze," "dazed with the shadow of the dread event." That is, no doubt, +what most people would expect in the circumstances, but I know it does +not give a faithful record of how we did arrive: in fact it is simply +not true. As remarked before, the one thing that matters in describing +an event of this kind is the exact truth, as near as the fallible +human mind can state it; and my own impression of our mental condition +is that of supreme gratitude and relief at treading the firm decks of +a ship again. I am aware that experiences differed considerably +according to the boats occupied; that those who were uncertain of the +fate of their relatives and friends had much to make them anxious and +troubled; and that it is not possible to look into another person's +consciousness and say what is written there; but dealing with mental +conditions as far as they are delineated by facial and bodily +expressions, I think joy, relief, gratitude were the dominant emotions +written on the faces of those who climbed the rope-ladders and were +hauled up in cradles. + +It must not be forgotten that no one in any one boat knew who were +saved in other boats: few knew even how many boats there were and how +many passengers could be saved. It was at the time probable that +friends would follow them to the Carpathia, or be found on other +steamers, or even on the pier at which we landed. The hysterical +scenes that have been described are imaginative; true, one woman did +fill the saloon with hysterical cries immediately after coming aboard, +but she could not have known for a certainty that any of her friends +were lost: probably the sense of relief after some hours of journeying +about the sea was too much for her for a time. + +One of the first things we did was to crowd round a steward with a +bundle of telegraph forms. He was the bearer of the welcome news that +passengers might send Marconigrams to their relatives free of charge, +and soon he bore away the first sheaf of hastily scribbled messages to +the operator; by the time the last boatload was aboard, the pile must +have risen high in the Marconi cabin. We learned afterwards that many +of these never reached their destination; and this is not a matter for +surprise. There was only one operator--Cottam--on board, and although +he was assisted to some extent later, when Bride from the Titanic had +recovered from his injuries sufficiently to work the apparatus, he had +so much to do that he fell asleep over this work on Tuesday night +after three days' continuous duty without rest. But we did not know +the messages were held back, and imagined our friends were aware of +our safety; then, too, a roll-call of the rescued was held in the +Carpathia's saloon on the Monday, and this was Marconied to land in +advance of all messages. It seemed certain, then, that friends at home +would have all anxiety removed, but there were mistakes in the +official list first telegraphed. The experience of my own friends +illustrates this: the Marconigram I wrote never got through to +England; nor was my name ever mentioned in any list of the saved (even +a week after landing in New York, I saw it in a black-edged "final" +list of the missing), and it seemed certain that I had never reached +the Carpathia; so much so that, as I write, there are before me +obituary notices from the English papers giving a short sketch of my +life in England. After landing in New York and realizing from the +lists of the saved which a reporter showed me that my friends had no +news since the Titanic sank on Monday morning until that night +(Thursday 9 P.M.), I cabled to England at once (as I had but two +shillings rescued from the Titanic, the White Star Line paid for the +cables), but the messages were not delivered until 8.20 A.M. next +morning. At 9 A.M. my friends read in the papers a short account of +the disaster which I had supplied to the press, so that they knew of +my safety and experiences in the wreck almost at the same time. I am +grateful to remember that many of my friends in London refused to +count me among the missing during the three days when I was so +reported. + +There is another side to this record of how the news came through, and +a sad one, indeed. Again I wish it were not necessary to tell such +things, but since they all bear on the equipment of the trans-Atlantic +lines--powerful Marconi apparatus, relays of operators, etc.,--it is +best they should be told. The name of an American gentleman--the same +who sat near me in the library on Sunday afternoon and whom I +identified later from a photograph--was consistently reported in the +lists as saved and aboard the Carpathia: his son journeyed to New York +to meet him, rejoicing at his deliverance, and never found him there. +When I met his family some days later and was able to give them some +details of his life aboard ship, it seemed almost cruel to tell them +of the opposite experience that had befallen my friends at home. + +Returning to the journey of the Carpathia--the last boatload of +passengers was taken aboard at 8.30 A.M., the lifeboats were hauled on +deck while the collapsibles were abandoned, and the Carpathia +proceeded to steam round the scene of the wreck in the hope of picking +up anyone floating on wreckage. Before doing so the captain arranged +in the saloon a service over the spot where the Titanic sank, as +nearly as could be calculated,--a service, as he said, of respect to +those who were lost and of gratitude for those who were saved. + +She cruised round and round the scene, but found nothing to indicate +there was any hope of picking up more passengers; and as the +Californian had now arrived, followed shortly afterwards by the Birma, +a Russian tramp steamer, Captain Rostron decided to leave any further +search to them and to make all speed with the rescued to land. As we +moved round, there was surprisingly little wreckage to be seen: wooden +deck-chairs and small pieces of other wood, but nothing of any size. +But covering the sea in huge patches was a mass of reddish-yellow +"seaweed," as we called it for want of a name. It was said to be cork, +but I never heard definitely its correct description. + +The problem of where to land us had next to be decided. The Carpathia +was bound for Gibraltar, and the captain might continue his journey +there, landing us at the Azores on the way; but he would require more +linen and provisions, the passengers were mostly women and children, +ill-clad, dishevelled, and in need of many attentions he could not +give them. Then, too, he would soon be out of the range of wireless +communication, with the weak apparatus his ship had, and he soon +decided against that course. Halifax was the nearest in point of +distance, but this meant steaming north through the ice, and he +thought his passengers did not want to see more ice. He headed back +therefore to New York, which he had left the previous Thursday, +working all afternoon along the edge of the ice-field which stretched +away north as far as the unaided eye could reach. I have wondered +since if we could possibly have landed our passengers on this ice-floe +from the lifeboats and gone back to pick up those swimming, had we +known it was there; I should think it quite feasible to have done so. +It was certainly an extraordinary sight to stand on deck and see the +sea covered with solid ice, white and dazzling in the sun and dotted +here and there with icebergs. We ran close up, only two or three +hundred yards away, and steamed parallel to the floe, until it ended +towards night and we saw to our infinite satisfaction the last of the +icebergs and the field fading away astern. Many of the rescued have no +wish ever to see an iceberg again. We learnt afterwards the field was +nearly seventy miles long and twelve miles wide, and had lain between +us and the Birma on her way to the rescue. Mr. Boxhall testified that +he had crossed the Grand Banks many times, but had never seen +field-ice before. The testimony of the captains and officers of other +steamers in the neighbourhood is of the same kind: they had "never +seen so many icebergs this time of the year," or "never seen such +dangerous ice floes and threatening bergs." Undoubtedly the Titanic +was faced that night with unusual and unexpected conditions of ice: +the captain knew not the extent of these conditions, but he knew +somewhat of their existence. Alas, that he heeded not their warning! + +During the day, the bodies of eight of the crew were committed to the +deep: four of them had been taken out of the boats dead and four died +during the day. The engines were stopped and all passengers on deck +bared their heads while a short service was read; when it was over the +ship steamed on again to carry the living back to land. + +The passengers on the Carpathia were by now hard at work finding +clothing for the survivors: the barber's shop was raided for ties, +collars, hair-pins, combs, etc., of which it happened there was a +large stock in hand; one good Samaritan went round the ship with a box +of tooth-brushes offering them indiscriminately to all. In some cases, +clothing could not be found for the ladies and they spent the rest of +the time on board in their dressing-gowns and cloaks in which they +came away from the Titanic. They even slept in them, for, in the +absence of berths, women had to sleep on the floor of the saloons and +in the library each night on straw _paillasses_, and here it was +not possible to undress properly. The men were given the smoking-room +floor and a supply of blankets, but the room was small, and some +elected to sleep out on deck. I found a pile of towels on the bathroom +floor ready for next morning's baths, and made up a very comfortable +bed on these. Later I was waked in the middle of the night by a man +offering me a berth in his four-berth cabin: another occupant was +unable to leave his berth for physical reasons, and so the cabin could +not be given up to ladies. + +On Tuesday the survivors met in the saloon and formed a committee +among themselves to collect subscriptions for a general fund, out of +which it was resolved by vote to provide as far as possible for the +destitute among the steerage passengers, to present a loving cup to +Captain Rostron and medals to the officers and crew of the Carpathia, +and to divide any surplus among the crew of the Titanic. The work of +this committee is not yet (June 1st) at an end, but all the +resolutions except the last one have been acted upon, and that is now +receiving the attention of the committee. The presentations to the +captain and crew were made the day the Carpathia returned to New York +from her Mediterranean trip, and it is a pleasure to all the survivors +to know that the United States Senate has recognized the service +rendered to humanity by the Carpathia and has voted Captain Rostron a +gold medal commemorative of the rescue. On the afternoon of Tuesday, I +visited the steerage in company with a fellow-passenger, to take +down the names of all who were saved. We grouped them into +nationalities,--English Irish, and Swedish mostly,--and learnt from +them their names and homes, the amount of money they possessed, and +whether they had friends in America. The Irish girls almost +universally had no money rescued from the wreck, and were going to +friends in New York or places near, while the Swedish passengers, +among whom were a considerable number of men, had saved the greater +part of their money and in addition had railway tickets through to +their destinations inland. The saving of their money marked a curious +racial difference, for which I can offer no explanation: no doubt the +Irish girls never had very much but they must have had the necessary +amount fixed by the immigration laws. There were some pitiful cases of +women with children and the husband lost; some with one or two +children saved and the others lost; in one case, a whole family was +missing, and only a friend left to tell of them. Among the Irish group +was one girl of really remarkable beauty, black hair and deep violet +eyes with long lashes, and perfectly shaped features, and quite young, +not more than eighteen or twenty; I think she lost no relatives on the +Titanic. + +The following letter to the London "Times" is reproduced here to show +something of what our feeling was on board the Carpathia towards the +loss of the Titanic. It was written soon after we had the definite +information on the Wednesday that ice warnings had been sent to the +Titanic, and when we all felt that something must be done to awaken +public opinion to safeguard ocean travel in the future. We were not +aware, of course, how much the outside world knew, and it seemed well +to do something to inform the English public of what had happened at +as early an opportunity as possible. I have not had occasion to change +any of the opinions expressed in this letter. + +SIR:-- + +As one of few surviving Englishmen from the steamship Titanic, which +sank in mid-Atlantic on Monday morning last, I am asking you to lay +before your readers a few facts concerning the disaster, in the hope +that something may be done in the near future to ensure the safety of +that portion of the travelling public who use the Atlantic highway for +business or pleasure. + +I wish to dissociate myself entirely from any report that would seek +to fix the responsibility on any person or persons or body of people, +and by simply calling attention to matters of fact the authenticity of +which is, I think, beyond question and can be established in any Court +of Inquiry, to allow your readers to draw their own conclusions as to +the responsibility for the collision. + +First, that it was known to those in charge of the Titanic that we +were in the iceberg region; that the atmospheric and temperature +conditions suggested the near presence of icebergs; that a wireless +message was received from a ship ahead of us warning us that they had +been seen in the locality of which latitude and longitude were given. + +Second, that at the time of the collision the Titanic was running at a +high rate of speed. + +Third, that the accommodation for saving passengers and crew was +totally inadequate, being sufficient only for a total of about 950. +This gave, with the highest possible complement of 3400, a less than +one in three chance of being saved in the case of accident. + +Fourth, that the number landed in the Carpathia, approximately 700, is +a high percentage of the possible 950, and bears excellent testimony +to the courage, resource, and devotion to duty of the officers and +crew of the vessel; many instances of their nobility and personal +self-sacrifice are within our possession, and we know that they did +all they could do with the means at their disposal. + +Fifth, that the practice of running mail and passenger vessels through +fog and iceberg regions at a high speed is a common one; they are +timed to run almost as an express train is run, and they cannot, +therefore, slow down more than a few knots in time of possible danger. + +I have neither knowledge nor experience to say what remedies I +consider should be applied; but, perhaps, the following suggestions +may serve as a help:-- + +First, that no vessel should be allowed to leave a British port +without sufficient boat and other accommodation to allow each +passenger and member of the crew a seat; and that at the time of +booking this fact should be pointed out to a passenger, and the number +of the seat in the particular boat allotted to him then. + +Second, that as soon as is practicable after sailing each passenger +should go through boat drill in company with the crew assigned to his +boat. + +Third, that each passenger boat engaged in the Transatlantic service +should be instructed to slow down to a few knots when in the iceberg +region, and should be fitted with an efficient searchlight. + +Yours faithfully, + +LAWRENCE BEESLEY. + +It seemed well, too, while on the Carpathia to prepare as accurate an +account as possible of the disaster and to have this ready for the +press, in order to calm public opinion and to forestall the incorrect +and hysterical accounts which some American reporters are in the habit +of preparing on occasions of this kind. The first impression is often +the most permanent, and in a disaster of this magnitude, where exact +and accurate information is so necessary, preparation of a report was +essential. It was written in odd corners of the deck and saloon of the +Carpathia, and fell, it seemed very happily, into the hands of the one +reporter who could best deal with it, the Associated Press. I +understand it was the first report that came through and had a good +deal of the effect intended. + +The Carpathia returned to New York in almost every kind of climatic +conditions: icebergs, ice-fields and bitter cold to commence with; +brilliant warm sun, thunder and lightning in the middle of one night +(and so closely did the peal follow the flash that women in the saloon +leaped up in alarm saying rockets were being sent up again); cold +winds most of the time; fogs every morning and during a good part of +one day, with the foghorn blowing constantly; rain; choppy sea with +the spray blowing overboard and coming in through the saloon windows; +we said we had almost everything but hot weather and stormy seas. So +that when we were told that Nantucket Lightship had been sighted on +Thursday morning from the bridge, a great sigh of relief went round to +think New York and land would be reached before next morning. + +There is no doubt that a good many felt the waiting period of those +four days very trying: the ship crowded far beyond its limits of +comfort, the want of necessities of clothing and toilet, and above all +the anticipation of meeting with relatives on the pier, with, in many +cases, the knowledge that other friends were left behind and would not +return home again. A few looked forward to meeting on the pier their +friends to whom they had said au revoir on the Titanic's deck, brought +there by a faster boat, they said, or at any rate to hear that they +were following behind us in another boat: a very few, indeed, for the +thought of the icy water and the many hours' immersion seemed to weigh +against such a possibility; but we encouraged them to hope the +Californian and the Birma had picked some up; stranger things have +happened, and we had all been through strange experiences. But in the +midst of this rather tense feeling, one fact stands out as +remarkable--no one was ill. Captain Rostron testified that on Tuesday +the doctor reported a clean bill of health, except for frost-bites and +shaken nerves. There were none of the illnesses supposed to follow +from exposure for hours in the cold night--and, it must be remembered, +a considerable number swam about for some time when the Titanic sank, +and then either sat for hours in their wet things or lay flat on an +upturned boat with the sea water washing partly over them until they +were taken off in a lifeboat; no scenes of women weeping and brooding +over their losses hour by hour until they were driven mad with +grief--yet all this has been reported to the press by people on board +the Carpathia. These women met their sorrow with the sublimest +courage, came on deck and talked with their fellow-men and women face +to face, and in the midst of their loss did not forget to rejoice with +those who had joined their friends on the Carpathia's deck or come +with them in a boat. There was no need for those ashore to call the +Carpathia a "death-ship," or to send coroners and coffins to the pier +to meet her: her passengers were generally in good health and they did +not pretend they were not. + +Presently land came in sight, and very good it was to see it again: it +was eight days since we left Southampton, but the time seemed to have +"stretched out to the crack of doom," and to have become eight weeks +instead. So many dramatic incidents had been crowded into the last few +days that the first four peaceful, uneventful days, marked by nothing +that seared the memory, had faded almost out of recollection. It +needed an effort to return to Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown, +as though returning to some event of last year. I think we all +realized that time may be measured more by events than by seconds and +minutes: what the astronomer would call "2.20 A.M. April 15th, 1912," +the survivors called "the sinking of the Titanic"; the "hours" that +followed were designated "being adrift in an open sea," and "4.30 +A.M." was "being rescued by the Carpathia." The clock was a mental +one, and the hours, minutes and seconds marked deeply on its face were +emotions, strong and silent. + +Surrounded by tugs of every kind, from which (as well as from every +available building near the river) magnesium bombs were shot off by +photographers, while reporters shouted for news of the disaster and +photographs of passengers, the Carpathia drew slowly to her station at +the Cunard pier, the gangways were pushed across, and we set foot at +last on American soil, very thankful, grateful people. + +The mental and physical condition of the rescued as they came ashore +has, here again, been greatly exaggerated--one description says we +were "half-fainting, half-hysterical, bordering on hallucination, only +now beginning to realize the horror." It is unfortunate such pictures +should be presented to the world. There were some painful scenes of +meeting between relatives of those who were lost, but once again women +showed their self-control and went through the ordeal in most cases +with extraordinary calm. It is well to record that the same account +added: "A few, strangely enough, are calm and lucid"; if for "few" we +read "a large majority," it will be much nearer the true description +of the landing on the Cunard pier in New York. There seems to be no +adequate reason why a report of such a scene should depict mainly the +sorrow and grief, should seek for every detail to satisfy the horrible +and the morbid in the human mind. The first questions the excited +crowds of reporters asked as they crowded round were whether it was +true that officers shot passengers, and then themselves; whether +passengers shot each other; whether any scenes of horror had been +noticed, and what they were. + +It would have been well to have noticed the wonderful state of health +of most of the rescued, their gratitude for their deliverance, the +thousand and one things that gave cause for rejoicing. In the midst of +so much description of the hysterical side of the scene, place should +be found for the normal--and I venture to think the normal was the +dominant feature in the landing that night. In the last chapter I +shall try to record the persistence of the normal all through the +disaster. Nothing has been a greater surprise than to find people that +do not act in conditions of danger and grief as they would be +generally supposed to act--and, I must add, as they are generally +described as acting. + +And so, with her work of rescue well done, the good ship Carpathia +returned to New York. Everyone who came in her, everyone on the dock, +and everyone who heard of her journey will agree with Captain Rostron +when he says: "I thank God that I was within wireless hailing +distance, and that I got there in time to pick up the survivors of the +wreck." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC + + +One of the most pitiful things in the relations of human beings to +each other--the action and reaction of events that is called +concretely "human life"--is that every now and then some of them +should be called upon to lay down their lives from no sense of +imperative, calculated duty such as inspires the soldier or the +sailor, but suddenly, without any previous knowledge or warning of +danger, without any opportunity of escape, and without any desire to +risk such conditions of danger of their own free will. It is a blot on +our civilization that these things are necessary from time to time, to +arouse those responsible for the safety of human life from the +lethargic selfishness which has governed them. The Titanic's two +thousand odd passengers went aboard thinking they were +on an absolutely safe ship, and all the time there were many +people--designers, builders, experts, government officials--who knew +there were insufficient boats on board, that the Titanic had no right +to go fast in iceberg regions,--who knew these things and took no +steps and enacted no laws to prevent their happening. Not that they +omitted to do these things deliberately, but were lulled into a state +of selfish inaction from which it needed such a tragedy as this to +arouse them. It was a cruel necessity which demanded that a few should +die to arouse many millions to a sense of their own insecurity, to the +fact that for years the possibility of such a disaster has been +imminent. Passengers have known none of these things, and while no +good end would have been served by relating to them needless tales of +danger on the high seas, one thing is certain--that, had they known +them, many would not have travelled in such conditions and thereby +safeguards would soon have been forced on the builders, the companies, +and the Government. But there were people who knew and did not fail to +call attention to the dangers: in the House of Commons the matter has +been frequently brought up privately, and an American naval officer, +Captain E. K. Boden, in an article that has since been widely +reproduced, called attention to the defects of this very ship, the +Titanic--taking her as an example of all other liners--and pointed out +that she was not unsinkable and had not proper boat accommodation. + +The question, then, of responsibility for the loss of the Titanic must +be considered: not from any idea that blame should be laid here or +there and a scapegoat provided--that is a waste of time. But if a +fixing of responsibility leads to quick and efficient remedy, then it +should be done relentlessly: our simple duty to those whom the Titanic +carried down with her demands no less. Dealing first with the +precautions for the safety of the ship as apart from safety +appliances, there can be no question, I suppose, that the direct +responsibility for the loss of the Titanic and so many lives must be +laid on her captain. He was responsible for setting the course, day by +day and hour by hour, for the speed she was travelling; and he alone +would have the power to decide whether or not speed must be slackened +with icebergs ahead. No officer would have any right to interfere in +the navigation, although they would no doubt be consulted. Nor would +any official connected with the management of the line--Mr. Ismay, for +example--be allowed to direct the captain in these matters, and there +is no evidence that he ever tried to do so. The very fact that the +captain of a ship has such absolute authority increases his +responsibility enormously. Even supposing the White Star Line and Mr. +Ismay had urged him before sailing to make a record,--again an +assumption,--they cannot be held directly responsible for the +collision: he was in charge of the lives of everyone on board and no +one but he was supposed to estimate the risk of travelling at the +speed he did, when ice was reported ahead of him. His action cannot be +justified on the ground of prudent seamanship. + +But the question of indirect responsibility raises at once many issues +and, I think, removes from Captain Smith a good deal of personal +responsibility for the loss of his ship. Some of these issues it will +be well to consider. + +In the first place, disabusing our minds again of the knowledge that +the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, let us estimate the +probabilities of such a thing happening. An iceberg is small and +occupies little room by comparison with the broad ocean on which it +floats; and the chances of another small object like a ship colliding +with it and being sunk are very small: the chances are, as a matter of +fact, one in a million. This is not a figure of speech: that is the +actual risk for total loss by collision with an iceberg as accepted by +insurance companies. The one-in-a-million accident was what sunk the +Titanic. + +Even so, had Captain Smith been alone in taking that risk, he would +have had to bear all the blame for the resulting disaster. But it +seems he is not alone: the same risk has been taken over and over +again by fast mail-passenger liners, in fog and in iceberg regions. +Their captains have taken the long--very long--chance many times and +won every time; he took it as he had done many times before, and lost. +Of course, the chances that night of striking an iceberg were much +greater than one in a million: they had been enormously increased by +the extreme southerly position of icebergs and field ice and by the +unusual number of the former. Thinking over the scene that met our +eyes from the deck of the Carpathia after we boarded her,--the great +number of icebergs wherever the eye could reach,--the chances of +_not_ hitting one in the darkness of the night seemed small. +Indeed, the more one thinks about the Carpathia coming at full speed +through all those icebergs in the darkness, the more inexplicable does +it seem. True, the captain had an extra lookout watch and every sense +of every man on the bridge alert to detect the least sign of danger, +and again he was not going so fast as the Titanic and would have his +ship under more control; but granted all that, he appears to have +taken a great risk as he dogged and twisted round the awful +two-hundred-foot monsters in the dark night. Does it mean that the +risk is not so great as we who have seen the abnormal and not the +normal side of taking risks with icebergs might suppose? He had his +own ship and passengers to consider, and he had no right to take too +great a risk. + +But Captain Smith could not know icebergs were there in such numbers: +what warnings he had of them is not yet thoroughly established,--there +were probably three,--but it is in the highest degree unlikely that he +knew that any vessel had seen them in such quantities as we saw them +Monday morning; in fact, it is unthinkable. He thought, no doubt, he +was taking an ordinary risk, and it turned out to be an extraordinary +one. To read some criticisms it would seem as if he deliberately ran +his ship in defiance of all custom through a region infested with +icebergs, and did a thing which no one has ever done before; that he +outraged all precedent by not slowing down. But it is plain that he +did not. Every captain who has run full speed through fog and iceberg +regions is to blame for the disaster as much as he is: they got +through and he did not. Other liners can go faster than the Titanic +could possibly do; had they struck ice they would have been injured +even more deeply than she was, for it must not be forgotten that the +force of impact varies as the _square_ of the velocity--i.e., it +is four times as much at sixteen knots as at eight knots, nine times +as much at twenty-four, and so on. And with not much margin of time +left for these fast boats, they must go full speed ahead nearly all +the time. Remember how they advertise to "Leave New York Wednesday, +dine in London the following Monday,"--and it is done regularly, much +as an express train is run to time. Their officers, too, would have +been less able to avoid a collision than Murdock of the Titanic was, +for at the greater speed, they would be on the iceberg in shorter +time. Many passengers can tell of crossing with fog a good deal of the +way, sometimes almost all the way, and they have been only a few hours +late at the end of the journey. + +So that it is the custom that is at fault, not one particular captain. +Custom is established largely by demand, and supply too is the answer +to demand. What the public demanded the White Star Line supplied, and +so both the public and the Line are concerned with the question of +indirect responsibility. + +The public has demanded, more and more every year, greater speed as +well as greater comfort, and by ceasing to patronize the low-speed +boats has gradually forced the pace to what it is at present. Not that +speed in itself is a dangerous thing,--it is sometimes much safer to +go quickly than slowly,--but that, given the facilities for speed and +the stimulus exerted by the constant public demand for it, occasions +arise when the judgment of those in command of a ship becomes +swayed--largely unconsciously, no doubt--in favour of taking risks +which the smaller liners would never take. The demand on the skipper +of a boat like the Californian, for example, which lay hove-to +nineteen miles away with her engines stopped, is infinitesimal +compared with that on Captain Smith. An old traveller told me on the +Carpathia that he has often grumbled to the officers for what he +called absurd precautions in lying to and wasting his time, which he +regarded as very valuable; but after hearing of the Titanic's loss he +recognized that he was to some extent responsible for the speed at +which she had travelled, and would never be so again. He had been one +of the travelling public who had constantly demanded to be taken to +his journey's end in the shortest possible time, and had "made a row" +about it if he was likely to be late. There are some business men to +whom the five or six days on board are exceedingly irksome and +represent a waste of time; even an hour saved at the journey's end is +a consideration to them. And if the demand is not always a conscious +one, it is there as an unconscious factor always urging the highest +speed of which the ship is capable. The man who demands fast travel +unreasonably must undoubtedly take his share in the responsibility. He +asks to be taken over at a speed which will land him in something over +four days; he forgets perhaps that Columbus took ninety days in a +forty-ton boat, and that only fifty years ago paddle steamers took six +weeks, and all the time the demand is greater and the strain is more: +the public demand speed and luxury; the lines supply it, until +presently the safety limit is reached, the undue risk is taken--and +the Titanic goes down. All of us who have cried for greater speed must +take our share in the responsibility. The expression of such a desire +and the discontent with so-called slow travel are the seed sown in the +minds of men, to bear fruit presently in an insistence on greater +speed. We may not have done so directly, but we may perhaps have +talked about it and thought about it, and we know no action begins +without thought. + +The White Star Line has received very rough handling from some of the +press, but the greater part of this criticism seems to be unwarranted +and to arise from the desire to find a scapegoat. After all they had +made better provision for the passengers the Titanic carried than any +other line has done, for they had built what they believed to be a +huge lifeboat, unsinkable in all ordinary conditions. Those who +embarked in her were almost certainly in the safest ship (along with +the Olympic) afloat: she was probably quite immune from the ordinary +effects of wind, waves and collisions at sea, and needed to fear +nothing but running on a rock or, what was worse, a floating iceberg; +for the effects of collision were, so far as damage was concerned, the +same as if it had been a rock, and the danger greater, for one is +charted and the other is not. Then, too, while the theory of the +unsinkable boat has been destroyed at the same time as the boat +itself, we should not forget that it served a useful purpose on deck +that night--it eliminated largely the possibility of panic, and those +rushes for the boats which might have swamped some of them. I do not +wish for a moment to suggest that such things would have happened, +because the more information that comes to hand of the conduct of the +people on board, the more wonderful seems the complete self-control of +all, even when the last boats had gone and nothing but the rising +waters met their eyes--only that the generally entertained theory +rendered such things less probable. The theory, indeed, was really a +safeguard, though built on a false premise. + +There is no evidence that the White Star Line instructed the captain +to push the boat or to make any records: the probabilities are that no +such attempt would be made on the first trip. The general instructions +to their commanders bear quite the other interpretation: it will be +well to quote them in full as issued to the press during the sittings +of the United States Senate Committee. + +_Instructions to commanders_ + +Commanders must distinctly understand that the issue of regulations +does not in any way relieve them from responsibility for the safe and +efficient navigation of their respective vessels, and they are also +enjoined to remember that they must run no risks which might by any +possibility result in accident to their ships. It is to be hoped that +they will ever bear in mind that the safety of the lives and property +entrusted to their care is the ruling principle that should govern +them in the navigation of their vessels, and that no supposed gain in +expedition or saving of time on the voyage is to be purchased at the +risk of accident. + +Commanders are reminded that the steamers are to a great extent +uninsured, and that their own livelihood, as well as the company's +success, depends upon immunity from accident; no precaution which +ensures safe navigation is to be considered excessive. + +Nothing could be plainer than these instructions, and had they been +obeyed, the disaster would never have happened: they warn commanders +against the only thing left as a menace to their unsinkable boat--the +lack of "precaution which ensures safe navigation." + +In addition, the White Star Line had complied to the full extent with +the requirements of the British Government: their ship had been +subjected to an inspection so rigid that, as one officer remarked in +evidence, it became a nuisance. The Board of Trade employs the best +experts, and knows the dangers that attend ocean travel and the +precautions that should be taken by every commander. If these +precautions are not taken, it will be necessary to legislate until +they are. No motorist is allowed to career at full speed along a +public highway in dangerous conditions, and it should be an offence +for a captain to do the same on the high seas with a ship full of +unsuspecting passengers. They have entrusted their lives to the +government of their country--through its regulations--and they are +entitled to the same protection in mid-Atlantic as they are in Oxford +Street or Broadway. The open sea should no longer be regarded as a +neutral zone where no country's police laws are operative. + +Of course there are difficulties in the way of drafting international +regulations: many governments would have to be consulted and many +difficulties that seem insuperable overcome; but that is the purpose +for which governments are employed, that is why experts and ministers +of governments are appointed and paid--to overcome difficulties for +the people who appoint them and who expect them, among other things, +to protect their lives. + +The American Government must share the same responsibility: it is +useless to attempt to fix it on the British Board of Trade for the +reason that the boats were built in England and inspected there by +British officials. They carried American citizens largely, and entered +American ports. It would have been the simplest matter for the United +States Government to veto the entry of any ship which did not conform +to its laws of regulating speed in conditions of fog and icebergs--had +they provided such laws. The fact is that the American nation has +practically no mercantile marine, and in time of a disaster such as +this it forgets, perhaps, that it has exactly the same right--and +therefore the same responsibility--as the British Government to +inspect, and to legislate: the right that is easily enforced by +refusal to allow entry. The regulation of speed in dangerous regions +could well be undertaken by some fleet of international police patrol +vessels, with power to stop if necessary any boat found guilty of +reckless racing. The additional duty of warning ships of the exact +locality of icebergs could be performed by these boats. It would not +of course be possible or advisable to fix a "speed limit," because the +region of icebergs varies in position as the icebergs float south, +varies in point of danger as they melt and disappear, and the whole +question has to be left largely to the judgment of the captain on the +spot; but it would be possible to make it an offence against the law +to go beyond a certain speed in known conditions of danger. + +So much for the question of regulating speed on the high seas. The +secondary question of safety appliances is governed by the same +principle--that, in the last analysis, it is not the captain, not the +passenger, not the builders and owners, but the governments through +their experts, who are to be held responsible for the provision of +lifesaving devices. Morally, of course, the owners and builders are +responsible, but at present moral responsibility is too weak an +incentive in human affairs--that is the miserable part of the whole +wretched business--to induce owners generally to make every possible +provision for the lives of those in their charge; to place human +safety so far above every other consideration that no plan shall be +left unconsidered, no device left untested, by which passengers can +escape from a sinking ship. But it is not correct to say, as has been +said frequently, that it is greed and dividend-hunting that have +characterized the policy of the steamship companies in their failure +to provide safety appliances: these things in themselves are not +expensive. They have vied with each other in making their lines +attractive in point of speed, size and comfort, and they have been +quite justified in doing so: such things are the product of ordinary +competition between commercial houses. + +Where they have all failed morally is to extend to their passengers +the consideration that places their lives as of more interest to them +than any other conceivable thing. They are not alone in this: +thousands of other people have done the same thing and would do it +to-day--in factories, in workshops, in mines, did not the government +intervene and insist on safety precautions. The thing is a defect in +human life of to-day--thoughtlessness for the well-being of our +fellow-men; and we are all guilty of it in some degree. It is folly +for the public to rise up now and condemn the steamship companies: +their failing is the common failing of the immorality of indifference. + +The remedy is the law, and it is the only remedy at present that will +really accomplish anything. The British law on the subject dates from +1894, and requires only twenty boats for a ship the size of the +Titanic: the owners and builders have obeyed this law and fulfilled +their legal responsibility. Increase this responsibility and they will +fulfil it again--and the matter is ended so far as appliances are +concerned. It should perhaps be mentioned that in a period of ten +years only nine passengers were lost on British ships: the law seemed +to be sufficient in fact. + +The position of the American Government, however, is worse than that +of the British Government. Its regulations require more than double +the boat accommodation which the British regulations do, and yet it +has allowed hundreds of thousands of its subjects to enter its ports +on boats that defied its own laws. Had their government not been +guilty of the same indifference, passengers would not have been +allowed aboard any British ship lacking in boat-accommodation--the +simple expedient again of refusing entry. The reply of the British +Government to the Senate Committee, accusing the Board of Trade of +"insufficient requirements and lax inspection," might well be--"Ye +have a law: see to it yourselves!" + +It will be well now to consider briefly the various appliances that +have been suggested to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and +in doing so it may be remembered that the average man and woman has +the same right as the expert to consider and discuss these things: +they are not so technical as to prevent anyone of ordinary +intelligence from understanding their construction. Using the term in +its widest sense, we come first to:-- + +_Bulkheads and water-tight compartments_ + +It is impossible to attempt a discussion here of the exact +constructional details of these parts of a ship; but in order to +illustrate briefly what is the purpose of having bulkheads, we may +take the Titanic as an example. She was divided into sixteen +compartments by fifteen transverse steel walls called bulkheads. +[Footnote: See Figures 1 and 2 page 116.] If a hole is made in the +side of the ship in any one compartment, steel water-tight doors seal +off the only openings in that compartment and separate it as a damaged +unit from the rest of the ship and the vessel is brought to land in +safety. Ships have even put into the nearest port for inspection after +collision, and finding only one compartment full of water and no other +damage, have left again, for their home port without troubling to +disembark passengers and effect repairs. + +The design of the Titanic's bulkheads calls for some attention. The +"Scientific American," in an excellent article on the comparative +safety of the Titanic's and other types of water-tight compartments, +draws attention to the following weaknesses in the former--from the +point of view of possible collision with an iceberg. She had no +longitudinal bulkheads, which would subdivide her into smaller +compartments and prevent the water filling the whole of a large +compartment. Probably, too, the length of a large compartment was in +any case too great--fifty-three feet. + +The Mauretania, on the other hand, in addition to transverse +bulkheads, is fitted with longitudinal torpedo bulkheads, and the +space between them and the side of the ship is utilised as a coal +bunker. Then, too, in the Mauretania all bulkheads are carried up to +the top deck, whereas in the case of the Titanic they reached in some +parts only to the saloon deck and in others to a lower deck +still,--the weakness of this being that, when the water reached to the +top of a bulkhead as the ship sank by the head, it flowed over and +filled the next compartment. The British Admiralty, which subsidizes +the Mauretania and Lusitania as fast cruisers in time of war, insisted +on this type of construction, and it is considered vastly better than +that used in the Titanic. The writer of the article thinks it possible +that these ships might not have sunk as the result of a similar +collision. But the ideal ship from the point of bulkhead construction, +he considers to have been the Great Eastern, constructed many years +ago by the famous engineer Brunel. So thorough was her system of +compartments divided and subdivided by many transverse and +longitudinal bulkheads that when she tore a hole eighty feet long in +her side by striking a rock, she reached port in safety. Unfortunately +the weight and cost of this method was so great that his plan was +subsequently abandoned. + +But it would not be just to say that the construction of the Titanic +was a serious mistake on the part of the White Star Line or her +builders, on the ground that her bulkheads were not so well +constructed as those of the Lusitania and Mauretania, which were built +to fulfil British Admiralty regulations for time of war--an +extraordinary risk which no builder of a passenger steamer--as +such--would be expected to take into consideration when designing the +vessel. It should be constantly borne in mind that the Titanic met +extraordinary conditions on the night of the collision: she was +probably the safest ship afloat in all ordinary conditions. Collision +with an iceberg is not an ordinary risk; but this disaster will +probably result in altering the whole construction of bulkheads and +compartments to the Great Eastern type, in order to include the +one-in-a-million risk of iceberg collision and loss. + +Here comes in the question of increased cost of construction, and in +addition the great loss of cargo-carrying space with decreased earning +capacity, both of which will mean an increase in the passenger rates. +This the travelling public will have to face and undoubtedly will be +willing to face for the satisfaction of knowing that what was so +confidently affirmed by passengers on the Titanic's deck that night of +the collision will then be really true,--that "we are on an unsinkable +boat,"--so far as human forethought can devise. After all, this +_must_ be the solution to the problem how best to ensure safety +at sea. Other safety appliances are useful and necessary, but not +useable in certain conditions of weather. The ship itself must always +be the "safety appliance" that is really trustworthy, and nothing must +be left undone to ensure this. + +_Wireless apparatus and operators_ + +The range of the apparatus might well be extended, but the principal +defect is the lack of an operator for night duty on some ships. The +awful fact that the Californian lay a few miles away, able to save +every soul on board, and could not catch the message because the +operator was asleep, seems too cruel to dwell upon. Even on the +Carpathia, the operator was on the point of retiring when the message +arrived, and we should have been much longer afloat--and some boats +possibly swamped--had he not caught the message when he did. It has +been suggested that officers should have a working knowledge of +wireless telegraphy, and this is no doubt a wise provision. It would +enable them to supervise the work of the operators more closely and +from all the evidence, this seems a necessity. The exchange of vitally +important messages between a sinking ship and those rushing to her +rescue should be under the control of an experienced officer. To take +but one example--Bride testified that after giving the Birma the +"C.Q.D." message and the position (incidentally Signer Marconi has +stated that this has been abandoned in favour of "S.O.S.") and getting +a reply, they got into touch with the Carpathia, and while talking +with her were interrupted by the Birma asking what was the matter. No +doubt it was the duty of the Birma to come at once without asking any +questions, but the reply from the Titanic, telling the Birma's +operator not to be a "fool" by interrupting, seems to have been a +needless waste of precious moments: to reply, "We are sinking" would +have taken no longer, especially when in their own estimation of the +strength of the signals they thought the Birma was the nearer ship. It +is well to notice that some large liners have already a staff of three +operators. + +_Submarine signalling apparatus_ + +There are occasions when wireless apparatus is useless as a means of +saving life at sea promptly. + +One of its weaknesses is that when the ships' engines are stopped, +messages can no longer be sent out, that is, with the system at +present adopted. It will be remembered that the Titanic's messages got +gradually fainter and then ceased altogether as she came to rest with +her engines shut down. + +Again, in fogs,--and most accidents occur in fogs,--while wireless +informs of the accident, it does not enable one ship to locate another +closely enough to take off her passengers at once. There is as yet no +method known by which wireless telegraphy will fix the direction of a +message; and after a ship has been in fog for any considerable length +of time it is more difficult to give the exact position to another +vessel bringing help. + +Nothing could illustrate these two points better than the story of how +the Baltic found the Republic in the year 1909, in a dense fog off +Nantucket Lightship, when the latter was drifting helplessly after +collision with the Florida. The Baltic received a wireless message +stating the Republic's condition and the information that she was in +touch with Nantucket through a submarine bell which she could hear +ringing. The Baltic turned and went towards the position in the fog, +picked up the submarine bell-signal from Nantucket, and then began +searching near this position for the Republic. It took her twelve +hours to find the damaged ship, zigzagging across a circle within +which she thought the Republic might lie. In a rough sea it is +doubtful whether the Republic would have remained afloat long enough +for the Baltic to find her and take off all her passengers. + +Now on these two occasions when wireless telegraphy was found to be +unreliable, the usefulness of the submarine bell at once becomes +apparent. The Baltic could have gone unerringly to the Republic in the +dense fog had the latter been fitted with a submarine emergency bell. +It will perhaps be well to spend a little time describing the +submarine signalling apparatus to see how this result could have been +obtained: twelve anxious hours in a dense fog on a ship which was +injured so badly that she subsequently foundered, is an experience +which every appliance known to human invention should be enlisted to +prevent. + +Submarine signalling has never received that public notice which +wireless telegraphy has, for the reason that it does not appeal so +readily to the popular mind. That it is an absolute necessity to every +ship carrying passengers--or carrying anything, for that matter--is +beyond question. It is an additional safeguard that no ship can afford +to be without. + +There are many occasions when the atmosphere fails lamentably as a +medium for carrying messages. When fog falls down, as it does +sometimes in a moment, on the hundreds of ships coasting down the +traffic ways round our shores--ways which are defined so easily in +clear weather and with such difficulty in fogs--the hundreds of +lighthouses and lightships which serve as warning beacons, and on +which many millions of money have been spent, are for all practical +purposes as useless to the navigator as if they had never been built: +he is just as helpless as if he were back in the years before 1514, +when Trinity House was granted a charter by Henry VIII "for the +relief...of the shipping of this realm of England," and began a system +of lights on the shores, of which the present chain of lighthouses and +lightships is the outcome. + +Nor is the foghorn much better: the presence of different layers of +fog and air, and their varying densities, which cause both reflection +and refraction of sound, prevent the air from being a reliable medium +for carrying it. Now, submarine signalling has none of these defects, +for the medium is water, subject to no such variable conditions as the +air. Its density is practically non variable, and sound travels +through it at the rate of 4400 feet per second, without deviation or +reflection. + +The apparatus consists of a bell designed to ring either pneumatically +from a lightship, electrically from the shore (the bell itself being a +tripod at the bottom of the sea), automatically from a floating +bell-buoy, or by hand from a ship or boat. The sound travels from the +bell in every direction, like waves in a pond, and falls, it may be, +on the side of a ship. The receiving apparatus is fixed inside the +skin of the ship and consists of a small iron tank, 16 inches square +and 18 inches deep. The front of the tank facing the ship's iron skin +is missing and the tank, being filled with water, is bolted to the +framework and sealed firmly to the ship's side by rubber facing. In +this way a portion of the ship's iron hull is washed by the sea on one +side and water in the tank on the other. Vibrations from a bell +ringing at a distance fall on the iron side, travel through, and +strike on two microphones hanging in the tank. These microphones +transmit the sound along wires to the chart room, where telephones +convey the message to the officer on duty. + +There are two of these tanks or "receivers" fitted against the ship's +side, one on the port and one on the starboard side, near the bows, +and as far down below the water level as is possible. The direction of +sounds coming to the microphones hanging in these tanks can be +estimated by switching alternately to the port and starboard tanks. If +the sound is of greater intensity on the port side, then the bell +signalling is off the port bows; and similarly on the starboard side. + +The ship is turned towards the sound until the same volume of sound is +heard from both receivers, when the bell is known to be dead ahead. So +accurate is this in practice that a trained operator can steer his +ship in the densest fog directly to a lightship or any other point +where a submarine bell is sending its warning beneath the sea. It must +be repeated that the medium in which these signals are transmitted is +a constant one, not subject to any of the limitations and variations +imposed on the atmosphere and the ether as media for the transmission +of light, blasts of a foghorn, and wireless vibrations. At present the +chief use of submarine signalling is from the shore or a lightship to +ships at sea, and not from ship to ship or from ship to the shore: in +other words ships carry only receiving apparatus, and lighthouses and +lightships use only signalling apparatus. Some of the lighthouses and +lightships on our coasts already have these submarine bells in +addition to their lights, and in bad weather the bells send out their +messages to warn ships of their proximity to a danger point. This +invention enables ships to pick up the sound of bell after bell on a +coast and run along it in the densest fog almost as well as in +daylight; passenger steamers coming into port do not have to wander +about in the fog, groping their way blindly into harbour. By having a +code of rings, and judging by the intensity of the sound, it is +possible to tell almost exactly where a ship is in relation to the +coast or to some lightship. The British Admiralty report in 1906 said: +"If the lightships round the coast were fitted with submarine bells, +it would be possible for ships fitted with receiving apparatus to +navigate in fog with almost as great certainty as in clear weather." +And the following remark of a captain engaged in coast service is +instructive. He had been asked to cut down expenses by omitting the +submarine signalling apparatus, but replied: "I would rather take out +the wireless. That only enables me to tell other people where I am. +The submarine signal enables me to find out where I am myself." + +The range of the apparatus is not so wide as that of wireless +telegraphy, varying from 10 to 15 miles for a large ship (although +instances of 20 to 30 are on record), and from 3 to 8 miles for a +small ship. + +At present the receiving apparatus is fixed on only some 650 steamers +of the merchant marine, these being mostly the first-class passenger +liners. There is no question that it should be installed, along with +wireless apparatus, on every ship of over 1000 tons gross tonnage. +Equally important is the provision of signalling apparatus on board +ships: it is obviously just as necessary to transmit a signal as to +receive one; but at present the sending of signals from ships has not +been perfected. The invention of signal-transmitting apparatus to be +used while the ship is under way is as yet in the experimental stage; +but while she is at rest a bell similar to those used by lighthouses +can be sunk over her side and rung by hand with exactly the same +effect. But liners are not provided with them (they cost only 60 Pounds!). +As mentioned before, with another 60 Pounds spent on the Republic's +equipment, the Baltic could have picked up her bell and steered direct +to her--just as they both heard the bell of Nantucket Lightship. +Again, if the Titanic had been provided with a bell and the +Californian with receiving apparatus,--neither of them was,--the +officer on the bridge could have heard the signals from the telephones +near. + +A smaller size for use in lifeboats is provided, and would be heard by +receiving apparatus for approximately five miles. If we had hung one +of these bells over the side of the lifeboats afloat that night we +should have been free from the anxiety of being run down as we lay +across the Carpathia's path, without a light. Or if we had gone adrift +in a dense fog and wandered miles apart from each other on the sea (as +we inevitably should have done), the Carpathia could still have picked +up each boat individually by means of the bell signal. + +In those ships fitted with receiving apparatus, at least one officer +is obliged to understand the working of the apparatus: a very wise +precaution, and, as suggested above, one that should be taken with +respect to wireless apparatus also. + +It was a very great pleasure to me to see all this apparatus in +manufacture and in use at one of the principal submarine signalling +works in America and to hear some of the remarkable stories of its +value in actual practice. I was struck by the aptness of the motto +adopted by them--"De profundis clamavi"--in relation to the Titanic's +end and the calls of our passengers from the sea when she sank. "Out +of the deep have I called unto Thee" is indeed a suitable motto for +those who are doing all they can to prevent such calls arising from +their fellow men and women "out of the deep." + +_Fixing of steamship routes_ + +The "lanes" along which the liners travel are fixed by agreement among +the steamship companies in consultation with the Hydrographic +departments of the different countries. These routes are arranged so +that east-bound steamers are always a number of miles away from those +going west, and thus the danger of collision between east and +west-bound vessels is entirely eliminated. The "lanes" can be moved +farther south if icebergs threaten, and north again when the danger is +removed. Of course the farther south they are placed, the longer the +journey to be made, and the longer the time spent on board, with +consequent grumbling by some passengers. For example, the lanes since +the disaster to the Titanic have been moved one hundred miles farther +south, which means one hundred and eighty miles longer journey, taking +eight hours. + +The only real precaution against colliding with icebergs is to go +south of the place where they are likely to be: there is no other way. + +_Lifeboats_ + +The provision was of course woefully inadequate. The only humane plan +is to have a numbered seat in a boat assigned to each passenger and +member of the crew. It would seem well to have this number pointed out +at the time of booking a berth, and to have a plan in each cabin +showing where the boat is and how to get to it the most direct way--a +most important consideration with a ship like the Titanic with over +two miles of deck space. Boat-drills of the passengers and crew of +each boat should be held, under compulsion, as soon as possible after +leaving port. I asked an officer as to the possibility of having such +a drill immediately after the gangways are withdrawn and before the +tugs are allowed to haul the ship out of dock, but he says the +difficulties are almost insuperable at such a time. If so, the drill +should be conducted in sections as soon as possible after sailing, and +should be conducted in a thorough manner. Children in school are +called upon suddenly to go through fire-drill, and there is no reason +why passengers on board ship should not be similarly trained. So much +depends on order and readiness in time of danger. Undoubtedly, the +whole subject of manning, provisioning, loading and lowering of +lifeboats should be in the hands of an expert officer, who should have +no other duties. The modern liner has become far too big to permit the +captain to exercise control over the whole ship, and all vitally +important subdivisions should be controlled by a separate authority. +It seems a piece of bitter irony to remember that on the Titanic a +special chef was engaged at a large salary,--larger perhaps than that +of any officer,--and no boatmaster (or some such officer) was +considered necessary. The general system again--not criminal neglect, +as some hasty criticisms would say, but lack of consideration for our +fellow-man, the placing of luxurious attractions above that kindly +forethought that allows no precaution to be neglected for even the +humblest passenger. But it must not be overlooked that the provision +of sufficient lifeboats on deck is not evidence they will all be +launched easily or all the passengers taken off safely. It must be +remembered that ideal conditions prevailed that night for launching +boats from the decks of the Titanic: there was no list that prevented +the boats getting away, they could be launched on both sides, and when +they were lowered the sea was so calm that they pulled away without +any of the smashing against the side that is possible in rough seas. +Sometimes it would mean that only those boats on the side sheltered +from a heavy sea could ever get away, and this would at once halve the +boat accommodation. And when launched, there would be the danger of +swamping in such a heavy sea. All things considered, lifeboats might +be the poorest sort of safeguard in certain conditions. + +Life-rafts are said to be much inferior to lifeboats in a rough sea, +and collapsible boats made of canvas and thin wood soon decay under +exposure to weather and are danger-traps at a critical moment. + +Some of the lifeboats should be provided with motors, to keep the +boats together and to tow if necessary. The launching is an important +matter: the Titanic's davits worked excellently and no doubt were +largely responsible for all the boats getting away safely: they were +far superior to those on most liners. + +_Pontoons_ + +After the sinking of the Bourgogne, when two Americans lost their +lives, a prize of 4000 Pounds was offered by their heirs for the best +life-saving device applicable to ships at sea. A board sat to consider +the various appliances sent in by competitors, and finally awarded the +prize to an Englishman, whose design provided for a flat structure the +width of the ship, which could be floated off when required and would +accommodate several hundred passengers. It has never been adopted +by any steamship line. Other similar designs are known, by which the +whole of the after deck can be pushed over from the stern by a ratchet +arrangement, with air-tanks below to buoy it up: it seems to be a +practical suggestion. + +One point where the Titanic management failed lamentably was to +provide a properly trained crew to each lifeboat. The rowing was in +most cases execrable. There is no more reason why a steward should be +able to row than a passenger--less so than some of the passengers who +were lost; men of leisure accustomed to all kinds of sport (including +rowing), and in addition probably more fit physically than a steward +to row for hours on the open sea. And if a steward cannot row, he has +no right to be at an oar; so that, under the unwritten rule that +passengers take precedence of the crew when there is not sufficient +accommodation for all (a situation that should never be allowed to +arise again, for a member of the crew should have an equal opportunity +with a passenger to save his life), the majority of stewards and cooks +should have stayed behind and passengers have come instead: they could +not have been of less use, and they might have been of more. It will +be remembered that the proportion of crew saved to passengers was 210 +to 495, a high proportion. + +Another point arises out of these figures--deduct 21 members of the +crew who were stewardesses, and 189 men of the crew are left as +against the 495 passengers. Of these some got on the overturned +collapsible boat after the Titanic sank, and a few were picked up by +the lifeboats, but these were not many in all. Now with the 17 boats +brought to the Carpathia and an average of six of the crew to man each +boat,--probably a higher average than was realized,--we get a total of +102 who should have been saved as against 189 who actually were. There +were, as is known, stokers and stewards in the boats who were not +members of the lifeboats' crews. It may seem heartless to analyze +figures in this way, and suggest that some of the crew who got to the +Carpathia never should have done so; but, after all, passengers took +their passage under certain rules,--written and unwritten,--and one is +that in times of danger the servants of the company in whose boats +they sail shall first of all see to the safety of the passengers +before thinking of their own. There were only 126 men passengers saved +as against 189 of the crew, and 661 men lost as against 686 of the +crew, so that actually the crew had a greater percentage saved than +the men passengers--22 per cent against 16. + +But steamship companies are faced with real difficulties in this +matter. The crews are never the same for two voyages together: they +sign on for the one trip, then perhaps take a berth on shore as +waiters, stokers in hotel furnace-rooms, etc.,--to resume life on +board any other ship that is handy when the desire comes to go to sea +again. They can in no sense be regarded as part of a homogeneous crew, +subject to regular discipline and educated to appreciate the morale of +a particular liner, as a man of war's crew is. + +_Searchlights_ + +These seem an absolute necessity, and the wonder is that they have not +been fitted before to all ocean liners. Not only are they of use in +lighting up the sea a long distance ahead, but as flashlight signals +they permit of communication with other ships. As I write, through the +window can be seen the flashes from river steamers plying up the +Hudson in New York, each with its searchlight, examining the river, +lighting up the bank for hundreds of yards ahead, and bringing every +object within its reach into prominence. They are regularly used too +in the Suez Canal. + +I suppose there is no question that the collision would have been +avoided had a searchlight been fitted to the Titanic's masthead: the +climatic conditions for its use must have been ideal that night. There +are other things besides icebergs: derelicts are reported from time to +time, and fishermen lie in the lanes without lights. They would not +always be of practical use, however. They would be of no service in +heavy rain, in fog, in snow, or in flying spray, and the effect is +sometimes to dazzle the eyes of the lookout. + +While writing of the lookout, much has been made of the omission to +provide the lookout on the Titanic with glasses. The general opinion +of officers seems to be that it is better not to provide them, but to +rely on good eyesight and wide-awake men. After all, in a question of +actual practice, the opinion of officers should be accepted as final, +even if it seems to the landsman the better thing to provide glasses. + +_Cruising lightships_ + +One or two internationally owned and controlled lightships, fitted +with every known device for signalling and communication, would rob +those regions of most of their terrors. They could watch and chart the +icebergs, report their exact position, the amount and direction of +daily drift in the changing currents that are found there. To them, +too, might be entrusted the duty of police patrol. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SOME IMPRESSIONS + + +No one can pass through an event like the wreck of the Titanic without +recording mentally many impressions, deep and vivid, of what has been +seen and felt. In so far as such impressions are of benefit to mankind +they should not be allowed to pass unnoticed, and this chapter is an +attempt to picture how people thought and felt from the time they +first heard of the disaster to the landing in New York, when there was +opportunity to judge of events somewhat from a distance. While it is +to some extent a personal record, the mental impressions of other +survivors have been compared and found to be in many cases closely in +agreement. Naturally it is very imperfect, and pretends to be no more +than a sketch of the way people act under the influence of strong +emotions produced by imminent danger. + +In the first place, the principal fact that stands out is the almost +entire absence of any expressions of fear or alarm on the part of +passengers, and the conformity to the normal on the part of almost +everyone. I think it is no exaggeration to say that those who read of +the disaster quietly at home, and pictured to themselves the scene as +the Titanic was sinking, had more of the sense of horror than those +who stood on the deck and watched her go down inch by inch. The fact +is that the sense of fear came to the passengers very slowly--a result +of the absence of any signs of danger and the peaceful night--and as +it became evident gradually that there was serious damage to the ship, +the fear that came with the knowledge was largely destroyed as it +came. There was no sudden overwhelming sense of danger that passed +through thought so quickly that it was difficult to catch up and +grapple with it--no need for the warning to "be not afraid of sudden +fear," such as might have been present had we collided head-on with a +crash and a shock that flung everyone out of his bunk to the floor. +Everyone had time to give each condition of danger attention as it +came along, and the result of their judgment was as if they had said: +"Well, here is this thing to be faced, and we must see it through as +quietly as we can." Quietness and self-control were undoubtedly the +two qualities most expressed. There were times when danger loomed more +nearly and there was temporarily some excitement,--for example when +the first rocket went up,--but after the first realization of what it +meant, the crowd took hold of the situation and soon gained the same +quiet control that was evident at first. As the sense of fear ebbed +and flowed, it was so obviously a thing within one's own power to +control, that, quite unconsciously realizing the absolute necessity of +keeping cool, every one for his own safety put away the thought of +danger as far as was possible. Then, too, the curious sense of the +whole thing being a dream was very prominent: that all were looking on +at the scene from a near-by vantage point in a position of perfect +safety, and that those who walked the decks or tied one another's +lifebelts on were the actors in a scene of which we were but +spectators: that the dream would end soon and we should wake up to +find the scene had vanished. Many people have had a similar experience +in times of danger, but it was very noticeable standing on the +Titanic's deck. I remember observing it particularly while tying on a +lifebelt for a man on the deck. It is fortunate that it should be so: +to be able to survey such a scene dispassionately is a wonderful aid +inn the destruction of the fear that go with it. One thing that helped +considerably to establish this orderly condition of affairs was the +quietness of the surroundings. It may seem weariness to refer again to +this, but I am convinced it had much to do with keeping everyone calm. +The ship was motionless; there was not a breath of wind; the sky was +clear; the sea like a mill-pond--the general "atmosphere" was +peaceful, and all on board responded unconsciously to it. But what +controlled the situation principally was the quality of obedience and +respect for authority which is a dominant characteristic of the +Teutonic race. Passengers did as they were told by the officers in +charge: women went to the decks below, men remained where they were +told and waited in silence for the next order, knowing instinctively +that this was the only way to bring about the best result for all on +board. The officers, in their turn, carried out the work assigned to +them by their superior officers as quickly and orderly as +circumstances permitted, the senior ones being in control of the +manning, filling and lowering of the lifeboats, while the junior +officers were lowered in individual boats to take command of the fleet +adrift on the sea. Similarly, the engineers below, the band, the +gymnasium instructor, were all performing their tasks as they came +along: orderly, quietly, without question or stopping to consider what +was their chance of safety. This correlation on the part of +passengers, officers and crew was simply obedience to duty, and it was +innate rather than the product of reasoned judgment. + +I hope it will not seem to detract in any way from the heroism of +those who faced the last plunge of the Titanic so courageously when +all the boats had gone,--if it does, it is the difficulty of +expressing an idea in adequate words,--to say that their quiet heroism +was largely unconscious, temperamental, not a definite choice between +two ways of acting. All that was visible on deck before the boats left +tended to this conclusion and the testimony of those who went down +with the ship and were afterwards rescued is of the same kind. + +Certainly it seems to express much more general nobility of character +in a race of people--consisting of different nationalities--to find +heroism an unconscious quality of the race than to have it arising as +an effort of will, to have to bring it out consciously. + +It is unfortunate that some sections of the press should seek to +chronicle mainly the individual acts of heroism: the collective +behaviour of a crowd is of so much more importance to the world and so +much more a test--if a test be wanted--of how a race of people +behaves. The attempt to record the acts of individuals leads +apparently to such false reports as that of Major Butt holding at bay +with a revolver a crowd of passengers and shooting them down as they +tried to rush the boats, or of Captain Smith shouting, "Be British," +through a megaphone, and subsequently committing suicide along with +First Officer Murdock. It is only a morbid sense of things that would +describe such incidents as heroic. Everyone knows that Major Butt was +a brave man, but his record of heroism would not be enhanced if he, a +trained army officer, were compelled under orders from the captain to +shoot down unarmed passengers. It might in other conditions have been +necessary, but it would not be heroic. Similarly there could be +nothing heroic in Captain Smith or Murdock putting an end to their +lives. It is conceivable men might be so overwhelmed by the sense of +disaster that they knew not how they were acting; but to be really +heroic would have been to stop with the ship--as of course they +did--with the hope of being picked up along with passengers and crew +and returning to face an enquiry and to give evidence that would be of +supreme value to the whole world for the prevention of similar +disasters. It was not possible; but if heroism consists in doing the +greatest good to the greatest number, it would have been heroic for +both officers to _expect_ to be saved. We do not know what they +thought, but I, for one, like to imagine that they did so. Second +Officer Lightoller worked steadily at the boats until the last +possible moment, went down with the ship, was saved in what seemed a +miraculous manner, and returned to give valuable evidence before the +commissions of two countries. + +The second thing that stands out prominently in the emotions produced +by the disaster is that in moments of urgent need men and women turn +for help to something entirely outside themselves. I remember reading +some years ago a story of an atheist who was the guest at dinner of a +regimental mess in India. The colonel listened to his remarks on +atheism in silence, and invited him for a drive the following morning. +He took his guest up a rough mountain road in a light carriage drawn +by two ponies, and when some distance from the plain below, turned the +carriage round and allowed the ponies to run away--as it +seemed--downhill. In the terror of approaching disaster, the atheist +was lifted out of his reasoned convictions and prayed aloud for help, +when the colonel reined in his ponies, and with the remark that the +whole drive had been planned with the intention of proving to his +guest that there was a power outside his own reason, descended quietly +to level ground. + +The story may or may not be true, and in any case is not introduced as +an attack on atheism, but it illustrates in a striking way the frailty +of dependence on a man's own power and resource in imminent danger. To +those men standing on the top deck with the boats all lowered, and +still more so when the boats had all left, there came the realization +that human resources were exhausted and human avenues of escape +closed. With it came the appeal to whatever consciousness each had of +a Power that had created the universe. After all, some Power had made +the brilliant stars above, countless millions of miles away, moving in +definite order, formed on a definite plan and obeying a definite law: +had made each one of the passengers with ability to think and act; +with the best proof, after all, of being created--the knowledge of +their own existence; and now, if at any time, was the time to appeal +to that Power. When the boats had left and it was seen the ship was +going down rapidly, men stood in groups on the deck engaged in prayer, +and later, as some of them lay on the overturned collapsible +boat, they repeated together over and over again the Lord's +Prayer--irrespective of religious beliefs, some, perhaps, without +religious beliefs, united in a common appeal for deliverance from +their surroundings. And this was not because it was a habit, because +they had learned this prayer "at their mother's knee": men do not do +such things through habit. It must have been because each one saw +removed the thousand and one ways in which he had relied on human, +material things to help him--including even dependence on the +overturned boat with its bubble of air inside, which any moment a +rising swell might remove as it tilted the boat too far sideways, and +sink the boat below the surface--saw laid bare his utter dependence on +something that had made him and given him power to think--whether he +named it God or Divine Power or First Cause or Creator, or named it +not at all but recognized it unconsciously--saw these things and +expressed them in the form of words he was best acquainted with in +common with his fellow-men. He did so, not through a sense of duty to +his particular religion, not because he had learned the words, but +because he recognized that it was the most practical thing to do--the +thing best fitted to help him. Men do practical things in times like +that: they would not waste a moment on mere words if those words were +not an expression of the most intensely real conviction of which they +were capable. Again, like the feeling of heroism, this appeal is +innate and intuitive, and it certainly has its foundation on a +knowledge--largely concealed, no doubt--of immortality. I think this +must be obvious: there could be no other explanation of such a general +sinking of all the emotions of the human mind expressed in a thousand +different ways by a thousand different people in favour of this single +appeal. + +The behaviour of people during the hours in the lifeboats, the landing +on the Carpathia, the life there and the landing in New York, can all +be summarized by saying that people did not act at all as they were +expected to act--or rather as most people expected they would act, and +in some cases have erroneously said they did act. Events were there to +be faced, and not to crush people down. Situations arose which +demanded courage, resource, and in the cases of those who had lost +friends most dear to them, enormous self-control; but very wonderfully +they responded. There was the same quiet demeanour and poise, the same +inborn dominion over circumstances, the same conformity to a normal +standard which characterized the crowd of passengers on the deck of +the Titanic--and for the same reasons. + +The first two or three days ashore were undoubtedly rather trying to +some of the survivors. It seemed as if coming into the world +again--the four days shut off from any news seemed a long time--and +finding what a shock the disaster had produced, the flags half-mast, +the staring head-lines, the sense of gloom noticeable everywhere, made +things worse than they had been on the Carpathia. The difference in +"atmosphere" was very marked, and people gave way to some extent under +it and felt the reaction. Gratitude for their deliverance and a desire +to "make the best of things" must have helped soon, however, to +restore them to normal conditions. It is not at all surprising that +some survivors felt quieter on the Carpathia with its lack of news +from the outside world, if the following extract from a leading New +York evening paper was some of the material of which the "atmosphere" +on shore was composed:--"Stunned by the terrific impact, the dazed +passengers rushed from their staterooms into the main saloon amid the +crash of splintering steel, rending of plates and shattering of +girders, while the boom of falling pinnacles of ice upon the broken +deck of the great vessel added to the horror.... In a wild +ungovernable mob they poured out of the saloons to witness one of the +most appalling scenes possible to conceive.... For a hundred feet the +bow was a shapeless mass of bent, broken and splintered steel and +iron." + +And so on, horror piled on horror, and not a word of it true, or +remotely approaching the truth. + +This paper was selling in the streets of New York while the Carpathia +was coming into dock, while relatives of those on board were at the +docks to meet them and anxiously buying any paper that might contain +news. No one on the Carpathia could have supplied such information; +there was no one else in the world at that moment who knew any details +of the Titanic disaster, and the only possible conclusion is that the +whole thing was a deliberate fabrication to sell the paper. + +This is a repetition of the same defect in human nature noticed in the +provision of safety appliances on board ship--the lack of +consideration for the other man. The remedy is the same--the law: it +should be a criminal offence for anyone to disseminate deliberate +falsehoods that cause fear and grief. The moral responsibility of the +press is very great, and its duty of supplying the public with only +clean, correct news is correspondingly heavy. If the general public is +not yet prepared to go so far as to stop the publication of such news +by refusing to buy those papers that publish it, then the law should +be enlarged to include such cases. Libel is an offence, and this is +very much worse than any libel could ever be. + +It is only right to add that the majority of the New York papers were +careful only to report such news as had been obtained legitimately +from survivors or from Carpathia passengers. It was sometimes +exaggerated and sometimes not true at all, but from the point of +reporting what was heard, most of it was quite correct. + +One more thing must be referred to--the prevalence of superstitious +beliefs concerning the Titanic. I suppose no ship ever left port with +so much miserable nonsense showered on her. In the first place, there +is no doubt many people refused to sail on her because it was her +maiden voyage, and this apparently is a common superstition: even the +clerk of the White Star Office where I purchased my ticket admitted it +was a reason that prevented people from sailing. A number of people +have written to the press to say they had thought of sailing on her, +or had decided to sail on her, but because of "omens" cancelled the +passage. Many referred to the sister ship, the Olympic, pointed to the +"ill luck" that they say has dogged her--her collision with the Hawke, +and a second mishap necessitating repairs and a wait in harbour, where +passengers deserted her; they prophesied even greater disaster for the +Titanic, saying they would not dream of travelling on the boat. Even +some aboard were very nervous, in an undefined way. One lady said she +had never wished to take this boat, but her friends had insisted and +bought her ticket and she had not had a happy moment since. A friend +told me of the voyage of the Olympic from Southampton after the wait +in harbour, and said there was a sense of gloom pervading the whole +ship: the stewards and stewardesses even going so far as to say it was +a "death-ship." This crew, by the way, was largely transferred to the +Titanic. + +The incident with the New York at Southampton, the appearance of the +stoker at Queenstown in the funnel, combine with all this to make a +mass of nonsense in which apparently sensible people believe, or which +at any rate they discuss. Correspondence is published with an official +of the White Star Line from some one imploring them not to name the +new ship "Gigantic," because it seems like "tempting fate" when the +Titanic has been sunk. It would seem almost as if we were back in the +Middle Ages when witches were burned because they kept black cats. +There seems no more reason why a black stoker should be an ill omen +for the Titanic than a black cat should be for an old woman. + +The only reason for referring to these foolish details is that a +surprisingly large number of people think there may be "something in +it." The effect is this: that if a ship's company and a number of +passengers get imbued with that undefined dread of the unknown--the +relics no doubt of the savage's fear of what he does not +understand--it has an unpleasant effect on the harmonious working of +the ship: the officers and crew feel the depressing influence, and it +may even spread so far as to prevent them being as alert and keen as +they otherwise would; may even result in some duty not being as well +done as usual. Just as the unconscious demand for speed and haste to +get across the Atlantic may have tempted captains to take a risk they +might otherwise not have done, so these gloomy forebodings may have +more effect sometimes than we imagine. Only a little thing is required +sometimes to weigh down the balance for and against a certain course +of action. + +At the end of this chapter of mental impressions it must be recorded +that one impression remains constant with us all to-day--that of the +deepest gratitude that we came safely through the wreck of the +Titanic; and its corollary--that our legacy from the wreck, our debt +to those who were lost with her, is to see, as far as in us lies, that +such things are impossible ever again. Meanwhile we can say of them, +as Shelley, himself the victim of a similar disaster, says of his +friend Keats in "Adonais":-- + +"Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep--He hath awakened +from the dream of life--He lives, he wakes--'Tis Death is dead, not +he; Mourn not for Adonais." + +THE END + +[Illustration: FIG 4. TRANSVERSE VIEW OF THE DECKS THE TITANIC + + S Sun deck + A Upper promenade deck + B Promenade deck, glass enclosed + C Upper deck + D Saloon deck + E Main deck + F Middle deck + G Lower deck: cargo, coal bunkers, boilers, engines + (a) Welin davits with lifeboats + (b) Bilge + (c) Double bottom] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Loss of the SS. Titanic, by Lawrence Beesley + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC *** + +This file should be named lsttn10.txt or lsttn10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, lsttn11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, lsttn10a.txt + +Steve Schulze, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. +This file was produced from images generously made available by the CWRU +Preservation Department Digital Library + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/lsttn10.zip b/old/lsttn10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4dca8ed --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lsttn10.zip |