Voices from the Titanic

by Geoff Tibballs

  (US Inquiry, 19 April 1912)

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller was asked to explain why so many of the early lifeboats were allowed to leave only half-full.

  ‘Who determined the number of people who should go into the lifeboats?’ – ‘I did.’

  ‘How did you reach a conclusion as to the number that should be permitted to go in?’ – ‘My own judgement about the strength of the tackle.’

  ‘How many did you put in each boat?’ – ‘In the first boat I put about twenty or twenty-five.’

  ‘How many men?’ – ‘No men.’

  ‘How many seamen?’ – ‘Two.’

  ‘It was not much more than half loaded, was it?’ – ‘Its floating capacity; no.’

  ‘How did it happen you did not put more people into that boat?’ – ‘Because I did not consider it safe.’

  ‘In a great emergency like that, where there were limited facilities, could you not have afforded to try to put more people into that boat?’ – ‘I did not know it was urgent then. I had no idea it was urgent.’

  ‘Supposing you had known it was urgent, what would you have done?’ – ‘I would have acted to the best of my judgement then.’

  ‘Tell me what you would have thought wise.’ – ‘I would have taken more risks. I should not have considered it wise to put more in, but I might have taken risks.’

  ‘As a matter of fact are not these lifeboats so constructed as to accommodate forty people?’ – ‘Sixty-five in the water.’

  ‘Sixty-five in the water, and about forty as they are being put into the water?’ – ‘No, sir. It all depends on your gears. If it were an old ship, you would barely dare to put twenty-five in.’

  ‘But this was a new one?’ – ‘And therefore I took chances with her afterwards.’

  ‘You put twenty-five in?’ – ‘In the first.’

  ‘Were the people ready to go?’ – ‘Perfectly quiet and ready.’

  ‘Any jostling or pushing or crowding?’ – ‘None whatever.’

  ‘The men all refrained from asserting their strength and crowding back the women and children?’ – ‘They could not have stood quieter if they had been in church.’

  (US Inquiry, 19 April 1912)

  Twenty-one-year-old Harold Thomas Cottam, the sole wireless operator on the Carpathia, told Senator Smith that it was only by pure chance that he came to hear the Titanic’s distress call as he was just about to retire to bed for the night. After two successive late nights and having been on duty since 7 a.m., Cottam had planned to go to bed early and would have shut down his station half an hour earlier had he not been waiting for confirmation of receipt of a transmission he had sent to the liner Parisian. He had been passing the time listening to the land station at Cape Cod.

  ‘How did you happen to catch this communication from the Titanic?’ – ‘I was looking out for the Parisian, to confirm a previous communication. I was about to retire.’

  ‘Had you disrobed?’ – ‘No, sir.’

  ‘Had you taken off your shoes?’ – ‘No, sir.’

  ‘Had you taken off any of your clothing?’ – ‘I had my coat off.’

  ‘When you took your coat off, did you have any instruments attached to your head?’ – ‘Yes, sir. Telephones.’

  ‘How did you happen to leave that on?’ – ‘I was waiting for the Parisian.’

  ‘How long would you have waited; just long enough to undress?’ – ‘I would have waited a couple of minutes. I had just called the Parisian and was waiting for a reply, if there was one.’

  ‘What did you hear at that time?’ – ‘I heard nothing, sir. I went back on to Cape Cod which was sending messages for the Titanic. I was taking the messages down with the hope of retransmitting them the following morning. Then I called the Titanic and asked him if he was aware that Cape Cod was sending a batch of messages for him.’

  ‘And did they reply?’ – ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘What did they say?’ – ‘ ‘Come at once. It is a distress message; C.Q.D.’ ’

  ‘What did you do?’ – ‘I confirmed it by asking him if I was to report it to the captain. The reply said “Yes”.’

  ‘How much time elapsed between the time when you received that distress call and the time you communicated it to the captain?’ – ‘A matter of a couple of minutes.’

  ‘Did you send any messages after that to the Titanic?’ – ‘Yes, sir. I sent our position.’

  ‘Did you get any reply to that?’ – ‘Yes, sir; immediately. It simply said, “Received”.’

  ‘When did you next hear from the Titanic?’ – ‘About four minutes afterwards. We both confirmed our positions. I then heard the Frankfurt calling the Titanic. Then I heard the Olympic calling the Titanic. For about half a minute everything was quiet. I asked the Titanic if he was aware that the Olympic was calling him. He said he was not – he told me he could not read him because of the rush of air and escape of steam. I told the Titanic to call the Baltic, but the communication was apparently unsatisfactory.’

  ‘When did you hear anything again?’ – ‘I heard the Baltic calling Cape Race.’

  ‘You were in regular communication with the Titanic until the last communication was heard?’ – ‘Yes; until the last communication was heard.’

  ‘What was the last one?’ – ‘ “Come quick; our engine room is filling up to the boilers.” ’

  ‘Did you make any reply to it?’ – ‘I acknowledged the message and reported it to the captain.’

  ‘So that in response to this last call the only reply they got was “received”?’ – ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘But the position of your boat was not stated?’ – ‘No, sir. I also called him with a message, but I got no acknowledgement.’

  ‘Tell us what that message was.’ – ‘The captain told me to tell the Titanic that all our boats were ready and we were coming as hard as we could come, with a double watch on in the engine room, and to be prepared, when we got there, with lifeboats. I got no acknowledgement of that message.’

  ‘Whether it was received or not, you don’t know?’ – ‘No, sir.’

  (US Inquiry, 19 April 1912)

  Alfred Crawford, a bedroom steward in first class who hailed from Southampton, retold the story of Isidor and Ida Straus who refused to be separated, and died together on the Titanic. But first they oversaw the safe departure of Mrs Straus’s maid, Ellen Bird, who tearfully accepted her mistress’s fur stole as a farewell gift.

  ‘Did you know Mr and Mrs Straus?’ – ‘I stood at the boat where they refused to get in.’

  ‘Did Mrs Straus get into the boat?’ – ‘She attempted to get into the boat first and she got back again. Her maid got into the boat.’

  ‘What do you mean by “she attempted” to get in?’ – ‘She went to get over from the deck to the boat, but then went back to her husband.’

  ‘Did she step on the boat?’ – ‘She stepped on to the boat, on to the gunwales, sir; then she went back.’

  ‘What followed?’ – ‘She said, “We have been living together for many years, and where you go I go.” ’

  ‘To whom did she speak?’ – ‘To her husband.’

  ‘Was he beside her?’ – ‘Yes, he was standing a way back when she went from the boat.’

  ‘You say there was a maid there also?’ – ‘A maid got in the boat and was saved.’

  ‘Did the maid precede Mrs Straus into the boat?’ – ‘Mrs Straus told the maid to get into the boat and she would follow her. Then she altered her mind and went back to her husband.’

  (US Inquiry, 19 April 1912)

  Sitting in a wheelchair, his left foot bandaged, the Titanic’s assistant wireless operator, Harold Bride, recounted how the senior operator, Jack Phillips, had effectively told his counterpart on the nearby German ship, the Frankfurt, to keep out of the way as the Titanic went to her watery grave.

  ‘I understand that the first response to the C.Q.D. call of distress was from the Frankfurt?’ – �
�Yes, sir. He told us to stand by. That means to wait.’

  ‘Did anyone say in your hearing that they thought the Frankfurt was in closer proximity to the Titanic than any other ship?’ – ‘Yes, sir. Mr Phillips told me so.’

  ‘Did Mr Phillips tell you that he was trying to establish such communication with the Frankfurt as would bring that ship to your relief?’ – ‘Well, Mr Phillips was under the impression that when the Frankfurt had heard the C.Q.D. and got our position, he would immediately make it known to his commander and take further steps. Apparently he did not.’

  ‘Did you have any other communication with the Frankfurt after that ship responded to the distress call?’ – ‘Yes. He called us up at a considerably long period afterwards and asked us what was the matter.’

  ‘How long after?’ – ‘I should say it would be considerably over twenty minutes afterwards.’

  ‘To that message what did you say?’ – ‘I think Mr Phillips responded rather hurriedly.’

  ‘What did he say? I would like to know.’ – ‘He told him he was a fool.’

  ‘Did Mr Phillips then tell him what was the matter?’ – ‘No, sir.’

  ‘Did he have any further communication with the Frankfurt?’ – ‘No, sir. He told him to stand by, to keep out of it.’

  ‘Keep out of what?’ – ‘Not to interfere with his instrument, because we were in communication with the Carpathia, and we knew that the Carpathia was the best thing doing.’

  (US Inquiry, 20 April 1912)

  EVIDENCE GROWS THAT WHITE STAR LINE KNEW TITANIC’S FATE HOURS BEFORE IT MADE IT PUBLIC

  Cumulative evidence was adduced yesterday before the Senate Committee investigating the loss of the Titanic to show that the White Star Line was in full possession of the facts concerning the disaster to the Titanic long before the news was made public.

  Through the testimony of the Marconi operators on both the Titanic and the Carpathia it developed the White Star liner Baltic was in communication with both the Titanic and the Carpathia on the fateful Sunday night and Monday morning when the Titanic struck the iceberg that sent her to destruction.

  The Baltic was notified by wireless first that the Titanic was sinking fast and that those aboard were getting ready to leave the ship. That was between one and two o’clock in the morning – less than an hour before the Titanic vanished under the waves.

  A few hours later the Baltic received word from the Carpathia that the Titanic had sunk and that the Carpathia had picked up survivors from lifeboats, but that it was certain there had been a considerable loss of life. In a word, the Carpathia’s wireless operator told the whole tragic story to the Baltic so far as it was then known. The time of that message was about 10.40 Monday morning, which would be about half-past nine New York time. The Baltic, which had gone out of her course to come to the assistance of the Titanic, then proceeded on her easterly way. Practically the same news was communicated at the same time to the Olympic, sister ship of the Titanic.

  There can be no doubt that the commander of the Baltic took all possible steps to notify the owners of his line, the White Star, of the information he had received both from the Titanic herself and from the Carpathia.

  Yet at the offices of the White Star Line it was insisted upon all day Monday till seven o’clock in the evening that no word had been received there concerning the Titanic’s troubles. The Press associations, the Wall Street offices and scores of other mediums of news were filled all day with reports that the Titanic was in a bad way or that she had sunk. At the very time that this information, springing from nobody knew where, was ringing in the streets of the city the White Star Line, with the very best sources of original information, was not only denying to the newspaper men that it had any information whatsoever concerning the Titanic, but it was sending out telegrams to a few anxious inquirers whose prominence and position made it impossible to ignore their requests for information concerning their relatives on board the Titanic. These telegrams were of the most encouraging nature, and one of them sent to Congressman Hughes at Huntington, West Virginia, Monday afternoon was read in evidence yesterday at the Senate Committee’s hearing. That telegram said: ‘Titanic proceeding to Halifax. All on board safe. White Star Line.’

  (New York World, 21 April 1912)

  A STATEMENT FROM J. BRUCE ISMAY

  When I appeared before the Senate Committee on Friday morning I supposed the purpose of the inquiry was to ascertain the cause of the sinking of the Titanic with a view to determining whether additional legislation was required to prevent the recurrence of so horrible a disaster.

  I welcomed such an inquiry and appeared voluntarily without subpoena, and answered all questions put to me by the members of the Committee to the best of my ability, with complete frankness and without reserve. I did not suppose the question of my personal conduct was the subject of the inquiry, although I was ready to tell everything I did on the night of the collision. As I have been subpoenaed to attend before the Committee in Washington tomorrow I should prefer to make no public statement out of respect for the Committee, but I do not think that courtesy requires me to be silent in the face of the untrue statements made in some of the newspapers.

  When I went on board the Titanic at Southampton on April 10 it was my intention to return by her. I had no intention of remaining in the United States at that time. I came merely to observe the new vessel as I had done in the case of other vessels of our lines. During the voyage I was a passenger and exercized no greater right or privileges than any other passenger. I was not consulted by the commander about the ship, her course, speed, navigation, or her conduct at sea. All these matters were under the exclusive control of the captain.

  I saw Captain Smith casually, as other passengers did. I was never in his room; I was never on the bridge until after the accident. I did not sit at his table in the saloon. I had not visited the engine-room, nor gone through the ship, and did not go, or attempt to go, to any part of the ship to which any other first-cabin passenger did not have access. It is absolutely and unqualifiedly false that I ever said that I wished that the Titanic should make a speed record or should increase her daily runs. I deny absolutely having said to any person that we would increase our speed in order to get out of the ice zone, or any words to that effect. As I have already testified, at no time did the Titanic during the voyage attain her full speed. It was not expected that she would reach New York before Wednesday morning. If she had been pressed she could probably have arrived on Tuesday evening.

  The statement that the White Star Line would receive an additional sum by way of bounty, or otherwise, for attaining a certain speed is absolutely untrue. The White Star Line received from the British Government a fixed compensation of £70,000 per annum for carrying mails without regard to the speed of any of its vessels, and no additional sum is paid on account of any increase in speed.

  I was never consulted by Captain Smith, nor by any other person. Nor did I ever make any suggestion whatsoever to any human being about the course of the ship. The Titanic, as I am informed, was on the southernmost westbound track. The transatlantic steamship tracks or lanes were designated many years ago by agreement on the part of all the important steamship lines and all the captains of the White Star Line are required to navigate their vessels as closely as possible on these tracks, subject to the following standing instructions:

  ‘Commanders must remember that they must run no risks which might by any possibility result in accident to their ships, and that no supposed gain in expedition or saving time on the voyage is to be purchased at the risk of accident. The company desires to maintain for its vessels a reputation for safety, and only looks for such speed on the various voyages as is consistent with safe and prudent navigation.’

  The only information I ever received in the ship that other vessels had sighted ice was a wireless message received from the Baltic which I have already testified to. This was handed to me by Captain Smith, without any remarks, as he was passing
me on the passenger deck on the afternoon of Sunday, April 14. I read the telegram casually, and put it in my pocket. At about ten minutes past seven, while I was sitting in the smoke-room, Captain Smith came in and asked me to give him the message received from the Baltic in order to post it for the information of the officers. I handed it to him, and nothing further was said by either of us. I did not speak to any of the other officers on the subject.

  If the information I received had aroused any apprehension in my mind – which it did not – I should not have ventured to make any suggestion to a commander of Captain Smith’s experience and responsibility, for the navigation of the ship rested solely with him.

  It has been stated that Captain Smith and I were having a dinner party in one of the saloons from 7.30 to 10.30 on Sunday night, and that at the time of the collision Captain Smith was sitting with me in the saloon. Both of these statements are absolutely false. I did not dine with the captain. Nor did I see him during the evening of April 14. The doctor dined with me in the restaurant at 7.30, and I went directly to my state room and went to bed at about 10.30.

  I was asleep when the collision occurred. I felt a jar, went out into the passageway without dressing, met a steward, asked him what was the matter, and he said he did not know. I returned to my room. I felt the ship slow down. I put on an overcoat over my pyjamas and went up on the bridge deck, and on the bridge I asked Captain Smith what was the matter, and he said we had struck ice. I asked him whether he thought it serious, and he said he did.