The Other Side of the Night (39 page)

12. What other precautions were taken by the “Titanic” in anticipation of meeting ice? Were they such as are usually adopted by vessels being navigated in waters where ice may be expected to be encountered?

13. Was ice seen and reported by anybody on board the “Titanic” before the casualty occurred? If so, what measures were taken by the officer on watch to avoid it? Were they proper measures and were they promptly taken?

14. What was the speed of the “Titanic” shortly before and at the moment of the casualty? Was such speed excessive under the circumstances?

15. What was the nature of the casualty which happened to the “Titanic” at or about 11.45 p.m. on the 14th April last? In what latitude and longitude did the casualty occur?

16. What steps were taken immediately on the happening of the casualty? How long after the casualty was its seriousness realised by those in charge of the vessel? What steps were then taken? What endeavours were made to save the lives of those on board and to prevent the vessel from sinking?

17. Was proper discipline maintained on board after the casualty occurred?

18. What messages for assistance were sent by the “Titanic” after the casualty and at what times respectively? What messages were received by her in response and at what times respectively? By what vessels were the messages that were sent by the “Titanic” received, and from what vessels did she receive answers? What vessels other than the “Titanic” sent or received the messages at or shortly after the casualty in connection with such casualty? What were the vessels that sent or received such messages? Were any vessels prevented from going to the assistance of the “Titanic” or her boats owing to messages received from the “Titanic” or owing to any erroneous messages being sent or received? In regard to such erroneous messages, from what vessels were they sent and by what vessels were they received and at what times respectively?

19. Was the apparatus for lowering the boats on the “Titanic” at the time of the casualty in good working order? Were the boats swung out, filled, lowered, or otherwise put into the water and got away under proper superintendence? Were the boats sent away in seaworthy condition and properly manned, equipped and provisioned? Did the boats, whether those under davits or otherwise, prove to be efficient and serviceable for the purpose of saving life?

20. What was the number of (
a.
) passengers, (
b.
) crew taken away in each boat on leaving the vessel? How was this number made up having regard to:

1. Sex.

2. Class.

3. Rating?

How many were children and how many adults? Did each boat carry its full load and, if not, why not?

21. How many persons on board the “Titanic” at the time of the casualty were ultimately rescued, and by what means? How many lost their lives? Of those rescued how many have since died? What was the number of passengers, distinguishing between men and women and adults and children of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd classes respectively who were saved? What was the number of the crew, discriminating their ratings and sex, that were saved? What is the proportion which each of these numbers bears to the corresponding total number on board immediately before the casualty? What reason is there for the disproportion, if any?

22. What happened to the vessel from the happening of the casualty until she foundered?

23. Where and at what time did the “Titanic” founder?

24. What was the cause of the loss of the “Titanic,” and of the loss of life which thereby ensued or occurred? Was the construction of the vessel and its arrangements such as to make it difficult for any class of passenger or any portion of the crew to take full advantage of any the existing provisions for safety?

25. When the “Titanic” left Queenstown on or about 11
^th
April last was she properly constructed and adequately equipped as a passenger steamer and emigrant ship for the Atlantic service?

26. The Court is invited to report upon the Rules and Regulations made under the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 -1906, and the administration of those Acts, and of such Rules and Regulations, so far as the consideration thereof is material to this casualty, and to make any recommendations or suggestions that it may think fit, having regard to the circumstances of the casualty with a view to promoting the safety of vessels and persons at sea.

(Note: numbers in parentheses in the text cite specific questions from the full transcript.)

CIRCUMSTANCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SS CALIFORNIAN

It is here necessary to consider the circumstances relating to the s.s. “Californian.”

On the 14th of April, the s.s. “Californian” of the Leyland line, Mr. Stanley Lord, Master, was on her passage from London, which port she left on April 5th, to Boston, U.S., were she subsequently arrived on April 19th. She was a vessel of 6,223 tons gross and 4,038 net. Her full speed was 12 1/2 to 13 knots. She had a passenger certificate, but was not carrying any passengers at the time. She belonged to the International Mercantile Marine Company, the owners of the “Titanic.”

At 7.30 p.m., ship’s time, on 14th April, a wireless message was sent from this ship to the “Antillian.” (Evans, 8941, 8943)

“To Captain, ‘Antillian,’ 6.30 p.m., apparent ship’s time, lat. 42° 3’N., long. 49° 9’ W. Three large bergs, 5 miles to southward of us. Regards.— Lord.”

The message was intercepted by the “Titanic,” and when the Marconi operator (Evans) of the “Californian” offered this ice report to the Marconi operator of the “Titanic,” shortly after 7.30 p.m., the latter replied, “It is all right. I heard you sending it to the ‘Antillian,’ and I have got it.” (8972) (Lord, 6710)

The “Californian” proceeded on her course S. 89° W. true until 10.20 p.m. ship’s time, when she was obliged to stop and reverse engines because she was running into field ice, which stretched as far as could then be seen to the northward and southward.

The Master told the Court that he made her position at that time to be 42E 5’ N., 57E 7’ W. (6704) This position is recorded in the log book, which was written up from the scrap log book by the Chief Officer. The scrap log is destroyed. It is a position about 19 miles N. by E. of the position of the “Titanic” when she foundered, and is said to have been fixed by dead reckoning and verified by observations. I am satisfied that this position is not accurate. The Master “twisted her head” to E.N.E. by the compass and she remained approximately stationary until 5.15 a.m. on the following morning. The ship was slowly swinging round to starboard during the night. (6713) (Groves, 8249)

At about 11 p.m. a steamer’s light was seen approaching from the eastward. The Master went to Evans’ room and asked, “What ships he had.” The latter replied: “I think the ‘Titanic’ is near us. I have got her.” (Evans, 8962, 8988) The Master said: “You had better advise the ‘Titanic’ we are stopped and surrounded by ice.” This Evans did, calling up the “Titanic” and sending: “We are stopped and surrounded by ice.” (8993) The “Titanic” replied: “Keep out.” The “Titanic” was in communication with Cape Race, which station was then sending messages to her. (8994) The reason why the “Titanic” answered, “Keep out,” (9004) was that her Marconi operator could not hear what Cape Race was saying, as from her proximity, the message from the “Californian” was much stronger than any message being taken in by the “Titanic” from Cape Race, which was much further off. (9022) Evans heard the “Titanic” continuing to communicate with Cape Race up to the time he turned in at 11.30 p.m.

The Master of the “Californian” states that when observing the approaching steamer as she got nearer, he saw more lights, a few deck lights, and also her green side light. He considered that at 11 o’clock she was approximately six or seven miles away, and at some time between 11 and 11.30, he first saw her green light, she was then about 5 miles off. (Lord, 6761) He noticed then about 11.30 she stopped. In his opinion this steamer was of about the same size as the “Californian”; a medium-sized steamer, “something like ourselves.” (6752)

From the evidence of Mr. Groves, third officer of the “Californian,” who was the officer of the first watch, it would appear that the Master wasnot actually on the bridge when the steamer was sighted.

Mr. Groves made out two masthead lights; the steamer was changing her bearing slowly as she got closer, (Groves, 8147) and as she approached he went to the chart room and reported this to the Master; he added, “she is evidently a passenger steamer.” (8174) In fact, Mr. Groves never appears to have had any doubt on this subject: In answer to a question during his examination, “Had she much light?” he said, “Yes, a lot of light. There was absolutely no doubt of her being a passenger steamer, at least in my mind.” (8178)

Gill, the assistant donkeyman of the “Californian,” who was on deck at midnight said, referring to this steamer: “It could not have been anything but a passenger boat, she was to large.” (Gill, 18136)

By the evidence Mr. Groves, the Master, in reply to his report, said: “Call her up on the Morse lamp, and see if you can get any answer.” This he proceeded to do. The Master came up and joined him on the bridge and remarked: “That does not look like a passenger steamer.” (Groves, 8197) Mr. Groves replied “It is, sir. When she stopped, her lights seemed to go out, and I suppose they have been put out for the night.” (8203) Mr. Groves states that these lights went out at 11.40, and remembers that time because “one bell was struck to call the middle watch.” (8217) The Master did not join him on the bridge until shortly afterwards, and consequently after the steamer had stopped.

In his examination Mr. Groves admitted that if this steamer’s head was turning to port after she stopped, it might account for the diminution of lights, by many of them being shut out. Her steaming lights were still visible and also her port side light. (8228)

The Captain only remained upon the bridge for a few minutes. (8241) In his evidence he stated that Mr. Groves had made no observations to him about the steamer’s deck lights going out. (Lord, 6866) Mr. Groves’ Morse signalling appears to have been ineffectual (although at one moment he thought he was being answered), and he gave it up. He remained on the bridge until relieved by Mr. Stone, the second officer, just after midnight. In turning the “Californian” over to him, he pointed out the steamer and said: “she has been stopped since 11.40; she is a passenger steamer. At about the moment she stopped she put her lights out.” (Stone, 7810) When Mr. Groves was in the witness-box the following questions were put to him by me: -

“Speaking as an experienced seaman and knowing what you do know now, do you think that steamer that you know was throwing up rockets, and that you say was a passenger steamer, was the ‘Titanic’? Do I think it? Yes? - From what I have heard subsequently? Yes? - Most decidedly I do, but I do not put myself as being an experienced man. But that is your opinion as far as your experience goes? - Yes, it is, my Lord.” (Groves, 8441)

Mr. Stone states that the Master, who was also up (but apparently not on the bridge), pointed out the steamer to him with instructions to tell him if her bearings altered or if she got any closer; he also stated that Mr. Groves had called her up on the Morse lamp and had received no reply. (Stone, 7815)

Mr. Stone had with him during the middle watch an apprentice named Gibson, whose attention was first drawn to the steamer’s lights at about 12.20 a.m. (Gibson, 7424) He could see a masthead light, her red light (with glasses) and a “glare of white lights on her after deck.” He first thought her masthead light was flickering and next thought it was a Morse light, “calling us up.” (7443) He replied, but could not get into communication, and finally came to the conclusion that it was, as he had first supposed, the masthead light flickering. Some time after 12.30 a.m., Gill, the donkeyman, states that he saw two rockets fired from the ship which he had been observing, (Gill, 18156-61) and about 1.10 a.m., Mr. Stone reported to the Captain by voice pipe, they he had seen five white rockets from the direction of the steamer. (Stone, 7870) He states that the Master answered, “Are they Company’s signals?” and that he replied, “I do not know, but they appear to me to be white rockets.” The Master told him to “go on Morsing,” and, when he received any information, to send the apprentice down to him with it. (7879) Gibson states that Mr. Stone informed him that he had reported to the Master, and that the Master had said the steamer was to be called up by Morse light. (Gibson, 7479) This witness thinks the time was 12.55; he at once proceeded again to call the steamer up by Morse. He got no reply, but the vessel fired three more white rockets; these rockets were also seen by Mr. Stone.

Both Mr. Stone and the apprentice kept the steamer under observation, looking at her from time to time with their glasses. Between 1 o’clock and 1.40 some conversation passed between them. Mr. Stone remarked to Gibson: “Look at her now, she looks very queer out of water, her lights look queer.” (7515) He also is said by Gibson to have remarked, “A ship is not going to fire rockets at sea for nothing;” (7529) and admits himself that he may possibly have used that expression. (Stone, 7894)

Mr. Stone states that he saw the last of the rockets fired at about 1.40, and after watching the steamer for some twenty minutes more he sent Gibson down to the Master.

“I told Gibson to go down to the Master, and be sure to wake him, and tell him that altogether we had seen eight of these white lights like white rockets in the direction of this other steamer; that this steamer was disappearing in the southwest, that we had called her up repeatedly on the Morse lamp and received no information whatsoever.”

Gibson states that he went down to the chart room and told the Master; that the Master asked him if all the rockets were white, and also asked him the time. (Gibson, 7553) Gibson stated that at this time the Master was awake. It was five minutes past two, and Gibson returned to the bridge to Mr. Stone and reported. They both continued to keep the ship under observation until she disappeared. Mr. Stone describes this as “A gradual disappearing of all her lights, which would be perfectly natural with a ship steaming away from us.”