Voices from the Titanic

by Geoff Tibballs

  ‘Before half past 11 on that watch – that is seven bells – had you reported anything at all?’ – ‘There was nothing to be reported.’

  ‘What was the first thing you did report?’ – ‘It was some minutes after seven bells struck, it might have been nine or ten minutes afterwards. Three bells were struck by Fleet, warning, “Right ahead,” and immediately he rung the telephone up to the bridge: “Iceberg right ahead.” The reply came back from the bridge: “Thank you.” As soon as the reply came back, the helm must have been put either hard-a-starboard or very close to it, because she veered to port, and it seemed almost as if she might clear it, but I suppose there was ice under water. As she struck on the starboard bow, there was a certain amount of ice that came on board the ship. That was the forewell deck. It seemed as if she struck just below the fore-mast. The berg was on my starboard side. It was higher than the forecastle, which was about 55 feet out of the water. It was a dark mass that came through that haze and there was no white appearing until it was just alongside the ship, and that was just a fringe at the top. That was the only white about it, until she passed by, and then you could see one side seemed to be black and the other side seemed to be white.’

  ‘When you are at sea in a fog is it usual practice to station a watchman at the bows in addition to the lookout in the crow’s nest?’ – ‘The captain of the ship has to be responsible for that kind of thing.’

  ‘Just tell me in your experience, is it usual to do that?’ – ‘If the captain of the ship thinks it is necessary.’

  ‘Have you seen it done?’ – ‘I have, frequently.’

  ‘Is not a haze a kind of fog?’ – ‘It is a kind of fog, but you could not describe it as a fog.’

  ‘When you are going through a haze at night, is it usual to slow up – slacken speed?’ – ‘That has nothing to do with me. I am not on the bridge.’

  ‘When your ship is sailing through an ice-field, is it usual to go slow – to slacken speed?’ – ‘Certainly.’

  ‘And speed on this occasion was not slackened?’ – ‘I could not tell you.’

  ‘Did Symons tell you that he asked for glasses on the bridge?’ – ‘I think so. I know that we all spoke about it. Fleet, Hogg, Evans, Symons and myself were all there.’

  ‘And they were all talking about binoculars?’ – ‘They were asking why they could not have them, because they had been in use from Belfast to Southampton, and they wanted to know what had become of the glasses that we had used in that time.’

  ‘Is your sight good?’ – ‘I hope so.’

  ‘Is there an examination of the eyes before you are appointed lookout man at Southampton, or elsewhere?’ – ‘Yes.’

  ‘Were you examined at Southampton by a doctor?’ – ‘Yes, but not especially for eyesight though.’

  ‘What sort of examination did the doctor make?’ – ‘I suppose he pleased himself. A medical man generally does. We were falling in on the lounge deck and the doctor came and examined us all. It was a casual kind of examination.’

  ‘He did not ask you anything at all about your eyes?’ – ‘No.’

  Sir Robert Finlay (for the White Star Line): ‘About a light you saw after you were in the boat. You saw it before the Titanic went down?’ – ‘Yes.’

  ‘Were there more lights than one?’ – ‘It seemed like a masthead light, or it might have been one of our own boats with a small light.’

  ‘How far off do you think it was?’ – ‘Five or six miles.’

  ‘The haze could not have been very bad if you thought it was a masthead light, five or six miles off?’ – ‘This is after she had passed the berg. As she got clear of the berg, the weather was clearer.’

  ‘Then did this haze come in some time before 12 o’clock, and then lift just at the time the Titanic was sinking? Are you sure this haze existed at all?’ – ‘Yes, sir, quite positive.’

  ‘Was it ever very bad?’ – ‘It was so bad that you could not see the iceberg.’

  (British Inquiry, 8 May 1912)

  WATERTIGHT DOORS RAISED TITANIC TRIMMER’S SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE

  The Titanic inquiry was resumed at the London Scottish Hall, London, this morning. There was no falling off in public interest, the increased public accommodation at the rear of the hall being fully utilized, while the galleries were crowded with fashionably dressed ladies.

  Thomas Patrick Dillon, coal trimmer, who was in the engine room at the time of the collision, examined by Raymond Asquith, spoke of the stopping and reversing of the engines just before the shock. The enginemen at once rushed to the pumps and in the meantime the watertight doors were closed. They were then ordered to go into the stokehold which they reached after forcing up a watertight door. The order came, ‘Keep steam up,’ and then they were instructed to draw the fires. Other watertight doors were opened in order to let the engineers pass through.

  ‘Who ordered you to open them?’ – ‘The chief engineer.’

  ‘The doors were closed from the bridge, but opened by order of the chief engineer?’ – ‘Yes, sir.’

  Mr Laing (White Star Co.) explained that the doors could only have been opened by the release of a catch on the bridge, so that the chief engineer must have telephoned to the bridge. Witness said they were ordered on deck an hour and forty minutes later. ‘The last boat was just going then,’ he said. ‘They were singing out, “Any more women aboard?” We saw two and chased them up the ladder.’

  ‘Chased them up?’ – ‘Yes, drove them up.’

  ‘You were on board the Titanic when she went down?’ – ‘Yes.’

  Witness said he went down in the ship and shoved himself away from her in the water. He was sucked down again about two fathoms and then seemed to be lifted up to the surface. He was picked up by No. 4 boat after swimming about twenty minutes.

  ‘Did you see any other people in the water?’ – ‘About a thousand. That is my estimate.’ As soon as he was picked up by the lifeboat he became unconscious. When he recovered consciousness he found a passenger and a sailor lying dead on top of him.

  Answering Sir Rufus Isaacs, witness said he and some of his mates were in the stokehold when the watertight doors were closed. He and his companions forced their way through No. 4 boiler-room through three watertight doors. These were raised by two or three men.

  (Liverpool Evening Express, 9 May 1912)

  WHY TITANIC SURVIVORS DID NOT HELP THE DROWNING

  Remarkable evidence as to why those in the Titanic lifeboats did not attempt to rescue those in the water after the disaster was given yesterday at the inquiry at the London Scottish Drill Hall.

  In each case where the cries of distress were not heeded witnesses alleged that the reason was the wish of the lady passengers, who feared the boats would be swamped in endeavouring to pick up the drowning.

  Charles Hendricksen, a leading fireman, said the boat he was in did not attempt to pick up anybody.

  The President: ‘When you were picked up by the Carpathia there were only twelve people on board?’ – ‘Yes.’

  ‘Of these twelve how many belonged to the crew?’ – ‘Seven: there were five passengers.’

  ‘Did the men object?’ – ‘Yes. We had room for a dozen more.’

  ‘What were the names of the passengers?’ – ‘I heard the name of one: Duff Gordon. I think his wife was there, Lady Duff Gordon.’

  ‘Did his wife object?’ – ‘Yes, she was scared to go back in case of being swamped.’

  ‘When Lady Duff Gordon objected did her husband reprove her?’ – ‘He upheld her.’

  ‘He did not to try to get her courage up to go back?’ – ‘No.’

  ‘Tell what was said.’ – ‘Duff Gordon and his wife said it was dangerous, and that we would be swamped.’

  ‘Am I to understand that because two of the passengers said it would be dangerous you all kept your mouths shut and made no attempt to rescue anyone?’ – ‘That is right, sir.’

  ‘Was any money given to you and t
he crew of this lifeboat by any of the passengers when you got on the Carpathia?’ – ‘Yes, £5.’

  ‘Who gave this money to you?’ – ‘Duff Gordon.’

  ‘When did he promise it?’ – ‘When we got aboard the Carpathia.’

  (Daily Graphic, 10 May 1912)

  SHIP APPRENTICE’S STORY

  ROCKETS SEEN ON NIGHT OF TITANIC

  DISASTER

  DENIALS BY CAPTAIN OF CALIFORNIAN

  There has been no more remarkable evidence at the Titanic Inquiry than that given yesterday by the captain, the Second Officer, and an apprentice of the Leyland liner Californian.

  Searching questions were asked by the President and the Attorney-General with a view to probing the story told by a donkeyman on board the Californian that the Titanic’s distress rockets were seen by the Californian, but ignored.

  Captain Lord, of the Californian, yesterday admitted that a vessel was seen about five miles from the Californian on the night of the accident, but he denied that the rockets she sent up were distress signals. He also declared she was not the Titanic which, he said, must have been over 30 miles distant from his ship.

  The apprentice declared that he informed Captain Lord of the signals, but the latter said he was asleep at the time and had no recollection of being informed.

  CAPTAIN LORD’S STORY

  NO RECOLLECTION OF A VISIT FROM

  THE APPRENTICE

  Captain S. Lord, master of the Leyland Line S.S. Californian, was first examined by Sir Rufus Isaacs.

  The Attorney-General: ‘Close upon 11 o’clock on the Sunday night did you see a steamer’s light?’ – ‘I did.’

  ‘Did you think that the vessel that approached you was the Titanic?’ – ‘No, I remarked at the time that she was not the Titanic.’

  ‘How could you tell that?’ – ‘You can never mistake those vessels. There is a blaze of light.’

  ‘About what distance did you consider she was from you then?’ – ‘Six or seven miles.’

  ‘Did you continue to watch the approach of the vessel?’ – ‘Yes, until 11.30.’

  ‘What size steamer did she appear to be?’ – ‘Something like ourselves.’ (The Californian’s gross tonnage is 6,223).

  ‘Did you see your Third Officer attempting to communicate with her?’ – ‘Yes. I did.’

  ‘How?’ – ‘By a Morse lamp.’

  ‘Did he get any reply?’ – ‘No.’

  At twenty minutes to one the witness asked the Second Officer if the steamer had changed its course. He replied that she was just the same, and that he had called her up once but she would not reply.

  ‘Did he tell you whether he had seen any signals?’ – ‘He said he saw a white rocket from the vessel.’

  The President: ‘Am I right in supposing that this vessel, the name of which you apparently do not know, was at the time that her rocket was sent up in the position in which the Titanic probably was?’ – ‘No, sir.’

  The President: ‘You know what is in my brain at present is this – that what they saw was the Titanic.’

  The Attorney-General: ‘She was certainly very close. It is a point which your Lordship will probably have to determine on this evidence.’

  The witness said he saw one masthead light, but that the Third Officer said he saw two, while the Second Officer said he saw one.

  ‘DID NOTHING FURTHER’

  The President: ‘This is very important because the Titanic would have two masthead lights.’

  The Attorney-General: ‘If the Third Officer did see two lights it must have been the Titanic?’ – ‘That doesn’t follow.’

  ‘Do you know of any other vessel there with two lights?’ – ‘Any amount.

  ‘At this particular time and at this particular spot – 19 miles from you?’ – ‘That is not, in my opinion, the spot where the Titanic hit the berg. She was 32 miles from me, from where I met the wreckage.’

  ‘Did you know of any other passenger steamer except the Titanic?’ – ‘No.’

  ‘You know the Titanic was not very far away?’ – ‘I did not know where she was.’

  ‘But you had been in communication?’ – ‘Yes, but I never knew her position.’

  ‘Have you ever thought that the steamer approaching you was the Titanic?’ – ‘I never thought that.’

  The Attorney-General: ‘You were called by the Chief Officer at 4.30. What did he say?’ – ‘He told me that the steamer that had fired the rockets was still to the southward.’

  ‘Have you heard from other officers that she fired a number of rockets?’ – ‘I did afterwards, the next day.’

  ‘Did you hear that this vessel fired altogether eight rockets before the Chief Officer came to you at 4.30?’ – ‘No.’

  ‘Did you remain in the chart-room when you were told that the vessel was firing rockets?’ – ‘Yes.’

  ‘You knew, of course, that there was danger in this field of ice for steamers?’ – ‘To steamers steaming.’

  ‘You knew also that it was desirable to communicate with the Titanic to tell her that there was ice?’ – ‘Yes, I had done that.’

  The President: ‘You knew that the vessel sending up these rockets was in a position of danger?’ – ‘No, I did not.’

  ‘Well, danger if she moved?’ – ‘If she moved, yes.’

  ‘What did you think she was sending up the rocket for?’ – ‘I thought she was acknowledging our Morse lamp signals.’

  ‘Have you ever said that before?’ – ‘That has been my story right through.’

  ‘You had heard of the rocket. You wanted to know what the rocket was? You tried to find out by Morsing it?’ – ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you remained in the chart-room and did nothing further?’ – ‘I did nothing further.’

  ‘Must it not have been a distress signal?’ – ‘If it had been a distress signal the officer on watch would have told me.’

  ‘You know perfectly well that the apprentice Gibson went down to you?’ – ‘I know now.’

  ‘You knew then?’ – ‘I did not.’

  ‘But you were expecting him to tell you the meaning of the signal?’ – ‘In the meantime I was asleep.’

  The President: ‘You were not asleep when you said to the boy, “What is it?”?’ – ‘I was just wakened up by the banging of the door.’

  IMPOSSIBLE TO MISTAKE THE TITANIC

  The Attorney-General: ‘How do you know that the rocket was not a distress signal?’ – ‘I am under the impression that it was not, because we did not hear the report, as we would have done at that distance.’

  ‘How many miles off?’ – ‘About four or five miles.’

  The Attorney-General questioned witness about a conversation he had had with the Chief Officer at about five o’clock. The Chief Officer asked him if he would look at the steamer. Witness remarked that there were no signals, and the Chief Officer then said that another fireman had stated that several rockets had been fired. Witness sent the Chief Officer to the wireless operator, and he came back and said that a ship had sunk. The Chief Officer went back to the wireless operator and again returned, and said that the Titanic had struck a berg and sunk. Witness then left the bridge and went to the wireless-room.

  The Attorney-General: ‘Did you say anything about the rockets then?’ – ‘No.’

  ‘On the ship you had seen the night before?’ – ‘No.’

  ‘Or the possibility of it being the Titanic?’ – ‘No.’

  ‘Were you quite comfortable in your mind with reference to the matter?’ – ‘I thought we ought to have seen her signals at 19 miles.’

  ‘Does it not strike you now that the ship was the Titanic?’ – ‘No, I am positive it was not.’

  ‘Why are you positive?’ – ‘Because it is an utter impossibility for anyone to mistake a ship like the Titanic at sea?’

  Mr Scanlon: ‘When did you go to sleep?’ – ‘I told the Second Officer I was going to be down at 12.50 a.m.’

  ‘W
hen did your wireless operator go off duty?’ – ‘So far as I was concerned, he went off at 11 o’clock on Sunday night, after he had sent the last message.’

  ‘Would it not have been quite a simple thing for you at that time when you were in doubt as to the name of the ship and the reason of her sending up rockets to have wakened your Marconi operator and asked him to speak this ship?’ – ‘I would have if it had worried me a great deal, but it did not.’

  Mr Scanlon: ‘Suppose the Titanic was seven or eight miles from you between 11.30 and 12 o’clock, would those on the bridge have been able to see your lights?’ – ‘Easily.’

  ‘When did you first hear of the wireless message from the Titanic that you were to shut up and keep off as they were busy?’ – ‘Some time on the morning of the fifteenth.’

  WHEN THE CAPTAIN WAS ASLEEP

  ‘Did you regard it as an insulting message?’ – ‘Oh, no.’

  Mr Edwards: ‘Your message to the Titanic was one of courtesy?’ – ‘A message of advice.’

  Answering Sir Robert Finlay, witness said the Mount Temple must have been very close to the spot where the Titanic was reported to have foundered. After he heard of the wreck he steamed to the spot at full speed and estimated the rate at 13 knots. They were an hour on the journey.

  The Attorney-General: ‘Mr Stone is your Second Officer. Did he tell you there had been rockets sent up?’ – ‘He did. That was the message the boy was supposed to have said to me, which I heard the next day.’

  ‘I must put it to you, did not the boy deliver the message to you, and did you not inquire whether they were all white ones?’ – ‘I do not know. I was asleep.’

  ‘This is a very important matter. It is just as well to tell me exactly what happened.’ – ‘I have inquired very closely of the boy. He said I opened my eyes when he gave the message, and I said, “What time is it?” and that I asked whether there were any colours in the light.’

  The Attorney-General: ‘You see what that means. That means that the boy did go to the chart-room to you, that he did tell you about the rockets from the ship, and that you asked whether they were white rockets, and told him he was to report if anything further occurred?’ – ‘So he said.’