Part 18
Answer. (_a_) No. (_b_) No. (_c_) No. (_d_) No. (_e_) No; but searchlights may at times be of service. The evidence before the court does not allow of a more precise answer.
12. (_a_) What other precautions were taken by the _t.i.tanic_ in antic.i.p.ation of meeting ice? (_b_) Were they such as are usually adopted by vessels being navigated in waters where ice may be expected to be encountered?
Answer. (_a_) Special orders were given to the men in the crow's nest to keep a sharp lookout for ice, particularly small ice and growlers. The fore-scuttle hatch was closed to keep everything dark before the bridge.
(_b_) Yes; though there is evidence to show that some masters would have placed a lookout at the stemhead of the ship.
13. (_a_) Was ice seen and reported by anybody on board the _t.i.tanic_ before the casualty occurred? (_b_) If so, what measures were taken by the officer on watch to avoid it? (_c_) Were they proper measures and were they promptly taken?
Answer. (_a_) Yes; immediately before the collision. (_b_) The helm was put hard astarboard and the engines were stopped and put full speed astern. (_c_) Yes.
14. (_a_) What was the speed of the _t.i.tanic_ shortly before and at the moment of the casualty? (_b_) Was such speed excessive under the circ.u.mstances?
Answer. (_a_) About 22 knots. (_b_) Yes.
15. (_a_) What was the nature of the casualty which happened to the _t.i.tanic_ at or about 11.45 p.m. on April 14 last? (_b_) In what lat.i.tude and longitude did the casualty occur?
Answer. (_a_) A collision with an iceberg which pierced the starboard side of the vessel in several places below the water line between the forepeak tank and No. 4 boiler room. (_b_) In lat.i.tude 41 46' N., longitude 50 14' W.
16. (_a_) What steps were taken immediately on the happening of the casualty? (_b_) How long after the casualty was its seriousness realized by those in charge of the vessel (_c_) What steps were then taken?
(_d_) What endeavors were made to save the lives of those on board, and to prevent the vessel from sinking?
Answer. (_a_) The 12 water-tight doors in the engine and boiler rooms were closed from the bridge, some of the boiler fires were drawn, and the bilge pumps abaft No. 6 boiler room were started. (_b_) About 15 to 20 minutes. (_c_) and (_d_) The boats were ordered to be cleared away.
The pa.s.sengers were roused and orders given to get them on deck, and life belts were served out. Some of the water-tight doors, other than those in the boiler and engine rooms, were closed. Marconigrams were sent out asking for help. Distress signals (rockets) were fired, and attempts were made to call up by Morse a ship whose lights were seen.
Eighteen of the boats were swung out and lowered, and the remaining two floated off the ship and were subsequently utilized as rafts.
17. Was proper discipline maintained on board after the casualty occurred?
Answer. Yes.
18. (_a_) What messages for a.s.sistance were sent by the _t.i.tanic_ after the casualty, and at what times respectively? (_b_) What messages were received by her in response, and at what times respectively? (_c_) By what vessels were the messages that were sent by the _t.i.tanic_ received, and from what vessels did she receive answers? (_d_) What vessels other than the _t.i.tanic_ sent or received messages at or shortly after the casualty in connection with such casualty? (_e_) What were the vessels that sent or received such messages? (_f_) Were any vessels prevented from going to the a.s.sistance of the _t.i.tanic_ or her boats owing to messages received from the _t.i.tanic_ or owing to any erroneous messages being sent or received? (_g_) In regard to such erroneous messages, from what vessels were they sent and by what vessels were they received, and at what times respectively?
(_a_) (_b_) (_c_) (_d_) and (_e_) are answered together. (_f_) Several vessels did not go, owing to their distance. (_g_) There were no erroneous messages.
-----------+---------------+----------------------------------------------- New York
t.i.tanic time
time.
(approximated).
Communications.
-----------+---------------+----------------------------------------------- 10.25 p. m.
12.15 a. m.
La Provence receives t.i.tanic distress signals.
Do
do
Mount Temple heard t.i.tanic sending CQD.
Says require a.s.sistance. Gives
position. Can not hear me. Advise
my captain his position 41.46 N.,
50.24 W.
Do
do
Cape Race hears t.i.tanic giving position
on CQD. 41.44 N., 50.24 W.
10.28 p. m.
12.18 a. m.
Ypiranga hears CQD. from t.i.tanic. t.i.tanic
gives CQD. here. Position 41.44 N.,
50.24 W. Require a.s.sistance (calls
about 10 times).
10.35 p. m.
12.25 a. m.
CQD. call received from t.i.tanic by Carpathia.
t.i.tanic said, "Come at once. We have
struck a berg. It's a CQD. OM. Position
41.46 N., 50.14 W."
Do
do
Cape Race hears M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) give
corrected position 41.46 N., 50.14 W.
Calling him; no answer.
10.36 p. m.
12.25 a. m.
M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) says CQD. Here corrected
position 41.46 N., 50.14 W.
Require immediate a.s.sistance. We have
collision with iceberg. Sinking.
Can nothing hear for noise of steam.
Sent about 15 to 20 times to Ypiranga.
10.37 p. m.
12.27 a. m.
t.i.tanic sends following: "I require
a.s.sistance immediately. Struck by iceberg
in 41.46 N., 50.14 W."
10.40 p. m.
12.30 a. m.
t.i.tanic gives his position to Frankfurt,
and says, "Tell your captain to come
to our help. We are on the ice."
Do
do
Caronia sent CQ message to M. B. C. (Baltic)
and CQD: M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) struck
iceberg, require immediate a.s.sistance.
Do
Mount Temple hears M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) still
calling CQD. Our captain reverses
ship. We are about 50 miles off.
10.46 p. m.
12.36 a. m.
D. K. F. (Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm) calls
M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) and gives position
at 12 a. m. 39.47 N., 50.10 W. M. G. Y.
(t.i.tanic) says, "Are you coming to our?"
D. F. T. (Frankfurt) says, "What is the
matter with u?" M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) "We have
collision with iceberg. Sinking. Please
tell captain to come." D. F. T.
(Frankfurt) says, "O. K. will tell."
10.48 p. m.
12.38 a. m.
Mount Temple hears Frankfurt give M. G. Y.
(t.i.tanic) his position, 39.47 N., 52.10 W.
10.55 p. m.
12.45 a. m.
t.i.tanic calls Olympic SOS.
11 p. m.
12.50 a. m.
t.i.tanic calls CQD. and says, "I
require immediate a.s.sistance. Position
41.46 N., 50.14 W." Received by Celtic.
11.03 p. m.
12.53 a. m.
Caronia to M. B. C. (Baltic) and SOS.,
M. G. Y.(t.i.tanic) CQD. in 41.46 N.,
50.14 W. Wants immediate a.s.sistance."
11.10 p. m.
1 a. m.
M. G. Y. gives distress signal. D. D. C.
replies. M. G. Y.'s position 41.46 N.,
50.14 W. a.s.sistance from D. D. C. not
necessary, as M. K. C. shortly
afterwards answers distress call.
Do.
do.
t.i.tanic replies to Olympic, and gives
his position as 41.46 N., 50.14 W., and
says, "We have struck an iceberg."
11.12 p. m.
1.02 a. m.
t.i.tanic calls Asian and said, "Want
immediate a.s.sistance." Asian answered
at once and received t.i.tanic's position
as 41.46 N., 50.14 W., which he immediately
takes to the bridge. Captain instructs
operator to have t.i.tanic's position repeated.
Do.
do.
Virginian calls t.i.tanic, but gets no response.
Cape Race tells Virginian to report to his
captain the t.i.tanic has struck iceberg
and requires immediate a.s.sistance.
11.20 p. m.
1.10 a. m.
t.i.tanic to M. K. C. (Olympic), "We are in
collision with berg. Sinking head
down; 41.46 N., 50.14 W. Come soon
as possible."
Do.
do.
t.i.tanic to M. K. C. (Olympic), captain says,
"Get your boats ready. What is
your position?"
11.25 p. m.
1.15 a. m.
Baltic to Caronia, "Please tell t.i.tanic
we are making toward her."
11.30 p. m.
1.20 a. m.
Virginian hears M. C. E. (Cape Race) inform
M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) "that we are going to
his a.s.sistance. Our position 170 miles
north of t.i.tanic."
11.35 p. m.
1.25 a. m.
Caronia tells t.i.tanic, "Baltic coming
to your a.s.sistance."
Do.
do.
Olympic sends position to t.i.tanic 4.24
a. m. GMT. 40.52 N., 61.18 W.
"Are you steering southerly to meet us?"
t.i.tanic replies, "We are putting
the women off in the boats."
Do.
do.
t.i.tanic and Olympic work together.
11.37 p. m.
1.27 a. m.
M. G. Y. (t.i.tanic) says, "We are putting
the women off in the boats."
11.40 p. m.
1.30 a. m.
t.i.tanic tells Olympic, "We are putting
pa.s.sengers off in small boats."
11.45 p. m.
1.35 a. m.
Olympic asks t.i.tanic what weather he had.
t.i.tanic replies, "Clear and calm."
Do.
do.
Baltic hears t.i.tanic say "Engine room
getting flooded."
Do.
do.
Mount Temple hears DFT. (Frankfurt) ask
"Are there any boats around
you already." No reply.
11.47 p. m.
1.37 a. m.
Baltic tells t.i.tanic, "We are rushing
to you."
11.50 p. m.
1.40 a. m.
Olympic to t.i.tanic, "Am lighting up
all possible boilers as fast as can."
Do.
do.
Cape Race says to Virginian: "Please
tell your captain this: 'The Olympic
is making all speed for t.i.tanic, but
his (Olympic's) position is 40.32 N.,
61.18 W. You are much nearer to t.i.tanic.
The t.i.tanic is already putting women off
in the boats, and he says the weather
there is calm and clear.' The Olympic is
the only ship we have heard say, 'Going to
the a.s.sistance of the t.i.tanic. The others
must be a long way from the t.i.tanic.'"
11.55 p. m.
1.45 a. m.
Last signals heard from t.i.tanic by
Carpathia, "Engine-room full up to
boilers."
Do.
do.
Mount Temple hears DFT. (Frankfurt)
calling MGY. (t.i.tanic). No reply.
11.57 p. m.
1.47 a. m.
Caronia hears MGY. (t.i.tanic),
though signals unreadable still.
11.58 p. m.
1.48 a. m.
Asian heard t.i.tanic call SOS. Asian
answers t.i.tanic but receives no
answer.
Midnight.
1.50 a. m.
Caronia hears Frankfurt working to
t.i.tanic. Frankfurt according to position
172 miles from MGY. (t.i.tanic) at time
first SOS. sent out.
12.05 a. m.
1.55 a. m.
Cape Race says to Virginian "We have not
heard t.i.tanic for about half
an hour. His power may be gone."
12.10 a. m.
2 a. m.
Virginian hears t.i.tanic calling very
faintly, his power being very greatly
reduced.
12.20 a. m.
2.10 a. m.
Virginian hears 2 v's signaled faintly
in spark similar to t.i.tanic's, probably
adjusting spark.
12.27 a. m.
2.17 a. m.
Virginian hears t.i.tanic call CQ, but unable
to read him. t.i.tanic's signals end very
abruptly, as power suddenly switched off.
His spark rather blurred or ragged. Called
MGY. (t.i.tanic) and suggested he should try
emergency set, but heard no response.
12.30 a. m.
2.20 a. m.
Olympic, his sigs. strong, asked him if he
had heard anything about MGY. (t.i.tanic). He
says, "No. Keeping strict watch, but hear
nothing more from MGY. (t.i.tanic)." No reply
from him.
12.52 a. m.
This was the official time the t.i.tanic
foundered 41.46 N., 50.14 W., as given
by the Carpathia in message to the Olympic;
about 2.20 a. m.
1.15 a. m.
Virginian exchanges signals Baltic. He
tries send us MSG. for MGY. (t.i.tanic),
but his signals died utterly away.
