Sinking of the "Titanic" : $b most appalling ocean horror; with graphic descriptions of hundreds swept to eternity beneath the waves ...Mowbray, Jay Henry
History
Sinking of the "Titanic" : $b most appalling ocean horror; with graphic descriptions of hundreds swept to eternity beneath the waves ...
Mowbray, Jay Henry
Shipwrecks -- North Atlantic Ocean -- History -- 20th century; Titanic (Steamship)
“It was bright morning by now and all around the Carpathia, here and
there, about a quarter mile apart, were more boats. These were fuller
than the first and there were women in all of them. The women were
hoisted up in bo’suns chairs, and the men who could do so climbed
the Jacob’s ladder. Some of the men, however, had to be hauled up,
especially the firemen. There was a whole batch of firemen saved. They
were nearly naked. They had jumped overboard and swam after the boats,
it turned out, and they were almost frozen stiff.
“The women were dressed, and the funny thing about it is only five of
them had to be taken to the hospital. Both the men’s hospitals were
filled--twenty-four beds in all. We got twelve boatloads, I think,
inside of a little more than an hour. Then, between quarter after and
half after 8 o’clock, we got the last two boats--crowded to the guards
and almost all women.
“After we got the last boatload aboard the Californian came alongside
and the captains arranged that we should make straight for New York and
the Californian would look around for more boats. We circled round and
round, though, and we saw all kinds of wreckage. There was not a person
on a stick of it and we did not get sight of another soul.
“While we were pulling in the boatloads of women we saved were quiet
enough and not making any trouble at all. But when it seemed sure we
would not find any more persons alive then bedlam came.
“I hope I never go through it again. The way those women took on for
the folks they had lost was awful and we could not do anything to quiet
them until they cried themselves out.
“There were five Chinamen in the boats and not a soul knew where
they came from. No one saw them get into the boats; but there they
were--wherever they came from.
“The fellows from the crew of the Titanic told us that lots more of
them could have got away, only no one would believe that their ship
could sink.”
CHAPTER XIX.
SENATORS HEAR STARTLING STORIES.
Senators Hear Startling Stories--Probing Committee Took Prompt
Action--Special Investigation to Forestall Spiriting Away of
Witnesses--Prominent Persons on Stand--Carpathia’s Captain and Head of
White Star Line Chief Witnesses--Inventor of Wireless Telegraphy Also
Testifies.
Managing Director of the White Star Line, J. Bruce Ismay; Captain
Rostrom, of the Carpathia; Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of wireless; the
second officer of the Titanic and others testified before the Senate
committee which was investigating the disaster that caused the loss of
more than 1600 lives when the Titanic hit an iceberg.
Mr. Ismay was visibly nervous when he took the stand to testify in the
Waldorf-Astoria, where the hearings were being held.
Several times he avoided direct answers by saying: “I know nothing
about it.” Little if any light was thrown on the sea tragedy by his
testimony.
That the Titanic’s rate of speed was approximately 26½ land miles was
brought out from his lips.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account