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Report into the Loss of the SS Titanic
By Samuel Halpern, Cathy Akers-Jordan, George Behe, Bruce Beveridge, Mark Chirnside, Tad Fitch, Dave Gittins, Steve Hall, Lester J. Mitcham, Captain Charles Weeks, Bill Wormstedt The History Press
Copyright © 2016 Samuel Halpern, Cathy Akers-Jordan, George Behe, Bruce Beveridge, Mark Chirnside, Tad Fitch, Dave Gittins, Steve Hall, Lester J. Mitcham, Captain Charles Weeks, Bill Wormstedt
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7509-6941-3
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Samuel Halpern
Background and Purpose
On the night of 14 April 1912, the SS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank in just 2 hours and 40 minutes. Less than a third of the people on board were saved.
On 17 April 1912 the United States Senate Committee on Commerce issued a resolution calling for a formal investigation into the causes leading to the loss of Titanic and its attendant loss of life. The formal American inquiry began on 19 April 1912, and ended on 25 May 1912. A report on the findings was presented before the United States Senate on 28 May 1912.
On 30 April 1912 the British Board of Trade (BOT) requested that a formal investigation be held into the circumstances attending to the loss of Titanic. Twenty-six questions were formulated to which they sought answers. Those questions dealt with such items as:
• The ship (her design, construction, size, speed, equipment, lifesaving appliances and wireless installation);
• Orders received and course taken;
• The passengers and crew;
• An account of the casualty (its cause and effect);
• Means taken for saving those on board;
• A report on the Rules and Regulations of the BOT and its administration;
• And recommendations to obviate a similar disaster from happening again.
The formal British inquiry began on 2 May 1912 and ended on 3 July 1912. The findings were presented in a 'Report of the Court' that was issued on 30 July 1912. After almost 100 years since the loss of Titanic, much new evidence has come to light including new forensic discoveries and analysis. In addition to the full transcripts and reports from both the American and British inquiries that were held in 1912, we have available to us evidence given at the Limitation of Liability Hearings in New York (1913–15), the Ryan Vs Oceanic Steam Navigation Company trial of 1913 and affidavits of some key participants that were withheld from the original inquiries, as well as letters, books and affidavits written by survivors and other participants in the aftermath of the disaster.
In 1985 the wreck of Titanic was discovered by a team led by Dr Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel. Since then there were many expeditions to the wreck that produced a wealth of new information about the ship and what happened to her as a result of colliding with an iceberg. Technical papers have been written dealing with all imaginable aspects, from the ship's design and construction to detailed analyses of the sinking process itself. In addition, many articles and books have appeared dealing with the circumstances leading up to the collision, what transpired on board the ship prior to and immediately after the collision, the ensuing rescue by SS Carpathia and the aftermath that followed. In addition, many articles and books have also appeared that deal with the actions and inactions of several nearby vessels, in particular the steamships Californian and Mount Temple.
Unfortunately, much of what has been presented in some recent books, movies, documentaries and on websites is a regurgitation of the same old stuff that has been out there for years. In many cases, references are nowhere to be found, and the reader or viewer is supposed to accept what is presented as undisputed fact. In some cases, demonstrably false information or findings are presented as new by those who have their own unique perception of reality. The usual technique is the selective use of available evidence to support their particular view while totally dismissing evidence that may prove to be unfavourable to their view. Far too often, unproven theories, speculations and other forms of misinformation are accepted as fact by the general public.
This report is a collective effort that was put together by a team of dedicated individuals and authors of various backgrounds and expertise that have spent years researching, studying and analysing the wealth of information now available to us today. In support of this effort, every attempt was made to identify where our information came from. In many cases we reference the primary source material directly. In other cases, we provide reference to a particular article or book that delves into much more detail than space here will allow. Where answers are not so clear cut, we make that known to the reader and provide reference to where additional information may be found.
Questions to be Addressed
This report attempts to address as best we can the following set of questions:
About the Ship
1. How well was Titanic designed and how did she compare to other vessels of the period?
2. Could Titanic stand up to the most exacting conditions of the North Atlantic service?
3. What provisions did Titanic have in her design for the safety of the vessel and those on board in the event of collisions and other casualties?
4. What lifesaving appliances were carried on board, and how did that compare to the requirements of the BOT and other ships of the time?
5. What means besides wireless telegraphy was provided to communicate with other vessels, and were those means utilised?
6. What type of wireless installation was on board Titanic and what was its expected range?
7. What accommodation did the ship have for her passengers and crew, and how would they gain access to the boats in case of emergency?
8. Did Titanic comply with the requirements of the rules and regulations in effect at the time with regard to passenger steamers and emigrant ships when she departed on her maiden voyage?
About Passengers and Crew on Board
1. How many crewmembers were on board Titanic when she left Queenstown (distinguishing by department and positions held)?
2. How many passengers were on board Titanic when she left Queenstown (distinguishing by class, men, women and children)?
3. How many (and who) were lost and saved?
About the Route Followed and Warnings Received
1. What instructions were given or known prior to the sailing as to the route to be followed and precautions taken for any dangers likely to be encountered during the voyage?
2. How far did the ship advance each day along the route she took? What were her noontime positions for each day, and what was her average speed of advance along the route for each day?
3. What was the weather like along the route of travel?
4. Did Titanic have an adequate supply of coal on board? Was this a factor in limiting the speed of the vessel? Was Titanic out to break any records?
5. What warnings reached Titanic concerning the existence of ice along the route, when were they received, and what were the reported locations?
6. Was Titanic's course altered as a consequence of receiving such information, and if so, in what way?
7. Were any directions given as to the speed of the vessel as a consequence of ice information received, and were they carried out?
8. What precautions were taken by Titanic in anticipation of meeting ice? How did that compare to what was done on other vessels being navigated in waters where ice was expected?
9. Was a good and proper lookout for ice kept on board? Were binoculars provided for and used by the lookout men? Is the use of binoculars necessary or desirable in such circumstances?
10. Were searchlights provided for and used on Titanic? If not, should searchlights have been provided and used?
About the Collision and Flooding
1. What time was carried on Titanic the day of the accident, and how did it compare to time in New York?
2. What was the time and location of Titanic when she collided with an iceberg?
3. How far ahead of the ship was the iceberg when it was first seen?
4. How fast was Titanic going before the moment of impact?
5. What actions were taken to avoid collision or mitigate damage to the vessel once the ship came in contact with the iceberg? Was the collision unavoidable?
6. What was the extent of the damage caused by the collision?
7. What steps were taken, if any, to prevent the vessel from sinking?
8. How quickly was water entering the ship, and how did that affect the vessel's longitudinal and transverse stability?
9. Did a fire in one of the coal bunkers contribute to the loss of the ship?
10. When was it determined that the ship would not survive?
11. What was the affect of flooding on the stresses imposed on the hull of the vessel?
12. At what angle did the ship break in two? When did the break occur, and how long after did the ship sink?
13. What was the time and location when Titanic foundered?
14. How deep is the wreck and what does the wreck site show?
About Taking to the Boats and Calling for Assistance
1. What was the number, type and carrying capacity of the boats carried on board Titanic? Were there prior arrangements for manning and launching the boats should an emergency arise, and were any boat drills held?
2. How soon after the collision was the crew called out to uncover the boats?
3. How and when were passengers appraised of the situation?
4. When was the order given to actually load the boats with women and children and send them away?
5. Were passengers treated differently by class?
6. In what order and at what times were the lifeboats launched? Who supervised the individual launchings? Who was put or took charge of each boat when it was sent away?
7. How many people were in each boat as they arrived at Carpathia?
8. In what sequence did the boats arrive at Carpathia?
9. When did Titanic first call for help? When was the last call sent out?
10. How many ships responded to Titanic's call for assistance and how far away were they from Titanic's reported position?
11. When did Titanic first fire distress rockets (socket signals)? When was the last one fired? Were they seen or heard by any other vessel, and did they respond?
About the Rescue and Actions of Other Vessels
1. What actions were taken by Carpathia when they first learned about Titanic? How long did it take for Carpathia to arrive on the scene, and what did they find?
2. When did Carpathia leave the scene? When was the decision made to return to New York, and what path did Carpathia take when she departed the area of the wreckage?
3. Were Titanic's distress rockets seen from Californian? How well do events seen from Californian correlate with events that took place on Titanic? Where was Californian relative to Titanic when Titanic foundered?
4. What actions were taken by Mount Temple when they first learned about Titanic? When did Mount Temple arrive on the scene and where was she relative to the location of Carpathia and Californian? What was reportedly seen by those on Mount Temple, and what actions were taken if any?
CHAPTER 2
TWO NATIONS, TWO INQUIRIES
Dave Gittins
After Titanic sank, two extensive inquiries into the disaster were held in Britain and the United States. In this introductory chapter we consider the origins of the inquiries and examine their conclusions. We also explain the nature of the British Board of Trade, whose Marine Department was responsible for all aspects of British merchant shipping.
The American Inquiry
The American inquiry was instigated by Senator William Alden Smith (R – MI), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce. Smith reasoned that Titanic was bound for America and was American owned. Her passengers were largely Americans, or potential Americans. Her loss and any faults in her design or equipment were thus proper subjects for an American inquiry. On hearing of the sinking, Smith moved swiftly, after ascertaining that President William Howard Taft was unlikely to act on the matter. On 17 April he moved in the Senate that a sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Commerce be formed, with authority to investigate the disaster, administer oaths and issue subpoenas. The Senate passed the necessary resolutions.
Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce, or a subcommittee thereof, is hereby authorised and directed to investigate the causes leading to the wreck of the White Star liner Titanic, with its attendant loss of life so shocking to the civilised world.
Resolved further, That said committee or a subcommittee thereof is hereby empowered to summon witnesses, send for persons and papers, to administer oaths, and to take such testimony as may be necessary to determine the responsibility therefore, with a view to such legislation as may be necessary to prevent, as far as possible, any repetition of such a disaster.
Resolved further, That the committee shall inquire particularly into the number of lifeboats, rafts, and life preservers, and other equipment for the protection of the passengers and crew; the number of persons aboard the Titanic, whether passenger or crew, and whether adequate inspections were made of such vessel, in view of the large number of American passengers travelling over a route commonly regarded as dangerous from icebergs; and whether it is feasible for Congress to take steps looking to an international agreement to secure the protection of sea traffic, including regulation of the size of ships and designation of routes.
Resolved further, That in the report of said committee it shall recommend such legislation as it shall deem expedient; and the expenses incurred by this investigation shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers to be approved by the chairman of said committee.
Senator Smith was appointed chairman of the committee. Its six other members were chosen for their wide range of political opinions, rather than for their nautical expertise. As it chanced, three members did possess a general knowledge of ships and the shipping industry. These were Senators Theodore Burton (R – OH), George Perkins (R – CA) and Jonathan Bourne (R – OR). Burton was chairman of the Senate Committee on Rivers and Harbours. Perkins, a former sailor, operated several coastal steamships. Jonathan Bourne, a lawyer and businessman, had a little practical experience at sea, his father being a ship owner. The other members were Senators Francis Newlands (D – NV), Duncan Fletcher (D – FL) and Furnifold Simmons (D – NC). The racist Senator Simmons, a fierce political foe of Senator Smith, attended only one committee meeting and took no part in proceedings. The committee naturally had access to the resources of the government of the United States, most notably those of the United States Navy.
Titanic was a British-registered ship and the accident had occurred on the high seas. Some Britons questioned America's right to inquire into the case. James Bryce, the British ambassador to the United States, personally detested Senator Smith, describing him as 'most unsuitable' and possessed of 'singular incompetence'. He sought legal advice on the possibility of preventing the inquiry but was disappointed. The United States Senate had the right to investigate any subject on which it had power to legislate. It could undoubtedly legislate on the safety of foreign ships entering American waters, though its right to 'investigate the causes leading to the wreck of the White Star liner Titanic, with its attendant loss of life' was more dubious. The British Government and its foreign secretary, Sir Edward Grey, decided not to antagonise a friendly nation and raised no formal objection.
The American inquiry began on 19 April 1912 and ended on 25 May. The first two days of hearings took place in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. Most of the remainder were held in the Senate in Washington, with the exception of several further days in the Waldorf-Astoria and a visit to Olympic on 25 May. Senator Smith presented its findings to the Senate on 28 May. He supplemented the findings with a speech that revealed his personal opinions, which were often more stridently critical than the report. Copies of the transcript of Smith's inquiry and his speech were sent to Britain as quickly as possible and were available to Lord Mersey's court.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Report into the Loss of the SS Titanic by Samuel Halpern, Cathy Akers-Jordan, George Behe, Bruce Beveridge, Mark Chirnside, Tad Fitch, Dave Gittins, Steve Hall, Lester J. Mitcham, Captain Charles Weeks, Bill Wormstedt. Copyright © 2016 Samuel Halpern, Cathy Akers-Jordan, George Behe, Bruce Beveridge, Mark Chirnside, Tad Fitch, Dave Gittins, Steve Hall, Lester J. Mitcham, Captain Charles Weeks, Bill Wormstedt. Excerpted by permission of The History Press.
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