Rescuing Titanic: A true story of quiet bravery in the North Atlantic (Hidden Histories)

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Being bound from London to Boston, he was evidently desirous of making as much progress as possible through the icefield by daylight, and could scarcely be blamed for that decision.

The Carpathia was too late to witness the Titanic’s final plunge but her arrival in the early hours of morning enabled her to rescue all 706 survivors from lifeboats in the icy sea. This was a fatality unparalleled, illuminating the vanity of human wishes and the power of courage in extreme adversity. No wonder, then, that the people of two continents, and beyond throughout the world, informed only briefly of the fact that the Titanic had sunk, with heavy loss of life, were now eagerly awaiting the details of that tragedy, which only the survivors in the Carpathia could divulge. Powerful is the force of routine. As eight bells sounded for the change of the watch, the lookout man in the crow's nest sang out the long-drawn wailing cry, "A-a-all's WELL and LIGHTS burning BRIGHTLY ... " Chief Officer Hankinson The central character of her story, however, is not the city’s famous Titanic, but the smaller, less distinguished Carpathia built in England at Wallsend (Liverpool). Never mind that! I'm only doing my job, that's all. I got on board. I made it. I was told to get the story, and I got it. You can do what you like with me."Mat: From your initial ideas to the completed book, I can only imagine that a lot of planning and editing must have taken place. Can you talk us through your relationship with Lucy Brownridge and Karissa Santos and how they worked alongside you to help reach the incredible final draft? I may remark now, in the retrospect of the years, that, in this incident, and what followed it, my own feelings and senses were concentrated to a rare pitch of intensity. I dare say that every man on the bridge and on lookout in the Carpathia felt likewise that his nerves were as taut as violin strings, attuned by the hand of a master player. She was not a "full ship." She was certified by the Board of Trade to carry 2,650 passengers and 897 crew–a total of 3,547 souls. Cunard's Mauretania and Lusitania were each certified to carry 2,200 passengers and a crew of 900, total 3,100 souls. They were far better-designed vessels in every way than the Olympic and the Titanic.

As soon as the Olympic was launched, the keel of her sister ship Titanic was laid down. Work began on the second vessel immediately, from the same plans, with only minor modifications. A third giant sister was to follow (the Britannic). In taking this calculated risk, he relied on seamanship and sharp lookout, which had apparently been neglected in the Titanic. He knew—as every shipmaster of experience gained in the North Atlantic, and to the south of Cape Horn, knew—that icebergs are visible by starlight half-a-mile ahead in clear weather. That allows sufficient sea room in which to avoid them.

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When these two messages were handed to Captain Rostron, he envisaged for the first time the possibility that the Titanic might actually be foundering. Until then, he had assumed that she was seriously damaged-otherwise she would not have sent out a distress signal—but he expected that she would remain afloat, and that possibly the whole of her passengers, crew, and mails would have to be transferred to the Carpathia, or to other steamers which might hasten to the rescue. PRESENTED TO THE CAPTAIN, OFFICERS & CREW OF R.M.S. CARPATHIA, IN RECOGNITION OF GAL­LANT & HEROIC SERVICES, FROM THE SURVIVORS OF THE S.S. TITANIC, APRIL 15TH, 1912. In three days traveling from Fastnet, that is, in seventy-four and one half hours elapsed time, at 22 knots, she would cover 1,639 miles, and would arrive at the "Corner" at 5 P.M. on Sunday, April 14. I led him to the head of the gangway, and said to Captain Roberts, "Captain Rostron wants this reporter dealt with for getting on board without permission." The last boat was lowered at 2.05 A.M., and the ship sank at 2.20 A.M. She had remained afloat for two hours and forty minutes after striking the berg.