Propped up on pillows in bed at St. Vincent's Hospital, Thomas Whiteley, steward of the First Class Saloon of the Titanic, described the scene in the dining-room on the night of the disaster. ''We had made great time,'' he said, ''and the probability was the trip would be a record breaker. Soon after dinner was served on Sunday night the fun commenced. The Captain talked and joked with Colonel Astor, and occasionally Mr. Ismay spoke. The one topic of conversation was the new boat and the speed she was making. As the meal progressed Dr. O'Loughlin rose, and, lifting his glass, exclaimed: ''Let us drink to the mighty Titanic''. With cries of approval everybody stood up and drank the toast. I think it was generally believed that the Titanic would reach New York late on Tuesday or early on Wednesday morning, and a big banquet was being planned, after landing, in anticipation of the record being broken. Besides the look-out men, Phillips, said Whiteley, was in my boat. He died before the Carpathia came. I helped to chafe his hands, and he told me before he died that he signalled the Californian and the Frankfurt, but got no answer from the Frankfurt, except, ''What's the matter, old man?''.

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