Here is what the page of the Chief Officer's Log for April 14 might have looked like had Titanic survived:
did they salvage the titanic ship logbook ?
I often wonder what the Purser's Assistant had in the "Ship's Bag".
The US Inquiry asked 3rd officer Pitman what happened to the ship's log book.
Q - I would like to know whether you are sufficiently advised, of your own knowledge, to say whether the ship's log was preserved or taken from the Titanic?
A - Not to my knowledge; I did not go into the chart room, so I do not know.
Q - Do you know whether Mr. Lightoller, the second officer, Mr. Boxhall, the fourth officer, or Mr. Lowe, the fifth officer, took possession of the ship's log?
A - I can not say, sir.
The US Inquiry repeated the question. This time he was more direct.
Q - Do you know if any of the logs were saved?
A - None, sir. We had something else to think of besides log books, sir.
I can visualise two possibilities. The passengers were not allowed to take their bags and luggage with them into the lifeboats. Perhaps in the confusion the officer threw the ship's bag over the side and yelled "No luggage allowed! and did not realize he had just thrown out the ship's log book over the side? Another possibility. A number of passengers saw icebergs passing the ship before the collision. The Carpathia could see more than half a dozen icebergs about 2 miles away on each side during the night. We also have reports that the lookouts warned the bridge several times about the icebergs and that the weather was hazy. Perhaps this was all recorded in the ship's log and would prove disasterous for their defence if those logs were made public, so they were discreetly chucked over the side on the Carpathia.
.
Hello Scott.Or those log books contained information damning to the officers and White Star line and where intentionally left behind. You can add this to the list of circumstantial evidence that convinced me something was fishy about what led up to and immediately followed the collision. Whether or not this indicates that there is something to what our resident David Brown suggests and the berg/ice was sighted well in advance, whether it would indicate an attempted course change and attempt to make way after the collision, or a combination of both is difficult to say.
I certainly have my pet theory that Titanic made way with the destination of Halifax in mind after the collision, which exacerbated the fatal damage to the ship, or turned the serious damage into fatal damage, and that the surviving officers and managing director of the line knew very well that this decision at least contributed to the foundering of the ship.
In any case, it is strikingly convenient that none of the logs were saved. Then again, maybe I am just having the reaction of a modern observer (Turner's actions on Lusitania make me think not) hearing that the crew of a crashing airplane intentionally destroyed a flight data recorder.
Or those log books contained information damning to the officers and White Star line and where intentionally left behind. You can add this to the list of circumstantial evidence that convinced me something was fishy about what led up to and immediately followed the collision. Whether or not this indicates that there is something to what our resident David Brown suggests and the berg/ice was sighted well in advance, whether it would indicate an attempted course change and attempt to make way after the collision, or a combination of both is difficult to say.
I certainly have my pet theory that Titanic made way with the destination of Halifax in mind after the collision, which exacerbated the fatal damage to the ship, or turned the serious damage into fatal damage, and that the surviving officers and managing director of the line knew very well that this decision at least contributed to the foundering of the ship.
In any case, it is strikingly convenient that none of the logs were saved. Then again, maybe I am just having the reaction of a modern observer (Turner's actions on Lusitania make me think not) hearing that the crew of a crashing airplane intentionally destroyed a flight data recorder.
In fact, title Official Log Book is misleading in that in later years, it had no legal part to play in any disputes
Here is a photo of collapsible D. Can anyone see the ship's bag?
Is that a gladstone bag?
View attachment 40951
.