On board the Carpathia

[Jeremy Aufderheide]

Other than being angry that all of their coal was burning in the bunker rather than in the boilers.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I would think that they would be more put out by having to shovel out the bunker then anything else. It was a backbreaking swine of a job and the fumes from the smouldering coal couldn't have been pleasant.

 

[Dallas Morris Pounds]

In Inger Sheil's post dated May 17, 2006 he references that Lightoller and Pitman took an inventory of Titanic's lifeboats while aboard the Carpathia. Has this inventory list ever been published? Is it the same list that was published in the Titanic Commutator a few years ago? If it is a different inventory list when and where was the TC list complied?

Thanks,
Dallas

 

[Inger Sheil]

Hallo Dallas -

I haven't seen a full version of the inventory Lightoller and Pitman took. It was referred to in Lightoller's correspondence with Beesley, but I haven't seen the full text of the letter (and I don't think that Lightoller sent an itemised list of lifeboat contents to Beesley). I'm not sure how it relates to the inventory published in the Titanic Commutator and can't off hand recall that list - it would be interesting if it did originate with Lightoller. Perhaps someone else here can shed some light on it.

(Just a quick aside - I'm a woman. I know my forename is a bit ambiguously gendered in some cultures, and take no offense at all when those who know me only through correspondence are under the impression I'm a male, but it may save confusion later if I point that out now!).

 

[Caroline Mendes Ferreira]

Board the Carpathia

After the tragedy the survivors aboard the Carpathia were spoiled by the crew offered every possible comfort and help. And also desperate women looking for their husbands. I just think many survivors aboard the Carpathia were desperate.

[Moderator's note: This message, originally a separate thread, has been moved to this existing discussion of the same subject. MAB]

 

[Cam Houseman]

I can't help thinking Major Peuchen was smart to get it in writing. "Be prepared." Very savvy. (I wonder if he knew Lord Baden-Powell or was involved in the Boy Scouts.) [A not too subtile hint, Jason. I don't want to be too old and blind to read your biography of him.]

I assume that, as Mr. Lightoller was the senior officer among the surviving crew, he was responsible to the White Star Line for their welfare and good behaviour. Was he also responsible to the Line for the welfare of the surviving passengers? With Mr. Ismay on board but incommunicado, did 'who was responsible for the passengers' present problems?

Were Mr. Lightoller and the other Titanic officers answerable to Capt. Rostron in any way? Captain Rostron was, of course, in command and his word went; but Carpathia was a Cunard ship - a 'rival' line and not the Titanic company's employer. Were there protocols to be followed between officers and crews of different shipping lines in these after rescue situations? If the Olympic had retrieved them, would the officers and crew been given duties alongside (the) Olympic's officers and crew?

Was there any show of animosity between the two crews? Something like what might happen after a taunt, "If you'd been on a Cunarder, mate, you'd never've sunk!" or "What was your captain (or ol' Murdoch) thinking of, goin' full tilt into a berg?" or "You must've been blinder than a mole to 'ave missed seein' a berg on such a clear night, Fleet!" Did the two crews keep their discipline?

were there any nasty people onboard the Carpathia, who treated the survivors badly?

 

[Robert T. Paige]

I am reminded about that statement by - I believe it was Lord Mersey ? - something to the effect that if Californian had gone to Titanic's aid " many , if not all , could have been saved ". I think it has been agreed that this would have been impossible.
But if it would have been possible wouldn't Californian have been terribly overcrowded for the size of the ship ?
If it had been possible would Carpathia have been able to take on the some two thousand passengers and crew without being overcrowded ?
As it was , did Carpathia have any reports of being crowded with the additional of some seven hundred survivors ?
I understand some slept on deck. Wasn't there some rain enroute to New York ? How did they fare ?

 

[Arun Vajpey]

I am reminded about that statement by - I believe it was Lord Mersey ? - something to the effect that if Californian had gone to Titanic's aid " many , if not all , could have been saved ".

That was a figure of speech and then some. IF the Californian had been immediately alerted at the first sign of distress, woke Cyril Evans and confirmed the problem even as they were getting ready to move out and started out asap with multiple lookouts, they would have to still negotiate the ice field around them. Also, the Californian was a 11 knot ship and IMO they were 15 to 17 miles away at the time; they could not possibly have arrived near the sinking Titanic much before 02:00 am at which time they could certainly not get close alongside. With the most optimistic scenario, the Californian could probably have picked-up 30 to 40 half-dead individuals out of the water, some of whom might have died later.

But having said all that, the fact remains that they did not even try. There is the rub.

As this thread is about life on board the Carpathia after she picked up the survivors, an interesting nasty comment from Third Class passenger Elizabeth Dowdell who was the nanny to 6 and a half year old Virginia Martin-Emmanuel and survived on Lifeboat #13. Dowdell complained about the lack of facilities on board the Carpathia and having to rub shoulders with 'Chinese' passengers. My sympathies are with those Chinese people.

 

[Cam Houseman]

damn, she was just rescued and she's just worried about brushing against chinese people.