Seems like a losing proposition for a tramp steamer like Californian to even have a Marconi station. They had no passengers to generate message revenue on the Titanic incident voyage, and even if they had passengers the max amount was 47, and that 47 would not be high rollers who could afford to send Marconi messages anyway. Seems like Evans wouldn't ever have had much to do, basically Marconi paid for the equipment and paid Evans salary for nothing in return. So why did Marconi even bother having a wireless set and operator on there in the first place, since he was not generating any revenue?
Why did Californian even have wireless?
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William Oakes
Member
Probably a contractual obligation to the line who for a set amount agreed to have them in all of their ships.
A package deal.
A package deal.
Gordon Mooneyhan
Member
The Californian was owned by Leyland Line which was a subsidiary of International Mercantile Marine. 'nuff said.
Mike Spooner
Member
Good question indeed. I would like to know the answer to.
Steven Christian
Member
Could have been for various reasons. William and Gordon pointed out good plausible reasons for it. The shipping industry was advancing with the times and at that time radio was the future. Cheers.
Mike Spooner
Member
It may be advancing with the technology but there is a cost to pay for the service, which doesn't sound like a business revenue for the shipping company with no paying passengers.
One wonders what Evans really did all day, since he had no passengers sending messages, and one assumes Lord's messages were all navigation related, and there wouldn't be that many of them at that. And surely the rest of the crew wouldn't be sending messages. Indeed, it seems strange that Marconi would waste money on the installation and on Evan's salary for what seems like no reason.
I've never seen this issue brought up anywhere, but it does make me really curious. I've also heard that Evans was a notorious gossip, which makes sense considering he really had no work to do. There were no accounts because his installation made no money. Any messages from Lord to other ships would be brief. He also seemed to be sort of training Groves on how to Morse, as well as chillin with Groves pretty often in his room.
If he was paid the same salary as Phillips and Bride, it would really be unfair as they worked their tails off and I fail to see how he would have had more than a very, very minimal amount of work to do.
I've never seen this issue brought up anywhere, but it does make me really curious. I've also heard that Evans was a notorious gossip, which makes sense considering he really had no work to do. There were no accounts because his installation made no money. Any messages from Lord to other ships would be brief. He also seemed to be sort of training Groves on how to Morse, as well as chillin with Groves pretty often in his room.
If he was paid the same salary as Phillips and Bride, it would really be unfair as they worked their tails off and I fail to see how he would have had more than a very, very minimal amount of work to do.
Mike Spooner
Member
I think you will find Evans did get less pay than Phillips and Bride. Like been said seems to have not much work to do.
In fact I find why are they doing the crossing in the first place? The national coal strike is in progress where many ships are laid up due to the lack of coal. So why did this ship get preference over other ships for coal. Then why its sailing from London docks and not from her home port Liverpool. Why put a captain in charge who has never sailed through an icefield or even been to Boston. The ship was never built with a wireless and seem to be the second crossing that a wireless has been installed. Then comes what exactly was her cargo needed so urged for America, as there is no manifester can be found. Why no passengers which would of pay for the wireless operator with profits. I puzzle myself what was so unique for London cargo that is not found in Liverpool. Or as at the time London was the financial capital city of the world. Now for my speculation only if I wanted transport gold bars in secret, I would not want to use a ship that is well know to the general public and with too many prying eyes at the establish passenger crossing ports. By using a 10 year tramp steamer ship would draws far less attention and sail to Boston and not New York. So was Evans there as the backup plan should something go wrong?
In fact I find why are they doing the crossing in the first place? The national coal strike is in progress where many ships are laid up due to the lack of coal. So why did this ship get preference over other ships for coal. Then why its sailing from London docks and not from her home port Liverpool. Why put a captain in charge who has never sailed through an icefield or even been to Boston. The ship was never built with a wireless and seem to be the second crossing that a wireless has been installed. Then comes what exactly was her cargo needed so urged for America, as there is no manifester can be found. Why no passengers which would of pay for the wireless operator with profits. I puzzle myself what was so unique for London cargo that is not found in Liverpool. Or as at the time London was the financial capital city of the world. Now for my speculation only if I wanted transport gold bars in secret, I would not want to use a ship that is well know to the general public and with too many prying eyes at the establish passenger crossing ports. By using a 10 year tramp steamer ship would draws far less attention and sail to Boston and not New York. So was Evans there as the backup plan should something go wrong?
I do wonder if there was "something" going on with Californian that everyone has missed. I recall reading somewhere that she was carrying a large load of lumber, which seems absurd since the USA has tons of lumber and would not need to import any from England. No way could it make any economic sense to move lumber from London to Boston, esp. during a coal strike.
I think it was also carrying cotton, which again makes no sense since the USA is the point of origin for most cotton.
Everything about the Californian is strange, and really makes no sense objectively. I almost wonder if they ship was involved in some kind of smuggling that may have been controlled by some very rich and powerful people, hence they ignored the distress calls out of a desire to avoid attention. This theory makes more and more sense when you really think about it. I will summarize the evidence below:
A. Californian's wireless installation was 100% assured to lose money. It seems the ship didn't carry passengers often, and when it did the max was 47 and they would have been lower-class people who would have no money to send messages.
B. It's alleged "cargo" makes no sense. Moving lumber from England to the USA makes no sense whatsoever. The USA was up to their neck in home grown lumber that was dirt cheap. Ditto for cotton.
C. Lord had to have known that the rockets were a distress signal. His testimony at both inquiries was evasive, contradictory, and lacked credibility. I believe he also pressured the other officers to "get the story straight" and told them what to say. I am an attorney and have taken hundreds of depositions, and I can tell you just from reading the transcripts that Lord does a lot of lying. Full stop. His testimony has all the hallmarks of a heavily rehearsed and untruthful story that did not hold up well to cross examination. I fully believe Lord did go up on deck and saw Titanic and the rockets with his own eyes, but knew getting involved would mean his illicit cargo would likely be discovered.
D. Taken all of the above, I believe the likeliest explanation is that Californian was smuggling something. I think the wireless was there to get in touch with another ship to offload the contraband on to before reaching Boston. I think he planned to just steam away and pretend nothing happened but Evans sort of "blew it" by saying too much to Carpathia, and thus they had to steam over and pretend they wanted to help. If not for the donkeyman Gill breaking ranks, Lord's plan would have worked, It was Gill tattling to the newspapers that got them all sucked down the rabbit hole.
I think it was also carrying cotton, which again makes no sense since the USA is the point of origin for most cotton.
Everything about the Californian is strange, and really makes no sense objectively. I almost wonder if they ship was involved in some kind of smuggling that may have been controlled by some very rich and powerful people, hence they ignored the distress calls out of a desire to avoid attention. This theory makes more and more sense when you really think about it. I will summarize the evidence below:
A. Californian's wireless installation was 100% assured to lose money. It seems the ship didn't carry passengers often, and when it did the max was 47 and they would have been lower-class people who would have no money to send messages.
B. It's alleged "cargo" makes no sense. Moving lumber from England to the USA makes no sense whatsoever. The USA was up to their neck in home grown lumber that was dirt cheap. Ditto for cotton.
C. Lord had to have known that the rockets were a distress signal. His testimony at both inquiries was evasive, contradictory, and lacked credibility. I believe he also pressured the other officers to "get the story straight" and told them what to say. I am an attorney and have taken hundreds of depositions, and I can tell you just from reading the transcripts that Lord does a lot of lying. Full stop. His testimony has all the hallmarks of a heavily rehearsed and untruthful story that did not hold up well to cross examination. I fully believe Lord did go up on deck and saw Titanic and the rockets with his own eyes, but knew getting involved would mean his illicit cargo would likely be discovered.
D. Taken all of the above, I believe the likeliest explanation is that Californian was smuggling something. I think the wireless was there to get in touch with another ship to offload the contraband on to before reaching Boston. I think he planned to just steam away and pretend nothing happened but Evans sort of "blew it" by saying too much to Carpathia, and thus they had to steam over and pretend they wanted to help. If not for the donkeyman Gill breaking ranks, Lord's plan would have worked, It was Gill tattling to the newspapers that got them all sucked down the rabbit hole.
Lots of wondering and claims, have you got any evidence to back any of it up?
Steven Christian
Member
After reading up on it a little more there were many reason why ships/shipping companies decided to use radio on their ships. Most are pretty obvious. It wasn't just sending messages of wealthy passengers. The shipping lines saw the value of it. An aid to navigation, distress calls, weather reports ect ect. Another reason to have as many ships as you could with radio was that they could be used as relay stations. That was valuable especially during daylight hours when range was limited. Leasing a set and paying an operator for the Californian was peanuts compared to the contracts and what Wall street was pumping into his company. Wireless was the internet of the day back then. Most of us pay for the services the internet provides without making any money on it. Cheers all.
Mike Spooner
Member
Marconi did pay Evans £4 per month. But it still leaves a mystery why pay someone when there is no revenue from passengers, especially the ship was built to take 47 first class passengers. So what was his role? He may taking some of the messages here and there. But with all
than spare time on hand he would be more like a passenger at Marconi expense.
Still leaves why the ship was given preference for coal over others when there was a shortness. And what was the cargo needed urgent for America, as other cargo ships have to wait until the national coal strike is over.
than spare time on hand he would be more like a passenger at Marconi expense.
Still leaves why the ship was given preference for coal over others when there was a shortness. And what was the cargo needed urgent for America, as other cargo ships have to wait until the national coal strike is over.
Julian Atkins
Member
@ScottyBK
It is pretty simply really.
The Leyland Line advertised their ships that also carried passengers as having wireless. Then there is the issue of the value of cargo and the vessel plus the 'value' of the lives of those aboard. Common sense to have a wireless when crossing the Atlantic which can be notoriously rough and stormy from whatever port you are sailing from/to.
Apart from this one crossing of The Californian, we know that this ship regularly carried passengers. On this crossing were also a Chief Steward, and 2nd and 3rd Stewards. Were all 3 necessary? Yes, on the return crossing.
Evans would be no different from a railway signalman. A few trains a day on a quiet branch line, or a busy main line junction signal box. Still a necessity however actually busy.
It is pretty simply really.
The Leyland Line advertised their ships that also carried passengers as having wireless. Then there is the issue of the value of cargo and the vessel plus the 'value' of the lives of those aboard. Common sense to have a wireless when crossing the Atlantic which can be notoriously rough and stormy from whatever port you are sailing from/to.
Apart from this one crossing of The Californian, we know that this ship regularly carried passengers. On this crossing were also a Chief Steward, and 2nd and 3rd Stewards. Were all 3 necessary? Yes, on the return crossing.
Evans would be no different from a railway signalman. A few trains a day on a quiet branch line, or a busy main line junction signal box. Still a necessity however actually busy.
Mike Spooner
Member
Perhaps Marconi and Leyland shipping company had agreement to pay Evans and his accommodation to. It must of been the most board job for a wireless operator.
Still leaves the question why the ship got coal preference over other ships and why London docks, and not from her home port Liverpool.
Still leaves the question why the ship got coal preference over other ships and why London docks, and not from her home port Liverpool.
Julian Atkins
Member
I should imagine that Evans covered his salary in messages charged for. But I don’t know for sure.
Perhaps the installation cost of the equipment on The Californian and contract with Marconi was of more importance, and that perhaps Evans’ salary was considered not that important. The same could be applied to the Antillian of the Leyland Line that exchanged messages with The Californian on the 14th April, and the Mesaba and the Parisian. And many other ships that were not passenger liners those few days that we reflect upon.
As to cargo, we don’t have The Californian’s manifest or any other documents as to it’s cargo other than Boston newspaper reports (see Reade, and Paul Slish on here) state it was a “general cargo”. We also know exactly what The Californian brought back from Boston to Liverpool on the return crossing thanks to Paul Slish on here and his USA newspaper research.
Perhaps the installation cost of the equipment on The Californian and contract with Marconi was of more importance, and that perhaps Evans’ salary was considered not that important. The same could be applied to the Antillian of the Leyland Line that exchanged messages with The Californian on the 14th April, and the Mesaba and the Parisian. And many other ships that were not passenger liners those few days that we reflect upon.
As to cargo, we don’t have The Californian’s manifest or any other documents as to it’s cargo other than Boston newspaper reports (see Reade, and Paul Slish on here) state it was a “general cargo”. We also know exactly what The Californian brought back from Boston to Liverpool on the return crossing thanks to Paul Slish on here and his USA newspaper research.
