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Beasley went on to tell of the spectacle of the sinking of the Titanic, the terrible experiences of the survivors in the life-boats and their final rescue by the Carpathia as already related. ONE of the calmest of the passengers was: young Jack Thayer, the seventeen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Thayer.
An old traveller told me on the Carpathia that he has often grumbled to the officers for what he called absurd precautions in lying to and wasting his time, which he regarded as very valuable; but after hearing of the Titanic's loss he recognized that he was to some extent responsible for the speed at which she had travelled, and would never be so again.
The captain came and told us our engine rooms were taking water and that the dynamos might not last much longer. We sent that word to the Carpathia. "I went out on deck and looked around. The water was pretty close up to the boat deck. There was a great scramble aft, and how poor Phillips worked through it right to the end I don't know. "He was a brave man.
"Facts which I have established by inquiries on the Carpathia, as positively as they could be established in view of the silence of the few surviving officers, are: "That the Titanic's officers knew, several hours before the crash, of the possible nearness of the icebergs. "That the Titanic's speed, nearly 23 knots an hour, was not slackened.
The shrieks and cries of the women and men picked up in life-boats by the Carpathia were horrible. The women were clothed only in night robes and wrappers. The men were in their night garments. One was lifted on board entirely nude. All the passengers who could bear nourishment were taken into the dining rooms and cabins by Captain Rostron and given food and stimulants.
Why so few messages came from the Carpathia was gone into. Captain Rostron declared the first messages, all substantially the same, were sent to the White Star Line, the Cunard Line and the Associated Press. Then the first and second cabin passenger lists were sent, when the wireless failed.
Describing the details of the perishing of the Allison family, the rescued nurse said they were all in bed when the Titanic hit the berg. "We did not get up immediately," said she, "for we had Commander of the Carpathia, which rescued the survivors of the Titanic from the life-boats in the open sea and brought them to New York. not thought of danger.
I sent for the chief engineer, told him to put on another watch of stokers and make all speed for the Titanic. I told the first officer to stop all deck work, get out the life-boats and be ready for any emergency. The chief steward and doctors of the Carpathia I called to my office and instructed as to their duties.
All around we saw boats making for the Carpathia and heard their shouts and cheers. Our crew rowed hard in friendly rivalry with other boats to be among the first home, but we must have been eighth or ninth at the side. We had a heavy load aboard, and had to row round a huge iceberg on the way. And then, as if to make everything complete for our happiness, came the dawn.
But closer than any of these closer even than the Carpathia were two ships: the Californian, less than twenty miles away, with the wireless operator off duty and unable to catch the "C.Q.D." signal which was now making the air for many miles around quiver in its appeal for help immediate, urgent help for the hundreds of people who stood on the Titanic's deck.
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