TITANIC

1 " TITANIC " DISASTER The Official Transcript of the United States senate Hearings into the sinking of the RMS TITANIC April 19-May 25, 1912 SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, UNITED STATES senate New York, N. Y. Introduction The sinking of the passenger liner TITANIC in 1912 is one of those historical events that as always captured the imagination of researchers and the general public alike. Drama, pathos, cowardice, heroism and self-sacrifice -- all are vital parts of the story of the greatest tragedy to have taken place at sea up to that time. But legends have sometimes become part of the TITANIC saga, too, and many of these legends have arisen solely because the public has not had easy access to accurate, well-documented information about the tragedy. Books about the TITANIC abound, but -- in a sense -- these books serve as "filters" of primary historical sources and put the reader one step "further away" from those people who actually *experienced* the TITANIC disaster themselves.

2 Although many TITANIC survivors did testify about their experiences at the two government inquiries that were conducted after the disaster, the transcripts of these two inquiries were never commonly available to the general public and have become increasingly difficult for researchers to obtain as the years go by. Until now. A small and selfless group of serious TITANIC researchers has recently gone to the incredible effort of transcribing the entire texts of the senate and the British TITANIC Inquiries -- each of which is over a thousand pages long -- and has graciously seen fit to post those transcripts on this website for the benefit of TITANIC buffs everywhere. These researchers have reaped no financial reward for their self-imposed efforts and have undertaken this project solely in the interest of making hard-to-find historical information available to everyone who might wish to see it. It gives me great pleasure to make the names of these researchers known to you: Bob Bonnell - CAN Stuart Partridge - UK Earl Chapman - CAN Marilyn Powell - US Mike Disabato - US Susie Powell - US Vera & John Gillespie - US Parks Stephenson - US Linda Greaves - US Bruce Trinque - US Jane Hilbert - US bill Wormstedt - US Robert Ottmers - US The above-named men and women who so unselfishly transcribed thousands of pages of inquiry testimony deserve the sincere gratitude of TITANIC researchers the world over.

3 I hope you'll join me in honoring them for their efforts. George Behe Mount Clemens, Michigan. WITNESSES J. Bruce Ismay Managing Director White Star Line, TITANIC passenger Page 2 Arthur Henry Rostron Captain, Carpathia Page 18 Guglielmo Marconi Chairman, British Marconi Co. Page 37 Charles Herbert Lightoller 2nd Officer, TITANIC Page 46 Harold Thomas Cottam Marconi Operator, Carpathia Page 95 Alfred Crawford Steward, TITANIC Page 111 Harold Thomas Cottam (recalled) Marconi Operator, Carpathia Page 121 Harold S. Bride Marconi Operator, TITANIC Page 133 Harold Thomas Cottam (recalled) Marconi Operator, Carpathia Page 154 Harold S. Bride (recalled) Marconi Operator, TITANIC Page 154 Herbert John Pitman 3rd Officer, TITANIC Page 166 Philip A. S. Franklin Vice President, IMM Page 169 Joseph Groves Boxhall 4th Officer, TITANIC Page 209 Herbert John Pitman (recalled) 3rd Officer, TITANIC Page 259 Frederick Fleet Lookout, TITANIC Page 315 Major Arthur G.

4 Peuchen 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 329 Frederick Fleet (recalled) Lookout, TITANIC Page 357 Harold Godfrey Lowe 5th Officer, TITANIC Page 368 Charles Herbert Lightoller (recalled) 2nd Officer, TITANIC Page 421 Robert Hichens Quartermaster, TITANIC Page 449 Guglielmo Marconi (recalled) Chairman, British Marconi Co Page 463 Harold Thomas Cottam (recalled) Marconi Operator, Carpathia Page 494 Guglielmo Marconi (recalled) Chairman, British Marconi Co Page 515 George Thomas Rowe Quartermaster, TITANIC Page 519 Alfred Olliver Quartermaster, TITANIC Page 526 Frank Osman Seaman, TITANIC Page 537 Edward Wheelton Steward, TITANIC Page 543 W. H. Taylor Fireman, TITANIC Page 550 George Moore Seaman, TITANIC Page 559 Thomas Jones Seaman, TITANIC Page 566 G. Symons Lookout, TITANIC Page 573 G. A. Hogg Lookout, TITANIC Page 577 Walter John Perkis Quartermaster, TITANIC Page 580 G. A. Hogg (recalled as part of Perkis testimony) Lookout, TITANIC Page 583 G.

5 Symons (recalled as part of Perkis testimony) Lookout, TITANIC Page 584 John Hardy Steward, TITANIC Page 587 William Ward Seaman Page 595 John Hardy (recalled as part of Ward s testimony) Steward, TITANIC Page 601 James Widgery Steward, TITANIC Page 601 Edward John Buley Seaman, TITANIC Page 603 George Frederick Crowe Steward, TITANIC Page 613 C. E. Andrews Steward, TITANIC Page 622 John Collins Cook, TITANIC Page 627 Frederick Clench Seaman, TITANIC Page 634 Ernest Archer Seaman, TITANIC Page 643 W. Brice Seaman, TITANIC Page 648 Albert Haines Boatswain s Mate, TITANIC Page 655 Samuel S. Hemming Seaman, TITANIC Page 662 Frank Oliver Evans Seaman, TITANIC Page 673 Philip A. S. Franklin (recalled) Vice President, IMM Page 688 Ernest Gill Donkeyman, Californian Page 710 Stanley Lord Captain, Californian Page 714 Cyril Furmstone Evans Marconi Operator, Californian Page 733 Frank Oliver Evans (recalled) Seaman, TITANIC Page 749 Charles Herbert Lightoller (recalled) 2nd Officer, TITANIC Page 755 James Henry Moore Captain, Mount Temple Page 757 Charles Herbert Lightoller (recalled) 2nd Officer, TITANIC Page 785 Philip A.

6 S. Franklin (recalled) Vice President, IMM Page 787 Andrew Cunningham Steward, TITANIC Page 790 Frederick D. Ray Steward, TITANIC Page 798 Henry Samuel Etches Steward, TITANIC Page 810 William Burke Steward, TITANIC Page 821 Alfred Crawford Steward, TITANIC Page 826 Arthur John Bright Quartermaster, TITANIC Page 831 Alfred Crawford Steward, TITANIC Page 842 Guglielmo Marconi (recalled) Chairman, British Marconi Co Page 845 Frederick M. Sammis Chief Engineer, Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of America. Page 860 Hugh Woolner 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 881 Harold S. Bride (recalled) Marconi Operator, TITANIC Page 896 Joseph Groves Boxhall (recalled) 4th Officer, TITANIC Page 907 Harold Thomas Cottam (recalled) Marconi Operator, Carpathia Page 918 Joseph Groves Boxhall (recalled) 4th Officer, TITANIC Page 930 Edward J. Dunn Salesman Page 935 Charles H. Morgan Deputy United States Marshal Page 937 J.

7 Bruce Ismay (recalled) Managing Director White Star Line, TITANIC passenger Page 938 C. E. Henry Stengel 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 970 J. Bruce Ismay (recalled) Managing Director White Star Line, TITANIC passenger Page 981 Archibald Gracie 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 989 Helen W. Bishop 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 998 Dickinson H. Bishop 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1000 Archibald Gracie 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1004 Mrs. J. Stuart White 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1005 John Bottomley Vice president, Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of America. Page 1010 Daniel Buckley 3rd Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1019 Melville E. Stone General Manager, Associated Press Page 1023 George A. Harder 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1028 John R. Binns Ex-Marconi Operator, Republic Page 1032 Olaus Abelseth 3rd Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1036 Norman Campbell Chambers 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1041 Frederick Dauler Clerk, Western Union Telegraph Co.

8 Page 1047 Harold S. Bride (recalled) Marconi Operator, TITANIC Page 1051 Berk Pickard 3rd Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1054 Gilbert William Balfour Inspector, Marconi Co. Page 1056 Maurice L. Farrell Managing News Editor, Dow Jones Co. Page 1065 Benjamin Campbell Vice President, New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Co. Page 1103 John J. Knapp United States Navy, Hydrographer Page 1111 Herbert James Haddock Captain, Olympic Page 1127 Frederick Barrett Fireman, TITANIC Page 1140 AFFADAVITS, EXHIBITS & STATEMENTS (not part of normal testimonies) Proces-Verbal Book Steamship "Mount Temple" Page 929 Statement, Gilbert W. Farrell Inspector, Marconi Co. Page 1097 F. C. Quitzrau Passenger, Mount Temple Page 1098 A. H. Weikman Barber, TITANIC Page 1099 Harold Godfrey Lowe 5th Officer, TITANIC Page 1100 Mahala D. Douglas 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1100 Emily Bosie Ryerson 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1107 Daisy Minahan 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1109 George Otis Smith Director of the United States Geological Survey Page 1124 Stanley Lord Captain, Californian Page 1142 James R.

9 McGough 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1143 Catherine E. Crosby: 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1144 Imanita Shelley 2nd Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1145 C. C. Adams Vice President Postal Telegraph-Cable Co. Page 1148 Eloise Hughes Smith 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1149 Eleanor Elkins Widener 1st Class passenger, TITANIC Page 1151 H. C. WOLFE New York World correspondent. Page 1151 Philip A. S. Franklin (recalled) Vice President, IMM Page 1152 B. Brooks General Manager, Western Union Telegraph Co. Page 1152 Page 1 " TITANIC " DISASTER. _____ FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1912 SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, UNITED STATES senate , New, York, N. Y. The subcommittee met at 10:30 o'clock a. m. Present: Senator William Alden Smith, chairman, and Senator Francis G. Newlands. Present also: Mr. George Uhler, Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service, Department of Commerce and Labor; Mr.

10 J. Bruce Ismay, general manager of the International Mercantile Marine Co.; Charles C. Burlingham, Esq., and J. Parker Kirlin, Esq.; representing the White Star Line; Emerson E. Parvin, Esq., secretary International Mercantile Marine Co.; Guglielmo Marconi, president of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co.; Hon. John W. Griggs, representing the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co.; and others. Senator SMITH. For the purpose of executing the command and direction of the senate of the United States, the inquiry in which we contemplate will now begin. The resolution is as follows: IN THE senate OF THE UNITED STATES, April 17, 1912. Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce, or a subcommittee thereof, is hereby authorized and directed to investigate the causes leading to the wreck of the White Star liner TITANIC , with its attendant loss of life so shocking to the civilized world. Resolved further, That said committee or a subcommittee thereof is hereby empowered to summon witnesses, send for persons and papers, to administer oaths, and to take such testimony as may be necessary to determine the responsibility therefor, with a view to such legislation as may be necessary to prevent, as far as possible, any repetition of such a disaster.