Chapter III: Introduction: v

CONTENTS ix

GREAT MARINE DISASTERS FROM 1866 TO 1911 xiii

HYMN FOR THE SURVIVORS OF THE TITANIC, BY HALL CAINE, THE
GREAT ENGLISH NOVELIST xvi

CHAPTER I.

FROM A DAY OF DELIGHT TO DEATH.

April 14, 1912, a Fateful Date--Lulled to False Security--Peaceful
Sabbath Ends in Dire Disaster--Hopes Sink Beneath the Cruel and
Treacherous Waves of the Atlantic--Man’s Proudest Craft Crumbles
Like an Eggshell 17

CHAPTER II.

HEART-RENDING SCENES ON CARPATHIA.

The Next Day--Caring for the Sick--Meeting of the Survivors--Personal
Wireless Messages Gives Precedence--Marconi’s Appeal
Fruitless--Quartermaster Tells Story 35

CHAPTER III.

BAND PLAYED TO THE LAST.

Suffering in the Lifeboats--Statement by Ismay--Would not Desert
Husband--Thirty on Raft in Icy Water--Colonel Astor a Hero--Joked
Over Collision--Officer Saves Many Lives 45

CHAPTER IV.

NEGLECT CAUSED DISASTER.

Tardy Answer to Telephone Call--Lookout’s Signals Not Answered--Ship
Could Have Been Saved--Three Fatal Minutes--Ismay
Accused--Women Help With Oars--Ship Broken in Two--Band
Played Till Last 57

CHAPTER V.

BELIEVED SHIP UNSINKABLE.

Shots and Hymn Mingle--Titanic Settled Slowly--Best Traditions
Upheld by Passengers and Crew--Boiler Explosions Tore Ship
Apart--Anguish in the Boats--Survivors Carried to Carpathia--Not
Enough Provision Against Accident 68

CHAPTER VI.

HOW SURVIVORS ESCAPED.

Managing Director Accused--Stoker Makes Direct Charge--Supported
by Many Survivors--Tells About It--“Please Don’t Knock”--Demanded
Food--Brave Lot of Women--First Officer Shot Himself 81

CHAPTER VII.

WOMAN’S THRILLING NARRATIVE.

Barber Says Good Word for Accused Shipowner--Claims He was a
Witness--Saw the Whole Scene--Woman Tells Different Tale--Mrs.
Carter’s Thrilling Narrative--Barber’s Story Differs From
Ismay’s Own 95

CHAPTER VIII.

SURVIVORS’ STIRRING STORIES.

Survivors’ Stirring Stories--How Young Thayer Was Saved--His
Father, Second Vice President of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
Drowned--Mrs. Straus’ Pathetic Death--Black Coward Shot--Countess
Aids in Rowing Boat 103

CHAPTER IX.

HOW ASTOR WENT TO DEATH.

How Astor Went to Death--“I Resign Myself to My Fate,” He Said--Kissed
Wife Fond Farewell--Lifted Cap to Wife as Boat Left Ship--Crushed
to Death By Ice--Famous Novelist’s Daughter Hears of
His Death--Philadelphia Millionaires’ Heroism--Last to See
Widener Alive--Major Butt Dies a Soldier’s Death 113

CHAPTER X.

NOTABLE WOMAN SAVED.

Praises Captain and Crew--Bids President of Grand Trunk Railway
Good-bye--In Water for Six Hours--Saved by Cake of Ice--Boats
not Filled, she says--Millionaire Died to Save Wife’s Maid--Heroic
Sacrifice of Railroad Official 126

CHAPTER XI.

MAJOR BUTT, MARTYR TO DUTY.

Major Butt Martyr to Duty--Woman’s Soul-Stirring Tribute--Died Like
a Soldier--Was the Man of the Hour--Assisted Captain and Officers
in Saving Women--Cool as if on Dress Parade--Robert M. Daniel
Tells of Disaster and Death of Heroes--Tiny Waifs of the Sea 138

CHAPTER XII.

MRS. ASTOR’S BRAVERY.

Showed Wonderful Fortitude in the Hour of Peril--Sailors in Lifeboat
Tell of Her Heroism--Pleaded to Remain With Husband--Change
Clothes to Embark--Seamen Confirm Murdock’s Suicide--One
Heartless Fiend--Williams Killed as Funnel Fell 148

CHAPTER XIII.

LIFEBOATS BUNGLINGLY HANDLED.

Widow of College Founder Scores Management for Lack of Drill--First
Thought Damage was Slight--Aid May Have Been Near--No Oil in
Life Lamps--Hudson, N. Y., Woman’s Pathetic Recital--A. A.
Dick, of New York, Talks 159

CHAPTER XIV.

NOT LIKE BOURGOGNE DISASTER.

Lone Woman Survivor Makes Comparison--Does Not Like “Law of the
Sea”--Families First, It Should Be, She Says--Husband Greeted
Like the Hero He was--Privations and Horror Hasten Death 171

CHAPTER XV.

BOY’S DESPERATE FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Plunged Into Icy Sea--Did Not See Berg--Parted From Parents--Saw
Many Jump Overboard--Leaped Into Ocean--Eight Year Old Boy’s
Narrative--Was “Very Quiet After He Was In Boat”--Another
Lad Tells How He Saw His Uncle Die 188

CHAPTER XVI.

CARPATHIA TO THE RESCUE.

Cunarder’s Race to Titanic’s Aid--Captain Rostrom’s Unvarnished but
Dramatic Report--Knot in Operator’s Shoelace Saved Hundreds of
Lives--Was About to Retire, But Slight Delay Enabled Him to
Hear Message--Icebergs Defied in Desperate Rush 199

CHAPTER XVII.

REFUSED TO LEAVE HUSBAND.

“Where You Are I Shall Be,” Says Mrs. Isidor Straus--He Begged
Her in Vain to Enter the Waiting Lifeboat--Women Row Lifeboats--Stokers
no Oarsmen--Crazed Men Rescued--Collapsible
Boats Failed to Work 205

CHAPTER XVIII.

LADY DUFF-GORDON’S EXPERIENCES.

Says it was as if Giant Hand had Pushed Ship Down--Realistic Picture
of Titanic’s Death Plunge--The Long, Dreary Wait--Man at Wheel
Tells of Crash--Told by Phone “Iceberg Ahead” Just as Ship
Struck--Saw Captain on Bridge 216

CHAPTER XIX.

SENATORS HEAR STARTLING STORIES.

Senators Hear Startling Stories--Probing Committee Took Prompt
Action--Special Investigation to Forstall Spiriting Away of
Witnesses--Prominent Persons on Stand--Carpathia’s Captain and Head
of White Star Line Chief Witnesses--Inventor of Wireless Telegraphy
Also Testifies 235

CHAPTER XX.

SURVIVING OPERATOR’S EXPERIENCES.

Surviving Operator’s Experiences--Tells Senator How He Escaped--Tale
of Suffering and Death--Managing Director’s Flight Balked--Long
Hours and Low Wages for Wireless Men--Refused Help from
Frankfurt--Called Its Operator a Fool--Laxity of Wireless--Denies
Sending “Saved” Message--Gave Warning of Ice 248

CHAPTER XXI.

THE FUNERAL SHIP AND ITS DEAD.

116 Buried at Sea--Nearly all Sailors--No Prominent Men Buried--No
Bullet Wounds Found--Halifax’s Bells Toll for Dead--Astor’s
Body Identified--Death Ship’s Voyage--The Captain’s Story--Canon
Hind’s Narrative 258