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Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters

Dr. Van Dyke's Spiritual Consolation to the Survivors of the Titanic

FACTS ABOUT THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC

1.

CHAPTER I FIRST NEWS OF THE GREATEST MARINE DISASTER IN HISTORY "THE TITANIC IN COLLISION, BUT EVERYBODY SAFE"—ANOTHER TRIUMPH SET DOWN TO WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY—THE WORLD GOES TO SLEEP PEACEFULLY—THE SAD AWAKENING.

2.

CHAPTER II THE MOST SUMPTUOUS PALACE AFLOAT DIMENSIONS OF THE TITANIC—CAPACITY—PROVISIONS FOR THE COMFORT AND ENTERTAINMENT OF PASSENGERS—MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT THE ARMY OF ATTENDANTS REQUIRED.

3.

CHAPTER III THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE TITANIC PREPARATIONS FOR THE VOYAGE—SCENES OF GAYETY—THE BOAT SAILS—INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE—A COLLISION NARROWLY AVERTED—THE BOAT ON FIRE—WARNED OF ICEBERGS.

4.

CHAPTER IV SOME OF THE NOTABLE PASSENGERS SKETCHES OF PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN ON BOARD, INCLUDING MAJOR ARCHIBALD BUTT, JOHN JACOB ASTOR, BENJAMIN GUGGENHEIM, ISIDOR STRAWS, J. BRUCE ISMAY, GEORGE D. WIDENER, COLONEL WASHINGTON ROEBLING, 2D, CHARLES M. HAYS, W. T. STEAD AND OTHERS

5.

CHAPTER V THE TITANIC STRIKES AN ICEBERG! TARDY ATTENTION TO WARNING RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT—THE DANGER NOT REALIZED AT FIRST—AN INTERRUPTED CARD GAME—PASSENGERS JOKE AMONG THEMSELVES—THE REAL TRUTH DAWNS—PANIC ON BOARD—WIRELESS CALLS FOR HELP

6.

CHAPTER VI "WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST!" COOL-HEADED OFFICERS AND CREW BRING ORDER OUT OF CHAOS—FILLING THE LIFE-BOATS—HEARTRENDING SCENES AS FAMILIES ARE PARTED—FOUR LIFE-BOATS LOST—INCIDENTS OF BRAVERY—"THE BOATS ARE ALL FILLED!"

7.

CHAPTER VII LEFT TO THEIR FATE COOLNESS AND HEROISM OF THOSE LEFT TO PERISH—SUICIDE OF MURDOCK—CAPTAIN SMITH'S END—THE SHIP'S BAND PLAYS A NOBLE HYMN AS THE VESSEL GOES DOWN

8.

CHAPTER VIII THE CALL FOR HELP HEARD THE VALUE OF THE WIRELESS—OTHER SHIPS ALTER THEIR COURSE—RESCUERS ON THE WAY

9.

CHAPTER IX IN THE DRIFTING LIFE-BOATS SORROW AND SUFFERING—THE SURVIVORS SEE THE TITANIC GO DOWN WITH THEIR LOVED ONES ON BOARD—A NIGHT OF AGONIZING SUSPENSE—WOMEN HELP TO ROW—HELP ARRIVES—PICKING UP THE LIFE-BOATS

10.

CHAPTER X ON BOARD THE CARPATHIA AID FOR THE SUFFERING AND HYSTERICAL—BURYING THE DEAD—VOTE OF THANKS TO CAPTAIN ROSTRON OF THE CARPATHIA—IDENTIFYING THOSE SAVED—COMMUNICATING WITH LAND—THE PASSAGE TO NEW YORK.

11.

CHAPTER XI PREPARATIONS ON LAND TO RECEIVE THE SUFFERERS POLICE ARRANGEMENTS—DONATIONS OF MONEY AND SUPPLIES —HOSPITALS AND AMBULANCES MADE READY—PRIVATE HOUSES THROWN OPEN—WAITING FOR THE CARPATHIA TO ARRIVE—THE SHIP SIGHTED!

12.

CHAPTER XII THE TRAGIC HOME-COMING THE CARPATHIA REACHES NEW YORK—AN INTENSE AND DRAMATIC MOMENT—HYSTERICAL REUNIONS AND CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENTS AT THE DOCK—CARING FOR THE SUFFERERS —FINAL REALIZATION THAT ALL HOPE FOR OTHERS IS FUTILE—LIST OF SURVIVORS—ROLL OF THE DEAD

13.

CHAPTER XIII THE STORY OF CHARLES F. HURD HOW THE TITANIC SANK—WATER STREWN WITH DEAD BODIES —VICTIMS MET DEATH WITH HYMN ON THEIR LIPS

14.

CHAPTER XIV THRILLING ACCOUNT BY L. BEASLEY COLLISION ONLY A SLIGHT JAR—PASSENGERS COULD NOT BELIEVE THE VESSEL DOOMED—NARROW ESCAPE OF LIFE-BOATS—PICKED UP BY THE CARPATHIA

15.

CHAPTER XV JACK THAYER'S OWN STORY OF THE WRECK SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD OFFICIAL TELLS MOVING STORY OF HIS RESCUE—TOLD MOTHER TO BE BRAVE—SEPARATED FROM PARENTS—JUMPED WHEN VESSEL SANK—DRIFTED ON OVERTURNED BOAT PICKED UP BY CARPATHIA

16.

CHAPTER XVI INCIDENTS RELATED BY JAMES McGOUGH WOMEN FORCED INTO THE LIFE-BOATS—WHY SOME MEN WERE SAVED BEFORE WOMEN—ASKED TO MAN LIFE-BOATS

17.

CHAPTER XVII WIRELESS OPERATOR PRAISES HEROIC WORK STORY OF HAROLD BRIDE, THE SURVIVING WIRELESS OPERATOR OF THE TITANIC, WHO WAS WASHED OVERBOARD AND RESCUED BY LIFE-BOAT—BAND PLAYED RAG-TIME AND "AUTUMN"

18.

CHAPTER XVIII STORY OF THE STEWARD PASSENGERS AND CREW DYING WHEN TAKEN ABOARD CARPATHIA —ONE WOMAN SAVED A DOG—ENGLISH COLONEL SWAM FOR HOURS WHEN BOAT WITH MOTHER CAPSIZED

19.

CHAPTER XIX HOW THE WORLD RECEIVED THE NEWS NATIONS PROSTRATE WITH GRIEF—MESSAGES FROM KINGS AND CARDINALS—DISASTER STIRS WORLD TO NECESSITY OF STRICTER REGULATIONS

20.

CHAPTER XX BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER OF CAPTAIN E. J. SMITH—BRAVE TO THE LAST—MAINTENANCE OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE—ACTS OF HEROISM—ENGINEERS DIED AT POSTS—NOBLE-HEARTED BAND

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21.

CHAPTER XXI SEARCHING FOR THE DEAD SENDING OUT THE MACKAY-BENNETT AND MINIA—BREMEN PASSENGERS SEE BODIES—IDENTIFYING BODIES—CONFUSION IN NAMES—RECOVERIES

MINIA SENT TO ASSIST

NAMES BADLY GARBLED

BREMEN SIGHTED MORE THAN A HUNDRED BODIES

THE IDENTIFIED DEAD.

THE MACKAY-BENNETT RETURNS TO PORT

THE MINIA GIVES UP THE SEARCH

LIST OF IDENTIFIED DEAD

22.

CHAPTER XXII CRITICISM OF ISMAY CRIMINAL AND COWARDLY CONDUCT CHARGED—PROPER CAUTION NOT EXERCISED WHEN PRESENCE OF ICEBERGS WAS KNOWN—SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON BOARD TO HELP IN WORK OF RESCUE—SELFISH AND UNSYMPATHETIC ACTIONS ON BOARD THE CARPATHIA—ISMAY'S DEFENSE—WILLIAM E. CARTER'S STATEMENT

23.

CHAPTER XXIII THE FINANCIAL LOSS TITANIC NOT FULLY INSURED—VALUABLE CARGO AND MAIL —NO CHANCE FOR SALVAGE—LIFE INSURANCE LOSS—LOSS TO THE CARPATHIA

24.

CHAPTER XXIV OPINIONS OF EXPERTS CAPTAIN E. K. RODEN, LEWIS NIXON, GENERAL GREELY AND ROBERT H. KIRK POINT OUT LESSONS TAUGHT BY TITANIC DISASTER AND NEEDED CHANGES IN CONSTRUCTION

25.

CHAPTER XXV OTHER GREAT MARINE DISASTERS DEADLY DANGER OF ICEBERGS—DOZENS OF SHIPS PERISH IN COLLISION—OTHER DISASTERS

26.

CHAPTER XXVI DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBUILDING EVOLUTION OF WATER TRAVEL—INCREASES IN SIZE OF VESSELS —IS THERE ANY LIMIT?—ACHIEVEMENTS IN SPEED—TITANIC NOT THE LAST WORD.

27.

CHAPTER XXVII SAFETY AND LIFE-SAVING DEVICES WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY—WATER-TIGHT BULKHEADS—SUBMARINE SIGNALS—LIFE-BOATS AND RAFTS—NIXON'S PONTOON —LIFE-PRESERVERS AND BUOYS—ROCKETS

28.

CHAPTER XXVIII TIME FOR REFLECTION AND REFORMS SPEED AND LUXURY OVEREMPHASIZED—SPACE NEEDED FOR LIFE-BOATS DEVOTED TO SWIMMING POOLS AND SQUASH-COURTS—MANIA FOR SPEED RECORDS COMPELS USE OF DANGEROUS ROUTES AND PREVENTS PROPER CAUTION IN FOGGY WEATHER—LIFE MORE VALUABLE THAN LUXURY—SAFETY MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEED—AN AROUSED PUBLIC OPINION NECESSARY—INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE RECOMMENDED—ADEQUATE LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE COMPULSORY—SPEED REGULATIONS IN BAD WEATHER—COOPERATION IN ARRANGING SCHEDULES TO KEEP VESSELS WITHIN REACH OF EACH OTHER—LEGAL REGULATIONS

26.

CHAPTER XXIX THE SENATORIAL INVESTIGATION PROMPT ACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT—SENATE COMMITTEE PROBES DISASTER AND BRINGS OUT DETAILS—TESTIMONY OF ISMAY, OFFICERS, CREW, PASSENGERS AND OTHER WITNESSES

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BREMEN SIGHTED MORE THAN A HUNDRED BODIES

When the German liner Bremen reached New York the account of its having sighted bodies of the Titanic victims was obtained.

From the bridge, officers of the ship saw more than a hundred

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bodies floating on the sea, a boat upside down, together with a number of small pieces of wood, steamer chairs and other wreckage. As the cable ship Mackay-Bennett was in sight, and having word that her mission was to look for bodies, no attempt was made by the Bremen's crew to pick up the corpses.

In the vicinity was seen an iceberg which answered the description of the one the Titanic struck. Smaller bergs were sighted the same day, but at some distance from where the Titanic sank.

The officers of the Bremen did not care to talk about the tragic spectacle, but among the passengers several were found who gave accounts of the dismal panorama through which their ship steamed.

Mrs. Johanna Stunke, a first-cabin passenger, described the scene from the liner's rail.

"It was between 4 and 5 o'clock, Saturday, April 20th," she said, "when our ship sighted an iceberg off the bow to the starboard. As we drew nearer, and could make out small dots floating around in the sea, a feeling of awe and sadness crept over everyone on the ship.

"We passed within a hundred feet of the southernmost drift of the wreckage, and looking down over the rail we distinctly saw a number of bodies so clearly that we could make out what they were wearing and whether they were men or women.

"We saw one woman in her night dress, with a baby clasped closely to her breast. Several women passengers screamed

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and left the rail in a fainting condition. There was another woman, fully dressed, with her arms tight around the body of a shaggy dog.

"The bodies of three men in a group, all clinging to one steamship chair, floated near by, and just beyond them were a dozen bodies of men, all of them encased in life-preservers, clinging together as though in a last desperate struggle for life. We couldn't see, but imagined that under them was some bit of wreckage to which they all clung when the ship went down, and which didn't have buoyancy enough to support them.

"Those were the only bodies we passed near enough to distinguish, but we could see the white life-preservers of many more dotting the sea, all the way to the iceberg. The officers told us that was probably the berg hit by the Titanic, and that the bodies and ice had drifted along together."

Mrs. Stunke said a number of the passengers demanded that the Bremen stop and pick up the bodies, but the officers assured them that they had just received a wireless message saying the cable ship Mackay-Bennett was only two hours away from the spot, and was coming for that express purpose.

Other passengers corroborated Mrs. Stunke.