Lord of the everlasting hills,
God of the boundless sea,
Help us through all the shocks of fate
To keep our trust in Thee.
When nature’s unrelenting arm
Sweeps us like withes away,
Maker of man, be Thou our strength
And our eternal stay.
When blind, insensate, heartless force
Puts out our passing breath,
Make us to see Thy guiding light
In darkness and in death.
Beneath the roll of soundless waves
Our best and bravest lie;
Give us to feel their spirits live
Immortal in the sky.
We are Thy children, frail and small,
Formed of the lowly sod,
Comfort our bruised and bleeding souls,
Father and Lord and God.
CONTENTS.
| [PREFACE] | [iii] |
| [INTRODUCTION] | [v] |
| [CONTENTS] | [ix] |
| [GREAT MARINE DISASTERS FROM 1866 TO 1911] | [xiii] |
| [Hymn for the Survivors of the Titanic, by Hall Caine, theGreat English Novelist] | [xvi] |
| [CHAPTER I. FROM A DAY OF DELIGHT TO DEATH.] | |
| April 14, 1912, a Fateful Date—Lulled to False Security—PeacefulSabbath Ends in Dire Disaster—Hopes Sink Beneath the Cruel andTreacherous Waves of the Atlantic—Man’s Proudest Craft CrumblesLike an Eggshell | [17] |
| [CHAPTER II. HEART-RENDING SCENES ON CARPATHIA.] | |
| The Next Day—Caring for the Sick—Meeting of the Survivors—PersonalWireless Messages Gives Precedence—Marconi’s AppealFruitless—Quartermaster Tells Story | [35] |
| [CHAPTER III. BAND PLAYED TO THE LAST.] | |
| Suffering in the Lifeboats—Statement by Ismay—Would not DesertHusband—Thirty on Raft in Icy Water—Colonel Astor a Hero—JokedOver Collision—Officer Saves Many Lives | [45] |
| [CHAPTER IV. NEGLECT CAUSED DISASTER.] | |
| Tardy Answer to Telephone Call—Lookout’s Signals Not Answered—ShipCould Have Been Saved—Three Fatal Minutes—IsmayAccused—Women Help With Oars—Ship Broken in Two—BandPlayed Till Last | [57] |
| [CHAPTER V. BELIEVED SHIP UNSINKABLE.] | |
| Shots and Hymn Mingle—Titanic Settled Slowly—Best TraditionsUpheld by Passengers and Crew—Boiler Explosions Tore ShipApart—Anguish in the Boats—Survivors Carried to Carpathia—NotEnough Provision Against Accident | [68] |
| [CHAPTER VI. HOW SURVIVORS ESCAPED.] | |
| Managing Director Accused—Stoker Makes Direct Charge—Supportedby Many Survivors—Tells About It—“Please Don’t Knock”—DemandedFood—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 aWitness—Saw the Whole Scene—Woman Tells Different Tale—Mrs.Carter’s Thrilling Narrative—Barber’s Story Differs FromIsmay’s Own | [95] |
| [CHAPTER VIII. SURVIVORS’ STIRRING STORIES.] | |
| Survivors’ Stirring Stories—How Young Thayer Was Saved—HisFather, Second Vice President of the Pennsylvania Railroad,Drowned—Mrs. Straus’ Pathetic Death—Black Coward Shot—CountessAids in Rowing Boat | [103] |
| [CHAPTER IX. HOW ASTOR WENT TO DEATH.] | |
| How Astor Went to Death—“I Resign Myself to My Fate,” He Said—KissedWife Fond Farewell—Lifted Cap to Wife as Boat Left Ship—Crushedto Death By Ice—Famous Novelist’s Daughter Hears ofHis Death—Philadelphia Millionaires’ Heroism—Last to SeeWidener Alive—Major Butt Dies a Soldier’s Death | [113] |
| [CHAPTER X. NOTABLE WOMAN SAVED.] | |
| Praises Captain and Crew—Bids President of Grand Trunk RailwayGood-bye—In Water for Six Hours—Saved by Cake of Ice—Boatsnot Filled, she says—Millionaire Died to Save Wife’s Maid—HeroicSacrifice of Railroad Official | [126] |
| [CHAPTER XI. MAJOR BUTT, MARTYR TO DUTY.] | |
| Major Butt Martyr to Duty—Woman’s Soul-Stirring Tribute—Died Likea Soldier—Was the Man of the Hour—Assisted Captain and Officersin Saving Women—Cool as if on Dress Parade—Robert M. DanielTells 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 LifeboatTell of Her Heroism—Pleaded to Remain With Husband—ChangeClothes to Embark—Seamen Confirm Murdock’s Suicide—OneHeartless Fiend—Williams Killed as Funnel Fell | [148] |
| [CHAPTER XIII. LIFEBOATS BUNGLINGLY HANDLED.] | |
| Widow of College Founder Scores Management for Lack of Drill—FirstThought Damage was Slight—Aid May Have Been Near—No Oil inLife 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 theSea”—Families First, It Should Be, She Says—Husband GreetedLike 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—SawMany Jump Overboard—Leaped Into Ocean—Eight Year Old Boy’sNarrative—Was “Very Quiet After He Was In Boat”—AnotherLad 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 butDramatic Report—Knot in Operator’s Shoelace Saved Hundreds ofLives—Was About to Retire, But Slight Delay Enabled Him toHear Message—Icebergs Defied in Desperate Rush | [199] |
| [CHAPTER XVII. REFUSED TO LEAVE HUSBAND.] | |
| “Where You Are I Shall Be,” Says Mrs. Isidor Straus—He BeggedHer in Vain to Enter the Waiting Lifeboat—Women Row Lifeboats—Stokersno Oarsmen—Crazed Men Rescued—CollapsibleBoats Failed to Work | [205] |
| [CHAPTER XVIII. LADY DUFF-GORDON’S EXPERIENCES.] | |
| Says it was as if Giant Hand had Pushed Ship Down—Realistic Pictureof Titanic’s Death Plunge—The Long, Dreary Wait—Man at WheelTells of Crash—Told by Phone “Iceberg Ahead” Just as ShipStruck—Saw Captain on Bridge | [216] |
| [CHAPTER XIX. SENATORS HEAR STARTLING STORIES.] | |
| Senators Hear Startling Stories—Probing Committee Took PromptAction—Special Investigation to Forstall Spiriting Away of Witnesses—ProminentPersons on Stand—Carpathia’s Captain and Headof White Star Line Chief Witnesses—Inventor of Wireless TelegraphyAlso Testifies | [235] |
| [CHAPTER XX. SURVIVING OPERATOR’S EXPERIENCES.] | |
| Surviving Operator’s Experiences—Tells Senator How He Escaped—Taleof Suffering and Death—Managing Director’s Flight Balked—LongHours and Low Wages for Wireless Men—Refused Help fromFrankfurt—Called Its Operator a Fool—Laxity of Wireless—DeniesSending “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—NoBullet Wounds Found—Halifax’s Bells Toll for Dead—Astor’sBody Identified—Death Ship’s Voyage—The Captain’s Story—CanonHind’s Narrative | [258] |
| [CHAPTER XXII. INQUIRY BY UNITED STATES SENATE.] | |
| Loading at the Rail—Inadequate Life-saving Appliances—No ExtraLookout—Searchlights Blinding—Wireless Rivals Not All Aroused—Wentto Death in Sleep—Scratch Seamen—Cries of Agony—APitiful Story—Senators Ascertain Pertinent Facts—Much GoodAccomplished | [271] |
| [List of Titanic Passengers Missing and Rescued] | [281] |
GREAT MARINE DISASTERS FROM 1866 TO 1911.
Among the great marine disasters on record that have resulted in loss of lives and vessels are: