Commonlit | Titanic Officer Swears Wreck Due to Company's Neglect

Name: Class: Titanic O7cer Swears Wreck Due to Company's Neglect By United Press Leased Wire 1912 The RMS Titanic was a British passenger ship that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early morning of April 15, 1912, after colliding with an iceberg. More than 1,500 passengers died. The enormous loss of life created an international scandal as the public wanted to how such a disaster could happen. As you read, take notes on how the crew members describe the tragedy. VIVID STORIES TOLD OF HOW GREAT SHIP SANK [1] (By United Press Leased Wire.) WASHINGTON, D. C., April 23 — Sworn testimony1 that neglect on the part of the White Star company to provide marine glasses2 for the lookout on the Titanic was responsible for the greatest sea disaster of modern times was the sensation this afternoon, of the investigation. Frederick Fleet, who was lookout in the crow’s 3 4 nest of the Titanic when the giant liner smashed "RMS Titanic departing Southampton on April 10, 1912" by F.G.O. into the iceberg, made oath that not a single Stuart is in the public domain. lookout on the Titanic was provided with marine glasses and declared that had his request for such glasses in Southampton not been refused the Titanic might yet be aGoat. “I could easily have sighted the iceberg with marine glasses in plenty of time to have the vessel steered out of the way.” said Fleet, and gave in detail the request he made in Southampton for them. Although all other liners are so provided, Fleet swore, his request was Gatly refused and he was told there were no glasses for him. [5] Third OHcer Pittman admitted that the Titanic had been warned that icebergs were prevalent5 but said he did not see any on the Sunday of the disaster. He declared that in his 14 years’ experience he had seen only one iceberg before. 1. Testimony (noun): statements said in court 2. glasses designed to help sailors to be able to see over long distances 3. a platform on top of a ship for a member of the crew to look out from 4. An ocean liner is a large ship designed to carry a high number of passengers. 5. Prevalent (adjective): common or widespread 1 Pittman started his testimony in a laconic6 and brusque7 manner. Comments on his stolidness8 were audible9 in every part of the room. Then the committee began questioning him on the scenes on the Titanic when it was found that there was no hope of saving the vessel. O&cer Breaks Down Pittman’s demeanor10 underwent a complete change, and in a choking voice he begged the committee not to press him regarding the death cries of the trapped victims. “The prayers and moans of the passengers arose in a mighty chorus of woe when they learned that hope had vanished,” Pittman said. “It was a continual moan for an hour, and it died away gradually. I wish you had not referred to this.” Women spectators wept, and committeemen shaded their eyes. [10] J. Bruce Ismay, Pittsman said, was standing near a lifeboat and he heard him ask about a boat loaded with women. Captain Smith, Pittman said, followed out Ismay’s suggestions in issuing orders. Pittsman declared that his boat saved 40 passengers and six members of the crew. He heard four explosions, he said, and then the Titanic sank. OFFICER ADMITTED THAT IF EVERY LIFEBOAT HAD BEEN CROWDED THEY WOULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED ONLY 1,200 PERSONS. HE ASSERTED THAT HE TRANSFERRED TWO MEN, A WOMAN AND A BABY FROM HIS BOAT TO LIFEBOAT NO. 7 AT THEIR REQUEST. Pittman said that when he [retired] at 10 p.m., the vessel was making about 21 1-2 knots. “The collision awakened me,” he said. “It sounded as if the ship was coming to anchor. I was half asleep and wondered why. I rushed to the deck undressed, saw nothing and returned to my bunk in the belief that I had a nightmare. “Then Fourth OHcer Boxhall came to my room and said the Titanic had struck an Iceberg. [15] “When I got to the deck I found that the lifeboats were being lowered. I saw the Fremen coming up from the engine room. “Women were crawling over the hatch and I rushed out to help load the lifeboats. I helped to lower boat No. 5, which was assigned to me. 6. using few words 7. Brusque (adjective): speaking very directly 8. showing little or no emotion 9. Audible (adjective): able to be heard 10. Demeanor (noun): a person’s appearance and behavior 2 A man in a dressing gown said: “You had better get those women and children over there and load them in that boat.” I learned later that his [sic] was Mr. Ismay. I got the boat almost tilled11 and shouted: “Are there any more women? “There did not seem to be, so I let some men get on. [20] “First OHcer Murdock shook hands with me, saying: “‘Good bye, old man, and good luck.’ “I never saw Murdock after that. I believed that only two or three of the compartments had Flled and never haft12 the faintest idea that the Titanic would sink. All the passengers In my boat behaved admirably. Women Didn’t Row. “Women in my boat were not permitted to row, although some of them wanted to do so that they could keep warm. It was about 3 degrees above zero and very chilly.” “If the Impart13 had been bow on,” continued Pittman, “the Titanic would be aGoat now. If two or three steamers14 had collided with her, she would not have sunk. It would have required about six steamer[s] to sink her by collision.” [25] The oHcer stated that he left J. Bruce Ismay on the Titanic and did not Bee him again until they were both on the Carpathia.15 Might Have Saved More. “I know that my boat might have held more,” [said] Pittman, “and I told my men to try to pick up passengers from among those who were struggling in the waters. Many of my passengers begged me not to do this, fearing that the boat would capsize.16 I turned the boat around to go in the direction of cries which I heard. When I saw that the passengers thought the swimmers would swamp up,17 I did not go back to the spot where the Titanic sank. We took in our oars and drifted for an hour. Gradually the cries grew fewer and Fnally ceased.” When the members of the committee insisted on pressing him for details as to his eIorts to rescue the swimmers from the waters, Pittmans [sic] voice choked and he replied with feeling: “I had rather you had left that out. That was all the eIort I made to rescue people from the water.’ 11. empty of ice 12. never had 13. impact of the iceberg 14. steamships 15. the ship that arrived a few hours after the Titanic and picked up hundreds of passengers 16. Capsize (verb): to Gip upside down 17. to climb on to the boat 3 “We sighted the Carpathia at 3:30, when she seemed about 5 miles away,” continued Pittman. “This was at daybreak, and all cries [had] stopped long before.” [30] The oHcer stated that he saw no bodies Goating in the water. At 1:30 o’clock he said he saw a white light on the horizon but was unable to tell whether it was from a lifeboat or a steamer. "Titanic O2cer Swears Wreck Due to Company's Neglect" by United Press Leased Wire (1912) is in the public domain. 4 Text-Dependent Questions Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences. 1. Part A: What does the phrase ‘voice choked’ mean as it is used paragraph 27 in the [RI.4] article? A. to become emotional B. to stop breathing C. to get food caught when eating D. to stop talking 2. Part B: Which detail from the passage provides the best clue to the meaning of Part [RI.1] A? A. “Gradually the cries grew fewer and Fnally ceased.” (Paragraph 26) B. “he replied with feeling” (Paragraph 27) C. “That was all the eIort I made” (Paragraph 28) D. “and all cries” (Paragraph 29) 3. Which phrase best describes the relationship between Frederick Fleet and Third [RI.3] OHcer Pittman? A. Neither survived the trip on Titanic and both died as a result of hypothermia from the cold. B. Both were members of the crew who were responsible for keeping watch for icebergs. C. Both were members of the crew who believed that the disaster could not have been avoided. D. Both were members of the crew who believed that the ship was not properly equipped to prevent such a tragedy. 4. Which statement best describes the eIect that the Third OHcer Pittman’s testimony [RI.3] had on its listeners? A. The listeners were angry that he was a part of the crew that allowed the ship to sink. B. The listeners were upset by his retelling of the tragic events. C. The listeners were depressed that nothing was done by the company to prevent the tragedy. D. The listeners were confused about how the entire crew did not notice the iceberg. 5 5. What is the central idea of the article? Use speciFc evidence from the text to support [RI.2] your answer. 6 Discussion Questions Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided.

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