Titanic Survivor Accounts

Mrs. Judy Hane was one of the last females to be loaded into a lifeboat on the treacherous night of April 14th, 1912.

It was a night that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, the night I lost my husband and son, and the night I seen my close friends perish. I was so foolish. My husband told me to go on and that he and Billy would be fine on their own. I should have stayed and helped them but they both insisted that I get in the lifeboat. Even though there was probably nothing I could have done to help, I would have wanted to be with my family until the very last minute. The worst part was after a while the boat started circling around looking for more survivors and seeing my husband dead floating in the water with a life belt still on. The water must have frozen him to death it was freezing that night. I didn’t find out about the deaths until after we got ashore and seen the survivor list. When the Carpathia came and rescued us I met up with my friend who we ate dinner with that night. She was also separated from her husband. It is the worst pain I have ever felt in my life and I’m not sure ill ever get over it. Its heartbreak every time I think of my family I once had. Thankfully I still have my daughter who I love very much and I feel so horrible that she never got or never will get the chance to meet her father or brother.

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A crew member, John Stanley from London tells us of his horrifying experience on board the titanic.

I’ve never seen peoples’ faces as scared before in my life as I did on this night. Everyone’s face looked terrified probably including mine too. It was the scariest experience in my life. I kept busy by trying to do what I could to help the women and children. I helped to make sure that the women and children were the first in the lifeboats. Those were my orders and those were the orders I followed. I had to enforce the rules and the rules were women and children first. I even had to go as far as to fire a couple shots because one of the men was trying to get in a boat before the women and children. Firing the shot was just to get control; I never had intentions of shooting anyone. When all the women and children were on the lifeboats I took the chance and jumped overboard to a nearby boat and they took me aboard with them because I was nice to them and helped them the best I could. We were waiting for far too long before the Carpathia came and rescued us. It was such a relief to see the boat coming for us. I thought it would be the last night of my life.

Changes in the Shipping Industry

U. S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol

The coast guard can trace the history if the International Ice Patrol back to the 1912 sinking of a large passenger ship called the Titanic. This ship, an important vessel full of high class people, sank by hitting an iceberg. This sinking was in the media’s eyes and shipping safety became a world-wide concern. The organization was founded in 1914 after a convention called Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). This showed flaws in overseas  transport. The Ice Patrol surveys for icebergs around the grand bank off the coast of North America. Members going though the north Atlantic ice fields will be notified on any changes to ice conditions. In collaboration with the Titanic Historical Society they have been a part of the wreath drop for 30 years now.

Changes in the ships design

There are many changes in the ships designs some of these changes include the hull and bulkhead design. A different metal is used now compared to the metal used in the titanic so it can hold up to cold temperatures.The titanic was made of  low-quality steel. Ships today are made of mostly iron and steel. Another improvement in ships would be the rivet patterns. In the safety part of ships building the lifeboats and the davits design are improved, and life jacket designs changed majorly.

Radio improvements

 With stronger radio signals the capability for safety was improved. The United states government made a mandatory law stating that every ship has a wireless operator but after the Titanic disaster  the United States government had an inquiry and  the results of the inquiry is that there is a mandatory of a minimum of 2 wireless operators. Another law that passed was that any ship has to keep in contact with the surrounding ship in the near vicinity and contact with coastal onshore radio stations. With the power supply if it happens to get disrupted there is a mandatory to have a secondary power supply. Recommendations were made by both the British and American Boards of Inquiry stating that ships would carry enough lifeboats for those aboard and  mandated lifeboat drills would happen and lifeboat inspections would be conducted this was then put into the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea passed in 1914.

Distress signals

After the Radio Act of 1912 was passed it was agreed that firing rockets at sea would be taken as distress signals only and removing any possible misinterpretation from other ships. This will help because during the Titanic accident there was a nearby ship and they did not realize that the Titanic was sinking.

Interseting Press Examples

This section will be about press concerning the Titanic sinking. There will be newspaper clippings, photographs, and facts about the sinking of the titanic. Some entries will include facts told by survivors and witnesses.

Virginia Pilot April 16^th, 1912

The Virginia Pilot said that over 1500 people sank to death on the White Star steamer Titanic. They said that 866 passengers on the Titanic were rescued, it was stated that the Vessel stayed afloat 4 hours after it hit the iceberg. The Virginia Pilot confirmed in their issue about the Titanic that it was a horrible disaster greatest in Marine History of the world.

April 19^th 1912.

Richmond man rescued states captain and officers committed suicide while ship band played “Nearer my god to thee”. Foreigners who refused to do what they were told, was shot down. John Jacob Astor said “Women first”, people who survived said that there were three fearful explosions that added horror and that many passengers drowned in staterooms.

News leader, Richmond, VA., April 20^th, 1912

Within days the United States senate called an investigation with, Bruce Ismay as the star witness/ defendant. Despite that he said he had nothing to do with the speed of the titanic, or that he took a place in the lifeboats, and that his conscience was clear, he was named a coward and an accomplice to the catastrophe.

THE NEW YORK HERALD (Paris), April 10:

"The Titanic to Leave Southampton To-day on
Her Maiden Trip Across the Atlantic"

...New White Star Liner Is Model of Comfort,
Beauty, and Attractiveness...

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THE NEW YORK HERALD, April 10:

"The Giant Titanic Starts To-day
On Maiden Voyage to America"

...New 46,000 Ton Steamship of the White
Star Line Will Bring More Than 300
Saloon Passengers from Southampton
to New York...

_________________________________________________


THE NEW YORK HERALD, April 15:

"The New Titanic Hit by an Iceberg,
Appeals for Aid, Says Wireless Report"

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THE DAILY SKETCH (London) April 16:

"Disaster to the Titanic on her Maiden Voyage"

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THE NEW YORK HERLALD, April 16:

"The Titanic Sinks With 1800 Persons Aboard;
Only 675 Of Her Passengers Saved"

...Most Appalling Disaster in Marine History
Occurs When World's Largest Steamship Strikes
Gigantic Iceberg at Night...

...Scores of World's Most Widely Known Persons
Are Among Those Whose Fate Is In Doubt...

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THE BOSTON AMERICAN, April 16:

"Worst Sea Tragedy in History"

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THE NEW YORK HERALD (Paris), April 16:

"Anxious Throng Besieges Herald's Office in Paris"

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UNITED PRESS release, April 16:

"London Greatly Stirred"

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UNITED PRESS release, April 16:

"Sea Swallows Titanic and 1500 Men Aboard"

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ASSOCIATED PRESS release, April 16:

"Profound Grief Felt Over Paris"

Every entry has different or false information; everybody makes up false stories about how many people were on the titanic how many got saved. Writers wanted to get their stories out so they could get paid.  They were not concerned if they had false information, or wrote completely miss informed stories.