Staff Mistakes

Source 1: The Truth About The Sinking of The Titanic

By Peter Stanford from the Telegraph UK

Summary by Zachary McMullan

Abstract

Louise Patten is the granddaughter of Charles Lightoller, the Second Officer of the Titanic. Lightoller was the senior surviving officer of the RMS Titanic and was asked many questions before he died. Now, Louise Patten claims that she knew the “truth” behind what happened. She claims that Lightoller blamed the accident on Robert Hichens (the man who steered the Titanic), who in the panic of spotting the iceberg, steered the boat in the wrong direction. This was likely to cause confusion because back then, there were two different ways to issue directions, depending on the boat.

Notable Quotations

“As the senior surviving officer, he was asked at both official inquiries into the sinking [by the US Senate and the British Board of Trade] whether he had had any conversation after the collision with the Captain or the First Officer, William Murdoch, who had been in charge at the time. In other words, did he know exactly what had happened? And both times he said no. But he was lying” (Stanford, Paragraph 6).

"At first glance it sounds extraordinary that anyone – much less the man put in charge of the wheel on the maiden voyage of what was then the world’s most expensive ocean liner – could have made such a schoolboy error. But, Patten explains, requisitioning knives, napkins and even the breadbasket on the table of the London hotel where we meet for breakfast to give a practical demonstration of what she means, there was a very particular technical reason for this otherwise incredible error" (Stanford, Paragraph 8).

"Titanic was launched at a time when the world was moving from sailing ships to steam ships. My grandfather, like the other senior officers on Titanic, had started out on sailing ships. And on sailing ships, they steered by what is known as “Tiller Orders” which means that if you want to go one way, you push the tiller the other way. [So if you want to go left, you push right.] It sounds counter-intuitive now, but that is what Tiller Orders were. Whereas with “Rudder Orders’ which is what steam ships used, it is like driving a car. You steer the way you want to go. It gets more confusing because, even though Titanic was a steam ship, at that time on the North Atlantic they were still using Tiller Orders. Therefore Murdoch gave the command in Tiller Orders but Hitchins, in a panic, reverted to the Rudder Orders he had been trained in. They only had four minutes to change course and by the time Murdoch spotted Hitchins’ mistake and then tried to rectify it, it was too late” (Stanford, Paragraph 9).

Source 3: Ruined Life of Robert Hichens - "the Man Who Sank Titanic"

by Sally Nancarrow

Researcher Elena Linholm

Abstract

Robert Hichens was the man at the wheel when the Titanic sank. At the time, Hichens was at his best in terms of his career when he was hired as the Titanic's quartermaster. The disaster, however, quickly destroyed his dreams. Less than an hour after the sinking begun, Hichens was ordered to command lifeboat six. He successfully brought 40 people to safety, but his granddaughter, Sanny Nilsson, believes that the event still ruined his morale. These events led to many tragic events for him such as being divorced and attempted suicide.

Notable Quotations

“But for the man steering the doomed liner when it hit an iceberg, the disaster would ruin his dreams and overshadow the rest of his life” (Nancarrow, Paragraph 1).

"He had been ordered to leave the wheel of the liner less than an hour after the collision and put in charge of lifeboat six " (Nancarrow, Paragraph 3).

"He rowed more than 40 people to safety but his great granddaughter, Sally Nilsson, believes the disaster blighted the rest of his life and 'cartwheeled him to a very tragic end' " (Nancarrow, Paragraph 4).

Citation

Text: Boyle, Alan “10 causes of the Titanic tragedy” nbcnews, nbcnews 1 Apr. 2008, https://www.nbcnews.com/science/10-causes-titanic-tragedy-620220

Image: http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-ham-history-titanic.htm

Abstract/Summary

There are different reasons to blame for the sinking of the Titanic. However, not all have to do with the crew. One thing that was relevant was the fact that “the binoculars were locked up”. Not only that but the crew of the Californian sent warnings that there was too many icebergs. Jack Phillips didn’t take this into consideration. And if the crew members on the Titanic had binoculars on, then they would’ve spotted the huge iceberg sooner. The ship couldn’t have gone on reverse because it wasn’t built that way.

Notable Quotations

“The Titanic received multiple warnings about icefields in the North Atlantic over the wireless, but Corfield notes that the last and most specific warning was not passed along by senior radio operator Jack Phillips to Captain Smith, apparently because it didn't carry the prefix "MSG" (Masters' Service Gram). That would have required a personal acknowledgment from the captain. "Phillips interpreted it as non-urgent and returned to sending passenger messages to the receiver on shore at Cape Race, Newfoundland, before it went out of range," Corfield writes” (Boyle, Paragraph 7).

“The binoculars were locked up: Corfield also says binoculars that could have been used by lookouts on the night of the collision were locked up aboard the ship — and the key was held by David Blair, an officer who was bumped from the crew before the ship's departure from Southampton” (Boyle, Paragraph 8).

Citation

Text: Sunday Express Reporter. “The Errors That Sank the Titanic.” Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk, 19 Feb. 2012, www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/303126/The-errors-that-sank-the-Titanic.

Image: https://m.thingsyoudontknow.com/Posts/History/Titanic-Crew-Missed-Lifeboat-D-_206

Abstract

According to the article, several errors made by the staff and crew of Titanic led to it's downfall. One of them is the fact that the two wireless operators on the ship did not give 4 out of 7 ice warnings to the bridge on the day of the sinking. Another major mistake was that the ship's first officer, William Murdoch, ordered the 16 bulkhead doors to be shut. This allowed water in the first 5 bulkheads to be frozen, making the ship much heavier.

Notable Quotations

"During the inquiry it emerged that the two wireless operators on board, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride, neglected to deliver to the bridge four of the seven ice warnings received on the day of the disaster " (Sunday Express, Paragraph 16).

"Murdoch’s much-contested second mistake was ordering the bulkhead doors to be shut to seal the 16 watertight compartments. Gibson argues that although it was an instinctive reaction it proved disastrous. Ice damage extended through the first five compartments, making the bow extremely heavy" (Sunday Express, Paragraph 22).