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Discussion » Questions » History » Did you know that there was a ship in sight of the "Titanic" as the "Titanic" foundered and sank - - and the ship did nothing to help?
WelbyQuentin

Did you know that there was a ship in sight of the "Titanic" as the "Titanic" foundered and sank - - and the ship did nothing to help?


"The Californian" was about ten miles away from the "Titanic" as the "Titanic" foundered and saw her distress flares, saw her disappear and the "Californian" did nothing to immediately help. It's all documented both in the UK's and the USA's official inquiries of the tragedy.

I never knew this until about five years ago.

"The Other Side of the Night: The 'Carpathia,' the 'Californian,' and the Night the 'Titanic' Was Lost" by Daniel Allen Butler -  - fascinating book.



 Image result for the other side of the night book

Posted - March 29, 2018
Tag : Titanic The Californian

Responses


  • 23641
    That's exactly what the author mentions. ALF, yes. (Twenty-four hour radio duty --  that one especially struck me for some reason the first time I read the book.)
    Interestingly for me, just the fact that Lord did nothing, and in spite of new information that Nice Jugs introduced to me, the fact that Lord did nothing fascinates me --  and it fascinates me that even in addition to more and more information that comes out over the years, it still boils down to that Lord still did nothing.
    He indeed paid for his decisions.
      March 29, 2018 7:41 PM MDT
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  • Interesting what Nice Jugs posted and not at all surprising.  Us little people don't hear the truth very often.  :)
      March 29, 2018 7:54 PM MDT
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  • 23641
    Yes.
    Certainly makes me wonder if that's true. This post was edited by WelbyQuentin at March 29, 2018 8:04 PM MDT
      March 29, 2018 8:02 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    You can type Titanic.The New Evidence into Google and watch it all and more on ytube....it's unreal and shows the fire damage to the hull with the ship still out of the water before the launch 
      March 29, 2018 8:05 PM MDT
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  • Thanks for the heads-up. I'm pretty sure I'd heard the story before about the substandard building materials.  That happens all too often.
      March 29, 2018 8:23 PM MDT
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  • 16829
    The Californian was aware that the Titanic was there, but probably didn't know she was in trouble. Flare colours had not been standardised, so there was no obviously recognisable "distress flare", and the Californian's radio operator was off duty. Radio was still relatively new, many liners didn't have it and those that did rarely maintained constant watch.
      March 29, 2018 7:52 PM MDT
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  • 23641
    Butler in his book addresses those issues better than I can. I guess I'll say I still believe the 'Californian,' from what I've read, figured out the ship was in trouble. Captain Lord seemed to intimidate his crew. His crew saw flare-after-flare being shot up and they seemingly didn't want to excessively bother him. (He was in his quarters.)
    Lord never admitted that he thought the ship they all saw was the 'Titanic,' even.
    Strange stuff.
    But had those radio operators, like you mention, would have been on duty --  that could have helped.

    It's the second time I've read the book -- I'm still trying to keep all the details in my head in an orderly manner. 


      March 29, 2018 8:02 PM MDT
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  • 23641
    Oh, and I should add - - according to the book, earlier in the evening the Californian's radio operator at first 'interrupted' the Titanic's operator to sort of say "hi" as the Titanic operator was trying to send off passengers' greetings/messages. The Titanic's operator yelled at him to leave him be.
    That was one reason the Californian's operator went off duty and sort of left the Titanic alone.
    It's all interesting. And sad, regardless of how it all went down (no pun intended).
      March 30, 2018 10:18 AM MDT
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  • 1326
    In many ways a senseless tragedy. 
      April 3, 2018 11:55 PM MDT
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  • 46117
    I think it is a very valid piece of history, Welb.  Unfortunately,  I don't know what the big hub bub is all about.   I can see it is interesting, but not THAT interesting.

    You know how Marilyn Monroe is wonderful and certainly was a star?  She was not that FREAKING great.  She is a LEGEND.  This Titanic story is a legendary story.  Why, I'll never figure. 

    So, as poignant and important that story is, how about the story of a President that is letting Puerto Rico stay without electricity for three months because they owe him money?

    That is not a few people dead in an ocean due to people's neglect.  This is a disaster of disease, and famine and hunger about a place that is considered part of our country.  Like if this was New York.  But New York is not a shit hole country.  Welby, there are little babies dying over there right now because they have no freaking food.  There are no lights, no medicine for thousands.

    So, remember last week when you kept apologizing for sounding off and we all understood?  I am sounding off.

    Everything reminds me of the overshadowing horror that is this Administration.  I get sicker every time I turn the news on.  Now the SOB has officially closed any help we could have gotten to help the global warming and energy crises because TRUMP THINKS that global warming is a HOAX and the money can be used elsewhere.  Like for the military guarding where the wall needs to be.

    I cannot say Sorry, Welb.  You need to know.

      April 4, 2018 12:08 AM MDT
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  • 23641
    I just now only saw your comment here.
    Thanks for your answer!
    Yes, I'm aware of much of what you've shared here and I, too, shake my head.

    In general, without adding all the details, I still do think it is a major thing for one ship in sight of another to simply ignore that other ship which is in distress and sinking, though.
    :)

    Hey, let's neither of us apologize for sounding off. Yes.
    :)
      April 8, 2018 3:40 PM MDT
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