13

TO THE LIFEBOATS

On the boat deck, the evacuation of the passengers continued. Lifeboat Number 5 was launched from the starboard side with 40 people aboard. During the launch, Bruce Ismay strode about waving his arms and blurting out orders.

Instead of helping, he was hindering the operation and getting in the way. Officer Lowe, who was assisting with the launch, ordered Ismay to stop interfering. Surprisingly, the actual owner of the ship obeyed Lowe's order and ceased to interfere.

Margaret Brown, later to become known as ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown’, was one of about twenty women passengers on this boat. The other twenty passengers were men. On the starboard side, from which this boat was launched, the order of women and children first was not strictly obeyed.

The quartermaster, Robert Hitchens, and the lookout, Frederick Fleet, were put in charge of this boat. Captain Smith ordered them to row towards the lights of the ship, which could still be seen in the distance. Once the passengers had been taken on board this vessel, the lifeboat was to return to pick up more survivors.

Was the ship Smith referred to the mystery ship Boxhall had seen? Or was there yet another ship in the area? Or was Smith mistaken, like so many others who had seen the lights? Yet again, there is no answer to this mystery.

As the boat was being lowered, a volunteer from among the passengers with sailing experience was asked to come forward to help man the boat. Major Peuchen, a yachtsman, volunteered. By now, the boat was already being lowered. But so anxious was Peuchen to avail of this opportunity to escape that he climbed down a rope to get onto the boat.

As the boats were being loaded, heartbreaking scenes were witnessed on deck. Families were separated. Husbands persuaded their wives and children to get onto the boats, then stepped back into the crowds on the deck. Many of those were certainly aware that they would never see their loved ones again but were determined to act with honour.

In the confusion, women were separated not only from their husbands but also from their children. Many women were bundled into boats without their children. Children too found themselves in boats without any parent or relative. As the boats were then lowered, adults and children were heard crying and screaming for their loved ones. Above the cries and wails of despair, the music from the ship's orchestra wafted out on the night air. But it could no longer quell the rising panic.

As lifeboat Number 8 was being loaded, a small drama took place – it was just one of many that took place that night. This involved an elderly married couple, Isidor and Ida Straus. When it was Ida's turn to take her place in the lifeboat, she refused to be separated from her husband.

The Straus couple were wealthy First Class passengers. Isidor was part owner of Macy's, the most famous of all New York's department stores. They had been together since their wedding day and now they had decided they would die together rather than be separated.

Crew members and other passengers tried to persuade Ida to get into the boat. But she still refused to do so. Colonel Gracie now tried to persuade Isidor to go with his wife. He was an old man and no one would think ill of him if he took a place in the boat.

But Isidor was determined that women and children should be saved first. He was in complete agreement with Captain Smith's order. Isidor and his wife were old. Their lives were almost at an end. It would be best if some younger persons had the opportunity to be saved, some who still had their whole lives ahead of them.

Ida Straus made sure that her maid, Ellen Bird, did get into the lifeboat. Ida also gave Ellen her fur coat to keep her warm. Then Ida joined her husband and they sat on two deck chairs and held hands. Both were drowned that night when the ship went down.

As lifeboat Number 8 was being lowered, there was another small drama. A young woman jumped out, shouting that she must get a photograph from her cabin. Two sailors caught her and bundled her back into the boat, almost certainly saving her life.

Also on lifeboat Number 8 was Lady Lucy-Noel Martha, the Countess of Rothes. She was a formidable woman and not only helped to row the boat but also helped to comfort those on board who were suffering from shock and the bitter cold.

In contrast to the Straus’ selfless act of bravery and the courage of the Countess of Rothes, the action of Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon seems cowardly indeed. They were a wealthy couple travelling First Class and were well-known celebrities in London. Both got into lifeboat Number 1 along with their secretary.

Sir Cosmo gave each crewman in the lifeboat £5, a large sum of money in 1912. Some claimed this was a bribe to save his life and that of his wife. However, Sir Cosmo claimed that it was to compensate the sailors for the loss of their kit and their belongings.

At the inquiry, it was alleged that the money was a bribe to the sailors on the lifeboat to persuade them not to return to the Titanic to pick up further survivors. It seemed that Sir Cosmo was worried that if they returned to pick up survivors, too many would attempt to get onto the boat. If that happened, the boat would sink and all on board would be drowned.

This fear was perfectly justified. Yet it was heartless and cowardly to refuse to return and help others. The Duff-Gordons were disgraced by their behaviour and were afterwards shunned by many who had formerly admired them.

Not many on board the Titanic that night, whether wealthy or not, behaved like the Duff-Gordons and resorted to bribery. Many, in fact, were selfless just like the elderly Straus couple. One couple that did show great courage was Colonel John Jacob Astor and his wife Madeleine.

Colonel Astor was one of the richest men in America and both he and his wife were travelling First Class. While the boats were being loaded, the couple went to the gymnasium and sat on the exercise machines. Here they calmly waited for their turn to escape the sinking ship. At no time did Colonel Astor try to use his wealth or influence to obtain a place on a lifeboat, either for himself or his wife.

At this time it was mostly First Class passengers, along with some of those from Second Class, who were being put on the boats. So far, not a single Third Class passenger had yet got onto a lifeboat.

For the most part, the crew ignored the safety of Third Class passengers. Some crew members did carry out their duty and led some Third Class passengers onto the boat deck. Yet other crew members prevented Third Class passengers from making their way to the upper decks.

Many of those who made their way to the upper decks were Irish. Most of them were Catholics. They gathered with other fellow passengers in the Third Class lounges to pray and say the rosary.

But at this stage, a great many Third Class passengers were still down on the lower decks. They were unable to, or were prevented from, finding a means of reaching the upper decks where there was some hope of salvation. Trapped in the depths of the ship, many would soon die as the water level continued to rise, metre by metre.