TITANIC DISASTER—MARCONI MESSAGES #32-37.
A group of six Marconi messages from the R.M.S. Olympic radio log book, 6 pp, oblong 8vo (140 x 200 mm), April 15, 1912, clarifying that the R.M.S. Carpathia was the only ship in the area of the disaster with survivors on board, each framed.
This series of messages records the attempt to sort out the confusion regarding survivors. At 5:40 p.m., the Carpathia wrote to the Olympic, in full: "WILL SEND NAMES IMMEDIATELY ... WE ARE WORKING UNDER CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY EVERYTHING POSSIBLE BEING DONE FOR COM-FORT OF SURVIVORS. PLEASE MAINTAIN STAND-BY." In the wee hours of the next morning, the authorities at New York sent a series of instructions to all ships in the area, which prompted the following responses, each in full:
(New York to Olympic) "To: CAPTAIN HADDOCK OLYMPIC RECVD 2.35 am NYT / IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE NAMES OF EVERY SURVIVOR ON CARPATHIA IMMEDIATELY IF YOU CAN EXPEDITE THIS BY STANDING BY CARPATHIA PLEASE DO SO. / FRANKLIN."
(New York to Olympic) "To: CAPTAIN OLYMPIC RECEIVED 2.55. am NYT / WIRE US NAME OF EVERY PASSENGER OFFICER AND CREW ON CARPATHIA THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT KEEP IN COMMUNICATION WITH CARPATHIA UNTIL YOU ACCOMPLISH THIS INSTRUCT CALIFORNIAN STAND BY SCENE OF WRECK UNTIL SHE HEARS FROM US OR IS RELIEVED OR HER COAL SUPPLY RUNS SHORT AND ASCERTAIN CALIFORNIANS COAL AND HOW LONG SHE CAN STAND BY HAS LIFE RAFT BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SATISFIED THAT CARPATHIA HAS ALL SURVIVORS AS WE HAD A RUMOR THAT VIRGINIAN AND PARISIAN ALSO HAD SURVIVORS WHERE IS BALTIC. / FRANKLIN."
(New York to Olympic) "To: CAPTAIN OLYMPIC RECEIVED 3.5am NYT / DISTRESSED TO LEARN FROM YOUR MESSAGE THAT CARPATHIA IS ONLY STEAMER WITH PASSENGERS WE UNDERSTOOD VIRGINIAN AND PARISIAN ALSO HAS PASSENGERS AND ARE YOU IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND CAN YOU GET ANY INFORMATION. / FRANKLIN."
(Tunisian to Olympic) "ASKS THIS REPORT TO BE FORWARDED TO OLYMPIC RECD 4.20 am NYT / CROSSED 50 W 43.25 N from 48.44 W 44 N PASSED THROUGH HEAVY FIELD ICE NUMEROUS BERGS LAST BERG SEEN 43 N 40 W TWENTY FOUR HOURS FOG IN VICINITY OF ICE."
(Virginian to Olympic) "To: CAPTAIN OLYMPIC RECVD 8.45 am NYT / HEAR RUMORS THAT WE HAVE SURVIVORS OF TITANIC ON BOARD THIS IS NOT SO I HAVE NONE AT 10 am YESTERDAY WHEN 30 MILES FROM POSITION OF DISASTER RECEIVED MARCONI FROM CARPATHIA AS FOLLOWS:- TURN BACK NOW EVERYTHING OK WE HAVE 800 ABOARD RETURN TO YOUR NORTHERN TRACK -- I CONSEQUENTLY PROCEEDED ON MY COURSE TO LIVERPOOL. SIMILAR INSTRUCTIONS WERE SENT AT SAME TIME FROM CARPATHIA TO BALTIC I PASSED A LARGE QUANTITY OF HEAVY FIELD ICE AND BERGS COMPLIMENTS. GAMBELL."
See John Booth and Sean Coughlan, Titanic: Signals of Disaster (Wiltshire: White Star Publications, 1993), pp 160-167.
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