The Flying Dutchman

We have all heard of the Flying Dutchman, usually as a sea story or the Opera by Wagner. But through the years, up through the 1960's, there have been  many sightings of her, all of which ended in misfortune. Among the most credible is the one by Prince, later King George V,  in 1881. Here is his story, in his own words, as entered in the log of the HMS Bacchante in 1881.

"We Meet the Flying Dutchman"

"The Cruise of Her Majesty's Ship "Bacchante," 1881

"July 11th, [1881] -- At 4:00 a.m. the Flying Dutchman crossed our bows. A strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the midst of which light the masts, spars, and sails of a brig 200 yards distant stood out in strong relief as she came up on the port bow. The lookout man on the forecastle reported her as close on the port bow, where also the officer of the watch from the bridge clearly saw her, as did also the quarterdeck midshipman, who was sent forward at once to the forecastle; but on arriving there no vestige nor any sign whatever of any material ship was to be seen either near or right away to the horizon, the night being clear and the sea calm. Thirteen persons altogether saw her, but whether it was Van Diemen or the Flying Dutchman or who else must remain unknown."

"The Tourmaline and Cleopatra, who were sailing on our starboard bow, flashed to ask whether we had seen the strange red light. At 6:15 a.m. observed land (Mount Diana) to the northeast. At 10:45 a.m. the ordinary seaman who had this morning reported the Flying Dutchman fell from the foretopmast crosstrees on to the topgallant forecastle and was smashed to atoms. At 4:15 p.m. after quarters we hove to with the head-yards aback, and he was buried in the sea. He was a smart royal yardman, and one of the most promising young hands in the ship, and every one feels quite sad at his loss. (At the next port we came to the Admiral also was smitten down)."

"Shadow of the Titanic" by Andrew Wilson (2011)

I have always wondered why they made that film about the Titanic with Leonardo DiCaprio in it. I did finally see it; about 10 years after its release. It was pretty good, too. But I still wonder about the need to fictionalize something which was so dramatic to begin with.

Spielberg’s “Lincoln” is a perfect example of what can be done with the reality of great events, without the need of adding fictitious characters and events. If you do that, then you get stuff like “Gone with the Wind”, which is a great movie; but the burning of Atlanta was even more intense in terms of real life stories and drama. And, quite frankly, Scarlett annoys the hell out of me.

Andrew Wilson has done something with this book; released in 2011; which I had thought impossible. He has written a book about the Titanic from a new perspective. While most films and books dealing with the Titanic end when the good ship Carpathia docks in New York; this one is just finding its land legs.

 

Rather than just mining the memories of the survivors about the sinking itself, he has gone into the area of how the sinking of the great liner affected their lives after. The answer is a surprising mix of good and bad; as are most things.

My own love affair with the Titanic began when I was about 4 years old and saw the British film version of Walter Lord’s iconic book “A Night to Remember.” The scene where the sea is swirling up the ladder from the engine room is etched forever in my mind. The story of how they staged that movie; using a ship which was about to be cut into scrap; is a great little bit of information. Because the scrapping of that ship had already begun on one side, they used mirrors and backwards letters on the lifeboats to film the scenes of the passengers boarding them.

After a brief recap of events; along with some stories the reader may not have heard before; the book heads straight into the lives of the survivors after the dust of the affair had settled and the waters of emotions were calmer. Well, at least on the surface.

Renee Harris was one of the First Class passengers who lost her husband, but went on to become America’s first theater manager and producer; only to lose everything through over indulgence and stock market losses, relegating her to a life of poverty.

John Jacob Astor; one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time; was on a cruise home from his honeymoon with his 19 year bride, who was 5 months pregnant. He was 54 and went down with the ship. Her life afterwards was marred by a will which forbade her to remarry. Predictably, she lost the inheritance and her home when she fell in love with a man whom she had known as a child. When that marriage failed she tried again with an Italian boxer who used her for practice.

Robert Williams Daniel survived the sinking and married another passenger, Eloise Hughes, whose husband went down with the ship.

But the most intriguing story of all is the one of Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, who allegedly bribed the crew of his lifeboat into not going back to pick up people in the water. He even had his photo taken on the deck of the Carpathia handing 5 pound checks to the crew who had rowed the boat he was in.

The whole incident was probably blown way out of proportion. Sir Cosmo had overheard the crew talking to his wife, who was lamenting the loss of some personal items. One of the crew remarked that it was okay for her, she was rich. But the crew’s pay stopped the moment the ship sank and there would be no money to compensate the crew for their lost possessions. This prompted Sir Cosmo to offer 5 pounds to each of them to help them get started over.

When the newspapers heard the story at the inquiry it was trumped up and ruined Sir Cosmo life and reputation forever. His wife, the irrepressible Lady Duff Gordon, went on to use the events of that night to further her own career as a fashion designer.

J. Bruce Ismay, one of the owners of the White Star Line, was unhappily married at the time of the sinking. His own conduct also came under question for having survived. He was labeled a coward and spent the rest of his life living as a virtual ghost. His hair turned white overnight after being rescued; from the shock of the sinking. He could never crawl out from under the fact that he was the one who decided on having fewer lifeboats than necessary. Although he was following the law at the time, he had been advised not to decrease the number of boats, which he did anyway. In his behalf, it should be noted that he had been engaged in loading the boats on the starboard side, and only boarded after he saw no more women and children aboard.

One of the strangest stories involves a stewardess named Annie Robinson. She had been on a ship that struck an iceberg once before. She then survived the Titanic disaster only to throw herself into the sea one foggy night from a ship that was about to dock in Boston. The fog horns were a reminder of pulling into New York on the Carpathia and drove her mad.

Silent film star Dorothy Gibson was another passenger who survived the Titanic, only to have her life become a series of missteps and mistakes. She spent time as an American citizen in a German concentration camp, only to survive that ordeal and die in a Paris hotel in 1946.

There were 2 children aboard that night. They were being kidnapped by their father, who died in the sinking. The boys were returned to their mother, making the father’s death all the more useless.

The book follows the last survivors through the original “A Night to Remember” activity in the 1950’s; and the through the craze engendered by the location of the ship in the 1980’s, as well as the Leonardo DiCaprio film of the 1990’s. At that time there were only 3 women left alive who were aboard the ship the night it sank. They were all little children at the time, with almost no memory of the event. The last survivor was Millvina Dean, who died in 2009 at the age of 97.

No matter how much you think you know about the Titanic, this book will surprise you. The approach taken by the author; to trace the lives of the survivors after the disaster; lends a whole new perspective to the events of that night so long ago, when the sea swallowed up the unsinkable Titanic.

Titanic - A Timeless Tragedy - Repost

This poster was my first encounter with the Titanic. It was in 1958 and my parents took me to see the film. I was awestruck at the luxury of the ship and the wealth of the travelers aboard her. It was, I believe, the start of my lifelong love affair with ships and all things nautical.

Today marks the 98th anniversary of the sinking of that great ship. The Titanic went down on a cold, moonless night in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg. The belief that she was "unsinkable" did her no good. And with lifeboats for less than half of the passengers aboard, the loss of life was tremendous.

At 4 years old I was already familiar with the ocean, having been born less than a mile from the Atlantic Coast in Brooklyn, New York. The fact that the Titanic's survivors had been taken to New York aboard the Carpathia only made those waters more holy to me. I would stare out to sea at night, trying to decipher the meanings of those red and green lights called "bouys" and wonder what lay beyond. Eventually I would find out.

The Titanic was one of those grand affairs conceived at the end of the 19th Century and built in the early years of the 20th Century. It was built with the notion that we were now the Masters of our fates. There was no undertaking that man could not achieve. There was a belief that there was no element which we, as human beings, could not conquer.

Sailing from Southampton on her maiden voyage, she left on April 10th, 1912 for New York City with 2,207 passengers aboard. The ship would never arrive and only 700 or so passengers ever made it to their destination.

I remember watching the film and the scene in which the water comes up the ladderways from the mailroom still leaves an impression upon me. My parents made a lesson of that film, instilling in me that nothing is ever a sure thing. There are forces that are constantly working against us. False pride, greed, visions of grandeur are always lurking and waiting to take us down, just as they did the Titanic.

Through the years, much has been written; and filmed; about this fabled ship and her untimely demise. Some of the stuff is quite informative and lends an even deeper meaning to the tragedy of that cold and fateful night. Some are fictitious versions of the event. It took me almost 10 years before I would even see Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in "Titanic." It seemed so silly to attempt a dramatization of such a powerful and true event.

The stories of the sacrifices made that night are legendary, but well documented. This book, "A Night To Remember" by Walter Lord was first published in 1955. Most of the survivors were still alive and Mr. Lord interviewed them all in preparation for the book. This paperback copy was a gift from my parents when I was 11 years old. As you can see, I still have it. Inside are news clippings from over the years, each one documenting the death of yet another survivor. Morbid; perhaps; but my fascination with this event has shaped a good portion of my life.

The sinking of the Titanic marked the first use of the new wireless distress code "SOS." Ships as far away as Cape Race heard the call. Some attempted to assist in the rescue - others, such as the California, less than 10 miles away, merely watched her sink. The rockets, flares and wireless messages all went unheeded. Only the Carpathia made it, although she arrived after the Titanic had sunk. Plucking the remaining survivors from the water, she raced back to New York. From there the crew was taken to a hearing in Washington D.C. before the Maritime Safety Committee. A separate inquiry was later conducted upon the crews return to England.

As a result of these hearings changes in safety regulations were made; all ships would henceforth carry twice the number of lifeboats needed. This is necessary because when a ship lists too far to port or starboard, half of the boats are incapable of being launched. The number of lifebelts required was increased. Ice warnings became the normal procedure, rather than the exception. The use of the wireless, and mandatory wireless "watches" were also instituted as a result of the Titanic’s loss.

But of all the stories told from that night, none has stayed with me in the way that the story of Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Straus has. They had risen from the ashes of the Confederacy to found a small China business in Philadelphia. From there they went on to make Macy's the world's largest department store.When she was told by her husband to get in the lifeboat along with the other women and children she answered, "We have been living together many years. Where you go, I go." When Hugh Woolner tried to persuade the aging Mr. Straus to get in the boat with Mrs. Straus, he replied, " I will not go before the other men." They were last seen lounging side by side in deck chairs, confusion reigning all about them as they sat, calmly awaiting their fate.

So many stories abound from that night. For the best insight into this remarkable tragedy I can suggest no other source which is better than Mr. Lords' two books on the Titanic. The first is "A Night to Remember", which was filmed twice, the British version being the best. And his follow up "The Night Lives On", published in 1986.

This is Molly Brown, aka the "Unsinkable Molly Brown." A would be socialite from Colorado; she had been snubbed by all the women in her community. She was returning from Europe aboard the Titanic as a way to gain acceptance in the social circles of Denver. In the lifeboat when some of the inexperienced crew members were failing to do their duty, Mrs. Brown rose to the occasion and took command of the boat. When she returned to Denver she snubbed all the "fair weather" friends who now clamored for her company.

An interesting note on the collision is that the sinking was avoidable. Had the ship simply continued on course, rather than making that fateful turn to port in a futile effort to avoid the iceberg, the damage would've been limited to the bow section and the pumps would have controlled the flooding. She would have arrived late, but with all passengers and crew safe.

The other interesting note to this story is the fate of the Carpathia, which had rescued the survivors. At the outbreak of World War One she was pressed into service as a troop ship. She was torpedoed in 1918 enroute from England to Boston. An ignominious end to such an important piece of maritime history, but, such are the ways of the sea...

Re-posts - A Conundrum

This time of April poses a real conundrum for me. With so many things of note in history occurring at this time of April it is almost impossible to keep my mind focused on just one event. Imagine, all in the space of a week, the numerous stories worth telling about some of the most important events in our history.

The onslaught of historical events begins tomorrow with the anniversary of the Civil War, and the shelling of Fort Sumter. Only 4 years later, President Lincoln would be assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14^th.

Move forward in time and April 14^th would come to represent the Titanic disaster, in which the unsinkable ship did the unthinkable, and sank, taking most of her passengers with her.

And, if these events were not enough, this coming week also marks the “shot heard ‘round the world” with the anniversary of the events at Lexington and Concord, triggering the start of our American Revolutionary War.

So, bear with me while I reprise some of my older posts on these subjects. It would be hard to pass over these events and have new readers here think that I am uninterested in them, and yet I have nothing further I wish to add on the subjects; hence; the re-posts.

"Titanic Tragedy" by John Maxtone-Graham (2012)

Just when you think you have heard all there is to hear about the Titanic, a new book appears with  even more fascinating stories about that tragic night. The author, John Maxtone-Graham, was friends with Walter Lord, who arguably was the man who started the whole Titanic craze when I was about 2 years old with the release of his book “A Night to Remember”. That book began an interest in the Titanic that has never wavered; nor should it.

The book begins with a brief recap of the race to perfect the wireless, and then prove its usefulness at sea. The operators of this new medium of communication were all real die hard enthusiasts, and to some degree that interest was of immeasurable value in the recovery of the 700, or so, survivors, who undoubtedly would have perished without the devotion of these men to the new technology.

Mr. Maxtone-Graham is a noted nautical scholar, and author, with almost his entire body of work devoted to the large ocean liners of the past. His work in this book; which I was at first a bit hesitant to pick up; is a pure delight. He expands on the stories we have already heard, while at the same time, bringing new insight into the events as they unfolded prior to the sinking, when confusion reigned aboard the mighty liner.

The arrival of the Carpathia on scene, and her turnaround to New York with the survivors, has never taken on so much life as it does in the skillful hands of the author. One of the many advantages he has over other authors on this subject is his friendship with the late Walter Lord. Through him, the author acquired the 7 letters which Mr. Lord wrote over a period of 20 years, or more, in which he takes on the persona of a passenger on the crippled liner. These “letters” help the reader to understand both the passengers, and the times in which they lived.

Also covered here; in more depth than before; are the details of the recovery efforts concerning the bodies which were left on scene, as well as a life raft or two. The scramble by the reporters waiting on the pier in New York is also of interest, as it speaks to the way news traveled in 1912.

As I said, I almost didn’t pick this one up, but once I did, could not put it down. Sometimes just knowing the ending isn’t enough; you need to understand the how’s and why’s behind it. To that end, the author has done a very thorough job; while, at the same time; creating a highly readable book.

Jamie Brockett - "The Legend of the Titanic" (1970)

This is the full version of a song which I haven't heard since it's re-release on Capitol Records in 1970. It was originally recorded for Oracle Records. I was going to do a serious post on the Titanic, the sinking of which, coupled with my father's service in the Navy, lead me to go to sea. I first heard this song on a late night FM station. I believe it was on Alison Steele's show, "The Night Bird", which aired on WNEW-FM from 2 AM until 6 AM daily. When the station found out that she was the #1 late night DJ, they switched her hours. She left the station in 1979. Ms. Steele is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

The song is a totally re-invented version of the events concerning the Titanic. The song has the Titanic sailing from New York to London, which is, of course, incorrect. The reference to the Wright Brothers having not been to Kitty Hawk yet is also wrong, although no one had yet flown across the Atlantic. But the song is really a social protest song about class distinction, something which was very real aboard the Titanic on the night she went down. Listen to the verse about the color of the tickets and you will see what I mean. Also, pay attention for the hemp factory in Mexico and the 497 feet of rope which the First Mate takes aboard for his journey to England.

Jamie Brockett's career as a folk artist was most likely destroyed by this song. We have all heard of "one hit" artists before, but surely Mr. Brockett's 13 minute rendition of this song takes the prize for the longest of the genre. It was the only song on his debut album to chart, and he was forever plagued to perform this song wherever he went.

The cultural references in the song are abundant and colorful. The whole story centers on the world champion boxer Jack Johnson, who wants to travel to England for a fight, and attempts to board the Titanic for his journey. His ticket is the wrong "color", and so he is left behind, on the pier, fishing. Although some may find this ballad to be "politically incorrect" by today's standards, I still find this song entertaining, with much to say about social values. Ironically, this song about the "unsinkable" Titanic may have "torpedoed" Jamie Brockett's career as a more serious singer/songwriter.

"The Legend of the Titanic" by Jamie Brockett

It was back around the turn of the centuries, back around nineteen hundred and thirteen. There was a negro pugilist his name was Jack Johnson.

Now old Jack Johnson he was the toughest man in the whole wide world. He used walk around whoppin' people up side the head 'n makin' all sorts of money.

Like I say ol' Jack Johnson he was a pugilist. He was a pugilist by preference and by profession. And one day ol' Jack came walkin' on down by the pierside. He's just walkin on down. His manager come walkin' on down by the pierside. He says, "Uh, hi, Jack!"
He says, "Hi, manager!"
He says, "Whatcha doin'?"
He says, "I'm just walkin' on down by the pierside."

He says, "What's up?"
He says, "I gotta gig for ya."
He says, "Ya gotta gig for me?"
He says, "That's right."
He says, "Where abouts?"
He says, "Over in England."
He says, "Hmm... what'm I gonna do over there?"
He says, "Well, you goin' up n' whop this guy up side the head n' make all sorts of money."

Ol' Jack says, "That's groovy, baby! That's really groovy! You give me a ticket on the next flight out!"

He said, "Ticket on the next flight out?!? This is nineteen hundred n' thirteen. Why, the Wright brothers haven't even started foolin' around with Kitty Hawk yet!"

He said, "Uhh...who's she?"

It was midnight on the sea
the band was playing "Nearer My God To Thee".
Fare thee well, Titanic, fare thee well.

Ol' Jack says, "Well, how'm I gonna get there baby?"
N' he says "Ohhh, I'm gonna show ya" and he whips open a newspaper n' shows him a picture of the USS Titanic, folks. She's the world's biggest ship. She's made outta good wood and good iron. They said she'd never go down.

He says, "You mean I'm goin' over on the boat!"

N' he says, "That's right, baby; you're goin on the boat!"

N' he says, "Well, let's go get some tickets!" So they head on down to the ticket taker's place.

He walks on up to the ticket taker. He walks on in n' he says, "Hey, man, I wanna buy me some tickets!"

He said, "Gotta red ticket, green ticket, yellow ticket, blue ticket...what kinda ticket you want?"

He says, "I wanna red one!"

He gave him some loot n' he laid it on him.

So here's ol' Jack, he's got his ticket now. He takes everything he owns, he wraps it on up in a diaper n' he hangs it on a stick over his back n' goes headin' on down by the pierside.

He gettin' on down by the pierside, his manager's down there by the pierside, n' here she is folks - the USS Titanic! She's lined up beside two hundred n' fifty parkin' meters n' the Captain's gettin' done ready to split 'cause he run outta dimes.

Now around this time there was an Italian senator n' the state house n'...all Italian senators done got brothers own construction companies n'...this one had a brother he owned a construction company n'...the Titanic she was made outta good Italian wood, good Italian iron. They said she'd never go down.

So there's ol' Jack standin' on the bottom, got everything he owns wrapped on up in that diaper hangin' on a stick over his back. He shakes hands with his manager, goes walkin' on up the gangplank. The Captain standin' on the top. He get up onto the top n' the Captain, he look at the ticket...

He look at the ticket, he look at Jack, he look at the ticket, he look at Jack, he look at the ticket, he look at Jack, he look at the ticket, he look at Jack, lookita...

He says, "Sorry, baby, wrong color!"

He says, "Me or the ticket?!"

N' he says, "You!"

Now he wouldn't let Jack Johnson on board
They said "This ship don't haul no coal!"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

It was midnight on the sea,
The band was playin' "Nearer My God To Thee"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

So Jack says, "It's all right baby. It's all right. I'm gonna sit right here on the pier and watch you go right on down!"

(brief guitar solo)

So the Titanic, she sails on out into the North sea. She's out there floatin' around in and out between the icebergs n' ol' Jack's standin' on the pier.

I'm gonna tell ya 'bout the people on the Titanic now.

First of all there's a whole bunch of Jewish people from Miami. They're jumpin' up n' down, they're laughin', they're drinkin' booze, they're tradin' wives n' Cadillacs n' diamonds n' havin' all sorts of good clean party fun.

Then there was the people that run the boat. Now the people that run the boat, they know all about runnin' boats. They know all about hoistin' up land lubbers n' battenin' down hatches n' doin' all sorts of other good things like..."all good sailors do in the far away at sea".

Then there was the Captain. Now the Captain, he knows how to walk like a captain, write like a captain, walk like a captain, talk like a captain, smell like a captain, eat like a captain, do all sorts of captain things.

Then there was the first mate. Now I gotta tell ya bout the first mate. Now the first mate, he don't know nothin' about Jewish parties. He don't know nothing about hoistin' up land lubbers. He don't know nothin' about captains. He, uh, he wants to go on over to England he wants to play his guitar. He wanna run around n' chase women n' have all sorts of good...times.

Anyways this fella', his sideburns they're just a little too long. He giving way, see. He...he been down in Mexico. He been down in Mexico. He been workin' in this rope factory down in Mexico now. Down in Mexico they make rope outta this funny little hemp plant that grows wild in the ground (some of you people... grow it in flower pots under your bed)...ehh, anyways, he's down there and he's...he's makin' rope outta this funny marijuana plant. One day the rope factory, she catch fire n' he runs back on in to save his lunch - he's got two sardine sandwiches - runnin' back on in to save his lunch. He gets inside n' there's all this funny smoke floatin' around up inside n'...he gets some of this funny smoke up inside his head n'...he sit down in the middle o' de' fire n' he say,

"Shhhhhhhhhhh*t, baby, I ain't gonna make rope no more!!!"

So he takes everything he owns. He wraps it up on into a diaper and a knapsack too n' he...he headin' on to the Titanic he gets to the Titanic. He standin' on the bottom walkin' on up the gang plank n' the Captain's standin' on the top n' the Captain says, "What you got boy?"

He says, "I'm comin' on!"

He says, "WHAT YOU GOT!"

He says, "Well, I got me two changes of BVD's. I got me my guitar. I got me my address book, a... pair of socks, four Masked Marvel comic books, a tennis racquet...and four hundred n' ninety-seven n' a half feet o' rope."

He says, "Four hundred n' ninety seven n' a half feet o' rope! Whadaya got that for?"

He says, "I just carry it."

So he says, "it's all right. Go on board, go on board." And he did.

It was midnight on the sea,
The band was playin' "Nearer My God To Thee"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

Now he wouldn't let Jack Johnson on board
They said "This ship don't haul no coal!"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

That brings us up to what's happenin' now. The Titanic, she's floatin' around in and out between the icebergs, the Jewish people they partyin', they tradin' wives n' Cadillacs n' diamonds, they drinkin' booze n' havin' all sorts of party fun...

Everybody else is hoistin' up land lubbers n' battenin' down hatches...the First Mate he's hangin' over the rail, he's havin' himself a little smoke... he's diggin' the icebergs. Havin' himself a little smoke n' it's the Captain's time to do his thing. The Captain comes on out (remember I told you about the captain - he knows how to walk like captain, write like captain, talk like... all sorts of captain things). He comes on out n' he's standin' now. His thing right now is that he's gotta go out n' test the wind. So he casts his nose up into the north wind n' he goes...

(sniffs several times)

He walks on over to the First Mate. He says, "Hey, First Mate, what's that you smokin'?!"

He says, "That ain't nothin' but a little ol' cigarette, Captain."

N' he says, "I don't believe it! Gimme a puff!"

n' he says, "Alright...."

So the captain takes himself a little puff. Nothin' happened right away. He says, "It's alright, it's alright. It's just a cigarette. I'm goin' for a walk." And that's what he did, folks. He went for a walk. He went...he went out walkin' around the boat, he went walkin' toward the wheelhouse he...he walked around.

(tempo slows severely)

He walked around the wheelhouse once.......

He walked around the wheelhouse twice.......

On the third time around the wheelhouse.......

The First Mate he looked on over at the Captain n'.......

N' he say,.......

"You wanna 'nother toke, Captain?"......

And the Captain, he say,.......

"RIGHT!!!!!!!!"

(tempo returns to normal)

So, this time, he's gonna tell the captain a little bit about this smoke that he's smokin'. He says, "Now the idea, Captain, the idea is to get this smoke way down deep inside your tummy n' hold it there just as long as you can! It'll make you head feel good all inside."

So the Captain says, "Alright."

He takes himself three big tokes off that funny little brown weed n' he says, "I am commencing to hold it in!!"

He walked around the wheelhouse. He went downstairs. He laid down. He get up. He ran in the other room. He sent a radiogram. He came on back in. He took a shower. He come out. He shaved. He laid down. He got up again. He turned on the television. He turned off the radio. He played a game of cribbage. He read his Masked Marvel comic book. He walked thru the kitchen, made a cup of tea, made a cup of coffee, sat down, ate a piece of pie, went upstairs, played another game of cribbage, went back in, finished his other Masked Marvel comic book, Laid down, he had the television, the radio, the egg beater, the air conditioner n'everything's all goin' at once.
He walks up on deck and this is fifty-two minutes later n' this cat ain't breathed yet!!

So the First Mate see him standin' up there on the rail. He's all puffed up like a balloon! He says, "Ya gotta let it out, Captain!

So the Captain he let it all out at once.

Fallin' right down on the wheelhouse floor. He's out cold.

O-h-h-h, this just brings us up to what's happenin' again, folks. The Titanic, she's sailin' around in between the icebergs. Everybody else is havin' parties. The Jewish people they jumpin' up n' down, they tradin' wives n' Cadillacs n' diamonds n' drinkin' booze. Everybody else is hoistin' up land lubbers, battenin' down hatches n' doin' sail things. The First Mate's hangin' over there on the rail havin' himself a little smoke n' diggin' icebergs. And the Captain's out cold on the wheelhouse floor!

It was midnight on the sea,
The band was playin' "Nearer My God To Thee"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

Now he wouldn't let Jack Johnson on board
They said "This ship don't haul no coal!"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

All of a sudden.... the Captain's eyes popped wi-i-i-i-i-i-i-ide open.
He stood right up straight.....
Grabs a hold o' de wheel....
Looks on out at the bow o' dat boat n' he say,
"I'M GONNA MOVE YOU BABYYYYYYYYY!!!!!"

And he did, right on into an iceberg n' she went right on down!

It was midnight on the sea,
The band was playin' "Nearer My God To Thee"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

Now he wouldn't let Jack Johnson on board
They said "This ship don't haul no coal!"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

That's the true story of the Titanic, folks. She went right to the bottom. She took with her all the Jewish people, all the First Mates. She took with him the Captain. She took with him the land lubbers. She took with him the Masked Marvel comic books, the tennis racquet and four hundred n' ninety-seven n' a half feet o' rope!

Meanwhile back on the stateside, ol' Jack Johnson...why, he's standin' up on the pier he's fishin' away; he's got himself a little stick n' a line n' he gets a tug. He pulls it on up n' it's a big, wet, blue soggy mess n' on the inside on the lining written in big gold letters it says "USS Titanic" and stuck right above it was a wet roach!

That boy was so happy, he started doin' the eagle rock up n' down that pier like it's goin' outta style! He go...he gonna do the eagle rock now! Everybody in for the eagle rock!

Oh rock!

It was midnight on the sea,
The band was playin' "Nearer My God To Thee"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.

Now he wouldn't let Jack Johnson on board
They said "This ship don't haul no coal!"
Fare thee well Titanic, fare thee well.
Fare thee well Titanic goin down!

"We Were There" Edited by Robert Fox

This is a perfect book for summer reading. It is a diverse collection of some of the best, and most famous, of eyewitness accounts from the 20th Century. Comprised, as it is, of a variety of historical events, some related, some not, allows the reader to pick the book up, or put it down, at will. You can start anywhere you want to in this book and still not disrupt the flavor.

I dove in on the accounts of the famous Christmas Eve Truce during the First World War. And I got a surprise - there were two such Christmas Eves, one in 1914 and again in 1915. These are eyewitness accountings of the earliest days of the war, when many of the soldiers did not want to be there. Fraternization with the enemy was forbidden, but when the British saw the lights from the candles on the German Christmas trees, all rules went by the wayside. The result was that the two armies, who only hours before had been trying hard to kill one another, gathered in "no man's land" for an impromptu celebration of a common holiday. The Germans provided the beer, the English brought the football.

Equally of interest to me was the account of Harold Bride, the wireless operator aboard the HMS Titanic the night she hit an iceberg and sank, with the loss of over 1,700 lives. Though I have read it before, and even own a copy of it, has never diminished the awe which this piece inspires in me.

The world of science is also represented here, with accounts from the Wright Brothers first flight at Kitty Hawk, as well as Madame Curie and her discovery of radium, which would rock the field of medical science for decades to come.

Social Revolution was very much in the air in the years leading up to the First World War, and that subject is covered with accounts of the pre-war protests which shook England at the time. I was blissfully unaware of just how many people did not want to go to war for the "glory" of the empire. Whole families were involved in this endeavor, and many were jailed for their beliefs.

The birth of the Soviet Union, and the fall of Tsar Nicholas, which would come to color the entire 20th century, is a primer in the rise and fall of Communism. The effect that the Soviet Union had upon the world, for better or worse, cannot be discounted as it continues to color the events of today.

Women's Suffrage is given it's due, as women in the United Kingdom, as well as the United States, struggled to gain equality under the law. One woman, Emily Wilding Davison, actually died for the cause when she ran on to the track during the Epsom Derby in 1913. Hoping to disrupt the race just as the King's horse was due to fly by, she was struck and killed by the horse.

The book chronicles the 20th century from it's opening days until the dawn of the 21st century. A perfect example is Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance and the gripping account of her misadventure in the early days of Artic exploration.

The high flying days of the 1920's, when prosperity seemed to be on a never ending upswing, is explored through the stories of the people who first rose, and then fell, on the roller coaster ride of economics. The parallels of this era with our own current financial woes, is a blueprint of history repeating itself in a never ending cycle.

The bombing of Dresden towards the end of the Second World War, and the affect it had on Kurt Vonnegut and his future writings, notably "Slaughterhouse 5", is gripping. It actually makes me want to re-read that book.

The world of entertainment is given some space here as well, as this was the century which ushered in mass communications such as radio and television. The power that entertainment, and entertainers, would come to hold over public opinion, and it's roots, are examined through the words of those who lived it.

Through the Depression and the resultant Second World War and beyond, this book is a pleasure to pick up and just jump right in. The "Sources and Acknowledgements" section is a treasure trove of things to be read in the future.

History is a living thing, and contains lessons to be learned. You just have to pay attention, lest we make the same mistakes over and over again.

"The Wreck of the William Brown" by Tom Koch

In the early spring of 1841, just 71 years before the RMS Titanic would be sunk by an iceberg while crossing the Atlantic, another, similar tragedy occurred. The William Brown, a passenger vessel bound for Philadelphia, with her sails rigged for full speed, hit an ice field and sank. The Brown, like the later Titanic, was woefully unprepared for the disaster, which resulted in an unnecessary loss of life. But, in spite of these similarities, there was one big difference in these two events.

For the most part, aboard the Titanic, chivalry was evident at every turn, as crew members, and passengers alike, held fast to the code of the sea. Women and children were first, and husbands parted with great honor from their spouses, giving up their own chance at survival so that others might live. As I said, this story is quite different.

It is the story of people, gripped in fear, and the lengths with which they will go, in order to save themselves, at the expense of others. When the ship, loaded with newly bound immigrants for America, was about to sink, the longboat, and another small craft, were both launched. The one with the captain aboard was adequately manned and loaded to it's near capacity. The other boat, a longboat with no rudder to steer with, was overcrowded and staffed with the first mate and some deck hands. The passengers consisted of able bodied men, as well as women and children.

The captain left them in the charge of the first mate, with orders to "do what must be done" in order to save his boat. The captain then set course for Newfoundland, leaving the smaller stricken vessel to it's fate. And what a fate it was!

This chart shows the close proximity in which the Titanic would sink 71 years later, almost to the day, and only 8 and a half miles apart. And in the ensuing years, nothing had changed much in the way of passenger safety,and traveling the North Atlantic in early spring was still a treacherous journey, at best. Though much had changed regarding the way men and women interacted, thanks largely to the Victorian Era, this journey took place before that, and so had a much different conclusion.

During the very first night adrift, in full view of the other passengers, crew members, acting upon the "orders" of the first mate, selected men to throw overboard into the frigid waters in an effort to "lighten the load." When two women cried out that they "didn't know if we can go on without our dear brother", they were summarily tossed in after the hapless man. All the while, the other passengers tried to "look small", and "attract no notice", lest they be next.

When the morning came and a ship appeared on the horizon, the killing continued, with at least two more men being thrown overboard. This was at a time when, not only was rescue imminent, but the boat was stable and in no danger.

A French Court found the actions justifiable, while the American Court found the actions of the crew, and notably the first mate, to be unworthy of seamen. He was tried in Philadelphia for Murder Upon the High Seas.

This book was a chilling look at, not only a failed social order, but a justice system more concerned with the profits of international trade than passenger safety. Their lack of oversight and initiative would come back to haunt us all, in the form of the Titanic tragedy, 71 years and 8 miles later.

"Lost Voices of the Titanic" by Nick Barratt

I have long been fascinated by the Titanic. Ever since Walter Lord's "A Night To Remember" came out on film when I was 4 years old, this is a topic of which I can never grow tired.(I do, however, skip past fictionalized stuff. It took me 10 years to even bother seeing the Kate Winslet movie, though I did enjoy it.) So I was very pleased to see this book peeking at me from the shelves the other day. It is a compilation of all the odds and ends concerning the sinking of the Titanic.

Utilizing the archives of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, as well as the Father Browne Photographic Collection, the author has pieced together a very accurate and moving piece of work.

Taking us from the shipyard to the scene of the collision, he has painstakingly gone beyond the Walter Lord books. At times he even makes use of some of Mr. Lord's letters and the replies in their full form for the first time. The eyewitness accounts taken within days of the Carpathia's landing in New York are stark and revealing.

Beyond the collision itself, Mr. Barratt takes us through the hearings in the United States, as well as in England, regarding the disaster. The descriptions of recovering the remaining bodies from the scene are ones with which I was not previously acquainted and they give a whole new dimension to the scope of the tragedy.

Also included are accounts from the crew members of the Californian, the ship which lay only 10 miles from the Titanic and could have saved everyone. The letters, written to Walter Lord in the 1950's while he was researching "A Night To Remember", are very revealing and cast the Californian's captain in a very dim light.

Also of great interest is the account given by the Captain of the Carpathia. She was the ship that raced 58 miles to the scene and transported the survivors bak to New York, from where she was bound enroute to England. He candidly retraces his decisions as to what to make ready for the recovery operation, as well as the preparations made aboard for the berthing of the survivors. His letters show a man of tremendous compassion and common sense.

Loaded with photos from the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, as well as many from the Father Browne Photographic Collection, make this an indispensable read for anyone who is as obsessed with the Titanic as I am.

The Titanic - A Timeless Tragedy

This poster was my first encounter with the Titanic. It was in 1958 and my parents took me to see the film. I was awestruck at the luxury of the ship and the wealth of the travelers aboard her. It was, I believe, the start of my lifelong love affair with ships and all things nautical.

Today marks the 98th anniversary of the sinking of that great ship. The Titanic went down on a cold, moonless night in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg. The belief that she was "unsinkable" did her no good. And with lifeboats for less than half of the passengers aboard, the loss of life was tremendous.

At 4 years old I was already familiar with the ocean, having been born less than a mile from the Atlantic Coast in Brooklyn, New York. The fact that the Titanic's survivors had been taken to New York aboard the Carpathia only made those waters more holy to me. I would stare out to sea at night, trying to decipher the meanings of those red and green lights called "bouys" and wonder what lay beyond. Eventually I would find out.

The Titanic was one of those grand affairs conceived at the end of the 19th Century and built in the early years of the 20th Century. It was built with the notion that we were now the Masters of our fates. There was no undertaking that man could not achieve. There was a belief that there was no element which we, as human beings, could not conquer.


Sailing from Southampton on her maiden voyage, she left on April 10th, 1912 for New York City with 2,207 passengers aboard. The ship would never arrive and only 700 or so passengers ever made it to their destination.

I remember watching the film and the scene in which the water comes up the ladderways from the mailroom still leaves an impression upon me. My parents made a lesson of that film, instilling in me that nothing is ever a sure thing. There are forces that are constantly working against us. False pride, greed, visions of grandeur are always lurking and waiting to take us down, just as they did the Titanic.

Over the years much has been written and filmed about this fabled ship and her demise. Some of the stuff is quite informative and lends an even deeper meaning to the tragedy of that cold and fateful night. Some are fictious versions of the event. It took me almost 10 years before I would even see Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in "Titanic." It seemed so silly to attempt a dramatization of such a powerful and true event.

The stories of the sacrifices made that night are legendary, but well documented. This book, "A Night To Remember" by Walter Lord was first published in 1955. Most of the survivors were still alive and Mr. Lord interviewed them all in preparation for the book. This paperback copy was a gift from my parents when I was 11 years old. As you can see, I still have it. Inside are news clippings from over the years, each one documenting the death of yet another survivor. Morbid, perhaps. But my fascination with this event has shaped a good portion of my life.

The sinking of the Titanic marked the first use of the new wireless distress code "SOS." Ships as far away as Cape Race heard the call. Some attempted to assist in the rescue - others, such as the California, less than 10 miles away, merely watched her sink. The rockets, flares and wireless messages all went unheeded. Only the Carpathia made it, although she arrived after the Titanic had sunk. Plucking the remaining survivors from the water, she raced back to New York. From there the crew was taken to a hearing in Washington D.C. before the Maritime Safety Committee. A separate inquiry was later conducted upon the crews return to England.

As a result of these hearings changes in safety regulations were made; all ships would henceforth carry twice the number of lifeboats needed. This is necessary because when a ship lists too far to port or starboard, half of the boats are incapable of being launched. The number of lifebelts required was increased. Ice warnings became the normal procedure, rather than the exception. Use of the wireless and mandatory wireless "watches" were instituted.

But of all the stories told from that night, none has stayed with me in the way that the story of Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Straus has. They had risen from the ashes of the Confederacy to found a small China business in Philadelphia. From there they went on to make Macy's the world's largest department store.When she was told by her husband to get in the lifeboat along with the other women and children she answered, "We have been living together many years. Where you go, I go." When Hugh Woolner tried to persuade the aging Mr. Straus to get in the boat with Mrs. Straus, he replied, " I will not go before the other men." They were last seen lounging side by side in deck chairs, confusion reigning all about them as they sat, calmly awaiting their fate.

So many stories abound from that night. For the best insight into this remarkable tragedy I can suggest no other source which is better than Mr. Lords' two books on the Titanic. The first is "A Night to Remember", which was filmed twice, the British version being the best. And his follow up "The Night Lives On", published in 1986.

This is Molly Brown, aka the "Unsinkable Molly Brown." A would be socialite from Colorado, she had ben snubbed by all the women in her community. She was returning from Europe aboard the Titanic as a way to gain acceptance in the social circles of Denver. In the lifeboat when some of the inexperienced crew members were failing to do their duty, Mrs. Brown rose to the occassion and took command of the boat. When she returned to Denver she snubbed all the "fair weather" freinds who now clamored for her company.

An interesting note on the collision is that the sinking was avoidable. Had the ship simply continued on course, rather than making that fateful turn to port in a futile effort to avoid the iceberg, the damage would've been limited to the bow section and the pumps would have controlled the flooding. She would have arrived late, but with all passengers and crew safe.

The other interesting note to this story is the fate of the Carpathia, which had rescued the survivors. At the outbreak of World War One she was pressed into service as a troop ship. She was torpedoed in 1918 enroute from England to Boston. An ignominious end to such an important piece of maritime history. Such are the ways of the sea...