RMS Carpathia: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 04:07, 23 June 2008
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| History | |
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| Name | RMS Carpathia |
| Builder | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson |
| Laid down | c. 1902 |
| Launched | 1903 |
| Fate | Sunk by torpedo on 17 July 1918 off east coast of Ireland by German submarine U 55. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Cunard Line transatlantic passenger steamship |
| Tonnage | 13,555 gt |
| Length | 541 ft (165 m) |
| Beam | 64.5 ft (19.7 m) |
| Draught | 34 ft 7 in (10.54 m) |
| Propulsion | 8 Cyl Quad. Expans. - Twin Screw |
| Speed | list error: <br /> list (help) – service speed: 14 knots – top speed: 15 knot |
| Complement | list error: <br /> list (help) 2,550 First-class: 100 Second-class: 200 Third-class: 2250 (after 1905) |
RMS Carpathia was a Cunard Line transatlantic passenger steamship built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson. Carpathia began her maiden voyage in 1903 and became famous for rescuing the survivors of RMS Titanic after she sank on 15 April 1912.
History
The RMS Carpathia was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson at their Newcastle upon Tyne, England shipyard. She was launched on 6 August 1902 and began her sea trials on 22 April 1903 which ended on 25 April. Carpathia was 8,600 tons, 541 feet long (164 m) and 64.5 feet (18 m) in breadth.
Carpathia made her maiden voyage on 5 May 1903 from Liverpool, England to Boston, USA, and ran services between New York, Trieste and various Mediterranean ports.
Titanic disaster
Carpathia was sailing east from New York City bound for Gibraltar on the night of Sunday, 14 April 1912. Among her passengers were renowned American painter Colin Campbell Cooper, his wife Emma, journalist Lewis P. Skidmore, photographer Dr. Francis H. Blackmarr and Charles H. Marshall, whose three nieces were travelling aboard the Titanic.
Her wireless operator, Harold Cottam had missed previous messages from RMS Titanic, being on the bridge at the time.[citation needed] He received messages from Cape Race stating that they had private traffic for Titanic. He thought he would be helpful and sent a message to the Titanic stating that Cape Race had traffic for them. In reply he received a distress signal. Cottam awakened Captain Arthur Henry Rostron who immediately set a course at maximum speed to Titanic's last known position, approximately 58 miles away. Rostron ordered the ship's heating and hot water to be cut off, so the engines could feed on every ounce of steam. At 4 o'clock in the morning Carpathia arrived at the scene after working her way through dangerous ice fields. Carpathia was able to save 705 people.[1]
Aftermath
For the rescue work, the crew of the Carpathia were awarded medals by the survivors. Crew members were awarded bronze medals, officers silver and Captain Rostron a silver cup and gold medal, presented by Molly Brown. Rostron was later a guest of President Taft at the White House and was presented with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honour the United States Congress could confer upon him.
Carpathia was part of a convoy when she was torpedoed on 17 July 1918 off the east coast of Ireland by the German submarine U-55. The Carpathia was listing to port and sinking bow first.[2] 157 passengers and the surviving crew were rescued by HMS Snowdrop the following day. The last sighting was at 02:45am, just as the stern section sank.
Finding and salvage works
On 9 September 1999 Reuters and AP wire services reported that Argosy International Ltd., headed by Graham Jessop, son of internationally known undersea explorer Keith Jessop, had found the wreck of the Carpathia on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean earlier that week, about 185 miles off the southwestern English coast. "She is in reasonably good condition for a wreck of that age," Jessop said. "She is in one piece, and she is upright."[3]
The next year American author and diver Clive Cussler announced that his organization, NUMA, had found the wreck in the Spring of 2000,[4][5] at a depth of 500ft.[6] After the submarine attack Carpathia rolled over and landed upside down on the sea floor. The wreck currently lies upside down off the coast of Ireland.
The current owner of the vessel is Premier Exhibitions Inc. (formerly RMS Titanic Inc.) who plans to recover objects from the wreck.[6] The same company owns the salvor-in-possession rights of the RMS Titanic whose artifacts are shown in worldwide exhibitions.
References
- ^ Titanic Inquiry Project" Electronic copies of British and American inquiries into the disaster accessed 26 August 2006)
- ^ R.M.S. Carpathia" A detailed description of the ship; accessed 26 August 2007)
- ^ UK Titanic rescue ship 'found'"
- ^ Wreck of the Carpathia, Titanic's Rescuer, Found" from www.numa.net; accessed August 26, 2007)
- ^ DISCOVERY OF THE R.M.S. CARPATHIA" from www.titanic-titanic.com; accessed August 26, 2007)
- ^ a b Dive to film Titanic rescue ship" from http://news.bbc.co.uk; accessed August 26, 2007)
- Eaton, John P. and Haas, Charles A. Titanic: Triumph and Tragedy (2nd ed.) W. W. Norton & Company, 1995