Chapter 16

           TheCalifornianhadcomeupwhiletheCarpathiawastakingthesurvivorsonboard,anditwasarrangedthatsheshouldremainandsearchthevicinitywhiletheCarpathiamadeallhastetoNewYork.Andtheothershipsthathadansweredthecallforhelpeithercameuplaterinthemorningandstayedforalittlecruisingaboutintheforlornhopeoffindingmoresurvivors,orelseturnedbackandresumedtheirvoyageswhentheyheardtheCarpathia’stidings.

           Inthemeantimetheshorestationscouldgetnonews.WordreachedNewYorkandLondoninthecourseofthemorningthattheTitanichadstruckanicebergandwasbadlydamaged,butnothingmorewasknownuntilamessage,theoriginofwhichcouldnotbediscovered,cametosaythattheTitanicwasbeingtowedtoHalifaxbytheVirginian,andthatallherpassengersweresaved.WiththisnewstheLondoneveningpaperscameoutonthatMonday,andevenonTuesdaytheearlyeditionsofthemorningpapershadthesamestory,andcommenteduponthenarrowescapeofthehugeship.EventheWhiteStarofficialshadonMondaynodefinitenews;andwhentheirofficesinNewYorkwerebesiegedbynewspapermenandrelativesofthepassengersdemandinginformation,thepatheticbeliefintheTitanic’sstrengthwasallowedtoovershadowanxietiesconcerningthegreaterdisaster.Mr.Franklin,thevice-presidentoftheAmericanTrusttowhichtheWhiteStarCompanybelongs,issuedthefollowingstatementfromNewYorkonMonday:

           “WehavenothingdirectfromtheTitanic,butareperfectlysatisfiedthatthevesselisunsinkable.