Analyzing Testimony and Perspective in "Titanic Officer Swears Wreck Due to Company's Neglect"

The RMS Titanic was a British passenger ship that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early morning of April 15, 1912, after colliding with an iceberg. More than 1,500 passengers died. The enormous loss of life created an international scandal as the public wanted to know how such a disaster could happen.

As you read, take notes on how the crew members describe the tragedy.

Pittman declared that his boat saved 40 passengers and six members of the crew. He heard four explosions, he said, and then the Titanic sank. ... “I know that my boat might have held more,” [said] Pittman, “and I told my men to try to pick up passengers from among those who were struggling in the waters. Many of my passengers begged me not to do this, fearing that the boat would capsize. I turned the boat around to go in the direction of cries which I heard. When I saw that the passengers thought the swimmers would swamp up, I did not go back to the spot where the Titanic sank. We took in our oars and drifted for an hour. Gradually the cries grew fewer and finally ceased.”