A Titanic Anthology: Lookouts, Lifeboats, Icebergs, and the Law

By Ian Donaldson

This book introduces a comprehensive examination of contemporary official documents, witness statements and evidence regarding the events leading up to and following the loss of the liner RMS Titanic in April 1912. Compiled and revised from previously published material, from the same author, and brought together in one collection. The reader, whether new to the Titanic story or a well-travelled veteran, will become engaged in an interesting and informative narrative that challenges many of the accepted notions of the Titanic saga which continues to stimulate discussion and controversy to the present day. Eye-witness accounts from the past are re-awakened to give a new voice to long-forgotten versions of a dark period in British maritime history, when the age of the giant passenger vessel reigned supreme and scant attention was paid to the consequences of a disaster befalling a large vessel at sea and what would become of the passengers and crew. Those issues, many of which only became known to the public in the days and weeks after the loss of the Titanic, shocked a global audience. However, as this story reveals, these were known to the shipping industry and leading British politicians for many years before ships carried vastly increasing numbers of passengers, at greater speeds, in dangerous waters, driven by the lure of profit, to destinations across the oceans of the world, some of whom would never reach port. As the narrative shows, in many documented cases, innocent lives were lost due to inadequate Official oversight and meaningful regulations that should have protected their passage while at sea. Instead when tragedy occurred, most were left to scramble for the few available seats on a lifeboat. The 'lucky' ones, facing the prospect of a long, dangerous sojourn in hostile seas until rescue or death relieved them. For many years, the Government of the day appeared to yield control over merchant marine enterprise to shipping interests in their pursuit of profit and political influence. Following the loss of the Titanic, the efforts of the shipping industry to thwart the recommendations of the Official British Inquiry and the equally determined efforts of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade, to take the initiative regarding changes to the regulations that were recognised as long-overdue and absolutely necessary. These proposed changes would strengthen and govern the safety of life at sea at that time, and long into the future. To their unsung credit, many of these rules survive to this day, whether a passenger on a cross-channel ferry, a pleasure boat, or a cruise-ship far out to sea, the lives of all have sanctuary from the worst elements of nature and a guaranteed place on a lifeboat, should the unthinkable happen. N.B. A donation from each purchase will be made to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F5WMKQ3Y
• ISBN13: 9798305348040
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 518 Pages
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 1.2" x 8.5"