Captain Arthur Henry Rostron, born on May 14 1869 and raised in Lancashire, England at age 13 he began his career of becoming a sea captain, several years younger than Titanic's captain Smith. At age, 18 he became part of a barque group the Red Gauntlet in which he was promoted to second mate. After two years of experience, he was promoted to first mate. In 1894 he took and passed his Extra Masters exam and received his certificate to captain. A year later, he became the fourth officer of Cunard's passenger liner Umbria. As the years follow, he was passed in between ships ending up captaining the RMS Carpathia in 1912. He was the captain for 4 months when April 14 happened. Upon his ship were 125 first class, 65 second class and 550 third class. The Carpathia was to sail from New York to England, and had left April 11th 1912. April 14th, the unfaithful night arrived and while Captain Rostron was sleeping, wireless operator Harold Cottam awoke him franticly and explained the Titanic's distress calls. Immediately Rostron set a new course towards the Titanic, he didn't wait until Harold confirmed it was the Titanic, he just did.
To create more steam Rostron ordered to cut off the ships heating and hot water to maintain the ships maxium speed of 17 knots toward the Titanic's last know coordinates. Roustron charged the Carpathia through dangerous ice fields at full speed to help the unsinkable ship 58 miles away. Sadly, it took four hours for the Carpathia to arrive to what was now open water. At 4:00am, Carpathia's crew rescued 705 passengers from the Titanic's lifeboats, due to the amount of new passenger Rostron decide to turn around and go back to New York. Because of the heroic efforts, bronze medals were given to crewmembers while officers were awarded silver medals. The captain was awarded a sliver cup and gold medal for his impressive actions during a disaster. Rostron was later knighted by King George V, and was a guest of President Taft at the White House. During his White House stay he was presented with a Congressional Medal, the highest honor the United States Congress could give.
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| Molly Brown awarding Rostron for his actions. |
My Thoughts:
I'm very impressed with both the Titanic and Carpathia's captain's actions. Even though Captain Edward Smith died aboard the Titanic and Captain Rostron survived several more years, they stayed with their ships and with their crew. I believe that's a Captains responsibility, like a drivers responsibility of a car is to stay with their car; it's something they love and what to keep. I was looking back at the wreck of the MS Costa Concordia, a cruise ship built in 2004 by Italy for Carnival lines (White Star became Carnival Crusie lines). Captain Francesco Schettino was incharge of the ship, but when the ship hit rocks that were mapped on his navigational system, he jumped ship before giving any orders.
How is a man able to save his own life before the people he's responsibile for? Because the Concordia hit off shore of Italy the Coast Guard and rescuers where there immediately, after a Crew member sent the Distress signal. A Crewmember had to send the Distress signal a sudbournate of the captain. The disaster wasn't as huge as the Titanic but 32 passengers still lost their lives, 32 people that shouldn't have lost their lives, because the Capitan should have stay aboard and helped the Coast Guard rescue passengers. What's the matter with these ship captains? That's like being a life guard (which I'm) and not resucing a drowning person, by doing that I'd be neglient and a horriable human.
I'm very impressed with both the Titanic and Carpathia's captain's actions. Even though Captain Edward Smith died aboard the Titanic and Captain Rostron survived several more years, they stayed with their ships and with their crew. I believe that's a Captains responsibility, like a drivers responsibility of a car is to stay with their car; it's something they love and what to keep. I was looking back at the wreck of the MS Costa Concordia, a cruise ship built in 2004 by Italy for Carnival lines (White Star became Carnival Crusie lines). Captain Francesco Schettino was incharge of the ship, but when the ship hit rocks that were mapped on his navigational system, he jumped ship before giving any orders.
How is a man able to save his own life before the people he's responsibile for? Because the Concordia hit off shore of Italy the Coast Guard and rescuers where there immediately, after a Crew member sent the Distress signal. A Crewmember had to send the Distress signal a sudbournate of the captain. The disaster wasn't as huge as the Titanic but 32 passengers still lost their lives, 32 people that shouldn't have lost their lives, because the Capitan should have stay aboard and helped the Coast Guard rescue passengers. What's the matter with these ship captains? That's like being a life guard (which I'm) and not resucing a drowning person, by doing that I'd be neglient and a horriable human.
Titanica Docutmentry by IMAX
"Captain Arthur Henry Rostron." Encyclopedia Titanica. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.
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