RMS Carpathia

Carpathia.jpg
Career Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
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 (10.5 m)
Propulsion: 8 Cyl Quad. Expans. - Twin Screw
Speed: – service speed: 14 knots (26 km/h)
– top speed: 15  knot
Complement: 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.

Contents

History

The grey-painted hull of the Carpathia rests on the slipway, awaiting the forthcoming launch.

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 (165 m) 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, Rijeka and various Mediterranean ports.

Titanic disaster

Carpathia docked in New York following the rescue of Titanic 's survivors

Carpathia was sailing from New York City to Rijeka on the night of Sunday, 14 April 1912. Among her passengers were renowned American painters Colin Campbell Cooper and 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. 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 (93 km) 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

Molly Brown (right) giving Captain Arthur Henry Rostron an award for his service in the rescue of the Titanic

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.

Sinking

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 listed to port and sank 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 (298 km) 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 500 ft (150 m).[6] After the submarine attack Carpathia rolled over and landed upright on the sea floor. The wreck currently lies upright off the coast of Ireland.[7]

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

  1. ↑ Titanic Inquiry Project" Electronic copies of British and American inquiries into the disaster accessed 26 August 2006)
  2. ↑ R.M.S. Carpathia" A detailed description of the ship; accessed 26 August 2007)
  3. ↑ UK Titanic rescue ship 'found'"
  4. ↑ Wreck of the Carpathia, Titanic's Rescuer, Found" from www.numa.net; accessed 26 August 2007)
  5. ↑ DISCOVERY OF THE R.M.S. CARPATHIA" from www.titanic-titanic.com; accessed 26 August 2007)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dive to film Titanic rescue ship" from http://news.bbc.co.uk; accessed 26 August 2007)
  7. ↑ [1]

Further reading

External links