Rescuing Titanic shows that a glimmer of hope can be found even in great tragedy and that heroes are not always big and mighty, but can also be small and unassuming. This is the debut book in the Hidden Histories series, which explores with beautiful illustrations and vivid details the untold parts of stories we thought we knew. In Viking ships they steered with a board overside. on the righthand side as the steersman looked ahead, the way you can steer a canoe with a paddle. This was called the steorbord or steering-board. Hence the starboard side means the steering-board side!" Already the Carpathia was being turned around. The Captain was in the chartroom, working out the course. He came out onto the bridge and said briskly to the helmsman, "North 52 West! Full ahead!"

After that Cottam did not send any more signals. He refrained from doing anything which would interfere with the transmissions from the Titanic. He heard her signals answered by other ships­ the Frankfort, the Mount Temple, and, at 1.25 A.M.—from a great distance (400 to 500 miles to the westward) by the Olympic. But there was no signal from the Californian, which lay only ten miles from the Titanic's position. Her wireless operator had shut down for the night and gone to bed before the first distress signal was sent out. Captain Rostron later stated his earnest belief that the "hand of God was on the helm of the Carpathia" during that half hour when, in eight more miles at forced full speed, we zigzagged among the bergs, clearing them with sufficient room as we sighted them one after the other. At that time (11 P.M.) the Titanic was not more than twenty miles from the Californian. The mammoth ship was driving on, at her utmost speed of twenty-two and one hall knots, trying to make up time, and headed toward the icefield. Cottam smiled as he heard the curt reply from Phillips to Evans, "Shut up, old man, I'm busy!" She was not a "full ship." She was certified by the Board of Trade to carry 2,650 passengers and 897 crew–a total of 3,547 souls. Cunard's Mauretania and Lusitania were each certified to carry 2,200 passengers and a crew of 900, total 3,100 souls. They were far better-designed vessels in every way than the Olympic and the Titanic. The lists went on and on. These famous people and their womenfolk were the creme de la creme of America's upper-class society. Their names were household words in that period when wealth, social distinction, or intellectual and artistic achievements occupied the newspaper space that nowadays is given to film actors, sporting champions, and criminals.PRESENTED TO THE CAPTAIN, OFFICERS & CREW OF R.M.S. CARPATHIA, IN RECOGNITION OF GAL­LANT & HEROIC SERVICES, FROM THE SURVIVORS OF THE S.S. TITANIC, APRIL 15TH, 1912. This was necessary to avoid confusion and delay at quarantine and the customs, and also to protect the survivors of the Titanic from being harassed. This man," said the Captain to me, "is on board without my permission. See that he does not leave the bridge. When we get to the Pier, hand him over to the Marine Superintendent for necessary action." The Third Officer had been relieved at midnight by the Second Officer and an apprentice. They noticed the masthead and side lights of the distant liner, which they assumed was heading south­ westwards to get clear of the icefield.

Flora: I really enjoyed working on the passenger spread. Deciding which individuals to highlight was great fun. In the end I wanted to show a range of the types of people who were travelling on passenger ships like the Carpathia such as rich socialites and more middle-class travellers. It was a perilous safety, as the raft was awash, but one of the bigger lifeboats, which already held forty-five people, came over and took the thirty men from the raft. Lightoller then took command of this boat, and eventually brought it to the Carpathia's side. I was then called up for twelve months' training in warships, to qualify as a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve. I was in my thirtieth year. May and I were married in London on June 28, 1913, while I was on leave from naval training. Captain Rostron stood silently gazing ahead, and to the sky, and then turned to the north, watching the play of light from the Aurora Borealis. I knew better than to interrupt his meditations. Presently he raised his cap a few inches from his forehead, and uttered a silent prayer, moving his lips soundlessly.

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Wisdom after the event is sad wisdom. The directors of the White Star Line had become bemused by their own propaganda. They believed that this ship was "unsinkable." A publicity catch­word had warped their judgment of reality. This happens often in politics, with dire results, especially in international relations; but words are no substitute for facts.