The "Carpathia" races to the rescue
Stewards to be placed in each alleyway to reassure our own passengers should the inquire about [the activity]. All gangway doors to be opened. Electric sprays in each gangway and over the side. A block with line rove hooked in each gangway. A chair sling at each gangway, for getting up sick and wounded. Boatswains' chair. Pilot ladders and canvas ash bags to be at each gangway, the canvas bags for children.
Cargo falls with both ends clear; bowlines in the ends, and bights secured along ship's sides, for boat ropes or to help people up. Heaving lines distributed along the ship's side, and gaskets handy near gangways for lashing people in chairs, etc. Forward derricks, topped and rigged, and steam on [the] winches; also told off officers for different stations and certain eventualities. Ordered company rockets to be fired an 0245 a.m. and every quarter of an hour after to reassure "Titanic."
By diverting steam from passenger cabins to the engines, the "Carpathia," whose normal speed was around 14 knots, covering the reported 58 miles at a speed Rostron estimated at 19 ½ knots (Dave Gittens' All at Sea site has an intriguing and compelling navigational investigation of the legendary "Carpathia" story, concluding that the "Carpathia" did not go as fast nor travel as far as Rostron believed).
Meanwhile, back among the tiny flotilla of lifeboats, people were still dying. On the overturned collapsible "B," Lighttoller was organizing the men balanced precariously on the wooden hull, having them calling out to the other lifeboats to come pick them up, but apparently no other boats were in range. During the night, two men on "B" died. On the swamped collapsible "A," the passengers were up to there waists in the freezing water. More than half of the people who made it aboard "A" died that night.
On boat #2, Fourth Officer Boxhall had the foresight to snatch a few green flares from Titanic's wheelhouse and he occasionally lit one in the hopes of attracting other boats. Finally, about 03:30, an hour after the "Titanic" went under, a faint glow was seen on the horizon followed by a faint boom. At first the "Titanic" passengers thought it was lightning or a falling star, but gradually a masthead light was seen peeking over the horizon. The "Carpathia," dodging icebergs at full speed, had arrived. Boxhall lit another flare and the "Carpathia" slowly approached.
The rescue took more than four
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