Titanic : The Mystery Of The Californian

[winstonmin]

I have just finished 'The Other Side of the Night' by Daniel Butler. I have always wondered about Captain Lord and his failure to do anything on the night of Titanic sinking, and it seems that there is one question that has never been answered - why didn't Captain Lord wake his wireless operator? Because even if he really didn't believe the ship they could see was the Titanic, also the discrepancy over the actual positions of the ships; and the peculiar visual distortions that night, etc - surely just the mention of rockets! which he was told about twice, would have alerted any Captain - and all Lord had to do was wake Evans. I've read the transcripts, but can't find an answer. What I wonder is, if Captain Lord was ever asked why he didn't do this. And what did he say in explanation? I'd be glad of any information.....

[BigT65]

As you may know there was a Board of Trade Inquiry into the disaster. You may be able to get details or even download a transcript from the National Archives. As for the distress rockets as far a I know they were mistaken for fireworks.