SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, UNITED STATES SENATE
New York, N.Y.
The subcommittee met at 10:50 o'clock a.m. at the Waldorf­Astoria Hotel, New York City.
Present: Senator William Alden Smith (chairman) and Senator Newlands.
Present also: Mr. George Uhler, Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat­Inspection Service, Department of Commerce and Labor, Mr. J. Bruce Ismay, general manager of the International Mercantile Marine Co.; Charles C. Burlingham, Esq., and J. Parker Kirlin, Esq., representing the White Star Line; Emerson E. Parvin, Esq., secretary International Mercantile Marine Co.; Guglielmo Marconi, president of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co., and others.
Senator Smith: Gentlemen, I am very sorry to have delayed beginning the hearing beyond the hour set this morning, but a conference between my colleagues and myself made it necessary. I am going to proceed this morning by asking Mr. Cottam, the Marconi operator on the Carpathia, to take the witness chair again.
TESTIMONY OF HAROLD THOMAS COTTAM
SENATOR SMITH: Mr. Cottam, you detailed yesterday, when you were last interrogated by the committee, the work that you did on the Carpathia up to the time of the last message received from the Titanic.
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And to that message you made reply, by direction of the captain?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Will you relate the captain's last message to the Titanic?
MR. COTTAM: The captain sent a message to the effect that they were to have their lifeboats ready. We had got ours ready and were steaming as fast as we could in the direction of the position of the vessel given.
SENATOR SMITH: Was anything further said?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And you received no further answer to that message?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You also detailed the work that was done after reaching the scene of the collision and sinking of the Titanic?
MR. COTTAM: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you receive any communication from either a Marconi coast station or any other station from any officer of the White Star line?
MR. COTTAM: Do you mean as soon as we reached the spot?
SENATOR SMITH: I mean from the time you reached the scene of the catastrophe until you reached port in New York.
MR. COTTAM: I was in communication with some boat or other the whole of the time, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You were in communication with some boat or other the whole of the time?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did any message come signed officially by any officer of the White Star Line?
MR. COTTAM: I had one or two from the Baltic, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: One or two from the Baltic?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: To what effect?
MR. COTTAM: I can not remember, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Were they signed or merely transmitted?
MR. COTTAM: They were official messages, sir; but I can not remembered whether they were signed or not.
SENATOR SMITH: I wish you would speak a little louder; I can not quite hear you myself.
MR. COTTAM: They were official messages, but whether or not they were signed by the captain of the Baltic, I could not say.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you recall the contents?
MR. COTTAM: I can not remember. I have no record of any of them.
SENATOR SMITH: Were they messages from the Baltic, or transmitted through the Baltic from any coast station?
MR. COTTAM: There was communication with the Baltic and the Carpathia the whole of the time.
SENATOR SMITH: And you can not recall what those messages were?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir; there were too many of them, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: I will ask you specifically whether you received any message indicating a desire or suggestion that the true state of things be kept as confidential?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir. I informed the Baltic of the whole catastrophe about half past 10 in the morning after the wreck.
SENATOR SMITH: At half past 10 o'clock?
MR. COTTAM: About half past 10.
SENATOR SMITH: On Monday morning following the loss of the Titanic?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You communicated the facts to the Baltic?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know how far out the Baltic was at that time; how far from you?
MR. COTTAM: I could not say, sir; but she was steaming in the direction of the wreck.
SENATOR SMITH: She was steaming in the direction of the wreck?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: But you had no communication with a coast station?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And can you recall what was said in the message at 10:30 Monday morning to the Baltic?
MR. COTTAM: I told her the distress signal received earlier on, or the previous night, and told her that we had been to the wreck and picked up as many passengers as we could find in the small boats, and were returning to New York.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you say anything in this message about Halifax?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Or at any other time?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir. Yes, I believe I did mention something about Halifax, sir, simply because the captain was bound for Halifax first, and then he changed his mind and was bound for New York. I may have mentioned Halifax. I can not quite remember whether I mentioned Halifax first.
SENATOR SMITH: You say the captain was bound for Halifax?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: How do you know?
MR. COTTAM: I went and asked the captain, sir. Three or four ships around about wanted to know where we were bound for, and the captain said he was not decided, he thought he was bound for Halifax; but later on in the morning he changed his mind.
SENATOR SMITH: At what time?
MR. COTTAM: I can not remember the time.
SENATOR SMITH: About what time? Was it forenoon?
MR. COTTAM: It may have been about noon.
SENATOR SMITH: Was it necessary to change his course, in changing his mind?
MR. COTTAM: Slightly, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you at any time on Monday send a message to the Baltic, or to any other office, to the effect that all the passengers had been saved, and that the Titanic was being towed to Halifax?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Or anything resembling that?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Then you did not in any way attempt to withhold the exact facts concerning the sinking of the Titanic?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did any message reach you on the Carpathia on Monday, Monday night or Tuesday, from any source indicating a rumor of that kind?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: The only reference to Halifax was the reference made in your first message to the Baltic?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir. I may have sent the same to the other ships; I can not remember. There were three or four ships in the vicinity; the Virginian, the Californian, and the Baltic. I may have sent the same message to the three; I can not be certain.
SENATOR SMITH: But you did not send out from the Carpathia any report that the passengers and crew of the Titanic were saved, and that the ship, badly damaged, was being towed to Halifax?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Or anything of that nature?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And, if I understand you correctly, you were not requested to do so?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: By anyone?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Either operator, or officer, or any other person?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you pick up on the instrument any such statement from any other source?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you know that a statement of that kind was being printed?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You sent out no communication which was indefinite enough to be so construed?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You are very positive about that?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: It would have been false would it not?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And of your own knowledge, you knew that it would be false?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: If the White Star Line sent the following telegram, dated New York, April 15 ­
J. A. Hughes, Huntington, W. Va.: Titanic proceeding to Halifax. Passengers will probably land there Wednesday. All safe. White Star Line.
they did not obtain this information from you?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Nor to your knowledge, from any other operator on the Carpathia?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Were you on duty Monday?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: How much of Monday?
MR. COTTAM: All the day, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: All day?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What do you mean by "day"? Give the hours.
MR. COTTAM: The whole of the time, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Give the hour when you went on duty and when you left.
MR. COTTAM: I do not remember when I went on, and I did not come off for a couple of days after I got on.
SENATOR SMITH: Were you off duty from early evening Sunday until Monday evening?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir; I was never off.
SENATOR SMITH: Never off duty?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: So you were at your instrument?
MR. COTTAM: Yes; the whole of the time.
SENATOR SMITH: All of the time?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: On Sunday night, and Monday; all day, and as I understand you yesterday, Monday night all night?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And Tuesday all day?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And Tuesday night all night?
MR. COTTAM: Tuesday night or Wednesday night ­ I can not remember whether it was Tuesday night or Wednesday night ­ I got about two or three hours' sleep.
SENATOR SMITH: You fell off asleep?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And do not know when you went to asleep?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You awoke at dawn?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: On Wednesday morning?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: I suppose you were exhausted?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And involuntarily lapsed into slumber?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Sitting at your instrument?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: When did Mr. Bride, the surviving wireless operator of the Titanic relieve you?
MR. COTTAM: I believe it was on Wednesday afternoon when he was brought up.
SENATOR SMITH: Wednesday afternoon?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You slept in the early morning until dawn?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Of Wednesday?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And got no relief until the afternoon of Wednesday?
MR. COTTAM: I think it was the afternoon of Wednesday, sir. I don't remember the days, at all. Being up all the time, I don't remember what the days were. I know I only had about 10 hours sleep from the time we left the scene of the wreck until we arrived at New York.
SENATOR SMITH: You are positive, however, that you were in charge of the instrument Sunday, Sunday night, all night?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Monday and Monday night, all night?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: That was the day following this calamity?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Tuesday, and Tuesday night?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir. I believe it was Tuesday night when I fell off to sleep, and I had about three hours sleep.
SENATOR SMITH: That is what you have stated, Tuesday night. And you awakened at dawn on Wednesday morning?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: When you awakened, did you find yourself at your instrument?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Fully dressed?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And you got no relief until Mr. Bride came to your relief during the afternoon of Wednesday, that same day?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: About what time did Mr. Bride come to your relief?
MR. COTTAM: It was late in the afternoon; I should say about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And how long were you absent from your instrument?
MR. COTTAM: After Mr. Bride came into the cabin?
SENATOR SMITH: Yes.
MR. COTTAM: I was not absent at all, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You were not absent at all?
MR. COTTAM: No.
SENATOR SMITH: Were you lying down in your room adjoining your apparatus?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You were lying down in the room?
MR. COTTAM: Not when Mr. Bride came. I kept the watch all the night, the night that Bride was there. I was up the whole night.
SENATOR SMITH: You were up all of Wednesday night assisting Mr. Bridge?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What I would like to know is how much rest you got on Wednesday or Wednesday afternoon?
MR. COTTAM: I can not remember, sir, what rest I had; I know I only had about eight or ten hours, I think, from the time we arrived at the wreck until the time we arrived in New York.
SENATOR SMITH: During that time was Mr. Bride at the instrument?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir; we were both there the whole time.
SENATOR SMITH: But during the time you were getting the rest, did you leave him at the instrument?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: But you did not leave the instrument yourself until Wednesday afternoon?
MR. COTTAM: I did not leave the instrument on Wednesday afternoon.
SENATOR SMITH: Well, you got rest on Wednesday, you say?
MR. COTTAM: I do not remember whether I did or not.
SENATOR SMITH: While Mr. Bride was at the instrument did you feel your responsibility for the service?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You did not pass this responsibility over to him?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What did he do for you?
MR. COTTAM: He carried on with the work, sir, while I was not there.
SENATOR SMITH: Were you at your instrument when the message from the Chester arrived?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You took that message?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you reply to it?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: In the manner you stated yesterday?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: You did not feel any authority ­ you did not have any authority ­ to designate Mr. Bride for service?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir; his services were entirely voluntary, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: His services were entirely voluntary?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What was his physical condition?
MR. COTTAM: He could not walk; he could not stand, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: He could not walk and he could not stand?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: From his injuries?
MR. COTTAM: From injuries; yes, sir; injuries received at the time of the wreck.
SENATOR SMITH: At the time of the wreck?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: What was his mental condition? Did he seem to be lucid?
MR. COTTAM: No, sir. No, sir; he seemed to be all right.
SENATOR SMITH: How?
MR. COTTAM: He seemed to be all right.
SENATOR SMITH: I say, he seemed to be all right, did he, mentally?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And did he receive messages, to your knowledge?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: And answer them?
MR. COTTAM: Yes, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know of any that he sent or received?
