Carpathia reached Titanic's position at daybreak. Found boats and wreckage only. Titanic had foundered about 2:20 a.m. in 41.16 north, 50.14 west. All her boats accounted for. About 675 souls saved, crew and passengers, latter nearly all women and children. Leyland Line S. S. California remaining and searching position of disaster. Carpathia returning to New York with survivors; please inform Cunard. HADDOCK.
SENATOR SMITH: That is the captain of the Olympic?
MR. FRANKLIN: Of the Olympic.
SENATOR SMITH: Addressed to Ismay?
MR. FRANKLIN: New York; that is our cable address. Immediately that telegram was received by me it was such a terrible shock that it took us a few minutes to get ourselves together. Then at once I telephoned, myself, to two of our directors, Mr. Steele and Mr. Morgan, jr., and at the same time sent downstairs for the reporters. I started to read the message, holding it in my hands, to the reporters. I got off the first line and a half, where it said, "The Titanic sank at 2 o'clock a.m.," and there was not one reporter left in the room ­ they were so anxious to get out to telephone the news.
SENATOR SMITH: The fact that the telegram was addressed to Mr. Ismay, and that you knew that he was aboard the Carpathia, or rather aboard the Titanic, warranted you ­ [After a pause.] That was the cable address?
MR. FRANKLIN: It was the cable address of our own offices, practically.
SENATOR SMITH: That does not indicate that it is intended for any particular person?
MR. FRANKLIN: No, sir; it is for the office; it is the business of the company.
SENATOR SMITH: All right; proceed.
MR. FRANKLIN: This is our cable address­­code address. The next telegram­­
SENATOR SMITH: I wish the reporter might mark these telegrams for identification.
MR. FRANKLIN: I will hand the whole bundle to him in a moment. [Reading:]
Inexpressible sorrow. Am proceeding straight on voyage. Carpathia informs me no hope in searching. Will send names survivors as obtainable. Yamsi on Carpathia.
This telegram was addressed to "Franklin, Care Ismay, New York," and signed "Haddock."
SENATOR SMITH: The "Yamsi" referred to is­­
MR. FRANKLIN: Mr. Ismay.
SENATOR SMITH: Was that the first information you had that he was on the Carpathia?
MR. FRANKLIN: The first information we had that he was on the Carpathia.
MR. BURLINGHAM: Give the hour of its receipt.
MR. FRANKLIN: These were both received very close to the same time; I would say about 6:30 that evening.
SENATOR SMITH: By whom was it signed?
MR. FRANKLIN: By Haddock, of the Olympic.
SENATOR FLETCHER: Where was the Olympic?
MR. FRANKLIN: She was about, at that time of day ­ of course, when this message was sent it was no doubt early in the morning. These messages were all fearfully delayed, apparently; but the Olympic at that time of the day had been at and had proceeded from the spot of the disaster, as far as our records show?
SENATOR SMITH: But her exact location you have not determined?
MR. FRANKLIN: We have not determined that.
SENATOR SMITH: That is, her latitude and longitude.
MR. FRANKLIN: No; I may be wrong. She could not have been quite at the wreck at that time. We figured it out that she would be at the wreck about 9 o'clock Monday night.
SENATOR SMITH: All right. Proceed.
MR. BURLINGHAM: She did not get there?
MR. FRANKLIN: She did not get there at all.
SENATOR SMITH: I should judge, from what the captain said, that after that telegram of sympathy he proceeded on his course.
MR. FRANKLIN: He proceeded on his course. I want to follow this up with these others. This is our wireless, then to Capt. Haddock.
SENATOR SMITH: Of the Olympic?
MR. FRANKLIN: Of the Olympic.
SENATOR SMITH: And the date?
MR. FRANKLIN: April 15, 7:10 p.m. [Reading:]
It is vitally important that we have name of every survivor on Carpathia immediately. If you can expedite this by standing by Carpathia, kindly do so. FRANKLIN
The next message we sent was 7:15, exactly the same time, as far as the telegrams are concerned. [Reading:]
HADDOCK, Olympic:
Distressed to learn from your message that Carpathia is only steamer with passengers. Understood Virginian and Parisian also had passengers. Are you in communication with them, and can you get any information? FRANKLIN.
I want to say this: That during the entire day we considered the ship unsinkable, and it never entered our minds that there had been anything like a serious loss of life. We of course thought there might have been something in transferring passengers or handling the passengers; but it never entered our minds that there had been a serious loss of life until we got this Haddock message at 6:30. Our next wire to Capt. Haddock was April 15, 7:35 p.m. [Reading:]
HADDOCK, Olympic:
Wire us name of every passenger, officer, and crew on Carpathia. It is most important. Keep in communication with Carpathia until you accomplish this. Instruct Californian to stand by scene of wreck until she hears from us or is relieved or her coal supply runs short. Ascertain Californian coal and how long she can stand by. Have life rafts been accounted for? Are you absolutely satisfied that Carpathia has all survivors, as had rumor that Virginian and Parisian also have survivors. Where is Baltic? FRANKLIN.
Then we sent another telegram to him at 9:55, April 16. That must be 15. April 15 it is. [Reading:]
CAPT. HADDOCK, Olympic:
Don't leave Carpathia until you have wired us names of survivors or you have arranged for somebody else to immediately telegraph us the names. FRANKLIN.
SENATOR SMITH: Was there any reply to that last one?
MR. FRANKLIN: No reply to that. [Reading:]
April 16, 1912. ­ 3:15 p.m.
COMMANDER, Olympic:
Communicate following to commander, Carpathia: "What is your present position? When do you expect reach New York?" Sumner. Stop. Anxiously awaiting names remaining additional survivors and crew. FRANKLIN.
Sumner was the agent of the Cunard Line, and authorized us to use his name in our effort to get the Carpathia to give us the names of the passengers on the steamer ­ survivors, in other words. Then Haddock wired:
S.S. CELTIC VIA CAPE RACE, N.F., April 16, 1912.
ISMAY, NEW YORK:
Please allay rumor that Virginian has any Titanic's passengers; neither has the Tunisian; believe only survivors on Carpathia; second, third, fourth, and fifth officers and second Marconi operator only officers reported saved.
1:45 a.m. HADDOCK, Olympic
After that we had no further communication with Haddock.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you then have any communication with the Carpathia direct?
MR. FRANKLIN: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you at any time have any communication with the Carpathia direct en route to New York?
MR. FRANKLIN: I sent him a telegram on April 16.
SENATOR SMITH: What hour?
MR. FRANKLIN: 10:35 p.m.
SENATOR SMITH: Capt. Rostron?
MR. FRANKLIN: To "Commander, Carpathia." [Reading;]
Do your utmost wire White Star Line, New York, immediately names of Titanic survivors on board your steamer. SUMNER.
I sent that by Mr. Sumner's name, thinking it would have more effect than my own.
SENATOR SMITH: He represented the Cunard Co.?
MR. FRANKLIN: He is the agent of the Cunard Co. He sent a representative in to tell us we could use his name.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you get any reply to that?
MR. FRANKLIN: I never received any communication from the captain of the Carpathia direct ourselves.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you receive any communication through Cape Race from him?
MR. FRANKLIN: Only the names of the passengers.
SENATOR SMITH: Or through any other ship?
MR. FRANKLIN: No, sir. We think the names of the passengers were sent to us through the Olympic at first, and afterwards direct.
SENATOR SMITH: Now, Mr. Franklin, did you on Monday have any conference with Mr. Marconi or Mr. Sammis?
MR. FRANKLIN: I never saw Mr. Sammis until, I think, he appeared at the investigation on Saturday. I never talked to him in my life, never had any communication with him to the best of my knowledge and belief.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know, of your own knowledge or in any other manner, whether silence regarding this catastrophe was enjoined upon Mr. Cottam, the operator of the wireless on the Carpathia, or Mr. Bride, the surviving operator of the wireless on the Titanic?
MR. FRANKLIN: I emphatically do not, and I know absolutely nothing about any censorship of the wireless in any direction.
SENATOR SMITH: Who was the first person you saw upon the landing of the Carpathia?
MR. FRANKLIN: The first person that I saw?
SENATOR SMITH: Among the officers of either line.
MR. FRANKLIN: The first person after the Carpathia docked, and I left you to go up the gang plank, that I remember having seen, or that made any impression upon me whatsoever was the captain of the Carpathia, as I went into the house on the top deck.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you go directly to the house on the top deck?
MR. FRANKLIN: I had never been on the Carpathia before, had no idea where I was going; but I thought I was going in the right direction, and happened to meet the captain in the companionway.
SENATOR SMITH: Where did you go from the top deck?
MR. FRANKLIN: I met the captain in the companionway on the top deck, and asked him if I could see Mr. Ismay, and he took me right down to Mr. Ismay's room.
SENATOR SMITH: During that time did you see either wireless operator?
MR. FRANKLIN: I did not.
SENATOR SMITH: During that time did you see either Mr. Marconi, or Mr. Sammis, or any representative of the Marconi company?
MR. FRANKLIN: I did not.
SENATOR SMITH: What you say gives the committee to understand that no communication from yourself or any subordinate officer, at your instance, or by your permission, attempted in any way to control the conduct of either wireless operator?
MR. FRANKLIN: Most emphatically.
SENATOR SMITH: Did the captain accompany you to Mr. Ismay's room?
MR. FRANKLIN: My recollection is that the captain accompanied me to Mr. Ismay's room, and knocked at the door, and then I walked in.
SENATOR SMITH: How long were you there?
MR. FRANKLIN: I was there, I suppose, about ­ I would not say more than about ­ 10 minutes when I heard that Senator Newlands and yourself were there. I suppose it was about 10 minutes.
SENATOR SMITH: During that time, was there anything said between yourself and Mr. Ismay regarding the operators of the wireless?
MR. FRANKLIN: Not a word.
SENATOR SMITH: Did Mr. Ismay make any suggestion that the operators should refrain from talking?
MR. FRANKLIN: To the best of my knowledge and belief Mr. Ismay never mentioned a wireless operator to me the whole time, or anything pertaining to him.
SENATOR SMITH: Thus far you have not read any communications from the Carpathia?
MR. FRANKLIN: The only communication that I had from the Carpathia was one received by us from the Cunard Line, and reads as follows­­
SENATOR SMITH: Where is it dated?
MR. FRANKLIN: April 16 is up here [indicating]. This is simply a copy. One of the Cunard Line men brought the message, as I remember it, and one of our men made a copy, just on a telegram. It was not addressed to us.
SENATOR SMITH: Where is it dated?
MR. FRANKLIN: It is dated, up in the corner, April 16. That is just a memorandum, "7:55 a.m." This is the contents of the message, no hour given on the message. This is from the Carpathia, Capt. Rostron, to the Cunard Line.
"Carpathia, to Cunard Line." A copy of their message; just a pencil copy. [Reading:]
NEW YORK, latitude 41.45; longitude 50. 20 west. ­ Am proceeding New York unless otherwise ordered, with about 800, after having consulted with Mr. Ismay and considering the circumstances. With so much ice about, consider New York best. Large number icebergs, and 20 miles field ice with bergs amongst.
To the best of my knowledge and belief that message was the first thing we had in any way, shape, or form from the Carpathia, and this was through the Cunard Line.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you receive any other message after that from them?
MR. FRANKLIN: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Neither directly nor through the Cunard Line?
MR. FRANKLIN: We were telephoning the Cunard Line, in telephone communication with them frequently, and asking whether they had any information, and whatever they had they gave us; but, their information was very meager, and they were trying all the time to get information from the Carpathia and could not do it. That was their report to us. If you will allow me to suggest, I would have the original of that message.
SENATOR SMITH: I want it.
MR. FRANKLIN: You will have to get it from the Cunard Line.
SENATOR SMITH: I understand. Now, Mr. Franklin, are you familiar with the provisions for the safety of passengers and crew of steamers operating on lines of which you are vice president?
MR. FRANKLIN: I am not familiar in a detailed way and have no technical knowledge of that kind; that does not come under us. We are really agents in the United States for the business of these lines. The lines are not domiciled here, in the sense that the marine superintendent and all the superintendent engineer and the victualing superintendents are all located abroad, and those instructions all come from those people.
SENATOR SMITH: Under what department of your company's management or affairs, if you know, could this information be obtained?
MR. FRANKLIN: What information, exactly, Senator?
SENATOR SMITH: Regarding the equipment of your ships?
MR. FRANKLIN: Of life­saving apparatus?
SENATOR SMITH: Life­saving apparatus, life preservers, and other devices calculated to minimize the dangers of sea travel.
MR. FRANKLIN: Your Board of Trade certificate covers that to a very large extent.
SENATOR SMITH: That is, the British Board of Trade?
MR. FRANKLIN: That is, the British Board of Trade. And then any further information regarding the details of that could only be given to you intelligently by either a representative of the British Board of Trade or our marine superintendent.
MR. BURLINGHAM: Or the builders.
MR. FRANKLIN: That is all right, but may be altered a dozen times.
SENATOR SMITH: Does the company build its own ships?
MR. FRANKLIN: No, sir; a great majority of the company's ships have been built by Messrs. Harland & Wolff on a percentage basis.
SENATOR SMITH: In Belfast?
MR. FRANKLIN: In Belfast. But there has been no economy in any way from them.
SENATOR SMITH: Are Harland & Wolff, a corporation?
