Arthur Rostron

Arthur Henry Rostron was the Captain of the RMS Carpathia when the Titanic sank.

Rostron had already sailed for 27 years, with the last 17 of them at the Cunard Line. He had only sailed with the Carpathia for three months on April 15. A few days earlier, they depared from New York bound for Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia), stopping in Gibraltar, Liverpool, Genoa, Naples, Trieste.

But on Sunday night, at 12:35 A.M., Rostron was suddenly woken up by the first officer and the wireless operator Harold Cottam. Rostron was about to scold them when Cottam said he had received a CQD from the Titanic. Rostron, known as 'the electric spark', ordered full speed ahead before asking confirmation from Cottam, other captains would reverse that.

Next, Rostron prepared his whole crew for the recsue of the Titanic. he ordered:

• Chief engineer, to call another watch of stokers and make all possible speed
• First officer, to knock off all work which the men were doing on deck, the watch on deck, and prepare all lifeboats, take out the spare gear, and have them all ready for turning outboard
• English doctor, with assistants, to remain in first class dining room.
• Italian doctor, with assistants, to remain in second class dining room.
• Hungarian doctor, with assistants, to remain in third class dining room.
• Each doctor to have supplies of restoratives, stimulants, and everything to hand for immediate needs of probable wounded or sick.
• Purser, with assistant purser and chief steward, to receive the passengers, etc., at different gangways, controlling our own stewards in assisting Titanic passengers to the dining rooms, etc.; also to get Christian and surnames of all survivors as soon as possible to send by wireless.
• Inspector, steerage stewards, and master at arms to control Carpathia's steerage passengers and keep them out of the third class dining hall, and also to keep them out of the way and off the deck to prevent confusion.
• Chief steward: That all hands would be called and to have coffee, etc., ready to serve out to all of Carpathia's crew.
• Have coffee, tea, soup, etc., in each saloon, blankets in saloons, at the gangways, and some for the boats.
• To see all rescued cared for and immediate wants attended to.
• Rostron's own cabin and all officials' cabins to be given up. Smoke rooms, library, etc., dining rooms, would be utilized to accommodate the survivors.
• All spare berths in steerage to be utilized for Titanic's passengers, and get all Carpathia's steerage passengers grouped together.
• Stewards to be placed in each alleyway to reassure Carpathia's passengers, should they inquire about noise in getting our boats out, etc., or the working of engines.
• Chief and first officers: All the hands to be called; get coffee, etc. Prepare and swing out all boats.
• All gangway doors to be opened.
• Electric sprays in each gangway and over side.
• A block with line rove hooked in each gangway.
• A chair sling at each gangway, for getting up sick or wounded.
• Boatswains' chairs. Pilot ladders and canvas ash bags to be at each gangway, the canvas ash bags for children.

To all Rostron strictly enjoined the necessity for order, discipline and quietness and to avoid all confusion.

At 3:45 A.M., he was reported everything was ready.

At 4:00 A.M., Rostron stopped the engines. They had reached the disaster site and started rescueing survivors.