Then we were called
on deck and the life-boats were filled and lowered.
"The behavior of the ship's officers at this time was wonderful.
There was no panic, no scramble for places in the boats."
Later there was confusion, and according to most of the
passengers' narratives, there were more than fifty shots fired
upon the deck by officers or others in the effort to maintain
the discipline.
FIFTH OFFICER LOWE
A young English woman who requested that her name be
omitted told a thrilling story of her experience in one of the
collapsible boats which had been manned by eight of the crew
from the Titanic. The boat was in command of the fifth
officer, H. Lowe, whose actions she described as saving the
lives of many people. Before the life-boat was launched he
passed along the port deck of the steamer, commanding the
people not to jump in the boats, and otherwise restraining
them from swamping the craft. When the collapsible was
launched Officer Lowe succeeded in putting up a mast and a
small sail. He collected the other boats together, in some
cases the boats were short of adequate crews, and he directed
an exchange by which each was adequately manned. He
threw lines connecting the boats together, two by two, and
thus all moved together.
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