Colonel Archibald Gracie page 4 by ric gustafson
There were twenty boats on board. Fourteen were wooden lifeboats each thirty feet long by nine feet. Each lifeboat could carry up to sixty five people. There were two wooden cutters which were used for emergency purposes. Then there were four canvas collapsible boats which could carry up to forty seven people. The odd numbered boats were on the starboard side and the even numbered boats were on the port side.
I was on the port side helping Second Officer Lightoller with helping women and children into the boats. I helped Colonel Astor's wife into a boat as Colonel Astor asked if he could enter the boat with his wife. Lightoller said no so Colonel Astor stayed onboard. When they lowered the first boat, there was seventy feet to the water. When the last boat was lowered on the port side, there was only ten feet to the water. The ship was now listing to port as if the ship was going to topple over. I ran to the starboard side of the ship to help First Officer Murdoch with the lifeboats. All women and children of the first class were saved except for five. When I witnessed the last lifeboat being lowered, fear entered my thinking.
research help: ' Titanic a survivor's story' by Colonel Archibald Gracie
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
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