Titanic captain : the life of Edward John Smith /G.J. Cooper.

A biography of Edward John Smith (1850-1912), captain of the Titanic. Born in Staffordshire, Smith went to sea at the age of seventeen and rose through the ranks of the merchant navy. He served on both sailing ships and later the steamships of the White Star Line. Given the command of RMS Titanic for her maiden voyage in 1912, Smith, regarded by many as the 'millionaire's captain', was by then White Star's senior commander, admired and trusted by his wealthy passengers. Smith died following Titanic's collision with an iceberg. There are conflicting reports of Smith's actions and behaviour in the evacuation of the ship and of his death. Although open to criticism for his seamanship, Smith was exonerated of blame by both the US and British official inquiries. Perceived by many as a hero for his stoicism and fortitude in the face of disaster, the author also details the campaigns to memorialize his name.