5. Lightoller was responsible for signing on a significant portion of Titanic’s crew
The first order of business for Titanic upon arrival in Southampton was signing on the majority of the ship’s crew. Titanic did not have a permanent crew, nor officers for that matter. Most of the crew, 699 of approximately 885, came aboard at Southampton, and most joined on April 6. Many of them weren’t employed by White Star, but rather came aboard as subcontractors, their value assessed by the ship’s officers. Among them were postal clerks, the waiters and other staff for the first-class restaurants and cafes, and the famous band which played as the ship slipped beneath the waves just over a week later. The radio operators were employees of Marconi.
It was the responsibility of the officers aboard, including Lightoller, to assess the credentials of those presenting themselves, hire them if desired, and assign them to their berths and duties. In addition to those duties, the ship had to be prepared in all aspects for sea. Lightoller had been aboard throughout the sea trials just a few days earlier and was aware that one problem which had arisen during the trials had not been addressed, nor would it be in the time remaining. Titanic had exhibited a reluctant response (a thirty-second delay) to its rudder when turned hard to either port or starboard, caused by the steam-driven mechanism which transferred steering inputs to the rudder itself.