Arthur Rostron

“There's a proverb that you can't teach old dogs new tricks. But all I can say is that any senior man who is incapable of assimilating a working knowledge of all the latest and most up-to-date gadgets in use on board the floating palaces had better swallow the anchor and moor up on shore. The sooner the better.”

“Inspections should be taken seriously and should be by no means cursory.”

“From apprentice in a crack full-rigged sailing ship to commander of one of the world's biggest liners is a long jump- one that covers much of the romance of travel by sea. In the eighties it was something of an adventure to cross the ocean; now it is little but a jolly holiday. Then people went because they had to; now they go because they like to. Then for the young sailor of the future always centred on beautiful sailing ships, long days in tropic seas, the shouted orders to clew up sail or man the lee fore-brace. Now his ambition is to wear gold braid and walk the deck of a luxury liner.”

“I never had any ambition other than to go to sea.”