This role of this ship, which was in the area at the time the Titanic sank, but didn't come to her aid, has long been the subject of speculation. The History Channel devoted one of its programs to a re-enactment of evidence that was presented at the British inquiry into the Titanic sinking, while another program looked at atmospheric conditions that existed at the time and concluded that much refraction, causing distortion, could have led the Californian's captain, Stanley Lord, to conclude that he wasn't looking at a passenger liner through his binoculars (he was in his cabin when the sinking took place, the first officer was in charge). Still, there is no doubt from the inquiry evidence that the crew saw a number of white rockets coming from the direction of the Titanic which everyone knew was the means of signaling distress.
The Californian was a British steamship owned by the Leyland Line, part of J.P. Morgan's International Mercantile Marine Co., and was constructed by the Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Dundee, Scotland. She was 6,223 tons displacement, 447 feet (136 metres) long, 53 feet (16 metres) beam, and had an average full speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). She had a triple expansion steam engine which was powered by two doubled-ended boilers, and was primarily designed to transport cotton, but also had the capacity of carrying 47 passengers and 55 crew members. She has the distinction of being the largest ship ever built in Dundee.
The Californian was launched on 26 November 1901 and completed her sea trials on 23 January 1902. From 31 January 1902 to 3 March 1902, she made her maiden voyage from Dundee to New Orleans, Louisiana.
In WW1 the British government took control of her, and on 9 November 1915, while en route from Salonica to Marseilles, she was torpedoed and sunk approximately 61 miles (98 km) south-southwest of Cape Matapan, Greece by German submarine U-35, with the loss of one life. The wreck has yet to be found.
There is evidence to suggest that the Californian was stopped (with its engines still running) on the edge of the icefield (and contrary to official stories ships do not stop when there are icefields unless there is fog) to wait for the signal from Titanic in order to pick up passengers and crew, but it appears that the recue plan went pearshaped because the wireless operator had switched off for the night and also because Capt Lord had been signalled the wrong flares which maybe or may not have come another ship (some suggest an illegal seal hunting ship named Samson). Also, that Californian was carrying 3000 woollen blankets which is very suspicious.
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