Titanic (Rms) Wreck

Circumstances of loss

THOUGHT TO BE UNSINKABLE, THE `TITANIC' ON HER MAIDEN VOYAGE, BUT WITH LIFEBOATS FOR ONLY A THIRD OF HER 1348 PASSENGERS AND 860 CREW SAILED FROM SOUTHAMPTON FOR NEW YORK ON APRIL 10TH. THE VOYAGE WAS UNEVENTFUL, THE WEATHER COLD BUT FINE, THE COLD INTENSIFYING ON THE 14TH WHEN WIRELESS MESSAGES WERE RECEIVED REPORTING THE PRESENCE OF ICEBERGS. IGNORING THIS CAPT SMITH MAINTAINED THE SAME SPEED, THOUGH BY NIGHTFALL IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS ICE IN THE VICINITY. SOON AFTER 11.30 PM WHEN ABOUT 400 MILES SSW OF CAPE RACE THE LOOKOUT REPORTED THAT ICE LAY AHEAD. THE OFFICER OF THE WATCH, MR MURDOCK, ORDERED THE QUARTERMASTER TO STARBOARD THE HELM BUT SHE WAS TOO SLOW IN ANSWERING AND STRUCK THE ICEBERG A GLANCING BLOW. THE SHOCK WAS NOT SEVERE BUT THE HULL WAS RENT OPEN 20 FT FROM HER STEM TEARING OPEN THE DOUBLE BOTTOM SO BADLY THAT IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE VESSEL HAD RECEIVED FATAL DAMAGE. THEREFORE WIRELESS CALLS FOR AID WERE IMMEDIATELY SENT BUT THE DECISION WAS MADE NOT TO PANIC THE PASSENGERS AND A SLOW AND LOW KEY EVACUATION WAS SET IN MOTION. THE VESSEL FINALLY SANK AT 2.15AM, TAKING WITH HER 815 PASSENGERS AND 688 CREW - 711 SURVIVED. THE CREW NUMBER LOST BEARING TRIBUTE TO THE DEVOTION TO DUTY OF HER CREW. THE SURVIVORS WERE RESCUED BY THE `CARPATHIA' WHO REACHED THE SCENE AT 3.30AM AFTER HAVING SAILED AT 16KNOTS FOR 4.5 HOURS TO PICK UP ALL THE SURVIVORS WITHIN 4 HOURS OF ABANDONING THE TITANIC. SHE THEN SAILED FOR NEW YORK. CAPT SMITH, MR MURDOCK THE FIRST OFFICER AND ALL THE ENGINEERS WENT DOWN WITH THE SHIP. (DODS).