Throughout the day there had been several ships that reported sightings of icebergs along the Titanic’s path. But this wasn’t uncommon, and the captain never thought such conditions could be dangerous. Despite reports of “field and pack ice,” he commanded the ship to sail near full speed.
Everything was done by the book. Even the ship’s sailing speed wasn’t deemed negligent, and their operations were properly documented. The SS California was anchored a few miles from the Titanic before the collision. They had been delayed overnight due to the icebergs themselves. But their warnings were cut off by Jack Phillips, the radio operator of the Titanic who was busy taking messages for the passengers.
The Captain Didn't Make the Tough Call
William McMaster Murdoch was the officer in charge when the iceberg collision took place. With sixteen years of experience, he was promoted to Chief Officer of the Titanic but temporarily served as the First Officer that night. Upon seeing the iceberg he commanded the ship to be turned, but there had been many accounts of his order which was hotly debated after the disaster. Some say he called for a "Hard-a-starboard," to turn the ship to port left, while others say it may have been a Hard a'port."
It only took 37 seconds for the ship to hit the large iceberg from the moment of its sighting. Some question the efficiency of his decision and wonder if better commands could have been issued to avoid the accident.
The Captain Was One of the Best
Edward J. Smith quickly rose through the ranks in the prestigious White Star Line with his valuable experiences as a British Merchant Navy Officer. He was known for his stoicism and discipline, and in 1904 he was promoted to commodore of the company’s flagship. He was appointed as captain of the Titanic during its maiden voyage (from Olympic), but he had prior plans of retiring after the assignment.
Smith stayed true to his principles and mission as captain even during their final hours of duty. Speaking before his men, he said, “Well boys, do your best for the women and children, and look out for yourself.” Those were his final words.
There Were No Binoculars in the Crow’s Nest
There had been a sort of mixup in Southampton port among the sailors. This was perhaps due to the crossover of officers from the Olympic, or the last-hour boarding of crew members. The Titanic sailed its maiden voyage with no binoculars afforded in the crow’s nest.
However, this wasn’t deemed pivotal in avoiding the iceberg. Even with a binocular on hand, the night was so dark, devoid of moonlight, that it could not have spotted the iceberg much earlier than the officer did with his own eyes. The surface of the ocean was so tranquil that no one could have detected waves lapping against large floating obstacles.
There Were Only Seconds Until the Impact
With the Titanic cruising near top speed, they were practically sailing dangerously all day; the danger increasing considerably at night. Looking back, reports say there were numerous icebergs spotted in the area, now known as Iceberg Alley.
The officer in charge spotted the iceberg and immediately shouted his command. From that very moment, the ship only had 37 seconds to execute the order and avoid the collision. They had very little time, plus adding the fact that there was confusion as to the correct order of the First Officer.