Iceberg that sank the Titanic: Difference between revisions

Captain [[Edward Smith (sea captain)|Edward John Smith]] and his officers knew before they left [[Southampton]] that the drift [[Sea ice|ice field]] was larger in extent and more southerly than in previous years. In addition, several radio reports ("marconigrams") were received from other ships during the voyage, warning the ''Titanic'' of drifting ice fields and icebergs.

The first report came on 12 April at 17:46 from the French ship ''[[SS La Touraine|La Touraine]]'': firstly, stating that it had sighted thick field ice itself, and secondly,that there were ice warnings from the ''Paris'' as well, which had seen field ice and two icebergs. On 13 April, ''Titanic'' encountered the [[Furness Withy|Furness-Withy]] steamer ''Rappahannock'', which was heading east. Whether the steamer actually reported an ice field to the ''Titanic'' by [[Morse lamp]] (as some authors claim) is disputed. It was later reported in a newspaper that the ''Rappahannock'' had been damaged in an ice field, but the chief officer of the ''Rappahannock'' did not mention that he had reported this to the ''Titanic''.<ref>Fitch et al 2015, p. 389, fn. 250.</ref>

On the day of the disaster, 14 April, the first information about ice came from the ''[[RMS Caronia (1904)|Caronia]]''. First, at 09:12 (''Titanic'''s board time), the ''Caronia'' radioed the ''Titanic'' that westbound steamers had reported icebergs, growlers (smaller pieces of ice), and field ice, along the 42nd parallel. Smith from the ''Titanic'' had the marconigram sent to him answered with thanks.<ref name="auto8">Halpern 2016, p. 81.</ref>

Secondly, the Dutch ship ''Noordam'' radioed a message to the ''Titanic'' via the ''Caronia'' at 11:47. The ''Noordam'' informed about an area north of the 42nd parallel: "much ice reported". Smith also thanked her for this message less than an hour later, via the ''Caronia''. Captain Smith showed this marconigram to Second Officer [[Charles Lightoller|Lightoller]], and he had it hung up in the chart room (where it remained the only one).<ref name="auto8"/>

Later, at 13:49, there was a report from the German steamer ''[[USS America (ID-3006)|Amerika]]''. It had passed two large icebergs. This message was sent to the Hydrographic Office in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]. With its weak radio equipment, the ''Amerika'' itself could not reach the radio station at [[Cape Race]], ([[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]). However, ''Titanic''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s radio cabin received the message and forwarded it to Cape Race (at 21:32). From there, Cape Race telegraphed it on. There is no evidence that the ''Titanic''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bridge received this information.<ref>Halpern 2016, p. 81/82.</ref>