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CHAPTER V
THE TITANIC STRIKES AN ICEBERG!
TARDY ATTENTION TO WARNING RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT—THE
DANGER NOT REALIZED AT FIRST—AN INTERRUPTED
CARD GAME—PASSENGERS JOKE AMONG THEMSELVES—THE
REAL TRUTH DAWNS—PANIC ON BOARD—WIRELESS CALLS
FOR HELP
Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters |  |
TARDY ATTENTION TO WARNING RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT
Murdock's tardy answering of a telephone call from the crow's nest is assigned by Whiteley as the cause of the disaster.
When Murdock answered the call he received the information that the iceberg was due ahead. This information was imparted just a few seconds before the crash, and had the officer promptly answered the ring of the bell it is probable that the accident could have been avoided, or at least, been reduced by the lowered speed.
The lookout saw a towering "blue berg" looming up in the sea path of the Titanic, and called the bridge on the ship's telephone. When, after the passing of those two or three fateful minutes an officer on the bridge lifted the telephone receiver from its hook to answer the lookout, it was too late. The speeding liner, cleaving a calm sea under a star-studded sky, had reached the floating mountain of ice, which the theoretically "unsinkable" ship struck a crashing, if glancing, blow with her starboard bow.
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CHAPTER V
THE TITANIC STRIKES AN ICEBERG!
TARDY ATTENTION TO WARNING RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENT—THE
DANGER NOT REALIZED AT FIRST—AN INTERRUPTED
CARD GAME—PASSENGERS JOKE AMONG THEMSELVES—THE
REAL TRUTH DAWNS—PANIC ON BOARD—WIRELESS CALLS
FOR HELP
Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters | |