RMS TITANIC THE SINKING 15 APRIL 1912 GHOST SHIPS

THE TITANIC - SINKING - 15 April 1912

On Monday, April 15, 1912, at 12:30 AM, in the dark of night, the R.M.S. Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic near Canada and sank at 4146' N, and 5014' West. Thanks to wireless, and the first S.O.S. in history, 745 passengers were saved but 1595 persons died in this tragedy among them some of the most prominent persons in the world. It has been argued that the number of survivors could have been doubled or even tripled, if there were stronger wireless regulations in effect at that time.

Indeed at least three problems appeared and increased the slow response of rescuers. First, the radio operators were only on duty during the "open hours", thus only at daytime. Any event could thus occur at night and go almost un-noticed. Of course tragedies nearly always happen at the most inconvenient times, otherwise they do not become tragedies.

The Titanic before the accident

At that time in 1905, the Morse code "SOS" signal (does not mean Save Our Souls) was adopted by German ships for signifying distress while the British marine, working with Marconi operators, wanted to keep CQD (General Call Disaster that some translated as Come Quick Disaster) as a distress signal.

It was first decided to use SOE, but the small "E" dot can easily be lost in QRM and one suggested to replace it with an S, as in repeating three time the small dot the operators had much more chance to arrest the attention of anyone hearing it, hence SOS, was adopted at the Berlin Radiotelegraphic Convention in 1906 as the official international standard for distress calls. But Marconi operators were slow to conform and until 1907 Marconi companies continued to work with the "CQD", associating it if necessary to SOS.

So it was that a commercial war between Marconi and his German competitor, Telefunken, added to the general confusion on that fateful day. This situation depended on individual radio operators. In these early days of telegraphy, where the Stock exchange was growing fast, rapid information exchanges allowed smaller companies to compete with major corporations to increase their shares price.

Titanic - how she sank

In the context of commercial war information war, no routine traffic, even in an emergency, would pass from a Marconi station to a Telefunken competitor. Unfortunately, for Titanic, this lack of co-operation between operators prevailed at a time when they needed help most urgently.

This story is interesting to recall because it emphasizes the problem of security aboard the ship, and the lack of a standard wireless regulation. Here follows the whole story, shortened to the essential messages. In all, some twenty-eight ships were involved in communications with Titanic. The rescue lasted eight hours between the first distress call and the last passenger rescued. Only the "Carpathia" rescued all the passengers they could and proceeded to New York, a trip that took another two and a half days more to complete.

Replica of the Titanic Marconi shack exhibited at

the American Radio Museum at Bellingham, WA., USA

A depths of confusion revealed

On this cold April night in 1912, the Marconi station onboard the "MGY" vessel (the radio callsign of the Titanic) was operated by two wireless operators, 25 year old John George Phillips - better known as "Jack" or "Sparks", and 22 year old Harold Bride as the Deputy or Assistant Radio Operator. They were both employees of the Marconi Telegraph Company. Jack Phillips could tap out 39 words per minute, ditto that for Harold Thomas Cottam ("Carpathia's" wireless operator), and Harold Bride's could manage 26 words per minute.

They were passing a routine traffic by 11.45 PM when Captain Smith came in informing Phillips and Bride that the ship had hit an iceberg, and to prepare a distress call.

At 12:15 AM the captain returned at the radio room and told the operators to send the message. Phillips sent it using his spark gap transmitter : "CQD Titanic 41.46 N 50.24 W" when Bride interrupted him : "Send S.O.S. ! It's the new call and it may be your last chance to send it". But faithful to Marconi's rules, Phillips continue sending CQD.

At the same time, ship "La Provence" received the distress message asking for assistance, the ship "Mount temple", MLQ, also heard the CQD and asked "Titanic" to give again her position. Drowned in the noise of the steam, Philips and Bride checked the ship position. "Cape Race", MCE, heard "Titanic" sending back her new coordinates : "41.44 N 50.24 W". Then ship "Ypiranga" heard "Titanic" calling CQD for about 10 minutes without establish any contact.

The situation worsening, at 12:25 AM Phillips sent to any ship in their vicinity a new message. The Cunard Liner "Carpathia", MPA, picked up the CQD saying : "Come at once. We have struck a berg. It's a CQD OM. Position 41.46 N 50.14 W". Immediately "Cape Race" called "Titanic" but received no reply.

"Titanic" sent a new call : "MGY CQD, here correct position 41.46 N. 50.14 W. Require immediate assistance. We have collision with iceberg. Sinking. Can hear nothing for noise of steam". Titanic called so during about 15 to 20 minutes to "Ypiranga". "...MGY CQD SOS SOS CQD CQD DE MGY WE ARE SINKING FAST PASSENGERS KEIN...".

Meanwhile, at 12:30 AM "Mount Temple" heard "Titanic" still calling CQD. His Captain "reversed ship". She was about 90 km (50 miles) off "Titanic". After a lot of misunderstanding between ships, at 12:32 AM "Carpathia" answered to "Titanic": "Putting about and heading for you".

Titanic sinking - from the movie

At 12:45 "Olympic", MKC, the sister ship of "Titanic" located 800 km (500 miles) away en route to England heard "Titanic" sending "CQD, CQD, SOS Titanic. Position 41.44 N 50.24 W.". But it seems that "Olympic" didn't answer or didn't understand her call. According to the transcript this is the first time that "SOS" was sent, so at least half an hour after the accident and the request of Bride!

While "Titanic" was slowly sinking, Phillips continued to send CQD, and his position, explaining again that "Titantic" had stuck an iceberg, etc. This dramatic comedy lasted another half hour.

At 1:15 AM "Baltic", MBC, asks "Caronia", MSF, to : "Please tell Titanic we are making toward her".

At 1:20 AM "Virginian", MGN, heard "Cape Race" informing "Titanic" : "that we are going to his assistance. Our position 170 miles N. of Titanic." 5 minutes later "Caronia" tells "Titanic" : "Baltic coming to your assistance."

As soon as the wireless operator informed his captain, the "Carpathia" and " Cape Race", chimed in their acknowledgement of the disaster call. But these ships were still hundreds of kilometers away and the "Titanic" desperately continued to send his "CQD" and "SOS" messages.

At 1:25 AM at the requests of "Olympic" : "Are you steering southerly to meet use", "Titanic" replied : "We are putting the women off in the boats." Phillips repeated this message two minutes later.

At 1:30, "Titanic" sent again : "We are putting passengers off in small boats."

At 1:35 AM "Olympic" asked "Titanic" what weather she had. "Titanic" replied : "Clear and calm.". Then the German Liner "Frankfurt", DFT, asked "Titanic" : "Are there any boats around you already ?" Titanic didn't reply. The reason was simple, even if according to our modern rules that looks incredible : the "Frankfurt" operator worked for Telefunken, the main competitor of the Marconi company!

The Titanic radio room. Doc Nova Scotia Online

At 1:40 AM "Cape Race" said to "Virginia" : "Please tell your Captain this: The Olympic is making all speed for Titanic, but his [Olympic] position is 40.32 N. 61.18 W. You are much nearer to Titanic. The Titanic is already putting women off in the boats, and he says the weather there is calm and clear. The Olympic is the only ship we have heard say, "Going to the assistance of the Titanic. The others must be a long way from the Titanic."

At 1:45 AM "Carpathia" heard one of the last message sent by "Titanic" : "Come as quickly as possible old man: our engine-room is filling up to the boilers".

Ar 1:48 AM "Asian", MKL, heard "Titanic" calling "SOS". She answered but received no reply. The "Frankfurt" operator came back also to get more information and asked the "Titanic" : "What is the matter with you ?". "Caronia" heard "Frankfurt" working the "Titanic" but it was still 275 km (172 miles) away.

At 1:50 AM on the "Titanic" Phillips tapped back to "Frankfurt" : "You are a fool, stdbi stdbi stdbi and keep out". At this moment the "Frankfurt" was still at 277 km (172 miles) from 'Titanic". Hence, it needed quite a few hours to reach her.

Phillips continued to transmit information for about half an hour to other ships, but mainly to the "Carpathia", and "Olympic". The "Carpathia" operator took the time to transmit the list of survivors to the "Olympic", then he closed his radio station, keeping a radio silence and refusing even to answer to Navy cruisers sent to the scene by President Taft.

At 2:00 AM "Virginian" still heard "Titanic" calling but this time her emitting power began greatly to reduce.

At 2:10 "Virginian" still heard two weak "v" surrounding with sparks. You can imagine that Phillips tried adjusting his transmitter to compensate for the dying power supply from the engine room. "Titanic" began to take on water in her first five compartments. Orders were given to the crew to uncover the lifeboats and to get the passengers and crew ready on deck. But there was only enough room in the lifeboats for about half of the 2,340 people on board... It was thus decided to give the priority to women and children, until the boats were filled. It is a matter or record that the panic filling and lowering of boats, meant that many of the boats were only partly occupied.

Message : New York to Carpathia via Siasconset, Apr 18, prefix SDH, words 'DH', sent to MPA by J.C. 3.15 a.m. This is Siasconset sending form.
Opr Carpathia.

Wire news despatches immediately to 'MSC' or to navy boats if this impossible ask Capt give reason why no news allowed to be transmitted.

Guglielmo Marconi.

And below, the Captain's answer noted in message book, above and below gummed down Marconi. The message from Seagate to Carpathia was sent as a note to the operator of the latter, who kept no record of it.

The note is marked (diagonally in pencil across bottom right hand corner of form 'Dupe' -Station's sending form, rubber-stamped 'SEA GATE' at top, in purple ink.

Form is headed 'MARCONI WlRELESS TELEGRAPH COMPANY OF AMERICA'.

Message : New York Office to Carpathia, via Sea Gate Station, Apr 18 1912, prefix 'note', words 20, sent to MPA by D.S. 8.15 p.m., service instructions: 'Foned (?) 'HO'.

Marconi Officers - Carpathia & Titanic S.S. Carpa.

Arranged for your exclusive story for dollars in four figures Mr Marconi agreeing Stop Say nothing until you see me.

F.Sammis

Harold Sidney Bride assistant radio operator

By 2:15 AM or so, Phillips sent another message : "SOS SOS CQD CQD Titanic. We are sinking fast. Passengers are being put into boats. Titanic". "Virginian" heard it but was unable to read it correctly.

At 2:17 AM, Phillips was intended to send a last "CQD DE MGY" that was partly hear by the "Virginian", when him and Bride were urged to leave their post by Captain Smith. After the loss of all power in "Titanic"'s radio room, "Virginian" noticed that "Titanic"'s signal ended very abruptly.

Bride and Phillips left the wireless room and made their way to the Boat-Deck, and began trying to help the other men in the releasing of collapsible Lifeboat B. While neither of them immediately made it onto a lifeboat, both were rescued from the sea. Bride's feet were so severely frozen he could no more walk. Phillips died of hypothermia on or near Collapsible lifeboat B. His body was never recovered.

Pretty soon, the "Titanic" lights flickered, and then totally went off, leaving everyone on the ship, and in the lifeboats, in total darkness. As the stern rose, it stood almost to a 90 degree angle. People on the ship grabbed for anything to hang on to. A weak spot developed between the third and fourth smoke stack, which caused the stern of the ship to break off but the stern rested in the water in the normal position. After about a minute, the stern was over taken by water, and finally slipped into the sea.

In less than two hours 1595 passengers died of hypothermia or drowned, and the so-called unsinkable "Titanic" sank by 3780 m (12600 ft) deep at 724 km (450 miles) south-east of Halifax. 745 survivors huddled in half filled lifeboats waiting to be rescued.

Once arrived on site, at 4:10 AM the "Carpathia" picked up the first survivors and immediately sent a wireless message to other ships. At 8:10 AM the last lifeboat was rescued by the Carpathia.