Titanic: Danger Ignored
To be fair, even though communication between the wireless room and the bridge were haphazard to say the least, Smith did take precautions. Along the N. Atlantic sea lanes there is a point where west-bound ships turn a "corner" and set a more westerly course to New York. Smith delayed turning "the corner" by almost an hour, setting "Titanic" about 16 miles south of the normal shipping lanes. With only 3 out of the 5 warnings sent to the bridge (and only one posted in the chartroom) Smith probably thought he would pass south of the reported ice. Unknown to all was that yet another warning, this from the "Marsaba:"
"Lat 41.25 N, Longitude 40 W to 50.30 W, saw much heavy pack ice and great number large icebergs, also field ice."
The "Titanic" was already inside the area described in the message, but no one knew that since, in the confusion in the wireless room, this message was sitting under a paperweight on Harold Bride's desk.
About 9 P.M. Smith returned to the bridge to speak with his 2nd Officer, Charles Lightoller. The temperature had dropped quickly after sunset and eventually drop to 33 F. The night was moonless, and windless. It was indeed an extraordinary night. With no moon to reflect off the ice, no wind to break at the base of any bergs, the conditions were precarious. To add to the danger, binoculars for the crows next had been left behind in Southhampton. Still, the veteran White Star captain did what all captains of the day did, Maintain speed, now around 221/2 knots, and heading. Before leaving, Smith remarked that if the night became hazy they would have to slow down, "If in the slightest degree doubtful, let me know." At 9:30 P.M. Lightoller instructed 6th Officer Moody to have the lookouts keep watch for small ice and growlers and pass the word along to their relief. In the "Titanic's" public rooms passengers gradually began to disperse. By eleven, most people were in bed.
Meanwhile, Phillips had relieved Bride at the Marconi wireless set and was working Cape Race, New Foundland (this point was the easternmost of the N. American continent and relayed wireless messages from the sea to areas inland) when he was deafened by a message from the nearby "Californian:"
"Say, old man, we are stopped and surrounded by ice."
Irritated, Bride replied:
"Shut up! Shut up! I am busy. I am
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