SVN solovelanet

89 SVN Solovelanet Global The message was passed over to Bruce Ismay, who shared the information with the captain but decided not to have the speed of the ship reduced: he wanted to get to New York one day ahead of schedule, so as to generate some free press about the ship and the company. More iceberg warning messages were sent to Titanic throughout the day, at first by the ship "America" and then by SS Californian. Eventually Phillips, the wireless operator told his colleague of the SS Californian to stop pestering and get off the air, because he needed to send some messages on behalf of passengers. At twenty to midnight the sky is starry, the sea is still and the gentle sound of Titanic's bow breaking the waves is like the refrain of a love song. But the mood changed dramatically, when able seaman Frederick Fleet relayed to the bridge a terrifying message: 'Iceberg right ahead!' First Officer William Murdoch 'immediately realized the danger immediately and ordered: "Full speed astern, hard-a-port!", trying to move the ship away from the white monster. The helmsman turned the wheel left as fast as he could, and the engine room told to reverse the propellers. The ship started turning, but it was too late. The enor - mous iceberg came closer and closer and eventually ship's side slammed to it.: the tragedy has begun. The Titanic was considered 'unsinkable' due to its sixteen watertight compartments. Except that the compartments were not really watertight. They were open at the top and that ship could stay afloat only so long as the water did not rise above the top of the compartment. This meant that it would stay afloat if the four fore compartments were pierced or any other two. Any more and the ship would lower to the point that water would begin spilling from floated compartments into the rest. When the Titanic hit the iceberg, five compartments were breached, and water began pouring in like a river. The ship was doomed. Although the alarm bell sounded three times, passengers did not realize the danger at once, because on the decks they the noise of the collision had not been all that loud. Meanwhile the orchestra kept playing. A quick calculation revealed that the Titanic was going to sink to the bottom of the sea in about two hours. The order was given: "Abandon ship". The passengers of the upper deck started to reach the gathering points as in a scene of a surreal film, almost enjoying what they considered as an annoying inconvenience. Lifeboats began to be lowered. But they were few. Way too few to hold 2,223 people. Meanwhile RMS Carpathia is sailing some dozens of miles away from Titanic. The wireless operator On top, one of the luxurious first-class lounges. Here aside, some guests strolling on deck. Here below, Titanic reaches the Port of Southampton in southern England

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