TITANIC Tragedy Spawns Wireless Advancements

The tragedy of the RMS Titanic—loss of life numbering 1,500 passengers the night of April 14th, 1912—hardly compares to the greater tragedy that all 2,205 passengers of the Titanic might have been rescued.

Little has been said of the circumstance of the Californian, a passenger ship within sight, but ten miles away when the Titanic struck an iceberg. The Californian failed to acknowledge the distress flares of the Titanic, or turn on its own wireless. The passenger ship Carpathia, fifty-eight miles southeast of the stricken Titanic, responded to the distress call and rescued seven-hundred and five survivors adrift in lifeboats. The other fifteen-hundred passengers, having no lifeboats available to them, succumbed to the cold sea.

The sinking of the Titanic shocked the world. It was designed to be unsinkable. The pride of the White Star Line was the sister ship of the RMS Olympic, already having enjoyed great success and acceptance by the travel industry, including the setting of a speed record for the round trip from Southampton, England to New York.

The Titanic disaster generated an opportunity for many to profit on the meager details available mainly through the press releases from the Marconi Wireless Company and White Star Line offices in New York City. For many years it was reported that David Sarnoff, a wireless operator employed by the Marconi station at the top of the Wannamaker Building in New York City, was the main point of contact with the Titanic. This claim was heralded by the press in its eagerness to boost circulation. Supposedly, Sarnoff had also set up a wireless operating position in the Wannamaker store front window at the sidewalk level for the benefit of the viewing public. However, when the events were later researched, the role of David Sarnoff was greatly exaggerated by the press. It has been documented the main flow of Titanic traffic was handled by Robert Hunston and Walter Gray at the Marconi shore station in Cape Race, Newfoundland.

While wireless communication was being carried on by the Carpathia and the Marconi land station at Cape Race, these signals were being received by all who tuned to the frequency, i.e., by other ships, land stations and radio amateurs. Thus, messages heard by the recipients and repeated to the press and the public at large, confusion reigned. There was no single source of authoritative information outlining up to the minute facts of the Titanic status and rescue activity. As an example, the New York Evening Sun, received an anonymous wireless message of misinformation and so printed the headline, "ALL SAVED FROM TITANIC AFTER COLLISION WITH ICEBERG" The following day, the truth prevailed in the official messages from the rescue ship Carpathia, and then the enormity of the tragedy was realized. The reaction by the White Star Line officials to the false headline printed by the New York Evening Sun is repeated here, "Whoever sent this message under the circumstances, is guilty of the most reprehensible conduct".

Within weeks, the book publishing industry joined the bandwagon of hysteria to capitalize on the distress of the survivors and family members of those lost at sea. One book in particular, "The Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters", published within weeks of the disaster was pedaled door to door with profitable success. Since then, it is estimated there have been over sixty books published on the subject of the Titanic.

Even the cinema in its infancy, capitalized by producing animated films of the Titanic sinking included such scenes as passengers’ struggle, fighting for space on the lifeboats. By the moral standards of 1912, the animation exceeded human tolerance to watch.

Since the sinking of the Titanic, stories, books, documentaries and films have emerged with variations of the facts. The fascinations about the Titanic continue to attract the human soul. The latest resurrection is the movie, "Titanic" released this past December. The movie by 20th Century Fox is a 235 million dollar production representing most accurately however, the events taking place prior to, during and following the Titanic disaster. With it too, is a great romance portrayed by the principal characters.

No money was spared by the studio in the search and presentation of the historical facts, or the recreation of scenery depicting the ship, including the grand saloon in all its splendor. The reproduction of the wireless room that played a most important role in the rescue of the 705 passengers was constructed in precise detail replicating the original.
The movie goes into extraordinary detail to include also, the replica of the motion picture cameras of the1912 period, to depict the filming of passengers gathered at the pier to embrace one another for the last time and to extend a wish for the "bon voyage", before embarking the Titanic. The reproduction of wireless equipment and the motion picture cameras shown here were constructed by Terry Reed and are remarkably accurate considering the lack of documentation and drawings of the original Titanic wireless
room. When the movie "Titanic" arrives at the local theater, one will be rewarded the most accurate documentary, well worth the admission price.

The importance of the wireless room of the Titanic after striking the iceberg, can best be described by the beginning of events, on the evening of April 14th, 1912. The night was clear and a starry one. The sea was calm. For the North Atlantic to be so smooth is a sailor’s dream. The Captain of the Titanic, E.J. Smith, apparently saw the opportunity to go full speed ahead in an attempt to break the ocean crossing speed record previously set by the sister ship, RMS Olympic.

Lookouts aboard the Titanic were posted in the "crow’s nest" to watch for icebergs ahead.
Prior to the collision with the iceberg, two wireless messages were received by Jack Phillips and Harold Bride, the Marconi Company wireless operators aboard the Titanic, warning of a field of icebergs ahead. The most critical report was received at 9:40 P.M. from the S.S. Mesnaba, stating the ice field position at 42*25’N, 50*30’W. The Amerika too, sent a message earlier at 11:00 A.M., advising of the ice field at the same coordinates. These reports were posted at the message center for the benefit of Captain Smith and his First Officer but were not acted on by either. The disaster of the Titanic was immanent. At 11:40 P.M., a lookout shouted the report of "iceberg dead ahead!!", repeatedly. The bridge attempted evasive action but the iceberg was struck. Although reverse propellers was attempted, it was too late. The inertia of the Titanic was too great and she continued to plunge ahead on a path that ripped open the sealable bulkheads on the starboard side, a rupture estimated to be about 300 feet in length. The invincible Titanic, having lost its sealable airtight bulkheads was no longer able to remain buoyant at its bow. Within only 150 minutes following the Titanic striking the iceberg, the bow submerged. At 2:10 A.M., in a final gulp, the massive stern raised up at an incredible angle of about 50 degrees and lurched to the watery grave, carrying with it the helpless 1500 passengers.

The chain of events that followed would by today’s standards be declared unbelievable, and lawless. One must be reminded however, the period of the early 1900’s was one of rapid growth of the luxury liner popularity. The wealthy pursued the 1st and 2nd class staterooms while great numbers of European immigrants crowded the 3rd class facilities.
The 1900’s was the explosive period of ocean voyages. The rules and regulations governing safety at sea had not yet been adopted for this rapidly growing industry.
Also, the countries whose shores were touched by ocean travel ports, lacked the expedient communications to review, foresee and call for international regulations.

Communication by wireless had just emerged. It was a scant seventeen years after Guglielmo Marconi discovered an application for Hertzian waves, and only fifteen years following the formation of the "Marconi’s Wireless Company, Ltd.", on Hall Street, Chelmsford, U.K. The installation of wireless on ocean going vessels began in the early 1900’s but the initial intent was profit from transmission and receipt of messages, mainly
commercial to compete with the already well established overland wire services. Thus, the Titanic, as with other ocean liners, were equipped with Marconi wireless systems primarily for handling of message traffic for revenue. The responsibility of the wireless
operator was transmitting and receiving messages known as "MarconiGrams". These included stock exchange quotations, business, private and news services. Wireless for signaling distress was incidental. The multitude of ships in categories other than passenger carrying, had no purpose to be equipped with wireless This was the sentiment of the period. The implication of wireless as a means of safety at sea, was remote. The absence of regulations governing both safety of life at sea and wireless, contributed to the Titanic disaster.

To understand the role of wireless on the night of April 14th, is to understand the primitive stage of wireless technology of the period. To begin with, the generated signal of the spark transmitter was blunt and broad. The spectrum it occupied was for example, all of today’s broadcast band and then some. The lopsided theory of the period demanded brute force power for the wireless signal to reach the point of reception. The receiver aboard the Titanic utilized a magnetic detector, and a galena crystal receiver, each having
a poor selectivity characteristic. Selectivity as a specification for receivers and band-width for transmitters were yet to be an established criteria. Hence, in close proximity operation of stations, whoever hit the air first, occupied most of the spectrum. Thus,
denying stations within close distance, the ability to communicate with others, unless a tuned circuit, such as a wave trap, was employed at the receiver to minimize the interfering signal.

The precise frequency of the Titanic and the Californian transmitters at the time of the incident is not known. Nevertheless, whatever the separation, poor receiver selectivity and the closeness of the two vessels about ten miles apart, allowed but one transmitter operation. Herein, because regulations and procedures were lacking governing the wireless operators, the inevitable blow to the Titanic was struck.

Aboard the Californian, the wireless operator Cyril Evans turned on his wireless to dispose of his routine traffic. But being only ten miles from the Titanic, the operator on duty on the Titanic advised Evans to "shut up", as he was interfering with traffic to Cape Race, Newfoundland. Evans complied. Being the lone wireless operator on the Californian and having worked a long day, Evans retired for the night.

Another demise for the Titanic. The Californian, within sight of the Titanic, found itself in the same ice field earlier in the evening at 11:00 P.M. Wisely, Captain Arthur Rostron of the Californian, ordered his ship to a complete halt, intending to wend his way out at daybreak.

The Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 P.M., less than a minute following the sighting of the iceberg by the lookout. But the "CQD", (General Call Distress) was not initiated until 12:15 A.M., thirty-five minutes later.

For the graphic representation of ship locations, please refer to Fig. (1). The Californian First Officer observed white flares shot into the sky from the Titanic. Unfortunately,
he assumed the flares to be part of a celebration aboard the Titanic as was the custom
during heavy partying. He also assumed the possibility he was observing shooting stars. Arbitrary discharge of flares white or colored in this period was acceptable as there were no regulations for governing the deployment of flares as a signaling tool. The
uncertainty of the First Officer nevertheless prompted him to use Morse Light Signal Lamp aimed at the Titanic, but he received no light signal response. The First Officer together with the Captain of the Californian made no attempt to awaken Evans and direct him to the transmitting key of the wireless to send a message of inquiry to the Titanic. For this one failure of the Californian, within sight of the Titanic, the fate of the 1,500 lives was doom. It was indeed one imbroglio after another. If assistance had been provided by the Californian, its Captain and crew could have enjoyed the proud distinction of rescuing all the passengers of the Titanic. Instead, the Captain and First Officer failed to react to the distress signals of the Titanic in accordance with the dictates of humanity..

The scene now changes. Fifty-eight miles to the southeast of the Titanic was the Carpathia. The wireless operator Thomas Cottam was preparing to retire when only by chance he initiated contact with the Titanic to advise its operator the Marconi land station at Cape Cod was attempting to contact him. The response from the Titanic was prompt with an urgent message naming itself in distress and requesting aid. The Carpathia turned its course 140 degrees and headed for the Titanic. Although there were eight ships over a wide area that heard the "CQD", and were racing to the scene, including the Frankfurt 140 miles away, the Carpathia but only 58 miles arrived at the scene first at 4:15 AM. On arrival, at the scene, there was no Titanic, only emptiness except for the lifeboats containing 705 passengers, to be exact. By 8:30 A.M., all survivors were picked up.

One can only imagine the despair of the Californian crew when in the morning were told of the Titanic sinking. They were there, a few miles away, but the last to know.

The details of the Titanic sinking is well documented by the minutes of the inquiries both of Great Britain and the United States. The most significant result of the disaster investigations was the call for an International Radio-Telegraphic Convention, to convene in London, July 5th, 1912, for the purpose of establishing regulations and procedures governing wireless services aboard ships and shore stations. Attended by sixty-five countries, regulations and procedures were enacted, some of which are still in effect today. Among these is the "SOS" as the universal call of distress as it was determined to be the simplest form of signaling to replace "CQD". The "Q" signals currently in use was also an outcome of the meeting.

The "Safety of Life at Sea" Conference was held in London, November 12, 1913, attended by the sixty-five countries. This conference was the turning point of communications as we know it today. Sweeping regulations were put into effect governing all ships at sea, whether motor propelled or under sail. Ocean going vessels carrying passengers to foreign ports were mandated to be fitted with a wireless communication system. Further, the ship’s wireless room and shore stations were to be manned twenty-four hours a day. Now the wireless room became the focal point on board all vessels having to abide by all new rules, regulations and laws, establishing safety of the passengers and ship as the first priority. This was a departure of wireless from its previous role as mainly a dispatcher of commercial traffic for profit. The value of wireless on board was now self evident.

The "Safety of Life at Sea" Conference concluded January 20, 1914. It was determined all countries having ocean going vessels carrying passengers were culpable for inadequate safety regulations on its vessels. The conference emphasized the necessity for a united action to revise the old laws and adapt them to new conditions. The benefit of these new regulations apply to this day. The conference ended the "do as you want" period on the high seas. Numbers of lifeboats and life-jackets required on board, procedures, officer and crew responsibility, wireless operator requirements and a host of other mandates were in the scope of the new regulations. It was agreed that three ships from the United States and Great Britain would be dispatched to the North Atlantic as ice patrol to advise other ships in the shipping lanes of ice field sightings. On board lighting was part of the regulations overhaul. Morse Light and other signaling methods, including rules governing the discharge of flares were all revamped. No longer were flares to be discharged in an arbitrary manner. Their use was restricted to an established set of rules related only to emergencies.

There might not have been any loss of life if the Titanic had not been operating by the archaic regulations established in 1894. Although the Titanic was certified to carry 3,500 passengers and crew, the lifeboat capacity on board was for only 1,200. In accordance with England’s old Board of Trade Regulations, the Titanic was indeed in compliance with the required number of lifeboats. The rules set forth eighteen years earlier stated, "16 lifeboats shall be carried for ships 10,000 tons and over". The Titanic was a 46,000 ton vessel! The number of lifeboats by the rules, was determined by tonnage, not by the number of passengers carried. The Titanic’s 16 lifeboats and 4 rafts were barely capable of supporting the 705 survivors. One of the lifeboats capsized during its launching, causing the loss of lives of those that occupied it.

Although the Titanic was magnificent in construction, referred to as a floating castle,
the investigation of the tragedy did reveal a great number of inadequacies. These included the improper bulkhead design, flawed steel side plates and rivets, navigation judgment errors, lack of emergency procedures, the improperly trained crew together with a host of other acts of negligence.

In all its bungling, the Titanic and its 1,500 passengers lost at sea, became the catalyst for the examination, reevaluation and the implementation of new marine regulations.

It has been over eighty-five years since the tragedy of the Titanic. Yet, we continue to rejoice in 705 lives saved. We continue its celebration, fascinated too by the mystery of where lies the broken hull. The loss of the other 1,500 lives however, was the real and needless tragedy.

Guglielmo Marconi arrived in New York City a few days earlier on the Lusitania, promptly went to the dock to greet the arriving Titanic survivors on the Carpathia and to interrogate his employee Harold Bride, the wireless operator. It was but a few days later the survivors of the Titanic presented Marconi a solid gold medal, in gratitude for Marconi’s wireless installation on board the Titanic credited for saving their lives. The survivor’s cries of "Ti dobbiamo la vita!" remained in the memory of Marconi that inspired his work in the design of a ship radio compass and a means of detecting unseen objects at sea. Without the wireless on board the Titanic, all 2,200 passengers might have perished, but leaving behind a terrible mystery of its disappearance to haunt us forever.

An earlier near disaster three years prior to the Titanic sinking should have been the lesson learned to promptly activate the "Safety of Life at Sea" Conference It was January 23, 1909, 5:30 A.M. when the luxury liner S.S. Republic left New York with 461 passengers bound for the sunny Mediterranean, was rammed amidships by the S.S. Florida in a dense fog about 26 miles southwest of the Nantucket Lightship. Fortunately, the S.S. Republic was equipped with a Marconi wireless system, the S.S. Florida was not. Following the impact, Jack Binns the Marconi operator aboard the Republic, sent the "CQD" distress signal to which many ships rushed to its aid. All 461 passengers except for five crew members, survived the disaster and were transferred to the S.S. Florida. The S.S. Republic having been abandoned and the S.S. Florida herself in danger of sinking transferred all passengers to the S.S. Baltic for the return trip to New York. The combined number of passengers of the two ships Republic and the Florida totaled 1650.
It was unfortunate there was no outcry following this near disaster calling for the review of International Maritime Regulations. The Titanic tragedy might have been averted.

The tragedy of the Titanic gave birth to a greater acclamation that could not have occurred otherwise. This is the legacy of the Titanic disaster. The on going news of the Titanic was closely followed by millions of people around the world. What better projection of the term "wireless" could there be as the news media printed the disaster story day after day for months? The mystique of the word "wireless" gave birth to a new generation of operator aspirants, together with the need for accelerated manufacture of wireless equipment to fulfill the demands of ship and shore installations.

Marconi recognized the need for operator training and established the Marconi Wireless Schools throughout the world, including the major cities of the United States.. The new regulations requiring wireless on board all ocean going vessels made it necessary for Marconi to step up production to meet this need. Hugo Gernsback also grasped this opportunity and established the world renowned Electro Importing Company on Fulton Street, New York City, mailing out 200 page catalogs world-wide. Gernsback enjoyed the prominence for many years as the largest supplier of wireless components. Lower Manhattan developed into the mecca of wireless manufacturing companies and supply houses. The radio amateur, already a seasoned in wireless, greeted a new flock of enthusiasts eager to join this elite group of pioneers, thereby further expanding the user market. The advent of the popular vacuum tube, (valve) 201A, justified the sophisticated
term, "radio".

The tragedy of the Titanic, occurring when it did during a period of slow growth of a new industry, was responsible for the jump start of the wireless, radio and electronics industry that today provides the greatest number of jobs in the history of civilization.

Ray Minichiello, P.E., (W1BC), Chairman
The Guglielmo Marconi Foundation, U.S.A., &
The U.S. National Marconi Museum

Send an e-mail to the author: raymin@marconiusa.org