Um, just a minute. Please excuse my intrusion, but you seem to be debating what would have been the advantage, if any, if the look-outs had had binoculars, with or without modern coatings. The simple fact is they had none. I'm sure there were lots of things the ship did not have which might have affected the outcome, e.g. more lifeboats, different pattern of hull rivetting, etc. etc. But there has to be a limit to the amount of speculation and counter-speculation that is really relevant and that will not confuse a new reader? Thanks.