The Republican journal., 1912-06-13
New Orleans, May goth, 1912.

I From an interview in the New Orleans Press
There are few who reside in this CITY
better acquainted with the trackage of
the Atlantic Ocean liners than Capt. T.
]. Woodward, veteran of the seas,
who served for years in the New York
packet ship trade, from the time he was
boy until in command of ships in that
trade. During his long career Capt.
Woodward had many experiences and
was particularly conversant with ice
bergs Of enormous size on the Western
bound passages, having been many times
over the ground where the Titanic
plunged to her doom.
1t was not unusual for ships in those
days to pass in the region of icebergs and
floating ice, which were always watched
with the greatest care. The months of
May and June were considered the most
dangerous period for icebergs. When in
the region of lcebergs the temperature
was carefully watched. and deviation of
the course farther South from the vicini-
ty Of the iceberg put the ship on safe
track.
At one time he was in the vicinity of
twelve icebergs, but by shortening sail
and shaping the course farther South al
ways avoided coming in contact with
them. 1t was nothing unusual in those
days for ships to sight ice-bergs, but by
deviating the course little South they
were readily avoided.
The dreadful disaster which befell the
"Titanic," veritable monarch of the
sea, is unprecedented in all records of
the Western Ocean. When you think of
the many years that ships have been
navigating on this course it is appalling
that, in these days, a ship costing s10,'
100000 the triumph of the shipbuilders
art, bearing on board one of the largest,
and, from point of wealth and social
prominence, the worlds celebrities, that
so many should go down to their eternal
doom to watery grave.
When the Titanic was travelling at full
speed despite the warning of the day be-
fore of the location of an iceberg, the
terror of mariners) aslight deviation to
the South of the course In which she was
running would have carried her entirely
safe of this iceberg, and why this was
not done is matter for grave conjecture.
There are extenuating circumstances,
perhaps, but the proximity of an iceberg
is always something to which the Captain
should give much care and decision for
the safety of the passengers as we'll as
the ship, which precaution seems to have
been sadly overlooked in this case.
During the 20 years that Capt. Wood
ward was at sea, plying between. New
York, Liverpool, London and Havre, he
reports having encountered smany ice
bergs and field ice due tossthe great ac
emulation of ice becoming detached
from the glaciers in the North, sweeping
around the Coast of Labrador by Cape
Race out into the Atlantic. Pursuing a
southwesterly course and meeting the
warm waters of the Gulf they soon be-
come dissolved and disappear. Many
times when travelling in the vicinity of
an iceberg the ship was put under short
sail and southern course pursued until
the safety of the passengers and ships
were assured.
The captain of those Monarchs of the
Ocean is in supreme command from the
time of leaving port until arriving at
port of destination; no .other power can
intervene with his judgment or acts DUR
ing that time, and ita.is a well,iknown
fact that every one being conveyed on
the ship looks to the Bridge" for safe
ty and protection.
Had Captain Smith of the Titanic de-
waited slightly from the course he was
running on, his ship would have passed
on safely to her destination Swith her
valuable list of passengers. His fact of
sticking to his course under the circum-
stances, knowing the iceberg was direct
ly on the line he was runningt.on, is one
of the most unaccountable acts known
to present day navigalors.
REUNION OF co. B, 3D.sMAINE.