The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-04-18
DECLARES TITANIC
RECENEDWARNING
Navy Department Says Liner
Was Advised Of Danger
of Icebsrgs.
CAUTION WAS IGNORED

That the steamship Titanic was given
warning that she was approaching q
field of iceberEs last Sunday, just pre-
ceding the disaster, was announced by
the Navy Department last night in a
statement in which the Titanic is quoted
as having provided this information her
self to, the department The department
announced that on April Is q message
was received from the German steamer
America, east bound. relayed via the
Titanic end Cape Race, Newfoundland.
stating that icebergs had been sighted
almost directly IN the path Of the III
fated White Star liner. This message
wss as follows:
'iAmerika passed two large icebergs
in H.27 n. sos W. on the 18th Of April.
t'is pointed out that the Titanic, hav-
ing picked this message up from the
America April Il, indicated that she was
not far from the scene OF the disaster at
the time she forwarded the message on
&c Washington, via Cape Race. since the
accident is reported TO have occurred
late that night.
Traces Vessels Track.
The track Of the westbound vessels is
about forty miles north OF the eastbound
track. according to information provided
. by Capt. John J. Knapp. chief OF the
photographic ONCE. who received the
message. In chart OF the ice field and
The scene of the wreck which Capt
knapp prepared yesterday for the infor-
nation Of the Secretary Of the Navy and
The. President, it is estimated that the
Titantic must have changed her course
to the southwark after receiving this
warning. since the latitude Of her track
was 4-4S, and she was reported as hay-
T.
expressed the opinion that, although the
ships course was changed to the south
ward by thirty to forty miles, the ice
bcrgs in the meantime had Travelled a
like distance southwark. and accordingly
the ship must have struck at latitude
Ills instead of at 41-ls as reported in
the dispatches. The Titanic is presumed
10 have sunk but a few miles north or
the eastern, or southern track
The Navy Department. in the state
ment issued last night, practically charges
the authorities responsible for the navi-
cation Of the steamship Titanic with in
difference to reliable information which
had been placed in their hands from day
TO day for a period Of several weeks an
nouncing the presence Of a monster field
Of ice in the track of the transatlantic
steamers on the Southern course. This
information has been mailed out daily
to all shipping interests, including the
White Star Company, and the bulletins
have been displayed daily in the New
York maritime once, and also in the
branch photographic ONCE in that city.
Reports Received Daily.
These daily reports announced the
southern drtft Of the icebergs from lat
Itude a degrees north on March - to
the forty-second parallel on April Z. and
II. The washingtoH authorities point
out that Notwithstanding these reports
and warnings, the big steamship lines
continued to send their vessels over the
main track. which was being entered
by the iceberEs as early as April Z. 1t
is pointed out that a number If ships,
including the Titanic, left eastern Id
western terminal points later than The
original warning, and continued on this
course. m
President yesterday. In all oficiaI cir
cles where II became generally known,
expressions were made Of the necessity,
as demonstrated by the Titanic disaster
Of obtaining some sort OF legislation COM
pelling steamship companiesIto abide by
the oficial warning. The Photographic
ONCE Of the Navy Department is main
tanned at a considerable expense to pro-
vide just this sort Of information to the
maritime world. From time to time, II
develops, shipping companies have been
notified of derelicts and other obstruc-
tons in the paths of their vessels and
these warnings have been ignored.
Captain Was Warned.
That Capt. Smith. of the Titanic. was
given sufficient warning in this message
from the Amerika alone is indicated by
the following paragraph from the Navy
Departments statement:
A trained seaman can and does esti-
mate the probable speed and direction
Of the drift of any dangerous obstruc-