ice being sighted in different positions… the one vital report that came through but which never reached the bridge, was received at 9.40 p.m. from the Mesaba… the position this ship gave was right ahead of us and not so many miles distant. The wireless operator was not to know how close we were to this position, and therefore the extreme urgency of the message.’ (Lightoller, Titanic, p. 280.)
The Titanic contained an internal telegraph signalling system by which commands from the bridge could be shown on the engine room telegraph indicator. The positions on the clock-shaped indicator went from Stop, to Slow Ahead, Ahead One Quarter, Half Ahead, Ahead Three Quarters and Full Ahead.
Lawrence Beesley agreed. He describes how the Titanic, having initially stopped dead still, then ‘resumed her course, moving very slowly through the water… I think we were all glad to see this: it seemed better than standing still.’ (Beesley, The Loss of the SS Titanic, p. 30.)
