Liverpool to the Grand Banks SS Arctic disaster

map of grand banks area, showing contrasting labrador , gulf stream currents

at midday on september 20, 1854, arctic left liverpool new york, carrying between 250 , 300 passengers (including @ least 100 women , young children), , 150 crew. among passengers mrs. edward collins, wife of line s founder, traveling 19-year-old daughter , 15-year-old son, brother , wife. party formed members of brown banking family: william benedict brown, son of bank s president, accompanied wife clara, 2 infant children, , 2 of william s sisters. further passenger luce s partially disabled 11-year-old son, william robert, health captain thought might benefit round trip.

arctic passed cape clear, @ southernmost point of ireland, on morning of september 21, , entered open atlantic approaching maximum speed of 13 knots (15 mph). in settled weather progressed uneventfully, , on september 27 had reached grand banks, off coast of newfoundland. area formed series of relatively shallow submarine plateaus forming part of canadian continental shelf. here, sub-arctic waters of labrador current meet warm northbound waters of gulf stream, create weather systems typified intermittent mists , fog. practice steamers maintain maximum speeds in these conditions, although before electronic aids navigation risk of collision considerable. keeping schedules considered paramount, particularly in collins line where, alexander brown states in 1962 account, there no room overcautious shipmasters . on morning of september 27, luce observed typical grand banks conditions: @ intervals of few minutes dense fog, followed being sufficiently clear see 1 or 2 miles.

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