The masters of vessels belonging to the White Star Line are not given
any special "sailing orders" before the commencement of any particular
voyage. It is understood, however, that the "tracks" or "lane routes"
proper to the particular time of the year, and agreed upon by the great
steamship companies, are to be generally adhered to. Should any master
see fit during this passage to deviate from his route he has to report
on and explain this deviation at the end of his voyage. When such
deviation has been in the interests of safety, and not merely to shorten
his passage, his action has always been approved of by the company.
A book of general ship's rules and uniform regulations is also issued by
the company as a guide; there are in this book no special instructions
in regard to ice, but there is a general instruction that the safety of
the lives of the passengers and ship are to be the first consideration.
Besides the book of ship's rules, every master when first appointed to
command a ship is addressed by special letter from the company, of which
the following passage is an extract:
You are to dismiss all idea of competitive passages with other
vessels and to concentrate your attention upon a cautious, prudent,
and ever-watchful system of navigation, which shall lose time or
suffer any other temporary inconvenience rather than incur the
slightest risk which can be avoided.
Mr. Sanderson, one of the directors, in his evidence says with reference
to the above letter:
We never fail to tell them in handing them these letters that we do
not wish them to take it as a mere matter of form; that we wish
them to read these letters, and to write an acknowledgment to us
that they have read them, and that they will be influenced by what
we have said in those letters.