CQD

The RMS Republic, commanded by Captain Inman Shelby and carrying 742 passengers and crewmen, sailed from New York on January 23, 1909, 117 years ago. It was headed for ports around the Mediterranean.

The RMS Republic

The Republic was a large, majestic ship, "a palatial liner," of the White Star Lines. She had been built in 1903 in Belfast, Ireland. Because of the large number of wealthy Americans who sailed aboard her, she was often called "the Millionaires' Ship." In addition to her passengers that day, she reportedly carried a cargo of immense value: approximately $3 million in gold coins.

Off Nantucket, Massachusetts, the Republic encountered a very thick fog. Captain Shelby took the ordinary precautions for such an eventuality, including sounding a whistle at specified intervals to alert any other ships that might be nearby, but he maintained her speed.

At 5:47 a.m., Captain Shelby suddenly heard the fog whistle of another ship, and it sounded awfully close.

"Full reverse!" he ordered the engine room. "Hard to port!" he commanded the helmsman. The ship shuddered from the sudden changes in direction,.

Out of the fog loomed the Lloyd Italiano liner Florida, and before anyone could react further, the two ships collided, the bow of the Florida slicing into the side of the Republic. Two sleeping passengers about the Republic were killed; another would later die ashore. Three crewmen aboard the Florida were also killed.

The Republic's engine and boiler compartments quickly began to flood, and the ship began to list. Captain Shelby and his crew calmly and professionally organized the passengers on the main deck for what they hoped would be a soon evacuation to rescuing vessels.

Republic telegrapher/radio operator Jack Binns in his Marconi uniform

The Republic's telegrapher, Jack Binns, began sending distress signals via radio, a signal that had been introduced in 1904 by the Marconi International Marine Communications Company. The three letters C, Q, and D were tapped in Morse code: dash, dot, dash, dot; dash, dash, dot, dash; and dash, dot, dot.

This signal was used by all Maroni operators, but it had never been adopted as the international standard. Many people claimed that it was an acronym for "Come quickly distress" or "come quickly disaster," but Marconi (who should have known) denied that it was an acronym. CQ, he said, was merely a signal meaning a general call to "all stations," all telegraphers and radio operators on the line. The letter D was added later as a signal for any need for assistance.

Binns worked tirelessly for hours, sending the CQD signal. When batteries grew weak, he searched for and managed to find replacement batteries so he could continue sending the signal until help arrived. Meanwhile, the Florida, which was less damaged, began taking Republic passengers aboard her, but she quickly became "dangerously overloaded."

The RMS Baltic

Other ships did hear Binns's call for help and responded, but because of the heavy fog, the first one did not arrive until that evening. First came the RMS Baltic, another White Star liner, acclaimed as "the longest ship in the world" at the time. She began taking passengers from both damaged ships.

The RMS Republic sinking by the stern following her collision with the Florida

Next, the USRC Gresham, a U.S. Revenue Service cutter, arrived. The Baltic, filled to capacity, headed toward New York. The crew of the Gresham attached tow lines to the Republic, hoping to tow her back to shore. They headed toward shore with the Republic in tow, but the Republic sank stern first in 270 feet of water about 50 miles south of Nantucket. Attempts to locate and recover the Republic and her cargo proved unsuccessful. (The wreckage was finally located in 1981.)

The Florida remained afloat and limped to New York, where she underwent repairs.

The Florida in dry dock to repair damages suffered in her collision with the Republic

Other than the six people who were killed in the collision, no other souls were lost, thanks to the CQD signals used by Binns and other telegraphers and radio operators. But that signal became so overused that over time it lost its intended sense of urgency, much like the boy who cried "Wolf!"

In 1906, the signal CQD was replaced by another simpler signal--SOS, which was adopted internationally as the standard disaster code. British ships' operators continued using both codes, as did the operators aboard another White Star liner, the RMS Titanic, on April 15, 1912. After that famous tragedy, even the United States adopted SOS as the replacement for CQD.

Many people today confuse SOS with another universal distress signal, Mayday. SOS is sent as a telegraphic signal and is for maritime applications. Mayday, however, is meant to be sent via voice and is reserved for use in aviation.

But that's another story for another time!