Timeline: The Titanic's Final Hours

• April 14, 1912
• April 15, 1912

• morning
  
  
  Capt. Edward J. Smith cancels a scheduled lifeboat drill.
• 5:50 PM
  
  
  After receiving iceberg warnings throughout the day, Captain Smith changes the Titanic's course, heading slightly south. However, the ship's speed is not lowered.
• 9:40 PM
  
  
  The Mesaba sends a warning to the Titanic about an ice field that includes “heavy pack ice and [a] great number [of] large icebergs.” Wireless operator Jack Phillips—who works for the Marconi Company—is handling passengers' messages and never passes the warning on to the Titanic's bridge.
• 10:00 PM
  The shift changes on the bridge, with First Officer William Murdoch relieving Second Officer Charles Lightoller as the officer of the watch.
• 10:00 PM
  Lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee begin their watch in the Titanic's crow's nest. The night is unusually calm, making icebergs more difficult to see—because there are no waves breaking at the icebergs. Adding to the difficulties is the fact that the crows nest's binoculars have been misplaced.
• 10:55 PM
  
  
  The nearby Californian radios the Titanic: “Say, old man, we are stopped and surrounded by ice.” An annoyed Phillips responds: “Shut up! Shut up! I am busy. I am working Cape Race.” (A wireless station is located at Cape Race, Newfoundland, Canada.)
• 11:00 PM
  
  
  Most of the Titanic's passengers have retired to their rooms for the evening.
• 11:35 PM
  The wireless operator on the Californian turns off his radio.
• 
  Fleet sees an iceberg in the Titanic's path and rings the bell three times to indicate that something is ahead. He then calls the bridge. Murdoch orders the Titanic “hard-a-starboard” (to the left) and the engines reversed. He also closes the doors to the supposedly watertight compartments.
• 11:40 PM
  The starboard side of the Titanic scrapes along the iceberg.
• 
  Captain Smith arrives on deck and is told that the ship has struck an iceberg. Shortly thereafter he is informed that the mail room is filling with water. Other reports soon come in of water in at least five of the ship's compartments.
• 
  
  
  Designer Thomas Andrews surveys the damage. The Titanic was built to remain afloat with only four compartments flooded. Andrews predicts that the ship has only about one to two hours before sinking.

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