The Sinking of the Steamship Arctic

The sinking of the American passenger steamer Arctic in 1854 was not only a stunning maritime disaster. It was an enormous scandal played out in newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic.

More than 350 people perished in the icy ocean off Newfoundland, and the public was outraged when it learned the dozens of survivors did not include any of the women and children aboard.

Sometimes called the "first Titanic disaster," the Arctic disaster was a tragic milestone in maritime history. The ship was widely admired for its technology and its luxurious accommodations, and its loss shook the public's confidence in steamships.

The sinking of SS Arctic prompted calls for reforms in how crews aboard ships were managed and disciplined. And it made the cry to save "women and children first" an ironclad law of the sea.

Image: SS Baltic, nearly identical sister ship of the lost SS Arctic/Library of Congress