At noon, on Wednesday, 10 April 1912, the White Star liner, the RMS Titanic, set sail from Southampton on its much-heralded maiden voyage to New York. Travelling at the invitation of the American Men and Religion Forward Movement was William Thomas Stead, the internationally renowned journalist, editor, and social-reform campaigner. In the early morning of 15 April 1912, in a shocking reversal of all expectations, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank near Cape Race off the North American coast. Although The Times initially published the heartening news from Reuter’s that “No lives were lost,” subsequent agency cables became increasingly sombre. It was finally reported that more than 1600 crew and passengers had died in an “ocean disaster” recalling many such sensationalist news stories of late-Victorian and early twentieth-century New Journalism. Amongst those who had perished, Stead’s name figured prominently. According to one account, as the ship was being abandoned, he had asked the Titanic’s orchestra to play the Nonconformist hymn “Autumn,” and the ever poignant “Nearer My God to Thee,” with the express intention of stiffening resolve and offering spiritual comfort.