First reporter in the world to learn of the Titanic disaster

Harry Stranger was the marine reporter for the Montreal Gazette. In April of 1912, he received a call from George Hannah, traffic manager at the Allan Steamship line's head office in the city. Hannah told Stranger that one of Allan's liners, the Virginian, had requested permission to alter course after receiving a distress call from the Titanic.

Stranger shared this news with the New York Times but decided to wait for further information. Carr Van Anda, managing editor of the Times, took a chance and reported that the ship had gone down before confirmation was received. As a result, the Times was credited with breaking the story, even though the Gazette had received the news first.

More information on:

The Titanic

Sources include:

Colombo, John Robert. 1000 Questions About Canada. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2001.

Connections:

By Name · S
By Province · Quebec
By Claim to Fame · Journalism · Maritime · Firsts