Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/SS Arctic disaster

SS Arctic disaster

 * The following discussion is an archived discussion of the TFAR nomination of the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page unless you are renominating the article at TFAR. For renominations, please add   to the top of the discussion and   at the bottom, then complete a new TFAR nom underneath.

The result was: scheduled for Today's featured article/September 27, 2014 by BencherliteTalk 02:23, 9 September 2014 (UTC)



Only 88 people survived the sinking of the SS Arctic on September 27, 1854, out of more than 400 on board. The paddle steamer SS Arctic (pictured), bound for New York, sank off the coast of Newfoundland. When Captain Luce ordered the lifeboats launched, a breakdown in discipline saw the boats swamped by members of the crew and the more able-bodied male passengers; most of the rest went down with the ship, four hours after the collision. All the women and children on board perished. Two of the six lifeboats launched from Arctic reached Newfoundland, and another was picked up by a passing steamer, which also rescued a few survivors from improvised rafts. Among these was Luce, who had regained the surface after initially going down with the ship. The other three lifeboats disappeared without trace. News of Arctic's loss did not reach New York until two weeks after the sinking, when public sorrow quickly turned to anger at the perceived cowardice of the crew. There was no investigation into the disaster, and no one was held legally responsible. Luce, who was generally exonerated from blame, retired from the sea; some of the surviving crew chose not to return to the US.
 * Most recent similar article(s): Nothing similar recently
 * Main editors: Brianboulton
 * Promoted: 2014
 * Reasons for nomination: 160th anniversary of the disaster
 * Support as nominator. Brianboulton (talk) 14:55, 17 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Rejigged to get a bold link to the article at the start of the blurb, but please improve if you can! BencherliteTalk 07:43, 18 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Support An excellent article choice!♦ Dr. Blofeld  13:52, 18 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Support: Great article and worthy of the front page. - SchroCat (talk) 08:01, 19 August 2014 (UTC)