The night watch and the collision with the Royal Age

At midnight, a vicious half-gale blows from the northeast, and the Titan charges through a fog-bank at full speed. The first officer takes the deck, and lookouts are posted. John Rowland is assigned to the crow's-nest, still drunk from the previous day. At about 1:30 AM, Rowland cries out that something is ahead. The first officer orders the wheel hard aport, but before the ship can turn, a deep-laden ship, the Royal Age, appears directly in the Titan's path. The Titan cuts the smaller ship in half. The first officer does not reduce speed, and the Titan continues on its course. The crew is ordered to clear away the wreckage and keep the passengers unaware. This event is the first major disaster of the voyage and sets up the central conflict.