Light the Final Boilers

Bruce Ismay urges Captain Smith to light the last four boilers, surprise the press, and make the maiden voyage’s speed into headlines; Smith silently acquiesces.

Prestige and competitive reward are immediate, while the cost of eroded safety margin is delayed and probabilistic. That incentive asymmetry encourages speed despite poorly calibrated tail risk.

The film’s portrayal of Ismay pressuring Smith is historically disputed, and speed alone did not cause the disaster.