For what it's worth, in Captain Smith's time harbor channel markings were unlighted, non-standard, and frequently missing completely. There was no anti-collision radar, and few functional radios before 1910 or so. The Rules of the Road were subject to each captain's interpretation, losses of power were frequent, and the propulsion systems of the time couldn't always deal with the tide, wind and currents. I'm not trying to excuse the man's judgment aboard the Titanic or any other vessel - I just think his career needs to be judged in the context of his time rather than ours.