Rms titanic
The RMS Titanic was a British ocean liner, the largest passenger ship in the world at the end of its construction, which sank in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean during the night of April 14 and early morning of April 15 1912, while on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, after colliding with an iceberg. In the sinking, 1,496 of the 2,208 people who were on board died, making this catastrophe one of the largest shipwrecks in history that occurred in peacetime.
Being built between 1909 and 1912 at the Harland & Wolff of Belfast, Titanic was the second ship in a trio of large ocean liners (the first being RMS Olympic and the third being HMHS Britannic) owned by the White Star Line shipping company, known as the Olympic class.
His passengers included some of the world's wealthiest people, as well as hundreds of Irish, British and Scandinavian immigrants seeking a better life in North America. The ship was designed to be the ultimate in luxury and comfort, featuring a gymnasium, indoor pool, library, fine dining, and opulent cabins for first-class travelers, as well as a powerful telegraph station available for passenger use. and crew. Added to all this, the ship was equipped with some advanced security measures for the time, such as its hull bulkheads and remote-activated watertight doors. Other measures, however, proved insufficient, as she only carried lifeboats for 1,178 people, just over half of those aboard on her maiden voyage and a third of her total capacity of 3,547 people.
After leaving Southampton on April 10, 1912, the Titanic called at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown (present-day Cobh), Ireland, before heading out into the Atlantic Ocean. At 11:40 p.m. on April 14, four days after setting sail and about 600 km south of Newfoundland, the ship collided with an iceberg. The collision opened several hull plates on the starboard side below the waterline, along five of her sixteen watertight compartments, which began to flood. Over two and a half hours the ship gradually sank through her bow section as her stern rose, and in this time several hundred passengers and crew were evacuated in lifeboats, almost none of which were occupied until their completion. Maximum capacity.
A very large number of men perished due to the strict lifesaving protocol followed in the evacuation process, known as "Women and Children First." At 2:17 on April 15, the ship it broke in two and sank with hundreds of people still on board. Most of those who remained floating on the surface died of hypothermia, although some managed to be rescued by lifeboats. The 712 survivors were picked up by the ocean liner RMS Carpathia at 04:00.
The sinking of the Titanic shocked and outraged the entire world due to the high number of fatalities and the mistakes made in the accident. Public inquiries in the United Kingdom and the United States led to major improvements in maritime safety and the creation in 1914 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). that still governs maritime safety today. Many of the survivors, who lost their entire estate in the tragedy, were helped through public charity, but others, such as White Star president J. Bruce Ismay, were accused of cowardice for their premature abandonment of the ship and condemned to social ostracism.
The wreck of the Titanic was discovered on September 1, 1985 by American oceanographer Robert Ballard at the bottom of the North Atlantic, at a depth of 3,784 m. The remains are badly damaged and suffer progressive deterioration, but since its discovery thousands of objects from the ship have been recovered and these are exhibited in many museums around the world.
The Titanic is perhaps the most famous ship in history and its memory is kept very alive thanks to numerous books, songs, films, documentaries, exhibitions, various works of historians and memorials.
Background
In 1907, Joseph Bruce Ismay, president of the White Star Line shipping company, and Lord William Pirrie, president of Harland & Wolff, decided to build a trio of large ocean liners to compete with the new ships of rival shipping company Cunard Line. These ships, baptized as Lusitania and Mauretania, had become the largest, most luxurious and fastest ocean liners in the world, winning at certain moments in their careers the Blue Band, an award for the fastest crossing.
The trio of vessels planned by Pirrie and Ismay had been designed to outperform Cunard's vessels, as well as their European rivals, in terms of size, safety and elegance, as both men agreed it would be more It is prestigious to bet on these fields instead of speed. After deciding on the design of the ships, the names were chosen: Olympic, Titanic and Gigantic (the latter changed to Britannic), in reference to the three races of Greek mythology: the Olympian gods, the titans and the giants.
The project to build the three vessels was carried out at the offices of Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Northern Ireland.The designers were Pirrie himself, his nephew Thomas Andrews, construction manager and head of the design department at Harland & Wolff, and his brother-in-law Alexander Carlisle, chief designer and general manager of the shipyard Carlisle's responsibilities included decorations, equipment, safety devices and all general arrangements, including the implementation of an efficient davit system for the lifeboats. However, Carlisle left the project in 1910, while the Olympic and Titanic were still under construction, when he became a shareholder in Welin Davit & Engineering Company Ltd. (the company that manufactured the davits), leaving Andrews solely responsible for the projects. It is speculated that this occurred because the engineer's original idea was to fit 66 lifeboats aboard the davits. ships, but his ideas and claims were rejected by both Ismay and Pirrie.
The project for the construction of the ships was approved by Ismay on July 31, 1908, when a letter of agreement was signed with the shipyards. No formal contract was signed because White Star and Harland & Wolff had a very close and strong relationship that went back decades. Pirrie saw the importance of the ships and commissioned the shipyard's official photographer, Robert Welch, to take images of the works to record their progress.
The quality of the ships was not neglected and the best materials available at that time were used for their construction.
Construction
Final plans were completed in the fall of 1908 and the materials needed for construction were commissioned by Harland & Wolff. The Titanic was built alongside hers hers sister, the Olympic. A new 256 m long by 52 m high portico needed to be built to accommodate both vessels, as no other existing structure was large enough for the job.
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| Advance the construction of the Titanic from the uprising of the porch, until April 1911 (See the full gallery). |
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The Titanic was built with the construction number 401. Its construction was financed by the American businessman J. P. Morgan and his company International Mercantile Marine Company, and began on March 31, 1909, with a total cost of 7, 5 million dollars at the time (about 172 million dollars at current exchange rates).
Because the Olympic was the first of the ships to be built, her hull was painted a light gray color for her launching, in order to allow greater sharpness and detail in the photographs. In contrast to her sister ship, the Titanic was built with her hull painted black.
Construction of its structure progressed at a good pace, and it was completed in early 1911. Its hull consisted of approximately 2,000 steel plates measuring three meters long by two meters wide, with a thickness between 2.5 and 3.8 cm. Those plates were held together by more than 3 million rivets.
Until then, the ship was just a huge empty hull without any internal equipment or installations. The Titanic's hull was launched at 12:13 p.m. on May 31, 1911. More than 100,000 people were present to witness the launch: shipyard officials with their families, Belfast residents, visitors, journalists and some important personalities. coming directly from England. The ship slipped into the water from its slipway with the help of 22 tons of tallow, oil and soap. The ship was not christened in the traditional way (by breaking a bottle of champagne), as it had never been a Harland and Wolff custom, and furthermore Pirrie was of the opinion that this could cause superstitions among the passengers and crew.
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| Evolution of the different phases of construction from the Titanic booth, in May 1911, to the realization of its maritime tests, on April 2, 1912. |
After its launch, the Titanic stopped with the help of six anchors. Three steel mooring lines, each weighing eighty tons, were attached to the hull and it was towed into a dry dock with the help of five tugboats. White Star journalists and special guests were, after the event, taken to a special luncheon at the Grand Central Hotel. On the menu there were no less than six different main courses and five after-dinner meals. Ismay left lunch early so that he could board the Olympic and participate in her sea trials.
After the launching, the process of outfitting the ship began. More than three thousand professionals (mechanics, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, decorators, etc.) worked from June 1911 to March 1912, equipping the ship with the most recent technologies and naval innovations and installing its sumptuous furniture and decorative elements. During that period, the White Star announced on September 18, 1911 that the Titanic would make its maiden voyage on March 20, 1912.
Meanwhile, on September 20 of that same year, two days after the voyage date was announced, the Olympic ended up colliding with the warship HMS Hawke, for which reason it had to be sent to the Belfast shipyards for damages be repaired. As a consequence, she had to pull the Titanic out of dry dock to allow her brother's repairs to take place. Part of the workers were also temporarily transferred to the Olympic, significantly delaying the fitting out of the interior of its sister ship, as well as its delivery and entry into service, so that White Star was forced to postpone its maiden voyage to the day April 10, 1912. The Titanic returned to her dock in November, when work on the Olympic was completed, and work continued at the same pace as before.
Its four chimneys were installed in January 1912; only three of them, 18.9 m high, were functional; the fourth served solely for ventilation, and was added to give the ship a more impressive appearance.In the following month, her three bronze propellers were placed in their proper places on her; the wing blades were over 7m in diameter and weighed 38 tons, while the center blade was over 5m in diameter and weighed 22 tons.
The outfitting process ended in March 1912 and the ship was registered on the 24th of the same month, with Liverpool as its home port, despite never having sailed in its waters. the Titanic succeeded its sister ship, the Olympic, as the largest ship in the world. This was because, despite the fact that both ships had the same dimensions, the Titanic displaced 1,004 tons more and the size of a ship is measured by tonnage.
Description of the ship
Standard first-class cabins were adorned with white wainscoting, expensive furniture, and other elegant decorations. They only had shared bathrooms that had hot and cold water. There were also electric stoves. In the case of the four most luxurious suites, fireplaces with beautifully built-in electric stoves were used in the living rooms. As a relative innovation in the ships of the time, the Titanic had three elevators for first class and one for second class, She had 370 first class cabins, 168 second class and 297 shared third class cabins.
Boat deck
The lifeboats were located in two groups, one towards the bow and one towards the stern. At the front were twelve boats (six on each side), and towards the stern were eight boats (four on each side), with a total of 20 lifeboats of three different types:
- Bots 1 and 2: wooden chinchorros for emergencies, with capacity for 40 people.
- Lots numbers 3 to 16: made of wood, with capacity for 65 people.
- A, B, C and D boots: folding boats brand Englehardt with capacity for 47 people; these boats had the fabric sides.
With all the boats filled to capacity, a total of 1,178 people could be embarked.
Olympic Command Bridge, twin vessel of the Titanic. The design was practically identical on board both ships.
Front to starboard boat cover in the Olympic, very similar to the Titanic.
First class gym aboard the Titanic. It was the third transatlantic in the world to offer it
Top level of the Olympic first-class staircase, attach to the Titanic. Here were the carved watch and the glass dome that provided natural light to the room.
Titanic's Marconi X-ray room. On the back, operator Harold Bride is seen, who survived the tragedy.
Towards the bow, there was also the command bridge and the first block, which included the officers' rooms, the Marconi radiotelegraphy room, the machines that moved the elevators and six simple first-class rooms. In the walls of this block were circular windows that illuminated the first-class interior rooms on the lower deck.
The second block was made up of the first-class Grand Staircase and the gymnasium. The stairway ran from this deck to E deck; on the upper level there was a glass dome that provided natural light to the staircase throughout its levels by means of skylights on both sides of it. The gym was located on the starboard side, next to the first class entrance. It was equipped with equipment that worked electrically, as well as exercise bikes and other amenities. The place was conditioned for greater comfort and had a wooden panel against the wall of the fireplace space where two figures could be seen: a world map and a cross section of the ship.
Between the second and third fireplaces was the raised ceiling of the general hall and first class reading room. Beyond the third chimney was a small block for the water tanks, the light entrance to the engine room and a reserved space with a promenade deck for engineers. To the side of this block was a skylight that covered the cupola that went over the first class rear staircase. The fourth chimney did not fulfill the function of expelling smoke from the boilers; For this reason, it was given the function of providing ventilation to the lower kitchens and the second engine room where the turbine that moved the central propeller was located. On either side of the fourth funnel was the raised ceiling of the first-class smoking room on the lower deck. At the end of the deck were the second class entrance and stairway (which descended to F deck). Likewise, the passengers had their respective promenade deck.
Deck A
Also known as the promenade deck, this level housed the cabins (forward), the reading room, the common lounge, the smoking room, the Verandah cafes (divided in half by the the second class staircase) and large enclosed spaces for walks on both sides of the first class ship. Its use was only for first class, since the second class staircase had no exit to this deck.
The Olympic Grand Staircase, whose design was similar to that of the Titanic. However, there are no authentic photographs of the Titanic staircase.
First class Olympic reading and correspondence room, identical to that of the Titanic, although, due to the fact that half of the walk area was glazed, there was less natural light.
First class A-37 standard cabin of the Titanic, occupied by the Catholic seminarian, which landed in Queenstown.
View of the first-class Olympic scalinate, similar to the proa, although smaller and with a simpler watch.
Olympic's first class main hall, attach to the Titanic. Its decoration was inspired by the Palace of Versailles.
Originally it was planned to be built with the upper middle part open as in the case of the Olympic, but due to a change in the layout of the rooms on B deck during the last weeks of construction, it was decided to close the room with windows. forward promenade deck, so that half of the deck was closed up to where the reading room ended and the other half was left open, from the beginning of the common room to the end. At the front, near the first fireplace, were the first-class standard rooms; Decorated with white pine paneling, they featured electric stoves and luxurious mahogany furniture of the period. The interior rooms on this deck had the facility to receive lighting from the upper deck.
Behind the stairway and the entrance were the three elevators for the exclusive use of first class, which transported passengers up to E deck, the grand staircase to its first stop just before the second smokestack. Then came a passageway that was decorated in the same style as the first-class entrance and featured a revolving door. This corridor led to the reading room and the first-class common room. The reading room was a room decorated in the Georgian style with white wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling windows that stretched out onto the boat deck, giving it good lighting. It also had a decorative electric fireplace.
Port side first class ride on A deck of the Titanic, viewed from a point closer to the bow (left) and stern (right). To the side of the reading room and in the middle of the second and third fireplaces was the first class main salon, which was decorated in the Louis XV style, inspired by the Palace of Versailles. It was upholstered and had beautifully carved wood paneling on the walls. In the front part, near the door, there was an ornamental fireplace on which was a miniature of Diana of Versailles, better known as Artemis, and above all, a large mirror. On the night of the sinking, this lounge gathered first-class passengers before the order was given to begin the evacuation. The windows extended, as in the reading room, to the boat deck. One of its biggest attractions was its large chandelier, which was located in a small dome with carvings. The hall was subdivided into small private areas separated by mirrored walls and bronze sconces. Here books could be taken out thanks to a shelf located in front of the third fireplace. On both sides of it were a clock and a barometer. At the rear, on the port side, was a passageway with another revolving door, which connected the saloon to the rear stairway, much like the forward Grand Staircase, but slightly smaller and less detailed.
Towards the stern, there was access to the smoking room, a favorite place for first-class men after dinner. It was decorated in the Georgian style but paneled in dark mahogany. On the same panels there were bronze ornaments, which gave it a certain elegance. Its windows were not translucent but stained glass. In addition, it had some tinted glass embedded in the walls.
The floor was linoleum, with a pattern that was used in other areas of the ship. The first-class smoking lounge was higher than the deck height as its ceiling was raised a few inches higher on the boat deck. In this elevation, there were some small stained glass windows that had the shape of half an elongated ellipse. In the center of its rear wall, the room had a white marble fireplace that was the only one used in the entire ship for heating purposes, for this reason it had two baskets of coal, one on each side; Above this white piece was a painting titled "Plymouth Harbor". He had access to a bar that he shared with the cafeterias at the end of the deck. It communicated with the port side through a revolving door. The last first-class spaces on this level were the bar and the two Verandah Cafes. Its decoration was based on English country houses and its walls were covered with ivy and mirrors, which gave it a spacious effect. Natural lighting came from the four large iron windows that each cafeteria had, which added to the open deck, allowed diners to have a magnificent view of the ocean. Snacks and light meals were served here, but not lunch. The starboard cafeteria was converted into an unofficial playroom for the first class children during the voyage. The second-class staircase passed this level, as it had no exit.
Deck B
First-class B-21 Bedroom on board the Olympic, designed similar to the Titanic's cheap cabins.
Private roof of the first class B-51-53-55 Parlour Suite of the Titanic, embellished in the Tudor style. Inhabited by Charlotte Martínez-Cardeza and her son Thomas Cardeza, both were rescued from the unfortunate.
First class Parisien coffee at the Titanic.
Illustration of the restaurant reception room To the Carte First class.
First-class rear staircase of the Olympic, almost identical to the Titanic (See the watch that is appreciated in the upper left corner).
Also called the bridge deck, this floor was designed primarily to accommodate first-class passengers and to have a promenade deck that would extend from its front to rear, divided just after the rear stairway first class to make way for the second class promenade deck. As on the upper deck, Ismay made observations on the Olympic's maiden voyage and found that this section of the B-deck promenade was not as popular as the one on the upper level.
It was thus that it was decided to completely transform the B deck, adding more cabins in the front part and making some modifications in the middle and rear parts. Private promenade decks were added to the Parlor Suites, (deluxe cabins, which were located one on each side just past the front steps). The other suites were transformed, being extended towards the hull of the ship and changing the location of their private bathrooms.
The first class Á la Carte restaurant was remodeled: the dispensations would no longer be near the entrance by the stairs, that space would be only for entrance; The space was expanded to the port side and to the starboard, the popular Café Parisien was created, which turned out to be a complete success. The restaurant had space for 137 patrons. The deck windows were similar to those on the upper level enclosed promenade deck; but, when the changes were made, these were transformed into narrow windows and only the original windows were preserved in the first class boarding, private decks and starboard cafe.
This was the first deck to run the full length of the ship, even though it was divided into three parts, the fo'c'sle, mid-ship, and poop deck. In the forecastle was the mast for the lookouts and the first hatch, which (unlike the others) functioned as a skylight, due to the small portholes on its deck. The system that moved the two forward anchors exposed the heavy chains in this space; likewise, the crane that was located behind the anchor served to transport it. This area was exclusively reserved for the crew, so third-class passengers could not access it from the lower level, even with stairs. Instead, at the other end, the fantail functioned as a promenade deck for third class.
The middle part of this deck was the longest. At the front were the standard first-class cabins, which extended to the Grand Staircase. On both sides of it were the first-class boarding entrances; unfortunately, no photographs of these sections exist on the Titanic.
To the stern was the second-class smoking lounge along with a private promenade for the same class on either side. The smoking room was embellished in the Louis XVI style, paneled in oak and floored with linoleum tiles. The tables were surrounded by oak armchairs upholstered in green leather. There was an adjoining bar so the bartenders could supply drinks and cigars; as well as an adjoining toilet.
In front of the first-class entrance were the Parlor Suites, the most expensive suite on the ship. Each consisted of a sitting room, two bedrooms, two dressing rooms, a bathroom, and (what was added in the conversion) a private promenade deck. There was one set on port and one on starboard. The two promenade decks were decorated in the Tudor style.
Private roof of the Parlour First-class B-52-54-56 Suite of the Titanic, embellished in the Tudor style. The president of the White Star and survivor Joseph Ismay, inhabited that suite.
Lounge of the first class B-51-53-55 Parlour Suite of the Titanic, decorated in Adam style. He was occupied by Charlotte Martínez-Cardeza and his son Thomas, who were saved from the sinister.
First class B-57 Suite of the Titanic. Adjoined to the taste of modern Dutch design.
First class B-58 Suite at the Titanic, set in Louis XVI style. Quigg E. Baxter, who died in the wreck, stayed in this cabin.
First class B-59 Suite of the Titanic, ornamented in ancient Dutch style, with dark oak panels.
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Deck C
This deck, similarly designated the Refuge Deck, was primarily dedicated to first-class passenger accommodations and crew spaces (both of which were confined to the bow). This deck had four cargo hatches, two in the bow and two in the stern. The first class aft staircase ended on this floor. Aft, there was the first class general lounge, to starboard, as well as the smoking room, to port, with the stairs also to third class.
Between the center and the stern were the second-class general room or library, on the sides of which there were two interior walk areas for second-class passengers. This room was decorated in the Adam style. Mahogany chairs and tables furnished the room, offering desks with lamps by the windows, plus a large bookcase that served as a lending library. This room combined the functions of library, living room and writing room.
In the forward part, under the fo'c'sle, there were two cabins (one on each side of the ship) for the deck men. Also, there were two dining rooms for staff use; the first, with capacity for 35 people, belonged to the sailors and was located on the port side, after a cabin and before the crew's kitchen. To starboard was the dining room for the boiler stokers, with capacity for 87 people. On either side of the structure were stairs leading to the stokers' cabins on the lower deck. At the bow, there was also the anchor mechanism. Finally, next to the open space going down the fo'c'sle, was the crew's hospital. That open deck belonged to third class, so access stairs (one on each side) were installed from his enclosed space on D deck.
Living room of the first class suite C-57-59 of the Olympic, designed in regency style. At the Titanic it was the C-55-57, where Isidor and Ida Straus married, who perished in the disaster.
First class C-64 Olympic Suite, decorated in modern Dutch style.
First class C-76 Suite of the Olympic, ornamented with Italian Renaissance style, with satin wood panels.
Second-class Olympic Elevator as you pass through the lobby of C deck. The Titanic was the second ship in the world to incorporate an elevator outside the first class.
Bookshop / second-class Olympic General Lounge. Homologa to the Titanic.
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Deck D
Similarly referred to as the saloon deck, in the forward part of this deck were the engineers' quarters and a third-class common room. After being separated by a bulkhead, the first-class rooms followed, which were decorated with white wood paneling that extended to before the elevators. The men's bathroom was located forward with four shared bathtubs and the ladies' bathroom was located aft with another four shared bathtubs. In this section they had a small pantry. Then there were the first class boarding gates (two on each side), which closed hermetically by adhering to the hull; they were closed inward with ornate double bars. The only lighting in these departure lounges came from the two rectangular windows on each door and was decorated with white carved panels on a white linoleum floor; They also had a double door of the same design as those that connected to the dining room (wood with iron) and an arch that led to the elevators. To the stern, each room had a display case.
Descending the steps, passengers entered the reception room, decorated with rattan armchairs and tables and white wood paneling, this room was attached, through double doors, to the first class dining room.
The first-class dining room was in the Jacobean style, in a combination of white paneling and mahogany furniture, with lamps on all the tables and profuse stained glass windows, receiving natural light from a double row of portholes; towards the bow there was a space for the piano, this was the most spacious room on the ship, as it could accommodate 554 diners. First-class dishes included fillets of turbot, grilled lamb chops, salmon with mayonnaise, custard and apple meringue.
The second class dining room was located aft, with natural wood paneling and chairs of the same material, this dining room was almost as spacious as the first class one and the food served in it came from the same galley as the first class one. food from the dining room first. It could accommodate 394 people. Breakfast was served on the second-class menu: smoked herring, grilled ham, fried eggs, fried potatoes, tea and coffee; and for lunch: chicken curry, rice, lamb with mint sauce, fruit, cheese and cookies.
This deck also housed the ship's hospital, which had five private cabins, each with a stretcher and a very complete first-aid kit, according to survivors' accounts. The hospital could only be used by first and second class passengers. The second-class passenger gallery served as a meeting point for all second-class passengers after dinner.
To the stern were the second-class cabins, fully aft the third-class accommodation along with two bathrooms each containing a bathtub, the only two available to third-class. In the forward part was the place for the stokers and the stairs for the crew.
View of the Olympic first class reception room, very similar to that of the Titanic.
Olympic first class elevators at the D deck level. Almost identical to the Titanic, although the ornamental forging of its doors was slightly different.
First class Olympic dining room, identical to the Titanic.
Kitchen depression for the dining rooms of the Olympic D deck.
Second class dining room on board the Olympic, very similar to that of your brother ship the Titanic.
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Deck E
This deck, also known as the upper deck, mainly housed the crew cabins with their corresponding dining room. At the stern were the second class accommodation with two stairs, one of them with an elevator, a barbershop, a shop, a room where the musicians kept their instruments and at the stern all the third class cabins next to a staircase. The first class Grand Staircase along with its three elevators ended on this deck, both giving access to the last first class cabins.
Towards the bow, the third-class and crew accommodations were located, with three small stairs and also some stairs for the exclusive use of the crew. A long corridor, more than 100 m long and known by the sailors as "Scotland Road", ran through a large part of the superstructure, communicating mainly the crew quarters, being transited both by the latter and by steerage passengers. In the middle, through the aforementioned corridor, there were stairs that led to the third class dining room. In addition, this floor housed a large number of public bathrooms for both passengers and crew.
Deck F
Third class aboard the Titanic was noticeably more comfortable than that offered by many of its competitors, although third class passengers were granted the smallest proportion of space on board and very few facilities. All passengers were accommodated in private cabins of no more than 10 people. There were 84 two-berth third-class cabins, and in total 1,100 third-class passengers could be accommodated.
This level, also called the middle deck, was occupied by the center of the third-class living-dining room, together with its kitchen and pantry, with stairs to access it from the upper floor. Said room was actually two rooms divided by a watertight bulkhead. Its walls were painted white enamel and decorated with posters of the White Star Line's parent company, the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMM). Its capacity was 473 diners. Despite the economic condition of the passengers, they were served breakfast, lunch, lunch and dinner, which included: Gruel, porridge, smoked herring, ham, eggs, boiled potatoes, rice soup, cold cuts, bread, tea, coffee, fruit, cheese and biscuits.
From the center to the stern were the quarters for the stewards, the second-class cabins with two stairs and an elevator, and the third-class quarters with a single stairway. From the center to the bow were rooms only for first class passengers such as the Turkish baths, the electric baths, the swimming pool (the third in the world to be installed on a ship) and the tribune for the spectators of the squash room. Forward all the way were the third-class cabins with stairs and a few stairs for the crew. The first-class front Grand Staircase definitively ended on this deck, which allowed access to the Turkish baths, the electric baths, the shampoo rooms and the swimming pool. The two second-class stairs also ended next to the elevator of one of them.
The exact location of the ship's kennel is unknown. On the Olympic, she was located on the upper deck. On the Titanic it is possible that she was also on the boats deck, although it is also speculated that she was located on F deck, near the third class galley.See Pets aboard the RMS Titanic.
Third-class Olympic horse.
Third-class Olympic eater, analogous to the Titanic.
Titanic's first-class pool.
Cooling room of the first class Turkish baths of the Titanic.
Illustration of the squash court of the Olympic and the first-class Titanic, whose tip was on the G deck, while the rostrum was on the top deck.
Deck G
Also known as the lower deck, it was divided into two parts; the bow and the stern. Since in the middle were the holes that housed the large engines and boilers that rose from the engine room, two decks below.
Towards the stern, various pantries stored some food such as ice cream, fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk, bacon, butter or fish. Further aft, some cabins for crew, for third class and the last ones for second class that could be accessed by two stairs without a lift. In the bow, was the squash and fencing room, to access it you had to go down some stairs from Deck D, three decks above. Forward at all, the mail sorting room was located next to the first-class baggage hold and some third-class and crew cabins adjoining some stairs for the crew and others for third-class passengers.
Boiler deck
This deck and the lower deck were known as the "guts of the Titanic." This deck was divided into the bow and stern, as was the upper deck, Deck G. In the middle were the holes for the coal bunkers (containers that came from the lower deck and stored the coal) of the boilers and pistons rising from the engine room. At the bow was the cargo area for the second and third class, the first floor of the mail room and some stairs for the use of the crew. Aft, there were warehouses that kept drinks such as wine, champagne or mineral water and a refrigerated cargo area.
Machine cover
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On this last deck, before the double bottom, the gears were located from stern to bow, together with the 16000 HP Parsons turbine, which drove the ship's central propeller, and the fresh water tanks. The central propeller rotated by another type of gear system. Then there were steam engines, with pistons four stories high; It was about two four-cylinder engines with a power of 30,000 CV that was obtained from the large turbine.
Next, the six boiler rooms. Each room contained five boilers except for the one closest to the bow, boiler room number six, with only four. Each boiler, weighing almost 100 tons, sent hundreds of liters of steam through tubes to the main engine room, where it moved the pistons. Between room and room, in their respective bulkheads, twelve watertight doors could be closed automatically from the command bridge, located nine decks above. At the bow, the last cabins for the stokers were located. On this floor there were iron stairs for access to the machines of the workers and stokers, in addition there were also the condensers and the electrical room.
Crew
Of the almost 900 people who were part of the Titanic crew, 66 belonged to the deck crew (officers, ratings, lookouts and boatswains), 325 were mechanics (coalmen, stokers, oilers, electricians, etc.), and finally 494 were members of the care team (purses, stewards, cooks, radio operators, etc.). The ship's commander was Captain Edward Smith, the most respected officer of the White Star Line and a extremely popular captain with first-class passengers, having commanded all of the company's newest and largest ships since 1904. Henry Wilde arrived at the last minute to be chief officer and second-in-command of the Titanic, causing a change in the officers' hierarchy. This made Titanic's three most highly-graded officers the same as those who had previously served on Olympic (with the third being First Mate William Murdoch, who was originally to be ace). appointed as chief officer). In addition to them, Second Mate Charles Lightoller, Third Mate Herbert Pitman, Fourth Mate Joseph Boxhall, Fifth Mate Harold Lowe, and Sixth Mate James Moody were also on board. They were in charge of commanding the deck crew and ensure the operation and proper functioning of the entire ship. They were helped by boatswains who were in charge of the rudder wheel, the lookouts who worked in the top, and the sailors who were in charge of maintaining the various devices on board.
The crew worked in the bowels of the ship. Under the command of Chief Engineer Joseph Bell, they were responsible for the engine room and for keeping the Titanic running. The 29 boilers were fed by three hundred stokers operating under terrible conditions. Very few members of the mechanical team survived the wreck.
Ultimately, the care team was far more diverse and did the most common work. Most were flight attendants accompanied by some receptionists, however it also included cooks, such as Hendrik Bolhuis. His duties were to take care of the ship's cabins and facilities, in addition to attending to the passengers. In the direction of all the attention crew members was the chief purser on board Hugh McElroy, also responsible for addressing any complaints that the passengers might have. The two radio operators, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride, are also listed as part of that crew.
Guarantee group
From among the workers at the Harland and Wolff shipyard, the company selected a guarantee group comprised of outstanding workers in their respective trades to accompany Thomas Andrews on her maiden voyage. This select group had the mission of solving any minor inconvenience that required their good offices, for them it was a pride to belong to this group and in the shipyards they competed to be considered. These specialized workers occupied first and second class cabins and were considered just another passenger. The Titanic guarantee group consisted of nine people:
- William Henry Campbell - Carpenter Assistant
- Roderick Robert Crispin Chisholm - Drawing
- Alfred Fleming Cunningham - Adjuster
- Anthony Wood Frost - Adjuster
- Robert Knight - Adjuster
- Francis Parkes - Fontanero
- Henry William Marsh Parr - Electrician
- Ennis Hastings Watsons - Electrical Assistant
- John H. Hutchinson - Carpenter
First-class orchestra
The Titanic orchestra consisted of eight musicians. However, the band performed in two distinct groups; one was a quintet led by violinist Wallace Hartley, 33, and the other a musical trio that played for the patrons of the rrestaurant à la Carte. Each ensemble had its own melodic repertoire. Under normal circumstances, they did not perform tunes together, although Hartley exercised direct supervision over all the musicians. According to some accounts, the composition and number of the two musical ensembles may not have been entirely fixed, with some variation possible between the two ensembles. different performances that will sound during the journey.
The remaining members of the band were:
- Theodore Brailey, a pianist, 24 years old.
- Roger Bricoux, a chelist, 20 years old.
- John Clarke, 28-year-old bassist.
- John. Jock Hume, 21-year-old violinist.
- George Krins, 23-year-old violinist.
- Percy Taylor, a chelist, 32 years old.
- John Woodward, Chelist, 32 years old.
The musicians had not been directly hired by the White Star Line, but were actually employed by the company C. W. & Liverpool-based F.N. Black, the exclusive agency for the major shipping lines. On the other hand, the soloists were members of the Amalgamated Musicians Union. While traveling aboard the Titanic as workers for the Blacks, they stayed as second-class passengers. Therefore, they were not crew members.
The ensemble led by Hartley (who included violinist John "Jock" Hume and cellist John Woodward) played music daily in the first- and second-class areas of the liner. His working day in first class covered from 11:00 a.m. to noon, acting at the entrance to the boat deck and in the reception room on deck D, first entertaining between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., at tea time, and finally from 20:00-21:15, after dinner. In second class, his chords were heard in the second class aft entrance hall of C deck in the morning from 10:00 to 11:00, in the afternoon from 17:00 to 18:00 and at night between 21:15-22:15.
Maid voyage and sinking
Preparations prior to departure day
The Titanic arrived at pier number 44 in the port of Southampton at dawn, shortly after 01:15 on Thursday, April 4, 1912, from Belfast. She docked with her port side facing the jetty.
Her arrival did not prompt any formal greeting or welcome ceremony, quite the opposite of her sister ship, the Olympic, when she entered the same dock for the first time in 1911. During that Thursday, the ship would look decked out with a large number of multicolored flags and banners.
The preparations were developed throughout the 6 days of stay in the port city: provisioning, accommodation of the recruited crew, habituation to their obligations, loading and unpacking the supplies on board, decoration work, wall painting, furnished, carpeted, etc. Because the ship had not yet been fully completed, she was not put on public display during her first stay in Southampton as was customary. As a result, she continued to work inside her on conditioning tasks and minor installations, although the ship would leave with some unfinished sections.
After the liner was moored, then second mate David Blair instructed lookout George Hogg to keep the set of binoculars he had borrowed in his cabin, in order to prevent them from getting lost while the ship was underway. the dock. To do this, Blair gave Hogg his keys to take the binoculars to his cabin and then return them to him. The task accomplished, on his way back to hand over the keys to the second mate, Hogg was called upon to do other duty, so he gave the keys to seaman William Weller to return to Blair.
However, a late replacement in the ranks of the senior officer corps meant that Second Mate Blair was dispensed with on the first voyage of the Titanic. In the days leading up to April 10, it was decided that Chief Officer Henry Wilde would take the position originally held by William Murdoch, demoting him to first officer. In the same way, the now former first officer Charles Lightoller would be relegated to second in his category, thus replacing Blair. On 9 April, David Blair abandoned ship accidentally taking the key to the observation turret storage locker, leaving the binoculars locked there or in his cabin. This error would contribute to a great deal of confusion in the attempt to locate him during the cruise.
On the eve of the day of departure, England had just suffered a fierce coal mining strike, which began on February 29 and ended on April 6 of that year, which directly affected the commercial dynamism of the shipping companies, in the same way as the rest of the economic sectors since said mineral was the predominant fuel for the operation of the industry, as well as for most means of transport at the time. Due to this situation, as coal production was reduced, the activity of many ocean liners came to a standstill, triggering thousands of unemployment.
With the critical situation derived from the strike, it was necessary to gather enough fuel so that the Titanic could undertake its maiden voyage. For that reason, the scheduled voyages of several White Star Line and IMM ships to transfer their coal reserves—including some of the Olympic's surplus supply—to the new liner, which had arrived from Belfast with about 1880 tons of fuel and to which about 4427 were added while it was in the berth. Having consumed 415 tons during her stay in the dock, at the time of setting sail, the famous steam housed some 5892 tons of fuel in her coal bunkers.
Among the ships parked on the approaches, the RMS Majestic and the RMS Oceanic stood out —both belonging to the same company as the Titanic— as well as the SS Philadelphia, St. Louis, and the SS New York. Some of the Titanic passengers had originally purchased travel tickets on one of those ships. However, when they were withdrawn from service due to the strike, they were transferred to the brand new ship.
On April 6, most of the shipboard staff were signed. About 250 crew members who had recently disembarked from the Olympic joined the staff of the new ocean liner.
On April 8, fresh food began to be shipped in the ship's cold rooms and pantries. As a guide, among some of the stored supplies there were; 75,000 lbs of meat, 11,000 lbs of fish, 2,500 lbs of sausages, 40 tons of potatoes, 250 barrels of flour, 40,000 eggs, 7,000 heads of lettuce, 36,000 oranges, 36,000 apples, 6,000 lbs of butter, 1,500 gallons of milk, 1,750 lb of ice cream, 2,200 lb of coffee, 800 lb of tea, 15,000 bottles of beer, 1,000 bottles of wine, 850 bottles of spirits and 1,200 bottles of mineral water.
On April 9, Maurice Clarke, the emigration officer of the Board of Trade, entered the ship with the task of verifying compliance with all the security regulations of the named entity and, if the verification was satisfactory, authorizing departure the next day. Everything related to the rescue equipment was examined and, among the tests carried out, the stability of the ship was tested.
Ultimately, Clarke completed most of her inspection that day and would return early the next morning to finish her checks.
First day of the journey, April 10
Wednesday, April 10, dawned fairly cloudy with a temperature of almost 9°C, although occasionally the sun peeked brightly through the clouds. Ship designer Thomas Andrews, 39, embarked at 6:00 and began to inspect the ship. At that time, many crew members began to gather on board. Captain Edward Smith, 62, boarded at about 7:30.
Crewmen began to gather for the formal meeting of Board of Trade Inspector Maurice Clarke and White Star Line Supervisor Benjamin Steele around 8:00. Due to the large size of the crew, they were assembled separately by like-minded groups—the stokers, stewards, and sailors—in different locations. One by one, each crew member had to assemble and line up in front of Captain Smith, the ship's officers and surgeons, surveyors Clarke and Steele, and the Board of Trade physician. Record sheets were drawn up, roll call was taken, people were counted and they underwent a medical examination to check that they were in good health. It took over an hour to complete the crew check.
After the aforementioned meeting, a mock lowering of the lifeboats was practiced and analyzed by Clarke and Steele. Chief Officer Henry Wilde, First Officer William Murdoch, Second Officer Charles Lightoller, Third Officer Herbert Pitman, Fifth Officer Harold Lowe and Sixth Officer James Moody assembled with the rest of the team around 9:00. Lowe and Moody were chosen to launch two boats - number 11 and number 13 - chosen for the tests, which would last half an hour and were partially canceled by the wind.
Titanic port in the morning of Wednesday, April 10, 1912. In the background, second-class passengers approach the transatlantic through the northern porch, which connected with the C deck of the ship.
The Titanic being separated from the Southampton port's 44th dock, with the help of six tugs.
Several tractor boats attend steam from their starboard band.
Early in the morning, passengers had begun to pour into the port of Southampton. Many of them arrived by means of two special trains -one for first class travelers and another for second and third class- that left from London Waterloo station, and which communicated directly with the facilities of pier number 44, where the Titanic was moored. The first-class train left London at 8:00 a.m. and reached Southampton at about 11:30 a.m. According to 36-year-old British second-class passenger Ellen Walfcroft, the second- and third-class train left Waterloo station at 8:30 a.m. and arrived at Southampton Pier at 10:15 a.m.
Third-class travelers would be checked for health, prior to entering the ship, to verify that they did not carry infections. Similarly, the passengers' luggage was sorted into two sets before being loaded on board; some met specific conditions to be deposited in the Titanic's holds, while others were authorized to be kept in the cabins of the travelers.
The south portico building coupled the port with access for first-class passengers, through the forward gates of the B deck of the Titanic. It was also possible to board this class via the doors on deck D of the ship. Jacques and May Futrelle were about to enter through one of those two entrances, and shortly after doing so, they ran into some acquaintances; the Harris marriage. The Futrelles were delighted to find out that Henry and Renee Harris would be staying in cabin C-83, which was located practically opposite their own. From then on, both couples would spend a lot of time together during the voyage.
Adolphe Saalfeld passed first class with his nephew as a visitor, the two of them wandering aboard for an hour. Saalfeld would praise his bedroom, the C-106: «I really like my cabin, it is like a living room with a bed and quite spacious. [...] My cabin is very nice, hot and cold water installed, an electric stove that you can turn on and off, a nice sofa with an oval table in front and, of course, everything is new."
British-Irish Henry Forbes Julian, a 50-year-old metalworker, was on a business trip to North America. He boarded first class shortly after 10:10, noting that few people were inside by then, and had his trunks unloaded in his E-60 cabin: "I just went over the ship and I've seen all the living rooms and stays. Everything is the most luxurious... The decks are magnificent, and the closed ones are set up more like smoking rooms. My stateroom is not the one shown... on the floor plan of the Olympic... However, it is more like a small bedroom than a ship's cabin [...]".
The gallery of the north portico of the pier was used for the entrance to second class, connecting with the rear hatches of deck C of the steamer. Through this entrance, the traveler Lawrence Beesley embarked at 10:00 accompanied by two friends who had come to see him off. The barriers separating the Titanic's first and second class spaces were open at the time, so Beesley and his friends explored various decks, dining rooms, and libraries. On the boat deck, they headed into the gym, where Beesley and his friend got on the two stationary bikes. At that time, the instructor of the sports facilities, Thomas W. McCawley, about 36 years old, arrived with a couple of photographers from a London newspaper. They photographed Beesley and his friend riding the bikes. Shortly after, more passengers entered, and the instructor explained to them the operation of the electric camel and horse, making two passengers climb on top of said devices, which were shaken by the action of a small motor, imitating the gallop of two animals.
Photograph taken from the Titanic boat deck: the 44th dock crowded from the passengers as the ship departed.
The Titanic moving away from the shipyard No. 44, shortly after the noon of April 10, 1912.
The vessel entering the River Test.
Stern view of the ship entering the River Test.
The steam getting into the Test River in the minutes prior to your incident with the SS New York.
After gaining access to second class, the Caldwells watched the crew loading the packages on board. Sylvia Caldwell, asked one of them: "Is this ship really unsinkable?" The waiter replied: «Yes, ma'am. Not even God could sink it."
Unlike many other travelers, Imanita Shelley, 24, of Deer Lodge, Montana, and her mother Lucinda "Lutie" Parrish, 59, of Woodford County, Kentucky, were terribly disappointed when they walked into his second-class cabin. Returning to America after a stint in England for Shelley to convalesce from a serious ailment, mother and daughter were outraged because they believed they had paid for the best accommodation available in their class, but were instead escorted to a very small cabin and located on one of the lower decks. Consecutively, Imanita and Lutie sent the chambermaid in search of the chief purser demanding a transfer to a better room commensurate with the cost of the ticket purchased, obtaining in response the impossibility of such a claim until the ship had left Queenstown, at which time the one that would review all the tickets and could detect any errors.
Third class would board Elizabeth Dowdell, a 31-year-old housekeeper from New Jersey, crossing one of the platforms that linked to one of the two openings on Titanic's E deck. She had a six-year-old girl, Virginia Emanuel, in charge of her. Young Virginia was the daughter of opera singer Estelle Emanuel, who had recently signed a six-month contract in England and had left her daughter in Dowdell's care. The little girl, accompanied by her nanny, was being sent back to New York, where her grandparents would take care of her. That morning was a bit stressful for Dowdell, because they were late in taking the specific railway that would take them to the port where the Titanic was docked, going up to it in a hurry. Once aboard the liner, they discovered they would be sharing a cabin with 24-year-old British servant Amy Stanley, who was headed to Connecticut to work as a babysitter.
Swede August Wennerström, 27, a typographer and socialist from Malmö, was another of the travelers who entered the most economical class. He had previously been prosecuted for insulting King Oscar II of Sweden. After his acquittal, he decided to go to the United States. He undertook the journey to Southampton along with two compatriots who would also agree as third class passengers; Carl Olof Jansson, also a 21-year-old socialist and carpenter from Örebo bound for Nebraska, and Gunnar Isidor Tenglin, 25-years-old and from Stockholm, but who had already lived in Burlington, Iowa between 1903 and 1908 and where he wished to reestablish himself. Inside the boat, Tenglin and Wennerström settled in the same cabin.
At 11:45 a.m., the bells rang and shouts of "Everyone ashore!" across the Titanic. So the visitors who had come aboard bade farewell to their acquaintances and descended the gangways. Shortly after, at 11:50, the sailor William Lucas, 25, would embark. Although he would not be the last to do so, since a few minutes later the leading stoker Arthur Pugh, 31, and his brother the 20-year-old butler Alfred Pugh. Another straggling group of six tinkers rushed inside the Titanic, but only 24-year-old John Podesta and 30-year-old William Nutbean made it in time to be cleared inside. on board.
Second-class passenger Lawrence Beesley watched — peering from the upper decks — the moment of some tension that led to the rejection of admission of some of those late workers, through the gangway that was ready to be removed from the lock aft of deck E:
[...] Just before the last walkway was withdrawn, a group of fire extinguishers ran through the dock, with their equipment hanging on their shoulders in packages, and headed to the walkway with the obvious intention of joining the boat. But a non-official [James Moody] who guarded the end of the shore of the walkway strongly refused to allow them to come on board; they argued, gesticulated, apparently trying to explain the reasons why they were late, but he [subofficial] remained stubborn and made them a gesture with a determined hand; the walkway was dragged back in the midst of his protests, remaining in the midst of his determined effort..]
The Titanic began her maiden voyage to New York on Wednesday, April 10, 1912, setting sail at about 12:15 p.m. of the ship The officers had gone to their vantage points to start the ship's departure; Chief Officer Wilde, 39, was on the fo'c'sle, supervising the crew manning the moorings. Close to Wilde and under his orders, 38-year-old Second Officer Lightoller worked. First Officer Murdoch, 39, was positioned on the sterncastle taking care of the mooring ropes there. He was assisted by the third officer Pitman, 34 years old, up on the rear docking bridge and next to his corresponding telephone and telegraphs. Fourth Officer Boxhall, 28, remained on the bridge carrying out orders by telegraph and filling out the logbook. Fifth Officer Lowe, 29, listening to the phones in the wheelhouse. Sixth Officer Moody, 24, was stationed on the last gangway linking the Titanic to the mainland, aft on E Deck.
A flotilla of six tugs, named Albert Edward, Hercules, Vulcan, Ajax, Hector, and Neptune, approached the liner to help her pull away from the pier and guide her into the main channel. With the access gangways already removed, although the two rear hatches of deck E were still open, the order to set sail was sent from the bridge. The men on the dock unhooked the mooring lines from the bollards which would then be rolled on board by the crew at the fore and aft ends. The barges slowly steered the Titanic into the Test River. Voyager 2nd Class Lawrence Beesley would observe:
[...] The Titanic slowly advanced through the dock, with the accompaniment of the latest messages and shouting farewells of those on the dock. There were no victors or whistles of the fleet of ships that bordered the dock, as could probably be expected on the occasion of the largest ship in the world that was made to the sea on its inaugural journey; the whole scene was quiet and quite ordinary, with little of the picturesque and ceremonial interest that the imagination paints as usual in these circumstances.
33-year-old Turkish baths waitress Annie Caton would recall the ship's orchestra playing light music on deck while passengers leaning on the railings waved farewells to the crowds at the berth. Chambermaid First Class, 24-year-old Violet Jessop would write in her memoirs of the departure of the Titanic:
Little by little, the Titanic got off the side of the drain and left on a soft April day. Sliding with grace, full of great hopes, upon the noise of farewells, waving flags and scarves. We were proudly escorted by the tugboats, resonating their farewells and [messages] of good luck, while from the dock the sounds weakened. Few staff members had time or opportunity to witness our departure.[...]
Incident with the SS New York
The Titanic continues his way to Cherbourg shortly after avoiding collision with the New York. The Oceanic bow is visible to the right.
The New York (der) next to impact the Titanic (izq) port side while leaving the Southampton pier.
The Titanic (der) being helped by the Vulcan (center) lanchon during manoeuvres to remove the great ship from New York (izq).
The Titanic (izq) moving backwards, the pop of the New York swinged in front of the bow of the first. Hector and Neptune (der) tugboats maintain the direction of the ship on the channel.
The great ship retreats while the New York (at the bottom) is away to the Hampshire River; Itchen. The Oceanic is seen on the left and part of the Titanic proa castle is appreciated at the right end.
As the Titanic inched forward to join the River Test, it approached to pass parallel to the level of berths numbers 38-44. The RMS Oceanic was lashed directly at the 38th and alongside her was the SS New York double-lined. Meanwhile, on deck, Colonel Archibald Gracie was engaged in conversation with businessman Isidor Straus, who briefed him, pointing to the New York, that he had traveled on said ship in 1888, noting the extraordinary naval progress that had occurred since then.
By that time, some of the boats that attended the Titanic had moved away from it, as was the case with the Vulcan. On the bridge, Pilot Bowyer sent the command "slow forward" to the engine room. So the steam from the ship's engines began to induce the rotation of the two outer propellers. However, the action of the latter developed a powerful and complex series of suction forces under the confined and deep waters on the north side of the channel. The resulting waves caused the ropes that retained the New York to break, causing the Titanic to absorb it towards it when the latter moved alongside it.
James A. Paintin, 29, Commander Smith's butler, linked the risky event to what happened with the Olympic:
[...] the bad luck of the Olympic seems to have persecuted us, for as we left this morning of the dock we spent quite close to the "Oceanic" and the "New York" that were tied in the old "Adriatic" mooring, and whether it was suction or what it was, I don't know, but the strings of the "New York" broke like a piece of cotton and [that boat] slipped towards us. There was a great expectation for some time, but I don't think there was any damage unless one or two people were knocked down by the ropes.
Arthur G. Peuchen, a first-class passenger from Toronto, Canada, was a 52-year-old chemical manufacturer who made regular transatlantic voyages due to the international scope of his business. He lived in room C-104. Peuchen would testify:
[I landed] Twenty minutes before I sailed, I'd say, half an hour.That was a good day. Shortly after leaving our dock, our wake or suction caused some trouble at the head of the dock we rode, where there were two or three ships from the same company as our ship. There was a great upheaval in those ships due to the breakage of their moorings, but there was no shock in ours, the Titanic. There was also excitement at the docks when the largest ship [probably the Oceanic] began to break one or two of its moorings. But I don't think there would have been any accidents. The smaller boat, I think it was the New York, got away, without its engines on and without self-control. The result was that nothing could be done. At first, it deviated towards our stern, and then it was carried [to the drift] getting very close to our bow.
I think we stopped our boat and we just stood still. They got one or two tugs to control the New York and took him out of danger. I think this problem probably delayed us three quarters of an hour. Then we left the port.
Jacques and May Futrelle watched the threat of collision against the SS New York unfold from one of the first-class decks, May would detail:
Because this was the inaugural trip of the Titanic, our departure was a great occasion. The docks and roofs of the Olympic [sic - Oceanic] and the New York, which were in the port, were crowded with people who had come to fire us. They cheered and greeted when we sailed: our orchestra played [...]. Jacques and I stopped by the nearest railroad to New York as we advanced.Suddenly we saw the New York shaking and moving: then his closest cable to us broke down and the muñón fell back on the deck, knocking down some people. I saw him start swinging towards us. Jacques shouted: Hold tight for the shock! I clung to the rail. The New York approached even more, and it seemed sure that we would crash; but just as his railing was about to touch ours, he changed direction beyond our bow.
I was a little scared. Jacques laughed and said: Well, you have to get out of your system anyway! It seemed that no one on board had superstitious thoughts about the small incident. If we talked about it, we just joke about it. We never know when our luck comes. It would have been much better if the New York had sunk us in the same port.
Lawrence Beesley was another witness to that event:
As the Titanic progressed majestically through the dock, the crowd of friends followed our passage along the drain, we came together to the steam level New York tied to the side of the dock along with the Oceanic, the crowd greeting those on board with the best they could for most of the two boats. But when the bow of our ship came to the height of the New York, a series of bursts were heard, such as those of a revolver, and on the side of the New York pier, coarse-string spirals plunged into the air and fell back among the crowd, who were alarmed to escape the flying ends. We expected no one to get hit by the ropes, but a sailor next to me was sure he saw a woman taking to get medical care. And then, for our astonishment, the New York approached us, slowly and stealthily, as attracted by an invisible force that could not resist. [...]In the New York there were shouts of orders, people running from one side to another, dropping strings and placing mattresses on the side where it seemed likely to crash; the tugboat that had been released a few moments before the Titanic bow, surrounded our stern and passed next to the New York pier, seemed to cling to this and started dragging it back with all the power of the engines that were not capable; [...]
At first, all appearances indicated that the sterns of the two ships would collision; but from the pop bridge of the Titanic, an officer who led the operations stopped us dry, ceased the suction and the New York, with his tug behind, moved obliquely through the dock, with his stern sliding down the side of our ship a few meters away. [...] But the whole expectation had not yet ended: the New York turned its bow inward, toward the dock, its stern swayed right outside and passed in front of our bow, and slowly advanced forward to the Teutonic [sic - possibly the Oceanic], which was tied to its side; [...] another tugboat approached and took over the New York by the prow; and between the two they dragged it, [...]
[...] A young American film photographer [William H. Harbeck] who had followed the whole scene with his wife, with anxious eyes, spinning the crank of his camera with the most evident pleasure while recording the unexpected incident in his films. Obviously, for him it was a great gain to have been aboard at that time, but neither the film nor those who exposed it came to the other side [of the ocean], and the filming of the accident [...] has never been projected on screen.
From the command bridge, the command to halt the ship's march was telegraphed. However, the stern of the SS New York continued to drift, approaching dangerously—in an arc—for the Titanic's rear port area. One of the two officers stationed in the stern called, through a megaphone, to the leader of the Vulcan tug, urging him to come to the rear port side of the great ship. Meanwhile, the Titanic's left side thruster reversed her motion to reverse. As the small dinghy fearfully moved to the indicated spot, it took a rope from the New York that immediately snapped under the strain. But she quickly clung to a second line with which the Vulcan, propelled to her maximum power, prepared to tow the out-of-control New York, in order to slow it down to prevent it from colliding with the Titanic.
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| Fases of the near meeting of the Titanic with the New York. |
The agitation of the water caused by the reverse rotation of the port propeller, added to the drag maneuver of the Vulcan, managed to stop the smaller of the two steamers when the separation between the two hulls had narrowed to just over 1 meter. Simultaneously, the Titanic began to move back through the channel, while the tugboats tried to avoid another threat of boarding caused by the wake of the brand new ship. The stern of the New York slid along the Titanic's port side, overtaking the latter's bow, and two tractor boats brought the straggling little ship to be temporarily tethered at the southern end of the pier jetty. At the same time, the RMS Oceanic was lashed with more cables, in order to prevent her from being pulled into the huge vessel as it resumed its course.
Once the situation was under control, the Titanic continued down the river. This mishap was seen by some on board as a bad omen, as referred to by 27-year-old first-class passenger Norman C. Chambers or second-class passenger Thomas Brown. On the other hand, second-class traveler Charlotte Collyer would affirm that no one was scared and that the boat had demonstrated its power. Before definitively leaving the port, the Titanic paused so that the reserve crew, who had not previously disembarked, could do so by means of the Vulcan. To do this, the tugboat was located in the port lock of the E deck of the great ship. This task completed, the Titanic resumed sailing for the second time with a delay of approximately one hour.
Journey across the English Channel
Setting course for Cherbourg, its first stop, the ship steered in the direction of Southampton Water, leaving the mouth of the River Test and skirting the Isle of Wight to starboard, to enter the Strait of Solent, through which it would channel towards the English channel. Already at sea, the Titanic would develop a speed close to 20.2 knots.
Titanic's first-class front cover. On the rail, is the passenger Jack Odell, who descended in Queenstown. In the end, one of the men was identified as Archibald Butt, who died in the disaster.
View of the Titanic in front of Cowes, on the island of Wight, crossing the strait of Solent in the east direction.
The Titanic in the vicinity of Cowes, on the way to the Channel.
Immediately after the ship left Southampton, Chief Engineer Joseph Bell, 51, tasked Chief Stoker Frederick Barrett, 29, with the task of extinguishing a fire in the starboard tender at the forward end from boiler room number five, the result of spontaneous combustion resulting from the heat of the stove. It was rumored to have sprung up in Belfast, and the adjacent bulkhead was due to be examined after the fire had been extinguished. Pursuing this purpose, as much coal as possible would be extracted from the affected storeroom to locate the source of ignition and it was irrigated with a hose that was introduced under the control of Barrett and some 8 or 10 men. However, that work would last 3 days.
It soon became clear that the lookouts did not have any pair of binoculars. Accordingly, 24-year-old lookout George Symons went to the bridge to see if they could provide them; Second Mate Lightoller made some inquiries, however, he found none reserved for the top watchmen.
Lawrence Beesley would reminisce about the final departure from the port until the arrival of the first scheduled stop:
As we shipped down the river, the scene we had just witnessed [the attempt to crash with the New York ship] was the theme of each conversation: the comparison with the Olympic-Hawke collision was made in every small group of passengers, and there seemed to be a general agreement that this would confirm the theory of suction [...].We went down to Spithead, crossed the shores of the Isle of Wight that looked magnificently beautiful under the new spring foliage, exchanged greetings with a White Star tugboat that waited for one of its transatlantics to head in, and we saw in the distance several warships with accompanying black destroyers guarding the entrance from the sea. With a time of the quietest, we reached Cherbourg just when it was dark and left again around 2030 hours, after boarding passengers and mails.
First class passenger Ida Straus wrote the following letter to a friend after leaving Southampton:
Dear Mrs. Burbidge,You can't imagine how pleased I felt to find your exquisite basket of flowers in our living room [C-55] in the steam room. Roses and carnations are as beautiful in color and as fresh as if they were cut. Thank you so much for your sweet attention that we both appreciate.
But what boat [the Titanic]! So huge and magnificently decorated. Our rooms are furnished with the best taste and luxury, and are real rooms, not cabins. But the size seems to bring your problems: Mr. Straus, who was on deck when we sailed, said that for a moment, painfully little to repeat the Olympic experience in his first [sic - sixth] trip out of the port, but the danger was avoided soon and now we are well on our way through the channel to Cherbourg.
Once again, I thank you and Mr. Burbidge for your lovely attention and good wishes and for the pleasant satisfaction of seeing you with us next summer, I cordially greet you with whom Mr. Straus joins with every heart.
Very carefully,
Ida R. Straus
At 1:00 p.m., lunch was served for the passage. First-class perfumer Adolphe Saalfeld tasted his first maritime delicacy with much appetite: “I had quite an appetite for lunch—soup, fillet of plaice, a tenderloin steak with cauliflower and fries, Manhattan apple and Roquefort washed down with a large beer. frozen spaten, [...]».
In second class, it had taken Kate Buss quite a while to exchange her ticket for a dining ticket. She took a seat at a table where, among other diners, two clergymen were eating, Marion Wright, a 26-year-old Englishwoman, and Ernest Moraweck, a 54-year-old American doctor, whom she described as "very nice." Later he would apply her medical knowledge to her by removing some soot that had fallen into her eye. Later, Buss met Wright on deck:
[...] While he was there, said young man [Marion Wright] offered to share his travel blanket. I accepted. We asked each other questions. She's going to Oregon, but her fiancé's waiting for her to marry her in New York. [...]
Francis Browne, a 32-year-old Irish first-class passenger and Catholic seminarian, after documenting the ship's difficult departure with his camera, ate quickly in the dining room, wanting to be on deck when they crossed near the wight coast.
The Titanic running through the Solent channel, prior to its entry into the open sea.
The Titanic (center) moving along the Solent Strait and surrounded by warships.
The transatlantic navigating near Portsmouth, the port side is visualized by looking at the stern.
While he was taking his snapshots at the time they were circumambulating the waters of the Solent Strait, an American traveler interrupted him to ask him, surprised, why one coastline is so close to another. Browne would patiently, and even humorously, answer his insistent geographical questions about where they were passing through, but he noted that the hesitant American became more and more disoriented with each answer. Until at last Browne understood the source of the man's confusion, who mistakenly assumed that the shore of Wight, visible to the south from the ship, was the French coast.
Consecutively, the priest clarified: «Ah, that's not France, it's the Isle of Wight», to which the American replied, before leaving: «I see. I thought it was France." Browne would soon see the man on deck again and this time photographed him in front of the outer wall of the gym.
Priest Second Class Thomas Byles would observe during the itinerary across the English Channel:
[...] At lunch. We were still in Southampton Water, but when we left lunch we met between Portsmouth and Wight Island. [...] The wick channel was resolutely cluttered in sight, but we didn't feel it any harder than when we were in Southampton Water. I don't like the palpitation of the propellers very much, but that's the only move we get. I have discovered two other priests among second-class passengers: one Bavarian Benedictine [Joseph Peruschitz] and the other secular of Lithuania [Juozas Montvila]. [...]
Musical instrument dealer Henry P. Hodges, from Southampton and in his 50s, who was on his way to Boston to see relatives, would comment on his first sight in second class:
We've been doing great so far. You don't notice anything about the movement of this boat, but time is very good. On the top deck there are about 20 boys, from 20 on, spinning and singing. Others play dominoes and cards in the halls. Some read, others write. [...]
At tea time, around mid-afternoon, the musicians performed at the first-class reception. Among those who were having a snack in that room, was Elmer Taylor talking with his friend Fletcher Lambert-Williams, 43 years old. The Taylors had met Edward and Catherine Crosby and their daughter Harriette that morning—on the London-Southampton rail journey—and had hit it off ever since.
Because Lambert-Williams was traveling alone, Mr. Taylor offered to introduce him to the Crosby family, who were seated near them, although he was particularly keen that he should meet Harriette that way. Upon Taylor's introduction, the Crosbys suggested that they join their table for tea, to which Elmer and Fletcher agreed. The conversation that ensued between them must have been quite friendly, since later they would ask the flight attendant to grant them a table with capacity for 6 people in the dining room, and thus, they could continue their social interaction during the cruise.
That evening, Adolphe Saalfeld took a long walk and slept for an hour until 5:00 p.m. Later, at the Verandah Cafe, he savored a bread and butter coffee that he thought he should pay for, though he discovered it was free.
Henry F. Julian explored the nave, except for the Turkish baths and swimming pool: "The Parisian cafe is quite new and looks very real. [...] I also visited the gymnasium, which is full of the most marvelous machines, which cure all the pains of which the flesh is heir. There are more than three hundred first class passengers on board – a large proportion of Americans. The weather has been good, but cool and more or less cloudy."
First stopover in Cherbourg
After crossing the English Channel, the Titanic made its first stop in Cherbourg, France to pick up more passengers. The liner came in late, around 18:30 on April 10, as a result of the mishap in Southampton with the SS New York as she was leaving port, and anchored inside the breakwater, her starboard side facing the port city. The sea train, which came from Paris, arrived in Cherbourg around 4:00 p.m., bringing with it a part of the passage that would board the steamer through the French pier.
The ferry SS Nomadic was ready to depart at 5:30 p.m. with 142 first-class passengers and 30 second-class passengers who had purchased tickets on the Titanic, although the Titanic was not yet on the horizon. The 102 third-class travelers would be transported by the SS Traffic ferry. The latter approached first next to one of the sides of the Titanic, so the steerage passengers accessed the ship, in addition to being deposited the mail destined for Ireland or the US. Notable personalities would board in Cherbourg and stay in first class.
As the travelers awaited the arrival of the flaming steamer inside the Nomadic, Margaret Brown struck up a conversation with her friend Emma Bucknell, a wealthy 58-year-old widow whose late husband had founded Bucknell University in Philadelphia. After visiting her daughter in Italy, she was on her way to Atlanta, Georgia, where another of her children lived. She was accompanied by her employee Albina Bassani and she would occupy cabin D-15. Bucknell told Margaret that she had bad omens about boarding the new liner. Mrs. Brown just smiled, reassuring her. Similar bad feelings would later be recounted by some surviving passengers, such as Lucy Duff Gordon or Edith Rosenbaum.
Engelhart Østby, 64, and his daughter, Helen, 22, resided in Providence, Rhode Island. Østby was a widowed jeweler from Norway. Since 1906, he had taken Helen with him on his regular business trips to the Old World. On this occasion, father and daughter had vacationed in Egypt and southern Europe. While in Nice, they determined to return home by obtaining first-class reservations for the Titanic; Engelhart would occupy the B-30 cabin and the young woman the B-36. Helen would allude to:
We went to Paris and there we met two acquaintances, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Warren from Portland, Oregon, whom we had met in Egypt and who also had reservations for the Titanic. On April 10 we took the boat train to Cherbourg. The Titanic stayed in the port, illuminated and beautiful at night.
At about 7:00 PM, just after sunset, the Nomadic pulled up along the side of the Titanic to transfer first and second class travelers to the great ship. They would enter through a walkway that connected with the entrance to the D deck of the Titanic. In this Gallic port, 274 people were added to the passage —142 first class travelers, 30 second class and 102 steerage—. About fifteen first-class passengers—among them the parents of the Countess of Rothes—plus about nine second-class passengers got off the ship in Cherbourg. In addition, many items of mail, cargo, and baggage were unloaded for the tenders.
Margaret Brown, would be one of the travelers who had to cross the aforementioned gangway to enter the Titanic and then went to her cabin, the E-23:
A boat train (luxury train) from Paris reached Cherbourg at 17:00 on April 10. When we got here, no boat was seen in sight. The Titanic was late, as he had had some difficulties in leaving the Liverpool docks [sic - Southampton]. We all approached the [SS Nomadic] ferry that was waiting to move hundreds of passengers to the largest of the sea palaces [the Titanic], which then turned out to be the tomb of many of them.After an hour or more delay, in the cold gray atmosphere, the Titanic chimneys, the world's largest masterpiece of modern transatlantic, appeared on the other side of the breakwater.
In a few more minutes, this marvellous floating palace [the Titanic] appeared at sight around the dike curve and lowered the anchor. The shuttle [Nomadic] lit his engines, and after half an hour in a moving sea we were next to the Titanic keel. The movement of the small boat [Nomadic] in the rough sea made most passengers feel uncomfortable and weak. They were all frozen.
On boarding the ship [the Titanic], a large number of passengers immediately went to their cabins. The trumpet [which he warned] for dinner was half an hour later, but he failed to summon many to his magnificent dining room. The electric stove and the hot blanket [which offered the cabins] were too comfortable to be abandoned even for a dinner of many dishes, even in the desire of the inner man.[...]
Edith Rosenbaum recounted the relatively dangerous entry process onto the Titanic, from the Nomadic:
[...] The train journey from Paris to Cherbourg was quite pleasant. [...]But when I arrived in Cherbourg I felt a very nasty premonition of problems that would come later. In fact, I was so strong [premonition] that I telegraphed my secretary in Paris, expressing my fears.[...]
We sat on the huge [SS Nomadic] shuttle, which had been built especially the previous year for these new White Star ships, and for three hours we were tiring and waiting. It was cold, it had been raining. I remember sitting next to Colonel John Jacob Astor and his wife, who were on their wedding trip, playing with their big dog [Kitty]. The colonel told me that the construction of the Titanic had cost ten million dollars and emphasized that it was insubmersible, a miracle of modern naval construction.
Finally a murmur traveled the auxiliary boat: The Titanic is in sight!.
I saw what looked like a huge 11-storey tall building, with row over row of bright electric lights [the ox eyes illuminated from the inside], all aligned. It was truly a beautiful and impressive show. The great auxiliary boat [Nomadic] approached the Titanic and stood beside it. Then something unforgettable happened. Although the sea was perfectly calm, our boat began to swing in the most violent way imaginable, completely throwing passengers to the ground. I turned to a gentleman who later discovered that it was Philip E. Mock, the miniature painter, and I said: Well, a boat that will produce this unusual convulsion on this sea seems dangerous to me, and I wish not to travel with it. I'm so scared.[...] Just as things were, I couldn't help but feel strangely impressed by the way the shuttle stumbled and agitated, in this calm sea, by the great ship [the Titanic]. The walkway we got on board seemed to be in danger of getting rid of their fixations.
I hated the idea of crossing that walkway, and as soon as I got on board I went down the stairs to find out if there was any chance of locating my luggage, as I wished to return. They told me I could come back if I wanted to, but my luggage would have to go to New York. I answered the baggage manager: My luggage is worth more to me than I do, so I better stay with him.[...] So to reassure me, Mr. Martin said: I'll make a special concession. We will give you a large cabin next to your own room where we will put your trunks and boxes, and then you will feel more comfortable and you can have a look at them.
Then I stood aside and looked for more than an hour, a regiment of cooks, bakers and sailors stumbling under the weight of huge wooden boxes that were transferring from the ferry to the Titanic. I asked one of the commissars what they were carrying with all this and he said: These are rare vegetables, foie gras pate, caviar, fruits of all kinds and other things to eat... supplies for travel and return. He added: We have a good crowd on board, but it's nothing compared to what we anticipate coming back.. I've never seen so many boxes in my life!
Later I took the elevator to deck A, where my room was [the A-11]. I'd always liked to meet new people and talk to them, and I remember my conversation with the young man who was driving that elevator. I'm so proud.He said, This is my first trip to the sea and I have become an elevator. I'm only thirteen years old, you know. It's an honor.. It was his first and last journey [of the young elevator].
I discovered that I had been assigned a very large cabin with bathroom [sic - his bedroom had no private bathroom] and a window that looked at the deck of the promenade and, right in front, the same type of cabin for my luggage. The cabins were almost the furthest, at the end of a small hallway. He was practically isolated from the rest of the ship.
After the usual noise and excitement, let's get anchors around 2030 hours. I refreshed a bit and went down to the dining room, where I was amazed by its size. There are no right words to describe it. The ship with its extravagance of that time had a curious effect on me, as can be intuited in a letter that I wrote to my secretary in Paris, [...]
It was almost as if it was too beautiful. The size itself was so amazing that by looking down the stairs, clearly seeing five or six different breaks, one took over a vertigo attack. It was not a boat; [more] a floating city would be a more accurate description.
First class passenger Ella White, 55, a wealthy New York widow, crashed spraining her ankle and wrist as she proceeded to step inside the Titanic, apparently on the transfer from the Nomadic, as Edith Rosenbaum mentioned about the instability of the access platform that linked both vessels. She was transferred to cabin C-32, from where she did not leave until after the accident with the ice floe. In addition to her servant Sante Righini and her maid Nellie M. Bessette, Ella was traveling with her friend Marie Young, 36, a piano teacher who had taught music lessons to the children of President Theodore Roosevelt. White and Young were returning to their country after vacationing in Italy. Among their belongings, they carried two French roosters and hens that were placed near the galley on D deck.
Eleanor Cassebeer, 36, had received the news that her husband was in failing health and, combined with her mother's condition, she decided to return to New York after a visit with her brother who lived in France. During the embarkation operations, she watched the Countess de Rothes say goodbye to her parents, who stepped off the Titanic at the French dock. Upon Cassebeer's access to first class, she would be amazed at how "The ship's entrance opened into a large and beautiful salon—the D Deck Reception Lounge—where dozens of stewards welcomed the new passengers aboard."
Shortly thereafter, Cassebeer ascended to the C deck purser's office, lining up, nearly colliding with fellow traveler Benjamin Foreman, 30, who graciously allowed him to go ahead. Right in front of her was one who she guessed was a Jewish man who was taking a long time to get the dining room table he wanted. Cassebeer turned to Foreman and commented, "I hope I don't go near that Jew." He smiled without claiming anything. Cassebeer required a better cabin and was installed in the D-31. Joking, she asked flight attendant Hugh McElroy, 37, if she could join Captain Smith at his dining room table. He replied: "I'll do better than that", and he would award her a place at her own table, with capacity for more than 8 diners.
Uruguayan traveler Ramón Artagaveytia, a 71-year-old businessman, was returning to America after visiting his nephew in Berlin. After entering first class:
[...] At the entrance there were about 50 stewards, one of them grabbed my luggage and through the elevator (there were 3) we went up to my plant B. [...]The room [your cabin] is very good, with an electric stove, which I had on all night because it was cold. [... ]
The dining room is like for 500 and some people. [...] Food [served on board] is very good with a lot of dishes. [...] [At his table] we were a Mexican, congressman and doctor friend of Díaz [Manuel Uruchurtu Ramírez], still young, a Spanish [ probably Servando Oviés] and a lady of English origin who were very serious. [...]
First Class Waitress Violet Jessop had the chance to see Madeleine Astor in person for the first time. However, the high expectations that Jessop expected from such a distinguished lady vanished, causing him a rather opposite sensation: «I saw a dull, silent, pale young woman, with a sad face, who arrived apathetically holding her husband's arm and seemed indifferent everything around her."
Richard Norris Williams was impressed by the size and variety of rooms in his class right after addressing: «[...] We have a beautiful room almost as big as my work room in Geneva. Of course, there are rooms of all kinds for smoking, reading, tea rooms, the palm room; You can imagine that there are many other rooms, but since we have only been on board for ten minutes, not really more, we have not yet been able to see everything [...]".
Lucy Duff-Gordon and her husband, Sir Cosmo, entered the ship under false identities on the first-class passenger list, referred to as "Mr. and Mrs. Morgan". They stayed in port cabins A-20 and A -16 respectively, located one in front of the other. Lucy's personal secretary, Laura "Mabel" Francatelli, stayed in room E-26.
Despite Lucy's initial reluctance to cross the Atlantic on a brand new ship, she marveled as she entered the welcoming and opulent Titanic, even more so by the friendliness of the staff on board and the comforts of her room. She would fondly recall her Irish waitress—possibly Mary Sloan—who lovingly scolded her for taking up too much space with all her suitcases and travel boxes. All of the above she would calm her almost completely:
[...] The boat was an absolute wonder. [...] The Titanic was undoubtedly the most beautiful ship I've ever sailed. To think that all that charm is now a submarine hell. It's amazing. Our cabins, divided by a small hallway, were small but truly cute. My cabin was all pink with a lace and curtains and screens of matching silk lamps, a delicate jewel to the place, and with all my photographs and floral arrangements, which our waitress made so well, became my own little maritime shelter. He carried so many things with me as they could easily fit in the room, but this dear waitress, who was an Irish woman full of joy, informed me the opposite [...][...] My beautiful little cabin [the A-20], with its electric stove and pink curtains, I loved it, so it was a pleasure to go to bed.
All aboard this charming boat reassured me from the captain, with her gentle and bearded face and affable manners, and her 25 years [sic - 38 years] of experience as the commander of the White Star, to my happy Irish maid, with her soft accent and stories of the shy ladies she had attended during hundreds of Atlantic crossings. And yet, despite the mockery, nothing could persuade me to strip myself completely at night, and my robe and chal were always ready to hand, and my jeweler, with some of my most precious possessions, stood at a convenient table at hand.
I have never been a psychic woman, and in my entire life I have never attended a session of spiritism or have entered into occultism, so even now I am reluctant to call this feeling of acute fear when I experienced a premonition, but the fact is that, although I have crossed the Atlantic many times before and after, I have never had it on any other occasion. Something warned me, some deep instinct, that everything wasn't right. [...]
The ship's designer, Thomas Andrews, saw the two ferries carrying travelers. Andrews wrote a letter to his wife:
We arrived here [Cherbourg] in good time and boarded a good number of passengers. The two small auxiliary boats [Nomadic and Traffic] looked good, you will remember that we built them about a year ago. We're hoping to get Queenstown around 10:30 tomorrow. It's been a good time and everything is preparing for a good trip. I have a seat at the [dining] table of the doctor.
At 7:00 p.m., while the 274 people were passing on board, dinner was offered for the travelers. First class passenger Adolphe Saalfeld dined half an hour later, his first day of travel ended with this letter to his wife:
[...] I have a small table for two for me alone [in the dining room]. I had a very good dinner and to finish I smoked two cigars in the smoking room and now I'm going to bed because I'm tired. If it weren't for a slight vibration, you wouldn't know you're at sea. [...] So far, apart from occasional comments, I have not spoken to anyone. I want to be quiet and have a full break. As I don't know if I'll be in time for the mail in Queenstown. I'm sending this letter tonight. [...]
A good tune reigned at the Taylor and Crosby dining room table, Elmer would evoke:
It was a nice group. The Crosby had been traveling through Europe, making London their last stop. [...] We had a lot in common, and I was not disappointed to know that he [Capt Edward Crosby] was not John D., as I thought, when I first saw him. He was interested in Diesel engines, mechanics and businesses. The young lady [Harriette] had been abroad to finish her musical education: a perfect model for the cover of a magazine, attractive, vivacious, with a good modulated voice. The mother [Catherine] was rather a "coup hat," I thought, one of those tourists who boast of their social position.
From the table of Francis Browne and his people, they were able to peek, through the interior windows that looked towards the reception, the traffic of the recently embarked passengers coming from the Nomadic. Hearing in the same way: "the bustle of the employees who introduced the luggage and the mail".
Joseph Laroche, and his wife Juliette, along with their two youngest daughters, would spend a restful first night on board. They entered, via the SS Nomadic, at 19:00. Previously, during the tour from Paris, the Laroches had coincided with the French-Canadians Albert Mallet, about 45 years old, his wife Antonine, 24 years old, plus his son André, 22 months old. The Mallets were traveling to Montreal, accompanied by a family friend: 23-year-old Emile Richard. Juliette would comment on that French-speaking family: «[...] [They were] a gentleman and his lady, and their little boy, who is the same age as Louise. I think they are the only French on the boat, so we sit at the same table so we can chat together." And she reveled in second-class dependencies:
[...] We have two bunk beds in our cabin, and the two girls Simonne and Louise sleep on a sofa that becomes a bed. One is in the head, the other at the bottom. A board in front of them prevents them from falling. They're so good, if not better, than in their beds. The boat sailed when we were eating and we couldn't believe it was moving: we're less agitated than on a train. We only feel a slight concern. The girls ate well [...] They only slept a nap all night [...]
Second class passenger Marie Jerwan was dazzled by the dimensions of the liner when she saw it appear:
[...] It would be around 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 10, when the small tugboat [SS Nomadic] took us on board. I will never forget the majestic entrance of the ship [the Titanic] to Cherbourg. Each of us experience a certain sensation. Our little tugboat seemed nothing compared to the superb ship.The sea was quiet and beautiful. Everything seemed to smile and tell us Good trip.
[Already inside the Titanic] I did not get the cabin I had requested, although instead they offered me one that was very comfortable on the top deck [sic - the second-class D deck], which I shared with Mrs. Balls [Ada. E. Walls]. This way, we were very well accommodated.
That same evening I went to bed early, and it wasn't until the next morning that I met my roommate. [...]
About an hour and a half in the aforementioned French dock, at about 8:10 p.m., the Titanic weighed anchor and continued its journey to the Irish port of Queenstown, where it would call for the last time, before setting its final course to New York. During that night, the ship's engines increased her power, going from 68 rpm on the way to Cherbourg to 70 rpm, which translates into a final speed of about 20.7 knots. Obtained only with the steam of 20 burning boilers of the 29 that the ship had.
Second-class English traveler Samuel J. Hocking, 36, was immigrating to Middletown, Connecticut. He had made friends with a British couple, John and Sarah Chapman. Hocking went to sleep at 10:00 p.m., however, the oscillations that shook the liner prevented him from sleeping, due to the rattling of water bottles, glasses and other objects in his cabin.
Kate Buss had a similar experience, she went to bed in her D deck bedroom around 10:30 p.m., but had trouble falling asleep at first due to the vibrations.
About 10:36 p.m., 28-year-old first-class lounge butler Ewart S. Burr was writing a letter-card to his wife after finishing work for the day. The first day of his work was pleasantly satisfactory; he had served at the Countess of Rothes's table, and they found his fellow-professionals in the room he attended to very affable.
By then, 38-year-old waiter John "Jack" Stagg had "done nothing but work," even though, with only "three hundred and seventeen first class passengers" on board, he may have only had to deal with, at most, one or two tables from the next day. "Even so, there is no need to complain because there is already a lot to do without any" and at 4:30 in the morning he had to get up to carry out his chores.
Second day of the journey, April 11
At 7:00 each morning, 40-year-old room steward Henry S. Etches would show up at Thomas Andrews's cabin, A-36, often bringing him some fruit and tea. Inside his cabin: "He had charts rolled up next to his bed, and he had papers of all kinds on his desk during the day." During the voyage, Etches always found him quite busy, constantly taking notes on any improvements or tending to the workers.
Between 8:00 and 10:00, breakfast was arranged for the passengers. In second class, the sisters Simonne and Louise Laroche were awakened by the sound of the bell announcing the first meal of the day. Louise laughed a lot at the bell.
Titanic's first-class dining room, probably during the April 11 breakfast.
First class passengers Robert D. Spedden (child) next to his father Frederic (on his left), on the rear deck of A promenade, on the morning of Thursday, April 11. Both were rescued from the catastrophe.
The instructor Thomas W. McCawley driving the paddle machine. Behind him, the electrician of the warranty group William H. Parr testing another of the gym equipment, in the morning of April 11. McCawley and Parr died in the tragedy.
In first class, Lucy Duff-Gordon would remark:
[...] The first days of the journey passed without incident. Like everyone else, she was fascinated with the beauty of the transatlantic. I've never dreamed of traveling with so much luxury. I remember being kindly glad to find strawberries at my breakfast table.Fantastic strawberries in April and in the middle of the ocean. All this is positively strange. I kept telling my husband. Why would you think you're in the Ritz?.
At about 10:30 a.m., Captain Smith would walk all the decks to make his daily rounds of supervising the ship, which included the lounges, dining rooms, galleys, storerooms, etc. until descending to the engine room, where the chief engineer received him. Upon completion, Smith reappeared on the bridge where, among other activities, he discussed with the officers their observations of their raid, checked the ship's progress, consulted the charts, and read the telegrams received from the Marconi radiotelegraphy room.
Senior officers also began to adjust to their routine watches. She was served by Chief Officer Wilde from 2:00 to 6:00 every morning and evening, Second Officer Lightoller succeeding from 6:00 to 10:00 mornings and nights. First Officer Murdoch was on duty from 10:00 to 2:00 every noon and night. Similarly, the six lookouts were divided into three two-man teams, with each group serving four two-hour watches on the watchtower.
That morning, an emergency drill was run to test the alarms and the closing of the steel hatches that sealed the ship's 16 watertight compartments. Assistant electrician Albert G. Ervine, 18, would describe it this way: “This morning we had a full rehearsal of an emergency. All the alarm bells rang for ten seconds, then about 50 doors, all steel, gradually slid down into their positions, so that no water could escape from any section to the next."
Third Class Butler John. E Hart, 31, helped with the general overhaul of the partitions. He saw Chief Officer Henry Wilde and Thomas Andrews together, checking that the crew could close the watertight doors manually. Hart was ordered to do so: "I closed them by hand with a large monkey wrench".
Margaret Brown would describe her first impressions of everyday life in first class:
On the second day it opened clearer and less fresh, and at 12:30 most passengers were walking by deck or sunbathing outside the palm garden [sic - café Verandah]. There were long benches on the bow of the boat for those who found uneasy sunbeds with folding back.The last half hour passed between the first and second bell, when everyone took their exercise before descending into the dining room, most passengers are walking in thick coats. Women wore luxurious skins, and men with heavy coats squeezed closely around their necks and partially hidden with travel caps. Moving from one place to another, they discovered on board old friends and some made new [others]. Small groups were standing here and there, talking about the boat and its marvels, its speed possibilities and all its excellent advantages over anything of its kind so far floated. Each and every one seemed to have consulted the daily publication concerning the distance that day and the successive. There they were recorded daily, at noon, the number of knots, and it was the topic of conversation on deck and at the table at lunchtime.
After the meal, or around two and a half, the favorite and popular place was the reading room, where the passengers settled comfortably with some chosen book of the well-equipped vessel library. Others took a quiet nap on deck, wrapped in heavy travel blankets. Few remained in their cabins, because the sea was in perfect calm and did not feel vibrations. Consequently, there was little or no sea evil.
The Titanic transiting through the surroundings of Last's End. It deduces by the stela in the form of S that has taken a serpentine course.
Francis Browne took this photograph on the A de estribor deck rail. The ship is on its way to Queenstown, leaving its wake behind.
Adolphe Saalfeld, after a good night's rest and an excellent breakfast, enjoyed a walk in glorious weather: "The wind is fresh and the sea 'moderate' but on this great ship you hardly notice any movement."
Henry J. Julian had discovered that more than half of the officers and stewards were familiar faces to them, having previously met them on the Adriatic and Oceanic. Two deck crew members remembered him well enough that they assigned him a seat on a select part of the deck.
Artist Francis Davis Millet unequivocally praised the lavishness and dimensions of the first-class stays:
[...] It has everything but taxis and theaters. A la carte table restaurant, gym, Turkish bath, squash court, palm room, [...] [I feel] as if not in the sea. You can't make the idea of the breadth of this boat and the size and extension of the covers. [...].As for the rooms, they are larger than the normal room of a hotel and much more luxurious with wooden beds, toilets, cold and hot water, etc. etc., electric fans, electric heater and everything. The suites with their Damascus tapestries and mahogany and oak furniture are truly sumptuous and tasteful.
[His cabin] It's the best cabin I've ever had, and it's not the best. A large long hallway to hang clothes and, next to a large lamp, a square window as large as that of the studio [of Russell House]. Incontable furniture, cabinets, wardrobe, comfortable, sofa, etc. [...]
On the contrary, Millet had a disdain for a part of the passengers of his class, with special revulsion against certain types of women:
[...] [There is] one smoking room for the ladies and one for the gentlemen, I suppose to keep the women out of the men's smoking room, that they infest in the German and French ships. [...][There is] A lot of weird people on this boat. When I consult the list [of passengers], I find only three or four acquaintances, but there are many of the "ours", I think and a number of ostentatious and odious American women, the scourge of any of the places they infest, and much worse aboard a boat than anywhere else.
Many go with doggies and guide their husbands as if they were domesticated sheep. I assure you, when they get to do something, American women are thieving. They should be put in a harem and not let them out. [...]
Marie Jerwan finally met her roommate that morning, Ada E. Balls, 36, who was sailing with her brother-in-law, the Rev. Robert J. Bateman, 52, both British en route to Florida. Alongside Balls and Bateman, Jerwan would spend much of the cruise, mainly walking the three of them around the deck. In the second-class dining room, Jerwan would share a table—among other people—with a Frenchman, Jean-Noël Malachard, 25, whose cabin was close to Jerwan's and Balls' on deck D. Jerwan communicated in English to speak with Balls and Bateman, while with Malachard he would do it in French.
One of the events that delighted Kate Buss was auditioning the musical concerts:
The cellist [John Woodward, 32] is one of my favorites, every time a composition finishes, it looks at me and we smile. [...] Everyone seems to be so happy [...].
Stuart Collett, a 25-year-old English clergyman en route to Port Byron, New York, had been entrusted with protecting Marion Wright during the ocean voyage. Collett would extend his responsibility to Kate Buss, and she would reminisce about he: "try to teach us all religion".
Some passengers spent that day inspecting the liner. Elmer Taylor would do it with his partner Fletcher Lambert-Williams.The Futrelles also explored the spaces reserved for their class, as May Futrelle saw some workers at the Parisian café installing some doors.
Second class passenger Edwina Troutt ate her meals at a table with four men, including Jacob Milling from Denmark, and Edgard Andrew from Anglo-Argentina, plus two other women. She liked her comrades in the diner, especially Milling, a 48-year-old machine inspector, who was transiting to the United States to study machinery and technology, as well as railway-related factories. In Queenstown, Milling told Troutt that he felt as if he had known her for years, and that he had written to her wife about her.
As the ship neared its final stop in Ireland, Juliette Laroche would write to her father:
They just told me we're gonna stop in a moment, so I take advantage of writing a few lines and talking to them about us. [...]If you could see this monster, our auxiliary boat [ SS Nomadic] looked like a fly compared to it [buke]. At this time, [his daughters Simonne and Louise are walking through the deck closed with Joseph, Louise is in his stroller and Simonne pushes her. Simonne was so funny a moment ago, she was playing with a young English girl who had borrowed her wrist. My Simonne was having a big conversation with her, but the girl didn't understand a single word. People on board are very nice. [...]
This morning I tried to tell all the kids on the boat. Only in second class, I'm sure there's more than twenty. There's a little family with four kids, they remind me of my uncle's. [...]
I am writing from the reading room: there is a concert here, near me, a violin, two cellos, a piano.
So far I haven't felt dizzy. I hope it's still this way. The sea is very quiet, the weather is magnificent. If you could see how big this boat is! You can hardly find the way back to the cabin of one due to the number of runners. [...]
Last layover in Queenstown
About 11:30 a.m., the Titanic finally reached Queenstown and dropped anchor. However, the ship stopped about two miles off the Irish coast at the time. From the dock at Cobh, the two barges, Ireland and America, had started their short journey to meet the Titanic. Meanwhile the great ship was slowing to a stop as the tender America was approaching the liner on her starboard side. The starboard forward access doors to E deck had been opened to allow passenger and mail entry, as had another on the port side.
America moored along the port side of the ship, while Ireland positioned itself to starboard. Bags of mail bound for the United States were loaded from the ferries, and a large number of travelers would board the Titanic from Ireland: three first-class passengers, seven second-class, and 113 immigrants traveling third-class.
Among the missives sent from Queenstown was the letter Chief Officer Henry Wilde had written to his sister, which read: "I don't quite like this ship...it strikes me as strange." Likewise, Edith Rosenbaum would send by correspondence to her secretary in Paris: «[...] Now we are in front of Queenstown. I hate to leave Paris and I'll be happy to come back. I am going to rest on this boat, since I am exhausted but I can tell you that I cannot overcome my feeling of depression and premonition of problems. I wish it would end." Captain James A. Paintin's butler would write to his parents:
My cold is still quite bad, but nothing like last week. [...] what a good boat this is, much better than the Olympic regarding the passengers, but my room is not so nice, there is no daylight, electric light lit all day, but I guess it's no good to complain. [...]
For editor William Thomas Stead, the ship consecrated a good place for his work, since he would write this message to his secretary: «[...] The ship is firm as a rock and the sea is like a raft of oil. If it continues like this, I will be able to work better than at home, because there are no phones to bother me, and no visitors either [...] »The second class passenger Harvey Collyer would tell his parents:
[...] so far we are having a charming journey, time is beautiful and the magnificent ship. We can't describe tables, it's like a floating city. [...] You wouldn't imagine you're on a boat. There is hardly movement, it is so great that we have not yet felt dizzy [...]. We had a good goodbye from Southampton and Mrs. S and the boys with others fired us.
The postcard that Norwegian third-class passenger Henry Olsen, 28, sent to his wife seems to indicate that the rumor had already spread that the advent in New York could be on Tuesday, April 16: «[...] On the way to New York. A very nice ship to travel, you can imagine, you don't feel the sea at all. Most likely, it will arrive in New York next Tuesday [...]". York, informing his wife by correspondence: «[...] Fred [Frederick B. Shellard] and I are in a cabin with four young men, two from Bristol and two from Southampton, all English. We hope to arrive in New York next Tuesday night. [...]».
The Titanic upon arrival at the Irish port of Queenstown in the morning of April 11, 1912.
The Titanic stationed in the vicinity of Queenstown, during its last scale.
Elevation of the starboard anchor. Instantly captured by Francis Browne as he landed in the ferry Ireland.
The Odells finished their trip to Ireland. From the auxiliary boat, Kate photographed the starboard side of the Titanic.
The ship resumes its journey to North America after completing its final scale.
Several small boats selling linen, lace, and other Irish goods joined the ferries. Some passengers came over to see what goods were being sold, including first-class passenger Spencer V. Silverthorne, a 35-year-old buyer at Nugents department store in St. Louis, would see John Jacob Astor haggling with a woman to buy a lace jacket for Madeleine.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Beesley leaned out from his second-class deck and watched the movement of passengers and baggage being brought in, below decks, from the two tenders towards the ship:
[...] We arrived in Queenstown around 12 noon on Thursday [11 April 1912], after a very pleasant journey through the channel [of La Mancha], although the wind was almost too cold to allow us to sit on deck on Thursday morning. The coast of Ireland looked very beautiful when we approached the port of Queenstown, the bright morning sun looked down the green slopes and groups of dwellings were scattered here and there on the steep grey cliffs that bordered the coast. [...]It seemed to me that the ship suddenly stopped, and in my ignorance of the depth of the port entrance, that perhaps the poll had revealed a lower depth. It was thought to be safe for the large size of the Titanic, this seemed to be confirmed by seeing the sand whipped from the bottom [of the sea], but this is a mere supposition.
Passengers and e-mails were shipped on board from the two shuttles [the America and Ireland], and nothing could have given us a better idea of the enormous length and volume of the Titanic than to be as far away as possible and look on the side from the top deck, forward and downward, where the shuttles moved [near] on their proa [from the Titanic], the slightest shell of ber It was indeed a magnificent ship!
There was something so elegant in its movement as it was swinging up and down in the mild wave of the port, a slow and majestic descent and climbing, only perceptible to observe its proas compared to some point of reference on the coast in the near distance; the two small boats moving up and down as corks next to the Titanic vividly illustrated the advance made in the comfort of having stability on board [in the Titanic season]. [...]
Hilda Slayter knew nothing about the Titanic until she saw it when she boarded the ferry that would take her to board the ship — anchored off the coast of Cobh Pier. Ella Slayter would be surprised to look at him for the first time: "He looked amazing as we approached [from the dinghy to the Titanic]. He was colossal. He shone from the top of the mast down. Something to brag about."
Once boarded second class, Slayter had trouble locating her cabin on D deck. Even the steward she questioned could not help her, who would reply to the newly arrived woman, "Ma'am, you know so much." on this ship like me. I went on board yesterday." Hilda was then taken to a cabin, but the paint on it had not yet dried, so the steward asked her if she would mind staying in a shared cabin on E deck with Florence Kelly, a 48-year-old widow. years from Southampton who was traveling to visit her son in New York.
She accepted, although she detected her cabin mate quite upset, since the previous day Kelly had witnessed the near collision of the Titanic with the New York, when the ship was sailing from Southampton. Slayter asked if there was anything she could do to calm her nerves, to which Kelly would reply, “No, no, you can't do anything. But I know that this ship is going to sink. A journey that starts badly always ends in disaster." Kelly's behavior would somehow unsettle Slayter, even though she wasn't superstitious. Likewise, Hilda would complain about the vibrations that shook the Titanic when sailing.
Edwina Troutt would experience quite a similar behavior with Nora Keane, her new roommate, who joined the ship in Ireland and bound for Pennsylvania. Keane would confess to Troutt that he presaged that the liner would not arrive in New York, since Nora accidentally dropped her rosary and prayer book into the sea while boarding. On the other hand, the other tenant of the E -101, Susan Webber would spend much of her time conversing with one or more people who were riding in the steerage, talking to them through a fence that separated the second and third class spaces. Supposedly they were some of Webber's neighbors.
While the ship was anchored in Irish waters, Chief Engineer Joseph Bell went to Suite B-52-54-56, inhabited by Joseph Bruce Ismay, director of the White Star Line. Ismay wanted to know the amount of coal on board, due to the recent strike on the ship. Bruce established that it was not possible for the Titanic to reach New York on Tuesday and that he had no objection to forcing it. Pretending to save fuel, he claimed, the ship would arrive at 5:00 in the morning on Wednesday. Ismay told Bell that if the weather were completely favourable, there might be a chance to push the machines to full throttle on Monday or Tuesday.
It took about two hours to disembark and embark travelers, baggage and mail. Seven first-class passengers and one crew disembarked in Queenstown, including Father Francis Browne, the May brothers and the Odell family. Browne and the Odells, during their short voyage aboard, photographed some interior rooms and promenade decks of the Titanic. A little later than 1:30 p.m., the Titanic lifted anchor from her, resuming her final course for New York. Again, the ship's reciprocating engines returned to 70 rpm (ca. 20.7 knots).
As the ship resumed its course for North America, Eugene Daly, dressed in a kilt and full regalia, stepped onto the promenade deck of third class and played "A Nation Once Again" on his Irish bagpipes. and "Erin's Lament".
The ship continued skirting the southern coast of the island until it passed Fastnet Light, around 4:30 p.m. At that point, the Titanic entered the open Atlantic Ocean. Lawrence Beesley would recall:
All afternoon we sailed along the coast of Ireland, with grey cliffs that protect the coasts, and hills rising demaculate and sterile from behind; as the twilight fell, the coast was moving from us to the northwest, and the last thing we saw from Europe were the Irish, faint and weak mountains in the growing darkness.With the idea that we had seen the last of the earth until we stepped on the coasts of America, I retired to the library to write letters, not knowing that many things would happen to us all—many sudden, vivid and awesome experiences to experience, many dangers to face, many good and true people we should weep for—before we see land again.
That afternoon, little Frankie Goldsmith and his mother Emily watched from near the stern rail as the Irish coastline slowly disappeared from view. Frankie would recount, "with my heart pounding, I yelled, "Mom, we're finally in the 'lantic [sic - Atlantic]!"".
The Titanic carried a total of 1,317 passengers; 324 first class, 284 second and 709 third, who first class enjoyed a beautiful floating palace, with luxurious dining rooms, indoor pool, libraries, gym, Turkish baths and lighting at all hours. They were cared for directly or indirectly by the 891 crew members, so 2,208 people were traveling on her ill-fated maiden voyage.
In second class, Esther Hart seemed to feel more relieved as the trip wore on, even so: «[...] every night I just lay in my bunk, fully dressed and fully prepared. God knows why, for the worst. [...] We had made splendid progress, and though she was still far from calm in my mind. She was as happy as she could be on land. She knew that we were going at tremendous speed, and it was the general discourse, [...] ». The Harts shared a table with the couple between Thomas and Elizabeth Brown plus his daughter Edith, with René Pernot —Benjamin Guggenheim's chauffeur—, and Mary Mack. The eight would enjoy a pleasant camaraderie over meals, talking about the future and looking forward to a new life they were planning at their destination in North America. Benjamin Hart and Thomas Brown became good friends despite having totally different characters. Both walked together on the deck as they smoked their pipes.
Once they left the Irish berth behind, second-class passenger Lutie Parrish would make 11 trips to chief accountant Hugh McElroy requiring the change of cabin she and her daughter Imanita Shelley had begged for since the day before, but their repetitive Complaints would take a little longer to be partially resolved. Both women continued to be disappointed with the unsatisfactory provisions in their bedroom, as well as suffering from the cold in it. Mrs. Shelley would disqualify him thus:
[...] [It was] a small [situated] cabin many covered down on the boat, which was so small that it could only be called a cell. It is impossible to open a regular travel trunk in that cabin. It was impossible for a third person to enter the aforementioned room unless previously both occupants were introduced into their bunk beds.
By 9:00 p.m., no employees had contacted these travelers to fulfill the promised cabin relocation, whereupon Mrs. Shelley wrote a note to the chief purser, advising him to appeal to Captain Smith if his demand continued to be ignored., and even threatened to demand compensation for damages as soon as they set foot in America. The effect of that letter was the arrival of four butlers to move them to another room, who repeatedly apologized. In her new quarters, Shelley would be visited by Dr. Simpson three or four times a day to check that her bout of tonsillitis had not turned into diphtheria and ordered him to stay in her cabin.
Despite these improvements, mother and daughter were not completely satisfied for the following reasons; The brand new bedroom, while spacious, was sparsely furnished compared to other rooms, and it was also cold. Consequently, they asked the butler to turn on the heating but he explained that it was not possible. The food service to her cabin was quite slow and exasperating since the waitress brought the dishes, without carrying them on a tray, one by one. They would also complain that the ladies' room had only part of the accessories installed.
The first night in Cherbourg, evening dress had been dispensed with for dinner in first class, but from then on the rule of always dressing to the nines was imposed, as Archibald Gracie stipulated:
On these occasions, the dress of gala was always in order; and it was a subject of both observation and admiration that there were so many beautiful women — then especially evident — on board the boat.
Purser Hugh McElroy had offered Eleanor Cassebeer a place at his long dining room table, which could seat 10-12 people. At that table sat the ship's surgeon William O'Loughlin and his assistant John Simpson, the stockbroker Harry Anderson, Thomas Andrews, Frederick and Jane Hoyt, and Albert and Vera Dick. While talking over dinner, she and Harry Anderson quickly hit it off, describing him as "elegant and understated".
A card player, Cassebeer often joined Anderson in the living room with Virginia Clark. One day, Thomas Andrews informed him that the Titanic was not finished for the day of departure. Indeed, Eleanor noticed that in her cabin there was an empty frame on one wall with no printed sign indicating where to find her life jacket.
The Disaster, April 14
The Titanic had a pleasant voyage. The days passed without incident, but on April 13 the first reports of sightings of blocks of ice on the route began to arrive; at least a dozen messages could be received before the Marconi telegraph failed for a period of 10 hours. Once communication was reestablished in the radio cabin, the radiotelegraphers began to receive warnings of danger from icebergs, which were ignored or not taken into account by the replacement officers.
The temperature dropped as the ship approached Newfoundland, so the captain ordered a more southerly course before turning west to avoid iceberg sectors. Nevertheless, she maintained the ship's cruising speed, about 22 knots, which was common practice at the time. Although Titanic was not trying to break any speed records, schedules were a priority for the company, and by the then prevailing regulations the ships sailed close to their maximum speed in such conditions. Ice and iceberg warnings were regarded as mere warnings, relying on lookouts and the watch kept on the bridge. It was generally believed that ice was not a major hazard for large ships. It was not uncommon for ships to pass very close to the ice, and even some head-on collisions had not been disastrous. In 1907, for example, the German ship Kronprinz Wilhelm had collided with an iceberg but she had still managed to stay afloat and complete her journey; Captain Smith himself had stated on another occasion that "no condition could be imagined that would cause the wreck of a ship." Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that".
The last sunset of Sunday, April 14, surprised the Titanic sailing in very calm waters, although the temperature continued to drop as darkness fell. The absence of waves made it difficult to locate the icebergs, whose presence normally revealed the white line of the waves breaking against their base. Surely because he was aware of the danger, Smith ordered to reinforce the guard.
23:40, the impact
About 10:30 p.m. on April 14, 1912, with a starry night and an exceptionally calm sea, there being no news, Captain Smith retired to his cabin, being relieved by First Officer William Murdoch. Meanwhile, the telegrapher Harold Bride in the Marconi cabin was trying to convince a cranky Jack Phillips to rest on the bunk and the chief officer Henry Wilde was preparing to inspect the situation forward (where the amberjacks had been reinforced) before going to sleep..
William Murdoch, on watch on the bridge, was accompanied by Sixth Officer James Paul Moody. A little earlier, Murdoch had ordered signalman Samuel Hemming to close all openings in the fo'c'sle so as not to impede the lookout's vision. At 23:40 midnight, while the Titanic was sailing at 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h), lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an area of shadow just ahead of the starry sky that could not correspond more than to an iceberg. Fleet rang the bell three times and via telephone raised the alarm to the bridge. Sixth Officer Moody alerted Murdoch.
Tour of the bow
Tour of the stern.png)
Murdoch, who had possibly already sighted the iceberg independently from the bridge, ordered helmsman Robert Hichens to turn full rudder to starboard (which in nautical terms at the time translated to turning the ship to port) and Moments later, he ordered the engine room to stop (this operation takes away some of the maneuverability of the turn, reducing the pressure on said turn, but allows the impact speed to be reduced). Later, after passing the iceberg, he would order the helmsman to turn everything to port (which resulted in the ship turning to starboard) to prevent it from damaging the rear. It must be taken into account that this was the correct maneuver. However, none of these maneuvers managed to get the ship to clear the obstacle, since although the frontal collision did not occur, it could not prevent the hull from rubbing against the submerged part. of the iceberg. The friction of the ice with that mass of more than 46,000 tons thrown at high speed, generated enough energy to tear the steel plates on the starboard side of the ship, about 5 m below the waterline. Although the width of the breaks did not exceed 5 cm, affecting five compartments on the lower deck, it caused fatal damage to the ship.
00:00, damage assessment and impact on the ship
Smith, left the cabin when the iceberg was already far away and what had happened was reported. He ordered the ship stopped immediately and called for Thomas Andrews and John H. Hutchinson, the carpenter, to come down and check the damage. At that moment, Wilde, in inspection of the forward sector, was informed by the signalman Hemmings and by the boatswain Haines that an unusual hissing sound was heard in the forepeak compartment, a sign that the water was displacing the air contained inside..
A few minutes after the collision, Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall began the first of his two trips to the forward section to find out if any damage had occurred. Just after Boxhall left, the Captain sent Corporal Alfred Olliver to find the carpenter, possibly John H. Hutchinson, and instructed him to "take the draft of the water."
Having gone down to F Deck without finding anything unusual, Boxhall returned to the bridge, probably around 23:50, and reported to Captain Smith that he had seen no damage. Olliver apparently had not yet returned, and the captain asked the fourth mate to contact the carpenter to sound out the ship. As Boxhall was leaving the bridge, he ran into the carpenter, coming up the ladder from A Deck, telling him that the Titanic was taking on water. Told to go upstairs to pass it on directly to the captain, Boxhall descended below decks, meeting postal clerk John Richard Smith coming up. He told the fourth officer that "the mailroom is full" or "filling up fast." Boxhall sent John R. Smith to the bridge to break the news to the captain, and he continued down to G deck, bound for the mail sorting room, to see the flooding for himself. There he discovered the rest of the postal workers moving the mailbags to avoid them getting wet, with the water only about 60 cm from where he was. Finally the fourth officer left to notify Captain Smith.
There are testimonies such as that of Corporal Alfred Olliver or that of passenger Lawrence Beesley who affirm that the Titanic started up again for a few minutes (Olliver testified before the United States Senate that he had seen Smith telegraph the corresponding order to the control room machines). Authors such as David G. Brown claim that this aggravated the situation since the forward march supposedly increased the pressure of the incoming water against the bulkhead separating boiler rooms 5 and 6, and perhaps this pressure also increased the already existing cracks in the helmet.
Andrews reported to the captain in the presence of Bruce Ismay that five of the forward starboard watertight compartments had buckled inward, popping rivets and flooding. At first the damage did not appear fatal; however, the designer, Thomas Andrews, after reviewing the ship with carpenter Huchtkins, confirmed that the estimated time the ship could remain afloat would not be more than about two hours.
Smith instructed his officers to evacuate the ship, trying not to spread panic. Shocked and in increasing shock, Smith knew from simple arithmetic that many passengers would die from the low number of lifeboats. When he received notice that only the RMS Carpathia had responded and was coming to the rescue and that it would take four hours to arrive, Smith became, according to some of his critics, progressively insecure, erratic and alienated from the situation.
00:10, preparing to abandon ship and distress calls
At 00:05, the captain gave the order to prepare the lifeboats and ten minutes later the radio operators began to launch the first distress calls. The first will be: "CQD CQD CQD CQD CQD CQD de MGY MGY MGY MGY MGY position 41.44 N 50.24 W". not the first as is often claimed) to use this message. The Titanic had collided about 600 km from the island of Newfoundland. Several ships received the SOS, including Mount Temple, Frankfurt, Birma, Baltic, Virginia, and Carpathia. The Carpathia was 58 miles (93 km) away, and after receiving the SOS she changed course and headed at full speed towards the Titanic's position, despite the risk of encountering other icebergs. The Titanic's distress calls were also heard by her twin sister, the Olympic, which was making a return voyage to England from New York; however, he was 500 miles (926 km) away from the Titanic's position, making it impossible to arrive in time.
Nevertheless, several hours after the sinking, the Olympic would take care to announce the loss of her sister ship to the offices of the White Star Line, as well as the rescue of the survivors by the Carpathia.
According to some accounts, the Titanic had a transmitter so powerful that when it transmitted, it interrupted the communications of all nearby ships. On the night of April 12, the radio station breaks down. This forces its operators, Phillips and Bride, to locate and repair faults. On the 14th they manage to repair it, by then, they have 225 telegrams pending, and by transmitting them one after the other they continued to permanently interrupt the other ships, whose operators, without the obligation to remain "listening" waiting for their place to broadcast, they even choose to turn off their radios and try again the next day. This would cause that a few hours later, when the shipwreck begins, other ships do not answer. In the final moments of the sinking, and although Captain Smith told them that they had done their duty, to leave their posts and try to save themselves, Phillips refused to leave the station and continued to operate. Finally, without electricity, Bride headed forward and Phillips aft, where he would board a lifeboat, but it would capsize and fall into the icy waters of the Atlantic, failing to survive. Bride, in another boat, was rescued by the Carpathia.
0:20-2:20, abandon ship, conflicts and sinking
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During this time, the crew put passengers on the lifeboats, starting with those in the upper classes. The first boats were occupied with few passengers. It will be later when the successive boats are completely filled when the seriousness of the situation is appreciated. On the starboard side, Murdoch organized the boarding shifts giving preference to women and children, only when there were none of them left did he let the men board. On the port side Lightoller interpreted the orders restrictively and did not let any men embark.
At 1:30 the bow was almost submerged and at 2:05 the water reached A deck; Panic broke out among those who remained, and there was shooting and confusion. Ismay boarded the collapsible boat C at the last moment, a gesture that would be judged very severely by American and British public opinion. Between 2:10 and 2:15, the deck of the ship was rapidly submerged underwater with water pouring in through open hatches and gratings inundating everything in its path. When her stern came out of the water, exposing the propellers, the ship could not withstand the enormous force it exerted and broke into two main pieces between the third and fourth funnels. It is estimated that at least 500 people lost their lives in this chaotic phase of the sinking. With the bow underwater and air trapped in the stern, the stern remained afloat and floating for a few more minutes, rising to a near vertical angle with hundreds of people still clinging to it, before sinking at 2:20 leaving around several hundred passengers in the lethally cold water with a temperature of -2°C with no hope of being saved.
The sinking resulted in 1,496 deaths (that is, ≈68% of the total number of people on board the ship), most of them due to drowning or hypothermia. According to the US Senate investigation, although the ship complied with the salvage measures required by the legislation then in force, the capacity of the lifeboats was not sufficient for the number of people on board, including passengers and crew. There were also obvious errors during the evacuation of the ship, since 711 people boarded out of a total of 1,178 available places on the boats, preference having been given to first and second class, mainly women and children, while 75% of the passengers The third class could not be saved. It was one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history and certainly the most famous. The White Star chartered four ships to recover the bodies from the disaster: the Mackay-Bennett, the Minia, the Montmagny and the Algerian. The four ships managed to recover a total of 328 bodies, of which 119 were returned to the sea. due to their advanced state of decomposition and only 54 were released to their families.
Rescue the passengers
The RMS Carpathia was a 1,300-ton ocean liner of the Cunard Line that came from New York en route to Fiume (Austro-Hungarian Empire); she was commanded by veteran Captain Arthur Rostron. Around 00:26 on April 15, 1912, he received the incredible news that the Titanic was sinking after hitting an iceberg. The CQD message sent was so distressing that Rostron had no doubts about it and changed course, forcing the ship's engines to reach 17.5 knots. The Carpathia was on a parallel course and on a reverse course, some 58 miles south of the Titanic's position, almost in a straight line. He advised the Titanic that she would arrive at the location within 4 hours.
The Carpathia was not the closest ship: the SS Californian, a mixed transport ship under the command of Captain Stanley Lord, was 20 miles away and had the Titanic in sight, but having disconnected the wireless telegraph due to Among other reasons, the terrible treatment given by the telegrapher Jack Philips of the Titanic 10 minutes before the crash and its captain, Stanley Lord, having dismissed the many light visual signals sent by the condemned ship, did not take part in the rescue. Lord's later controversial and contradictory statements before the British Commission destroyed his reputation and he was disassociated from the Leyland Line.
The Carpathia arrived at the sector at approximately 4 in the morning and at dawn discovered the lifeboats of the ill-fated ocean liner in the middle of the icebergs. He managed to rescue 706 passengers (one deceased) and also boarded 13 boats of the extinct ship, and withdrew from the place at 8:50, at which time the Californian appeared on the horizon, coming to the rescue late and Rostron ordered him to sweep the area in search of survivors. She headed back to New York and during the voyage she housed the passengers according to her class and maintained telegraphic silence until she reached New York, where she disembarked the passengers and the boats from the Titanic amidst the greatest journalistic expectation..
Aftermath and consequences
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As a result of this accident, the famous jurist Lord Mersey took over and the first Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea was convened in London in 1913, which adopted in 1914 the first international Convention for the protection of life at Sea (SOLAS), a series of measures to avoid the series of failures that had motivated and aggravated such a catastrophe, including the authorization of a route much further south in times of thaw and a patrol sea to periodically warn of icebergs en route.
In the aftermath of the disaster, one of the most reviled and reviled survivors by the American and British press was Bruce Ismay, for abandoning the ship when there were still many women and children on it. London society accused him and labeled him one of the greatest cowards in history. On June 30, 1913, Ismay resigned from the chairmanship of the International Mercantile Marine Company and from the chairmanship of the White Star Line, being replaced by Harold Sanderson.
Another of those harmed was the captain of the Californian, Stanley Lord, who was treated as a coward and negligent for being accused of being the ship that was closest to the Titanic (10-13 miles) and for not having done anything to try to recognize the origin of the white flares seen by the lookout.
On the other hand, the figure of Captain Smith was exalted in the popular sentiment, erecting a statue of him in his hometown, as a hero. There was no doubt that the captain honored his command and lifesaving protocol of the time by giving priority to his passengers. His fidelity to his work made popular a phrase that was respected for many decades after the tragedy: & # 34; the captain goes down with the ship & # 34; or "the captain goes down with the ship".
The legend of the Titanic would be remembered again, although in different circumstances, with the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in Irish waters on May 7, 1915, during World War I. The Lusitania was the inspiration for luxury for the White Star Line. The tragedy endured in the collective memory over time, being revived on celluloid on several occasions and thanks to the literature on the subject. The Carpathia also sank victim of the attack by German submarines, a few months before the end of the war, in 1918.
Reactions resulting from the incident
In 1898, 14 years before the shipwreck, Morgan Robertson's The Wreck of the Titan was published. The book told the story of the Titan, a ship that was believed to be unsinkable and whose passengers were rich and carefree people. Unfortunately for them, the ship crashes on a cold April night against something similar to an ice floe. In addition to sinking in the same month of the year as the Titanic, the Titan has nearly the same weight, length, and passenger capacity. Some believe that it is a coincidence, but others believe that the author wrote the book as a prediction of what would happen years later.
Ship footage and photographs
- Some passengers, such as the Odell family or Catholic priest Frank Browne, who landed in Queenstown (Ireland), have provided the few dozen true photographs of the finished Titanic that are preserved.
- Almost all the outdoor and indoor photographs that are shown on behalf of the Titanic in media such as web pages, magazines, newspapers, documentaries, television reports, exhibitions or books, actually belong to your brother ship, the Olympic. The main reason for such action is the mentioned few original photographs taken from the Titanic.
- This is because of his ephemeral life. Those interested in photographing both the interior and the exterior of the Titanic had only a few weeks (since the ship was fully equipped) in being able to do so, in contrast to the 24 years of existence that his twin, the Olympic, served.
- In the same line with the previous point, there is only one video filmed from the almost finished exterior appearance of the Titanic in Belfast (North Ireland).
- It can be observed in the aforementioned silent recording;
- The helmet had not yet been finished painting.
- The front half of the A deck had not yet been closed by a group of 42 windows.
- The name "TITANIC"painted just below the proa castle (min 0:13).
- The rest of authentic visual recordings, as well as recent photographs, correspond to the underwater filmings of the wreckage since 1985.
- There is also no record of sound recordings with transatlantic sounds. Like, for example, the thunderous silbid of the sirens, the noisy evacuation of steam from the boilers by the chimneys, or the noise of the water and the wind that are displaced when the boat advances over the sea.
Passenger
- Paradoxically, almost no survivor of the final moments of the shipwreck recalled having observed the dismemberment of the ship in two. The most logical explanation, may be, the obvious darkness of the night that was accentuated after turning off the lights of the boat.
- The ashes of the cremated mortal remains of the survivors Joseph Boxhall (1884-1967), Frank Goldsmith (1902-1982), and Ruth Elizabeth Becker (1899-1990) were shed in the ocean position where the Titanic had disappeared decades ago.
- The Anglo-Argentine Survivor Violet Jessop (1887-1971), highlighted that he survived the marine disasters of the three Olympic class vessels. He was on board when;
- In 1911, the Olympic collided laterally against the warship HMS Hawke.
- He wrecked the Titanic.
- In 1916, the third trio ship, the Britannic, went to the seabed in Greek waters as a result of the shock against a submarine mine.
- The Japanese survivor Masabumi Hosono (1870-1939) was reproached in his country for his salvation by embarrassing his nation in the face of the West, even losing his employment in the government.
Discovery of the wreck
The wreck of the Titanic was located on September 1, 1985 at 1:05 a.m. by a Franco-American expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER and Dr. Robert Bob Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The remains were located at a depth of 3,821 m, 625 km southeast of Newfoundland. The ARGO submersible equipment was used, which was equipped with dark-sensitive cameras.
Upon preliminary exploration it was discovered that the ship was not whole, but rather split in two, suggesting that it broke apart at the time of sinking. Curiously, most of the survivors, with the exception of Jack Thayer or Eva Hart, did not remember this event; according to the drawings of the time, which appeared in the press, the ship apparently sank in one piece and with its stern exposed. A ghostly vision arose from the bottom, being able to see the bow section of the famous ship full of rust icicles and in relative general condition, in any case worse than many interested in the subject imagined, who expected to see an almost entire ship and in good condition at the bottom.
The discovery of the remains made by the team of Ballard and Michel made interest in the Titanic return to the present, since then numerous exhibitions of objects rescued from the wreck have been held and historical and cultural societies have appeared that disseminate and investigate everything Related to the ocean liner.
Other missions
A year after its discovery, in 1986, another mission, this time crewed by three people aboard the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Alvin deep-submersion vehicle, reached the site of the Titanic wreck. In 1987, a French expedition arrived at the site with the aim of rescuing objects from the seabed. The controversy arose as to whether it is more valuable to leave the remains in their historical place or to rescue the objects to exhibit them in museums or traveling exhibitions.
In 1994, the company RMS Titanic, Inc. (a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions Inc.) was recognized as the organization with the rights to recover and preserve Titanic artifacts. The order issued by a United States court States was reconfirmed in 1996. During the seven expeditions conducted in 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004, RMS Titanic, Inc. recovered 5,500 artifacts, from part of the hull to small pieces. More than 15 million people from around the world have seen the artifacts on display in a traveling exhibit. In 1998, an expedition recovered a 20-tonne piece of the ship's hull, for display.
Current state of the hull
The remains of the Titanic are divided into two sections, bow and stern, which are separated from each other by 600 m: marine corrosion has taken its toll, filling every space of the ship and the tomb that is with icicles of rust The boat itself is very rusty and degraded, some profiles are barely recognizable, the wooden deck and all external objects made of that material have disappeared and only the iron base partly covered by the remains of mud (the lower part) and other marine concretions.
Degradation of remains
After its discovery by dr. Ballard, the remains of the Titanic have been systematically looted, extracting hundreds of artifacts, such as porcelain, bottles, suitcases, etc. The general state of the wreck has recently worried the scientific community, as an increase in the rate of corrosion has been verified despite the low proportion of oxygen in the cold waters. This is due to the prevailing strong currents, such as the Loreley current that runs through the entire seabed of the sector.
In 2010, a team of researchers discovered the bacterium Halomonas titanicae in the remains, and it is suspected that this bacterium is responsible for accelerating the deterioration of the structure. In 2012, and with the centenary of the shipwreck, the wreck of the Titanic entered the UNESCO declaration that protects shipwrecks, the shipwreck already being with its area of protected debris. In addition to this, for the first time there is a detailed map of the rubble area mapping the full extent of the wreck.
Since the discovery of the Titanic's marine grave in 1985, the wreck has been intrusively visited, whether for research purposes, looting of personal belongings, or simply out of greed and publicity. Visits to the wreck have been so relatively frequent that, until recently, it has been difficult to assess the additional damage caused by underwater explorations with respect to the natural degradation of the ship. The discoverer of the wreck, dr. Ballard, harshly blamed the progressive deterioration of the ship in 2004 on human curiosity. However, it seems that there is still no general consensus among scientists and experts on the aforementioned accusation.
New dives in 2019 have found further deterioration of the wreckage, including the loss of the captain's bathtub. Between July 29 and August 4, 2019, a two-person submersible vehicle conducting research and was filming a documentary crashed into the wreck. EYOS Expeditions executed the secondary dives. He reported that strong currents pushed the submarine toward the wreckage, leaving a "red rust stain on the side of the submarine." The report did not mention whether the Titanic suffered any damage.
Main breakups
In the bow section, specifically in the forecastle, the top, located on the mast that lies collapsed towards the port side of the upper deck, disappeared in 1987, probably dissolved by marine corrosion or torn away after the forward impact of a submarine, thus falling through one of the hatches into the wreck. In 2005, it was observed that the fallen mast had curved downwards.
The boat deck finished level to the position of the gym in 1985. Thereafter, it sloped downward until it reached the break zone. Today, the entire rear of the first class cabins, including the The collapsed foyer of the forward staircase, plus the disintegrated gymnasium, has collapsed onto the lower deck. The first indications of the aforementioned collapse date back to 2005, when it was detected that the lobby of the staircase was beginning to collapse even more. In addition, around 1994, the gymnasium roof had already collapsed.
In the sector surrounding the defunct cabin that housed the command bridge, in 2001, the bulwark railings of the ailerons had given way, as had the external starboard and port walls of the officers' cabins, the wall collapsed forward of the wheelhouse and the roof of the captain's cabin. The upright cracked fragment of number 1 funnel was gone in 2001. On A deck several holes have been punched above and below the windows exteriors of the promenade area. And on D Deck, on the port side, one of the first-class access gates remained with its door open outward in 1985. That door no longer hangs on its hinges.
In July 2019 the wreckage of the Titanic was struck by a small private submarine built by the company "Triton Submarines" and that it belonged to the British adventure company "EYOS Expeditions". According to the expedition leader, the intense and highly unpredictable currents caused the pilot to lose control of the submarine, causing it to collide with the wreck. According to legal documents seen by The Telegraph newspaper, US authorities they kept this accident a secret. Said documents were issued by a competent court.It is worth mentioning that this is the first collision with the remains of the Titanic of which there is evidence since its discovery in 1985.
RMS Titanic Inc., a salvage and display company that holds the exclusive right to salvage items from the sunken ship, wants to recover the Marconi signature radio, which is located in the upper deck compartments. For this, he requested the necessary permits in a Virginia federal court. RMS Titanic Inc. has stated that it wants to do it before the Titanic collapses and buries everything there is. Other institutions prefer that the remains be left in peace, in memory of those who died in the accident.
Passenger
Millvina Dean was the last of the surviving passengers to die when the Titanic sank. She died in England on May 31, 2009. However, the last person who could still remember the sinking was Lillian Asplund, since she was five years old when it happened, but she died on May 6, 2006 in Massachusetts, United States. Also, like her mother, she always refused to give her testimony of the disaster. Barbara West, who was 10 months and 22 days old at the time of the sinking, also passed away in October 2007, making Millvina Dean (Elizabeth Gladys Dean), 10 weeks old at the time of the disaster, the youngest person of all that embarked and the last deceased of the survivors.
Myths and legends
There are many myths and legends about the sinking of the Titanic. From its consideration of an unsinkable ship, to the controversy over the last song performed by the ship's orchestra in the final moments. Many of these myths arose immediately after the sinking. The first wave of books was published shortly after the tragedy, and many of them followed an established pattern that had been used for other disasters such as the Galveston hurricane of 1900 and the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Publishers hastily prepared instant books or "dollar books" that were published in large numbers on cheap paper at a price of one dollar.
They summarized press coverage, supplemented by excerpts from survivors' accounts and sentimental eulogies for the victims. Logan Marshall's book The Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters (also published such as On Board the Titanic: The Complete Story With Eyewitness Accounts) was a typical example of such a genre. Many of these 'instant books', such as Marshall Everett's Story of the Wreck of the Titanic, the Ocean's Greatest Disaster: 1912 Memorial Edition, were published as "memorials" or "official" in an attempt to guarantee a false patina of authenticity. Just as the cinema has created different myths of this sinking such as "The death of Captain Smith or the evil businessman", there is another myth that is very famous and that makes one question if it really was an iceberg or a fire.
A popular urban legend among religious groups is that the ship's designer, Thomas Andrews, when asked by a reporter before sailing how safe the Titanic was, reportedly replied: "Not even God can sink this ship&" #34;, which would cause the tragedy in which the boat was involved.
Pop Culture
Movies
The Titanic has starred in a large number of films and series, the most famous being the film of the same name released in 1997, the work of director James Cameron, which managed to be a great critical and public success, winning 11 Oscars, and becoming, in its time, in the highest-grossing film in history (until 2010, when it was surpassed by Avatar, another film by the same director and in 2019 dropping to third place when surpassed by Avengers: Endgame), with a total worldwide gross of $2.1 billion. Other works that tell the story of the Titanic are:
- Titanic Wild, lost film of 1912 that was attended by survivor Dorothy Gibson.
- In Nacht und Eis (1912).
- Atlantic (1929).
- Titanic (1943, Nazi propaganda film).
- Titanic (1953).
- The Last Night of the Titanic (1958). Despite some inaccuracies, it is considered by many historians as the most faithful film to the historical recreation of the transatlantic sinking.
- S.O.S. Titanic, television film (1979).
- Rescue the Titanic (1980).
- Titanic, television film (1996). Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.
- The waitress of the Titanic (1997). Starring Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and Olivier Martínez.
- Titanic (1997). Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. In 2012 it was re-released, being digitized in 3D, in 2023 it was remastered and moved to 4K.
- Titanic: The Legend Continues, animated film ílo-española. (2000).
- Tentacolino, animated Italian film. (2004).
- Titanic II (2010). Starring Shane Van Dyke and Marie Westbrook.
- The Unsinkable (2018).
- Titanic 666 (2022). American film, which contains the genus terror and suspense.
Documentaries
- In 1995 the 95-minute documentary was released in IMAX cinema Titanicled by Stephen Low. In it appears the testimony of two survivors; Frank Goldsmith (1977) and Eva Hart.
- In 2001 the film director Titanic (1997), James Cameron, led and produced the documentary Mysteries of the Titanic, where you can see some images of the wreck remains.
Music
- The Sinking of the Titanic (The sinking of the Titanic), music composed by Gavin Bryars in 1969.
- Rest in Pieces (April 15, 1912), Metal Church song, from his 1989 Blessing in Disguise album.
- "Sepelio en el mar", of the Mexican group Transmetal, on his album "Sepelio en el mar" (1990).
- My Heart Will Go On, representative song of the Titanic played by Céline Dion in 1997.
Art
American artist Ken Marschall has done many paintings of famous ocean liners and is an expert on the Titanic. After the discovery of the remains of the ship, Marschall has made numerous illustrations of the interior and exterior of it, during its voyage, sinking and subsequent deterioration of the remains, which have appeared in various printed media (magazines, books, etc.) such as the Time or National Geographic magazine. He was also a consultant to James Cameron during the filming of his famous movie in 1996.
Video games
Since the discovery of the remains, several video games have been published with the Titanic as a plot, for various platforms; most of them are based on the player being a passenger on the ill-fated ship and must either try to escape, or lead an underwater exploration team on the wreck. The earliest recorded game is from 1988: Titanic. Perhaps the best known game, Titanic: Adventure Out of Time, was published in 1996 by Cyberflix, a year before the James Cameron film.
Since 2012, another video game called Titanic: Honor and Glory, developed by Four Funnels Entertainment, has been in development. According to its developers, the game will feature the most accurate digital representation of the ship to date, including a digital representation of the city of Southampton in 1912. The game will allow you to explore the interior of the ship in its entirety, and is intended not only as entertainment, but also as a historical re-enactment project and a tribute to all those who lost their lives in the sinking of the Titanic.
Exhibitions
Belfast, 2012
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On 31 March 2012 in Belfast, the Titanic Belfast museum and memorial dedicated to the city's maritime heritage opened. Said museum rises in the exact location of the old portico of Harland & Wolff—now known as the "Titanic Quarter"—where the famous ocean liner was built.
Barcelona; April 2012
Between April 14 and 15, 2012, in commemoration of 100.º anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the Barcelona Maritime Museum hosted a temporary exhibition on the ocean liner. In it, its visitors were able to learn more about the infamous history of the ship, even witnessing some of the objects recovered after the disaster.
In addition to this exhibition, Barcelona recreated in detail the last dinner that took place on board before the collision with the iceberg.
Atlanta, 2012–13
Between November 16, 2012, and January 6, 2013, the city of Atlanta, Georgia was one of three cities through which an exhibit of 227 artifacts recovered from the wreck passed, including included 15 pieces of jewelry belonging to several of the wealthiest passengers aboard the Titanic. In addition to this collection of memorabilia, the exhibit included historically accurate reconstructions of several of the liner's interiors, as well as listening activities to listen to the stories of its passengers and crew.
Fort Worth, 2012–13
The Museum of Science and History in Fort Worth, Texas, hosted an exhibit of artifacts from the Titanic between October 13, 2012 and March 24, 2013. The main theme of the exhibition was the stories of the owners of 250 artifacts recovered from the wreck —such as, for example, perfume bottles belonging to a manufacturer who travels to New York to sell his products, porcelain objects with the emblem of the White Star Line shipping company or a bracelet with 26 precious stones and with the name “Amy” engraved—along with extensive recreations in rooms. Each visitor received a replica boarding pass with the name and a brief biography of an actual passenger on the ship, which would lead them to the "Memorial Gallery" to find out if their passenger survived the shipwreck.
Las Vegas, 2012-15
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Open through the end of March 2015, the exhibit at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, included nearly 300 items, including some jewelry, an artificial iceberg, a reconstruction of part of the promenade area of the Titanic and a piece of the ship's hull —weighing 17 tons and featuring a porthole with its glass intact—
Orlando, January 2012
This exhibit, which opened in January 2012 in Orlando, Florida, was one of the largest Titanic exhibits ever held, with a total of seventeen interactive galleries spread over an area of 1858.06 square meters (20 000 square feet). Guided tours were led by trained actors who played the roles of notable Titanic personalities such as Captain Smith or Margaret Brown. More than 400 artifacts were on display, including the so-called "Titanic Jewels," as well as full-scale replicas of the Grand Staircase, First Class Lounge, Verandah Cafe, and Boiler Room, as well as the "Little Big Piece” — a 3 ton section of the hull. Every Saturday, the "Titanic Dinner Show" event was held.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2013
This is the second time the Titanic has been to Philadelphia, the first time in 2004. This was an expanded version with a much more humane story to tell. The display included more than 300 artifacts such as a ladies' wristwatch, a silver mesh evening bag, a hand mirror and brush, a man's Edwardian suit waistcoat and trousers, a shaving brush and a derby hat. These belongings made this story very real and personal. The galleries were arranged in chronological order. Visitors saw the construction yard, the maiden voyage, the sinking, with effects as well as felt the drop in temperature and were able to touch an iceberg.
North Carolina, 2012-2013
This exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences showcased more than 200 artifacts, as well as recreations of the ship's interior, including a replica of the Grand Staircase, the Titanic bridge, a watertight door, and a section from the first class hallway. Artifacts on display included clothing, jewelry, china, furniture, and accessories from management rooms. One item included in the Raleigh exhibit was the ship's bell. The curator explained: 'Titanic had three different bells. This is the one that hung in the gazebo cage. So when the lookout rang the dead iceberg bell ahead, this is the one that rang.
St. Petersburg, Florida, 2012-2013
This was the second time the Titanic had come to St. Petersburg, the first time in 2007. One of the exhibits replicated how porcelain plates were found at the bottom of the ocean. Surprisingly, the wooden box they were packed in had rotted away, leaving them safe and intact. The tanning process used at the time for leather luggage protected what was inside, so the artifacts packed in them survived well as well. Many of these: currency, cards and clothing were on display.
Louisiana, 2012-2013
The exhibit at the Louisiana Science Center also created the boarding pass experience, galleries displaying replica staterooms, and many original artifacts woven into stories of its passengers. They also had Titanic-themed shows, including Titanic Sky: the stars and constellations present during the last hours and lunch aboard the Titanic.
Grand Rapids, 2013
This exhibit, held from February 9 to July 7, 2013 at the Grand Rapids, Michigan Public Museum, included more than 150 artifacts and had many of the aftershocks and events described above.
News in the United States
Currently it is possible to visit the exhibitions of Titanic artifacts in the American cities of Orlando and Las Vegas.
In Orlando, the exhibit features nearly 200 artifacts recovered from the wreck by the company RMS Titanic, Inc., which has conducted eight research expeditions to the wreck site and artifact recovery efforts.
The Las Vegas exhibit includes more than 350 objects recovered from the wreck, as well as large-scale recreations of numerous ship interiors.
Virtual tours
A virtual tour of the wreck of the Titanic is possible through the "Titanic - The Virtual Experience" website, where you can find an unrivaled collection of nearly four hundred artifacts recovered directly from the wreck site.
This 25,000 square foot (2,322.6 m²) experience allows you to see full-scale recreations of the liner's interiors, including the famous first-class staircase and an up-close-and-personal view of the ship's artifacts, including belongings personal items for each class of passengers and one of the largest pieces ever recovered, a 15-ton portion of the ship's hull.
In addition, the exhibit features a never-before-seen video of the current state of the wreck, along with another documenting the recovery of artifacts, unique facts and passenger stories, plus a comprehensive audio tour available in multiple languages.
This is the only experience where artifacts from the Titanic can be viewed directly from the resting place of the ship.
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