The Titanic was a British luxury passenger liner that struck an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage on April 15th, 1912, killing over 1500 people. On the eve of World War One, this tragedy shocked the world and challenged many old ideas about technology, progress, and modern life.
The first ocean liners emerged in the 1840s, after the development of major industrial technologies like steel and steam power. At sea, these new ships' speed, capacity, and large sizes created a market for inexpensive international travel and shipping. By the early 1900s, the transatlantic passenger trade was highly profitable and fiercely competitive. Two lines: Cunard and the White Star Line, were locked in an all-out war for control of this lucrative business. In 1907, Cunard launched the Mauritania and Lusitania, the fastest ships in the world. The White Star Line needed something new to compete.
The chair of the White Star Line, J. Bruce Ismay, had arranged the sale of the company to J. P. Morgan in 1902. This brought Ismay, Morgan, and a man named William James Pirrie, chairman of the Belfast shipbuilding firm Harland and Wolff, together under one company. Ismay and Pirrie then met for dinner in 1907 and devised a plan to beat Cunard's speed with luxury - the new Olympic-class liners - Olympic, Brittanic, and Titanic. Construction of the Olympic began December 16th, 1908, and of Titanic soon after. The ships were designed by Thomas Andrews of Harlan and Wolff, who also happened to be the nephew of William James Pirrie. Andrews had started as an apprentice and worked his way to head designer, gaining a reputation for innovative designs. Titanic and Olympic were marvels of engineering. Titanic displaced 52,000 tons and was 882 feet long. The ships were so powerful that they both were nearly destroyed in port when the vortex created by their engines sucked in nearby ships. Much attention was paid to the 16 watertight compartments that would theoretically protect the ship from flooding. This led many at the time to claim Titanic was unsinkable.
Titanic was launched from the Harland and Wolff shipyards in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on May 31, 1911. For the next year, Titanic was 'fitted out' - the interior work was started and the engine machinery was loaded into the ship. For Titanic's high-stakes maiden voyage, Ismay chose captain Edward J. Smith, the former captain of the Olympic known as "the millionaires captain" for his reputation among wealthy passengers. Under Smith's watch, Titanic set out for its maiden voyage from Southampton on April 10th, 1912. That night, the ship stopped in Cherbourg, France, where supplies and passengers, including John Jacob Astor and Molly Brown, were ferried aboard, because Titanic was too large for the city's port. After a final stop in Queenstown, Ireland, Titanic set sail for New York City, carrying some 2,200 people.
At sea, Titanic delivered on the power, speed, and luxury promised by its designers. The turbine engine drove the ship's main propeller while two reciprocating engines powered the side propellers. Each engine was capable of producing 15,000 horsepower. These engines were powered by 29 boilers, which contained three or more furnaces each. Some 600 tons of coal were fed into the furnaces every day by a team of workers in the boiler room known as trimmers. The boiler room vented through Titanic's immense funnels, one of which was non-functional and included for aesthetic reasons.
Many companies paid ocean liners to ship their goods, and Titanic's cargo manifest included 63 cases of champagne, 15 cases of rabbit hair, 2 cases of grandfather clocks, and a Renault automobile. The Royal Mail Ship, or RMS Titanic, also transported mail for the UK Government. 5 postal workers in the mail room sorted 3,400 sacks and 7 million individual pieces of mail. The squash court, swimming pool, and Turkish baths were for first-class passengers only. Titanic's heated pool was the first in the world, measuring 32 feet by 13. The hospital was more advanced than most on land, with two full-time doctors and a surgery room. First class passengers could also enjoy a-la-carte dining from cafes and restaurants above deck. Classes were kept separate on board.
You must be logged in to post a comment.