Main News:
R.M.S. Titanic Sinks!
On April 10, 1912, the R.M.S. Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England. Created by J. Bruce Ismay of the White Star Line, and led by the experienced and revered Captain Edward Smith, Titanic was supposed to sail to Cherbourg, France, then to Queenstown, Ireland, before leaving for her final destination, New York City. Five days into her journey, however, disaster struck the world's "safest, most luxurious floating hotel."
During the first days after leaving Queenstown (today known as Cobh, Ireland), the enormous ship encountered few problems. In fact, things went extremely well, and the ship's Communications Officer, Jack Phillips, was hardly bothered by the numerous reports of ice that were being sent his way. In all, five ships sent warnings to the Titanic, notifying the grand ship of large areas of frozen water, as well as minefields of giant icebergs. On April 14, Second Officer Lightoller, in the crow's nest, was told to "keep a sharp lookout for ice."
He did as he was told, but in the cold, dark air of the Atlantic Ocean, ice is difficult to spot unless you are very close to it. The Titanic’s officers learned this the hard way, and on the night of their fourth day at sea, lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee spotted a low-lying mist, but did not see the iceberg it surrounded. This mistake was most likely made due to the fact that the men were not issued binoculars that night.
Several minutes later Sixth Officer Moody answered a phone call from Fleet, warning him that there was an iceberg straight ahead and that the ship must stop immediately to avoid hitting it. At approximately 11:40 PM, the Titanic struck the iceberg, which scraped along its side and punctured its hull in several places.
Captain Smith ordered the watertight doors to be closed immediately, but it was soon confirmed by Andrew Smith that six of his ship’s lower compartments were flooded. Smith also estimated that due to the amount of water being taken in, the ship could only stay afloat for about two more hours. This caused Smith to have the distress signal sent out to any ship that could receive it, and have the lifeboats prepared for "women and children only."
Despite his earlier actions, it took Captain Smith approximately 45 minutes to finally believe that his ship was not going to make it to New York City after all. In the following hour, twenty lifeboats and eight distress rockets were launched, as the bow of the mighty Titanic continued to submerge, raising the stern higher and higher out of the ocean.
At about 2:19 AM on April 15, the Titanic broke into two pieces between the third and fourth smoke funnels. The bow sank quickly, while the stern lingered on top of the water for several minutes before descending to the murky ocean floor. Just over two and a half hours after colliding with the iceberg, the "unsinkable" R.M.S. Titanic slipped out of sight and was gone.
Six hours later the Carpathia, the only ship that responded to the Titanic’s distress calls, had picked up as many of the stranded lifeboats and passengers as it could reach, and was on its way to New York City. By the time it reached America on April 18, the Carpathia had saved only 711 of the Titanic’s 2200-plus passengers and crew.
The R.M.S. Titanic was hailed as the greatest innovation is luxury, travel, and technology ever. Its passengers were from all walks of life, and all corners of the earth. They boarded the gargantuan "floating hotel" expecting a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the other side of the Atlantic. But due to a lax attitude and perhaps a touch of ignorance in the crew, nearly 1500 of them never made it.
Technology Section:
The World’s Greatest Ship is Built
The R.M.S. Titanic has been hailed as the world’s greatest ship, a luxurious, enormous, unsinkable vessel. It represents astonishing innovations in technology we never could have imagined, and yet have created in a sailing vessel. But perhaps the greatest sense of accomplishment in building this great ship comes from the fact that it actually sails, and it stays afloat.
The Titanic weighs a total of over 46,300 tons, and is 883 feet long and 175 feet tall. Its beam (the width of the ship at its widest part) is 93 feet. On the deck of the ship can be found four 62-foot tall smokestacks, each with a 22-foot diameter. Much of the Titanic’s gross tonnage, however, can be found under the water.
With a rudder weighing in at 101 tons, and 78 feet high, it is a wonder that this breathtaking ship does not tip over, leaving its bow high in the air, and its heavy stern submerged. This steering mechanism is so large, it had to be cast in six separate pieces! Also found near the rudder are three propellers; the center one has a diameter of 17 feet, and the two surrounding it each have 23-foot diameters. A ship is not a ship without anchors, though, and this one is not lacking them. R.M.S. Titanic has three anchors, whose combined weight totals approximately 31 tons.
Three engines power the propellers on the Titanic. Two four-cylinder steam reciprocating engines power the two outer propellers, and the center one is driven by a low-pressure turbine engine. This turbine engine runs on the exhaust steam from the other two engines, which creates a cleaner, more efficient ship, with a total horsepower of approximately 51,000.
To top it all off, the Orlop Deck of the Titanic (the lowest deck) houses a total of 29 boilers, 159 furnaces, 16 water-tight compartments, and 15 transverse water-tight bulkheads. This spectacular ship cost $7.5 million to construct, and is not only the biggest movable man-made object ever built, but is also the largest ship in the world. The unsinkable R.M.S. Titanic is truly a creation to be admired by generations present, as well as those to come.
Travel Section:
The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built
The biggest man-made object you have ever seen will not live up to this. The most luxurious place you have ever been to will not live up to this. The safest mode of travel you have ever used will not live up to this. This is the R.M.S. Titanic, the newest, biggest, and most final word in the world of elegant travel.
The largest ship in the world is fully equipped with everything from Turkish baths to French cafés, smoking parlors to writing rooms. No matter what you enjoy doing, you can find amusement on board the Titanic. Like to read? Lounge in the spacious first class Reading and Writing Room. Are you a “social butterfly?” The Social Lounge is the place you will want to be. More of the athletic type? Take advantage of the shuffleboard courts on the Promenade Decks, the swimming pool on the Middle Deck, or the squash court on the Lower Deck. There is even a fully-equipped gymnasium on the Boat Deck.
Entertainment is not the only area of excellence aboard this boat: the food is gourmet and surprisingly fresh. There are many choices of places to eat on the Titanic. Some of the restaurants on board include the Verandah Café and Palm Court, Café Parisien, a first-class “à la carte” restaurant, as well as a bakery and a butcher shop for first and second class passengers.
The cabins on the Titanic are well-furnished and quite accommodating. First class suites, second class rooms, and third class cabins alike are all provided with comfortable beds and porcelain wash basins, although the more expensive the room is, the more spacious and elegant it becomes. It is apparent, however, that no matter which class you travel in, you are guaranteed to have a safe, luxurious, enjoyable journey aboard man’s most amazing accomplishment to date, the spectacularly large R.M.S. Titanic.
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