A painting of the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic

Significant Dates:

• In 1907, J. Bruce Ismay (President of the White Star Line) and Lord Pirrie (Chairman of Harland & Wolff shipbuilders) dreamed up the idea to build luxurious ocean liners as a way for the White Star Line to compete in the transatlantic passenger market. A total of three ships were planned: The Olympic, Titanic and Gigantic. The next year was spent doing extensive design work.
  

• On July 30, 1908, authorization was given to build the Titanic and her sister ship the Olympic. In 1911, the order was placed for the third ship Gigantic. When this ship was completed, it was ultimately named the Britannic. Many believe that the name was changed because Gigantic sounded too similar to Titanic.
  
• The keel for the Titanic was laid on March 31, 1909.
  
• The Titanic was launched on May 31, 1911 at 12:15 pm.
  
• The Titanic left Belfast, Ireland and headed for Southampton, England on April 2, 1912.
  
• Titanic arrives in Southhampton on April 3, 1912.
  
• The Titanic left Southampton on its maiden voyage on Wednesday, April 10, 1912 at 12:00 Noon.
  
• The Titanic struck an iceberg on Sunday, April 14, 1912 at 11:40 pm.
  
• The Titanic sank on Monday, April 15, 1912 at 2:20 am.
  
• The wreck of the Titanic was found on September 1, 1985.

Comparison of the Titanic to the superliner Carnival Destiny:

Titanic Destiny* Gross Tonnage: 46,328 Gross Tonnage: 101,353 Length: 883 feet Length: 893 feet Beam: 93 feet Beam: 116 feet Cruising Speed: 22.5 knots Cruising Speed: 21 knots Passenger Capacity: 2,603 Passenger Capacity: 2,642 Total crew: 944 Total crew: 1100 Total passengers & crew: 3,547 Total Passengers & crew: 3,742

*The Carnival Destiny is one of the largest cruise ships in the world today.

Other Titanic specifications:

• Draught: 34 feet.
  

• Displacement: 66,000 tons of water.
  
• The Titanic had 4 funnels (smokestacks). Each was 62 feet tall and had a diameter of 22 feet.
  
• The distance from keel to top of funnels was 175 feet.
  
• The rudder was 78 feet high, weighed 101 tons and was cast in 6 separate pieces.
  
• Titanic's 3 anchors had a combined weight of 31 tons.
  
• "Triple screw" - 3 propellers. The 2 outer propellers had a diameter of 23 feet and the center propeller had a diameter of 17 feet.

• Engines: Two four-cylinder steam reciprocating engines and one low pressure turbine engine. The turbine, which drove the center propeller, utilized the exhaust steam from the other engines. This design recycled the exhausted steam instead of wastefully venting it up the funnels. The result: an increase in efficiency.
  

• The total horsepower of the engines was 51,000.
  
• 29 boilers - 24 double ended and 5 single ended.
  
• 159 furnaces.
  
• 16 watertight compartments.
  
• 15 transverse watertight bulkheads.
  
• Equipped with 20 lifeboats (total capacity 1,178).

Building:

• Harland and Wolff, located in Belfast, Ireland, built the Titanic.
  

• It took approximately three years to build.
  
• 14,000 workers were used to construct it.
  
• The Titanic cost $7.5 million to build (in 1912). Interestingly, the movie "Titanic" (made in 1997) cost more than $200 million to produce!
  
• Building the Titanic today (1997) would cost $400 million.

The Titanic was:

• The Largest ship in the world (in 1912).
  

• The biggest movable man-made object ever made (at that time).
  
• One of the first ships to have a swimming pool.
  
• Publicized as the world's largest, safest, most luxurious five-star floating hotel.

Titanic Decks: (listed from top of ship to bottom)

• Boat Deck
  

• Promenade Deck ("A")
  
• Bridge Deck ("B")
  • Forecastle Deck -- The foremost portion of Bridge Deck.
    
  • Poop Deck -- The aftmost portion of Bridge Deck.

• Shelter Deck ("C")
  

• Saloon Deck ("D")
  
• Upper Deck ("E")
  
• Middle Deck ("F")
  
• Lower Deck ("G")
  
• Orlop Deck

Deck Highlights

Boat Deck: Bridge; radio room; officer's quarters; lifeboats; gymnasium. |View Deck|

Promenade Deck: 1st class staterooms; 1st class reading and writing rooms; 1st class lounge; 1st class smoking room; the Verandah Cafe and Palm Court. |View Deck|

Bridge Deck: 1st class suites; two 1st class "millionaire" suites; 1st class à la Carte restaurant; Café Parisien restaurant; 2nd class smoking room. |View Deck|

The 1st class passengers boarded the Titanic through the impressive Grand Staircase. It was sixteen feet wide, provided access to seven decks and was over 60 feet high. The ceiling was a massive glass dome which contained a large chandelier.

At the bottom of the stairs was a large statue. This statue has been salvaged from the Titanic wreck. At the top of the stairs was an ornate clock. The Grand Staircase was described as representing, "Honor and Glory crowning Time".

Shelter Deck: 1st class suites; 2nd class library; 3rd class social room; 3rd class smoking room; some crew accommodations; cabins for the maids and servants who accompanied many of the 1st class passengers; 1st class barber shop; Doctor's office; Purser's office; hatches for loading the ship. |View Deck|

Saloon Deck: 1st class dining room; 1st class reception room; 2nd class dining room; 1st and 2nd class galleys (kitchens) and pantries; 1st, 2nd and 3rd class rooms; crew quarters; 1st and 2nd class bakery and butcher shops; hospital. |View Deck|

Upper Deck: 1st, 2nd and 3rd class rooms; crew quarters; 2nd class barber shop. |View Deck|

Middle Deck: Swimming pool; Turkish bath; 2nd and 3rd class rooms; crew quarters; 3rd class dining room; 3rd class galley; 3rd class bakery and butcher shop. |View Deck|

Lower Deck: Squash racquet court; Post Office; food freezers and coolers; baggage rooms; cargo hold; crew quarters; some 3rd class rooms. |View Deck|

Orlop Deck: Engine rooms; boiler rooms; coal bunkers; fresh water tanks; food storage; wine cellar; cargo and refrigerated cargo hold; baggage rooms. |View Deck|

Note: many of the areas on the Titanic traversed multiple decks.

Officers of the Titanic:

• Captain - Edward J Smith (in front row, 3rd from left)
  

• Chief Officer - Henry F Wilde
  
• First Officer - William M Murdoch
  
• Second Officer - Charles Herbert Lightoller (survived)
  
• Third Officer - Herbert John Pitman (survived)
  
• Fourth Officer - Joseph Groves Boxhall (survived)
  
• Fith Officer - Harold Godfrey Lowe (survived)
  
• Sixth Officer - James P Moody

Others of Significance

• Quartermaster- Robert Hitchens (survived)

  • He was steering Titanic at the time of the accident.

• Lookout- Frederick Fleet (survived)

  • He was the first to spot the iceberg. Fleet was in the last half hour of his watch from the crows nest when he saw a massive iceberg no more than 500 yards away. Fleet phoned the bridge and shouted, "Iceberg right ahead!". Fleet was saved in lifeboat #6. He worked at sea until 1936. In his later years, Fleet sold newspapers and spent most nights alone drinking beer. He died in 1965 after taking his own life.

• Managing Director of Harland & Wolff- Thomas Andrews

  • Since Andrews helped design Titanic, he undoubtedly knew the most about the Titanic and her construction. He was on the Titanic to observe Titanic's performance and note anything for future design improvements. He assessed the iceberg damage and calculated that the Titanic would probably sink in about 1.5 to 2 hours. Andrews went down with the ship.

• Managing Director of White Star Lines- J Bruce Ismay (survived)

  • Although not part of the crew, he may have played a significant role in the Titanic disaster. It is believed that Ismay may have influenced Captain Smith to ignore the ice warnings and steam ahead at full speed. Many are convinced that if Ismay had not been aboard, Captain Smith would have been more cautious and taken the ice warnings more seriously.

  • Ismay left the Titanic on collapsible boat C and has been extensively criticized for this. The general feeling was that he should have gone down with the ship. He stated that he only boarded the lifeboat because there were no other passengers waiting to get on board. However, witnesses have reported seeing Ismay push and shove others out of the way to get on that lifeboat. The truth will never be known. Ismay resigned his position in 1912 shortly after the Titanic incident, but remained an executive with IMM (International Mercantile Marine Co -- the owners of the White Star Line) until 1916. He died from a stroke at age 74 in October, 1937.

• And the band played on...

  • An eight-man band led by violinist Wallace Hartley, demonstrated extreme courage by entertaining passengers as Titanic sank. Their music most likely averted panic and made the passengers feel that things were not as bad as they appeared. After all, how bad could things be if the band was still playing? Some witnesses stated that the band played until Titanic slipped beneath the waves. Although it has been argued that the steep incline of the deck would have prevented the band from playing until the bitter end, it is clear that they played until it was no longer possible.

  • None of the eight musicians were employed by the White Star Line. They all worked for Messers C.W. and F.N. Black of Liverpool, England and were ticketed on Titanic as second class passengers.

• All eight musicians lost their lives.
  

• According to some survivors, the band played "Nearer, My God, to Thee" as Titanic sank. Others, including wireless operator Harold Bride, claim that the last piece played by the band was a hymn called "Autumn". Other possibilities include, "Songe d’Automne" and "Londonderry Air". The debate continues.
  
• "Nearer, My God, to Thee" may be the most likely candidate as this song was one of Wallace Hartley's favorites.
  
• The actual tune played is not really important. The important thing is that 8 brave men gave up the chance to save themselves in order to pay musical tribute to the doomed Titanic and those still aboard. Although their music died, their memory never will.

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Ownership of Titanic:

The Titanic was part of the White Star Line and was owned by the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company located in England. All of its stock was owned by the the International Navigation Company Ltd of England, which in turn, was owned by the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMMCO) - an American corporation. IMMCO owned the White Star Line.

Definitions:

• Draught - the depth to which a vessel is immersed.
  

• Beam - the width of a ship at its widest part.
  
• Bow - the front end of a ship.
  
• Stern - the rear end of a ship.
  
• Starboard - the right side of a ship.
  
• Port - the left side of a ship.
  
• Bridge - the raised platform from where a ship is steered.
  
• Keel - the chief structural member of a ship running lengthwise along the center of its bottom.
  
• Rudder - a flat structure attached upright to a ship's stern so that it can be turned causing the ship's bow to turn in the same direction.
   
   

Conversions:

• Miles per Hour = Knots multiplied by 1.152
  

• Kilometers per Hour = Knots multiplied by 1.853

• Celsius=(Fahrenheit-32)*0.555
  

• Fahrenheit=(1.8*Celsius)+32

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