More "Useless" Facts
- The real Titanic was never christened.
- A myth: Titanic was the first ship to use S.O.S. Before that, the standardized distress signal was CQD. Thanks to Jeanie for setting me straight on this one. Here's what she found out when she did some research: "This is not true. It is more romantic to say that Titanic was the first ship
to use SOS, but that distinction belongs to the Arapahoe. She was sailing off
Cape Hatteras, NC in 1909 when she sent the first SOS."
- At 1:15 on the morning of April 15, the gymnasium instructor was still in the gym showing passengers how to use the mechanical
exercise equipment (from Titanic: Legacy of the World's Greatest Ocean Liner by Susan Wells.)
- While the ship was sinking, the firemen were still down in the boiler room struggling to keep electricity, heat, and other conveniences
for the passengers. At one point, in boiler room 5, Jonathan Shepherd accidentally stumbled into a manhole and broke his leg. When the
boiler room began to fill with water, most of the other men escaped using the escape ladder, but Shepherd perished. (Titanic:
Legacy...)
- Both of the wireless operators, Bride and Phillips, stayed by the wireless sending out the distress signal until the power went out.
Phillips went down with the ship, but Bride survived. When he was taken aboard the Carpathia, both of his feet were crushed and
severely frostbitten.
- For those of you who wondered, like I did, why the Titanic survived the 6,000 pound/square inch pressure at the bottom of the
ocean, I learned why by reading that fabulous Titanic: Legacy... book. K, when the front half of the boat went under, it
was already full of water. Therefore there was no trapped air inside it, and there was no chance of implosion. Remember, though, the back
half of the boat bobbed in the water, pretty much completely vertical. It probably never got completely wet, anyway, because the stern was
out of the water most of the time. Anyway, so when the back half went under, it went under straight up. Have you ever done that thing
where you take a cup, turn it upside down, and push it straight under the water? Anyway, when you pull it out, it's still empty because the
air was trapped inside. When the back half of the Titanic went under, there was still air trapped inside, so as it went deeper, the
pressure on the trapped air caused an implosion, which explains why the back half of the ship is so deformed now.
- The last person rescued from the Titanic was a biscuit-maker. Interestingly enough, his hair was still dry.
- When the Titanic set sail, there was a coal fire in the bunker next to Boiler Room 6.
- I'm not sure that these are true cuz I've never read them anywhere. Submitted anonymously: The 1st officer reeked of alcohol, which was commonplace back in the
early 1900's. Many believe he alone could have prevented the sinking by
staying alert instead of being highly intoxicated. Many believe this is
why he took his own life. WhiteStar Lines covered this fact (and many
others) up to prevent scandalous headlines.
Captain EJ Smith was highly intoxicated at that time as well. He, along
with the 1st officer, were very irrational during the whole ordeal.
This is why Captain Smith knew he must go down with the ship.
- I read on a website (I lost the address) that some people believe the Titanic didn't actually sink, that it was her sister ship, the Olympic. The Olympic had been damaged before the Titanic set sail, and was in for repairs for five days, which would have been plenty of time to switch the two ships, according to those who adhere to this belief. Why would they do that? To collect insurance money on the sunk Olympic. Info from a visitor: when Dr. Ballard discovered the Titanic, he looked for the serial number that belonged to the Titanic, and found it. So it really was the Titanic that sank.
Any "useless" facts to add to this list? Let me know about them!
