The Titanic

The story has been told through the generations by many and glamorized by Hollywood (albeit in a inspiring way) and seems to forever hold the fascination of the world.  The Titaic was a British Ocean Liner which was built fr transatlantic passenger and mail service between South Hampton and New York.  There was much publicity and excitement surrounding the maiden voyage of the ill-fated ship.  It was deemed to be the most luxurious and most indestructible ship ever built.

Four days into the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, it hit an iceberg and sank in an incredibly short time of only two hours and forty minutes later.  More than 1,500 people lost their lives on a ship that was proclaimed to be unsinkable.  Most of the lives were lost due to negligence, as the ship had a capacity of 3,547 people, but only enough lifeboats for 1,178.  More men than women died because it was protocol to admit women and children first into the lifeboats. 

Considering the time in which the Titanic was built, the ship had technologically advanced features.  There was an extensive electrical subsystem accompanying the steam powered generators and also serving the lights onboard the ship.  The radio room was equipped to be in constant contact to handle the transmissions of the passenger messages.  Despite all of these advances, the ship was destined to sink. 

The captain of the Titanic was Edward J. Smith.  Even as the voyage began, tragedy nearly struck the luxury liner.  As the Titanic pulled away from the shore, it caused the ship, “New York” to break away from her moorings and it drifted to within about four feet of the Titanic.  Danger was averted when a tug arrived to tow away the New York.  Had that “danger” not been averted, history could have recorded the wreck of the Titanic to barely make front page news.  That fate was not to be, however.