What really happened on the RMS Titanic?
- Greater beam for enhanced stability
- Welded, not riveted, hull
- Reduced draught
- Bulbous bow for higher fuel efficiency, although moderately sized compared to ships of newer designs
What does the RMS mean in the name of the Titanic?
RMS, in formal terms, means "Royal Merchant Ship". However, the dual meaning was also "Royal Mail Steamer", because the Titanic carried mail under the auspices of His Majesty's postal authorities. At that time, all ships, military and civilian, that were under the British flag carried the distinction of "R.M.S."
Why is the RMS Titanic called the RMS Titanic?
The name Titanic derives from the Titans of Greek mythology. Built in Belfast, Ireland, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the RMS Titanic was the second of the three Olympic -class ocean liners —the first was the RMS Olympic and the third was the HMHS Britannic.
What inspired the design of the RMS Titanic?
White Star Line wanted to make the Titanic the epitome of modern technology, a symbol of engineering, safety, and luxury. Concerned with safety, engineers had designed the Titanic with a double steel hull and 16 separate compartments capable of being sealed off from one another in the event of an emergency.
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Where did the Titanic get its name?
The name Titanic derives from the Titans of Greek mythology. Built in Belfast, Ireland, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the RMS Titanic was the second of the three Olympic -class ocean liners —the first was the RMS Olympic and the third was the HMHS Britannic. Britannic was originally to be called Gigantic and was to be over 1,000 feet (300 m) long. They were by far the largest vessels of the British shipping company White Star Line 's fleet, which comprised 29 steamers and tenders in 1912. The three ships had their genesis in a discussion in mid-1907 between the White Star Line's chairman, J. Bruce Ismay, and the American financier J. P. Morgan, who controlled the White Star Line's parent corporation, the International Mercantile Marine Co. (IMM).
What was the significance of the Titanic?
Only recently has the significance of Titanic most notably been given by Northern Ireland where it was built by Harland and Wolff in the capital city, Belfast. While the rest of the world embraced the glory and tragedy of Titanic, in its birth city, Titanic remained a taboo subject throughout the 20th century. The sinking brought tremendous grief and was a blow to the city's pride. Its shipyard was also a place many Catholics regarded as hostile. In the latter half of the century, during a 30-year sectarian conflict, Titanic was a reminder of the lack of civil rights that in part contributed towards the Troubles. While the fate of Titanic remained a well-known story within local households throughout the 20th century, commercial investment around RMS Titanic 's legacy was modest because of these issues.
How far did the Titanic travel?
The final leg of the journey would have been 193 nautical miles (222 mi; 357 km) to Ambrose Light and finally to New York Harbor.
How many generators did the Titanic use?
Immediately aft of the turbine engine were four 400 kW steam-driven electric generators, used to provide electrical power to the ship, plus two 30 kW auxiliary generators for emergency use.
What was the cargo on the Titanic worth?
Despite later myths, the cargo on Titanic ' s maiden voyage was fairly mundane; there was no gold, exotic minerals or diamonds, and one of the more famous items lost in the shipwreck, a jewelled copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, was valued at only £405 (£40,400 today).
How many people were on the Titanic?
Passengers: 2,435, crew: 892. Total: 3,327 (or 3,547 according to other sources) RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner operated by the White Star Line that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912, after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.
What year was the Titanic launched?
British transatlantic passenger liner, launched and foundered in 1912. For the ship's sinking, see Sinking of the Titanic. For the film by James Cameron, see Titanic (1997 film). For other uses, see Titanic (disambiguation). Coordinates: 41°43′57″N 49°56′49″W. / 41.73250°N 49.94694°W / 41.73250; -49.94694.
What is the Titanic?
Titanic in modern culture. RMS Titanic forms part of our cultural landscape. Since 1912 she has been depicted in countless films and books. Through art, drama and music her tragedy is replayed and reinterpreted and collections of her relics can be seen in museums and exhibitions across the globe.
What was the Titanic named after?
The RMS Titanic was named after the Greek Mythological creatures Titans. Read more... With the introduction of the Lusitania and Mauretania the Cunard Line had stolen a march on the White Star Line; with Olympic, Titanic and Britannic Bruce Ismay and Lord Pirrie saw a golden opportunity to regain the initiative and with it a hefty slice ...
What is the meaning of the phrase "re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic"?
RMS Titanic has even entered the language: the phrase re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic exemplifies a futile exercise and the essence of her tragedy has formed the metaphorical basis of many an academic thesis.
Where was the Titanic built?
RMS Titanic was designed and constructed at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast (Yard No. 401), Northern Ireland under the supervision of marine architect Alexander Carlisle and chief designer Thomas Andrews. Having been laid down in 1909 it would take three years of construction and fitting out before RMS Titanic was ready for sea, ...
How many people were on the Titanic?
Titanic Passengers and Crew. Aboard were 2208 people - all ages, creeds and colour; the wealthy, middle class and the poor. If you could walk her decks of you would hear a dozen or more languages being spoken with every imaginable dialect.
How long did it take to build the Titanic?
Having been laid down in 1909 it would take three years of construction and fitting out before RMS Titanic was ready for sea, commanded by veteran Captain Edward John Smith. After brief sea trials she departed for Southampton on 1 April 1912.
Did the Titanic survive?
Many crew and paying passengers lost their lives but the man that effectively owned the Titanic somehow survived. With millionaires as well as people in dire poverty there was a diverse mix of passengers and crew and we have been left many fascinating stories of their lives.
Overview
Maiden voyage
Both Olympic and Titanic registered Liverpool as their home port. The offices of the White Star Line, as well as Cunard, were in Liverpool, and up until the introduction of the Olympic, most British ocean liners for both Cunard and White Star, such as Lusitania and Mauretania, sailed out of Liverpool followed by a port of call in Queenstown, Ireland. Since the company's founding in 1845, a va…
The accident
Titanic had departed from Southampton on 10 April 1912, then stopped at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, before heading west towards New York. On 14 April, four days into the crossing and about 375 miles (600 km) south of Newfoundland, she hit an iceberg at 11:40 pm ship's time. The collision caused the hull plates to buckle inwards along her starboard (right) side and laid five of her sixteen watertight compartments open to the sea; she had been de…
Background
The name Titanic derives from the Titans of Greek mythology. Built in Belfast, Ireland, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the RMS Titanic was the second of the three Olympic-class ocean liners—the first was the RMS Olympic and the third was the HMHS Britannic. Britannic was originally to be called Gigantic and was to be over 1,000 feet (300 m) long. They were by far the largest vessels of the British shipping company White Star Line's fleet, which comprised 29 stea…
Dimensions and layout
Titanic was 882 feet 9 inches (269.06 m) long with a maximum breadth of 92 feet 6 inches (28.19 m).
Her total height, measured from the base of the keel to the top of the bridge, was 104 feet (32 m). She measured 46,328 gross register tons and with a draught of 34 feet 7 inches (10.54 m), she displaced 52,310 tons. All three of the Olympic-class ships had ten decks (excluding the top of t…
Features
Titanic was equipped with three main engines—two reciprocating four-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines and one centrally placed low-pressure Parsons turbine—each driving a propeller. The two reciprocating engines had a combined output of 30,000 horsepower (22,000 kW). The output of the steam turbine was 16,000 horsepower (12,000 kW). The White Star Line had used the same comb…
Building and preparing the ship
The sheer size of Titanic and her sister ships posed a major engineering challenge for Harland and Wolff; no shipbuilder had ever before attempted to construct vessels this size. The ships were constructed on Queen's Island, now known as the Titanic Quarter, in Belfast Harbour. Harland and Wolff had to demolish three existing slipways and build two new ones, the largest ever const…
Aftermath of sinking
RMS Carpathia took three days to reach New York after leaving the scene of the disaster. Her journey was slowed by pack ice, fog, thunderstorms and rough seas. She was, however, able to pass news to the outside world by wireless about what had happened. The initial reports were confusing, leading the American press to report erroneously on 15 April that Titanic was being towed …