Titanic Essay, Research Paper

Titanic

Titanic was the largest ship in the world, built by a workforce of 17,000.

The ultimate in turn-of-the-century design and technology. First-class suites

ran to more than $ 55,000 in todays dollars, and when she sailed on her maiden

voyage from Southampton, England on route to NY , she held among her 2,227

passengers. The cream of industrial society, including colonel John Jacob Astor.

Macys founder; U.S. congressman Isidor Straus and Thomas Andrews, the ships

builder. The ship was built of easily sealed-off compartments. If, for some

unimaginable reason, the hull were punctured, only the compartment actually

ruptured would flood. In an worst case example – builders figured that the

Titanic would take from one to three days to sink, time for nearby ships to help,

because there was only 16 lifeboats. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that

way.

On April 14th, 1912 at about 7:30, at the first ominous hint of disaster

has came. Into the earphones of the wireless operator on duty came amessage from

the steamer California: Three large bergs five miles southward from us. But the

Titanic continued to rush through the deepening darkness. The temperature was

one degree above freezing. When lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee had

come on duty at 10 P.M., the sky was cloudless and the air clear. At around

11:30 P.M., just half an hour before they were to be rewired, a slight haze had

appeared, directly ahead. And about two points on either side. Suddenly – his

training causing his reflexes to function instinctively. Fleet gave the warning

bell and immediately reached across the crowns nest to the bridges telephone. In

its compartment on the starboard side. He rang? ms bell urgently. Fleet replaced

the telephone and gripped the crowns nest rail.

At 11:40 P.M., April 14 , 1912 ; The lookouts spotted the iceberg? a

quarter-mile ahead. Had they not alerted the bridge, the ship would not have

attempted a turn. At 11:40P.M. ; the ship sideswipes the ice. Because of the

steels ductility,it would have absorbed massive amounts of energy. The ice

crashed right through the plating as it grinded along the side, Strinking at an

angle like s 300-foot zipper.

ON midnight, April 14-15; fist six? compartments were filling; water was

beginning to slosh over. 12:40.; water filled 2,000 bathtubs 1:20 A.M.; The bow

dipped; water flooded through anchor – chain holes. At 2:10 A.M.; The Titanic

titled to 45 degrees or more and stress reaches nearby 15 tons per square inch.

The keel bends; The bottom plating buckles. At 2:15 A.M.; The stern? grew

heavier and until it? reached some 16,000 tons of in – water weight . At 2:20

A.M.; The bow rips went loose. The stern rose sharply , held and almost vertical

position and then, as it filled, faded downward again. At least one life boat

passenger said, look – its? coming back!. At 2:30 A.M.; The bow stroke the

bottom , 12,612 feet down, angling downward and flowing into? the mud. Shortly

after 2:30 A.M. ships time? a green florae was sighed suddenly, forahead. In a

few? seconds it disappeared. At 3 A.M., Roston ordered rockets fired at fifteen-

minute intervals to let survivors know help was approaching. The companys night?

signals were? also displayed. By 3:35 carpathia was almost to the position where

Titanic, if afloat, would be seen. But there was only? a rast emptiness.

Carpathia inched forward. The lifeboat was alongside.

Some 2,340 passengers and crew were on board the Titanic when the white

star liner left Southampton for its maiden voyage to NY five days ago. And? some

1,595 people perished in the accident. Only 745 were saved. Many more could have

been rescued but there were enough lifeboats for only half the passengers and

crew. Two boats full of people who had escaped from the ship were sucked beneath

the ocean. Most of the passengers were apparently not aware of the accident when

it happened. At first, passengers were so unconcerned that they remained in

their staterooms to dress for dinner. By 1:30 A.M. panic has begun among some of

the passengers.

In the tomb that was once a ship, all that remain are China teacups and

brass latches, porcelain toilets, and perhaps teeth – nearby all else has been

devoured: wooden decks, the rich Victorian woodwork, human beings and their

clothing – all except for shoes protected from scavengers by their tannin. Some

150 items retrieved by the French sub Nautili went on display at Londons

National Maritime Museum in Oct. 1994. protected too is the ships steel.

The first memorials to Titanics victims were the church services in

commemoration of the dead and Thanksgiving for the living. As the days passed

the enormity of the loss of life became evident, and relief programmers were

established. The event becomes dim in the minds of new but the monuments stand,

and assurance that – as long as tides flow, as long as people sail – the memory

of Titanics courageous and gallant men and women will never fade. It is through

the appalling tragedy that befell her during her owe voyage that the worldbest

knows of her today. Perhaps Historys most famous ship, she is remembered through

memories and motion pictures; through songs and scraps of yellowing newspapers;

through reminiscences of her survivors as recurring anniversary observances as,

fortunately she of remembered through pictures. For during the brief of her

existence, the new hobby and profession of photography ensured a record of her

beauty, her people and their loss. In the disasters aftermath, reaction set in,

reaction which was to change the way people thought about the sea and the ships

that sailed on it.

The sinking of the Titanic remains the most famous of all maritime

disasters. At least in parts because of the mystery surroundings its cause over

an answer – from scientific expeditions in manned submersibles to court cases

and investigative reporting. It? took many years and a certain serendipity? to

obtain the pieces of the Titanics hull that underwent metallurgical tests at a

candian government laboratory in Nova Scotia latelast year. New theories about

ships demise continue to spring up. James G/ Vlary, who specializes in maritime

subjects, believes he too has uncovered some startling new information about the

Titanics last moments. In his book Superstitions of The sea , clary claims there

is : substantial and documental proof 1 that the engines on the Titanic were

restarted and ran for as long as 30 minutes after it hit the iceberg and stopped.

in doing so,[Clary concludes] , she undoubtedly hastened hull to greatly reduce

the precious time she had left before foundering 2.

She was not the worlds fastest ship. Nor was she the first of a new class.

She was not the largest liner ever built3., nor the most costly. The

documentation of her conception, design and construction has not withstood the?

passage of time well. Two world wars. indifference, corporate rivalries,

accident. Reglect and even late 20th century political activity have conspired

to deprive historians of much that might be known about her.

The story of Titanic began in 1867. The final chapter is yet to be written.

As we? see boilers, positions and cylinder beds strewn across the ocean floor of

the great engines. Perhaps we might sense the vibrations that drove the vessel

onward. Then, in a sudden burst of reality we might hear distantly. once again,

there rings of the bell :iceberg right ahead…. In the photographs to come you

shall surely see the actual places where the bravest of the brave newed our

their mighty deeds of heroism and? self-sacrifice which shall never fade. Then

we shall truly be able to evasion the pride and splendor, the glorious drama,

the terrible tragedy, the legend which has become – and ever shall be – Titanic.