Hidden Corners of History- The Titanic Tragedy

The Titanic Tragedy

Jarrod E. Stephens

The Ashland Beacon

On April 10, 1912, a massive ship called the R.M.S (Royal Mail Steamer) Titanic began its maiden voyage which turned out to be its only voyage. The name Titanic became synonymous with the word “tragedy” and has since been a story that has captivated the imaginations of millions.

The design for the ship called for the creation of sixteen separate sections within the hull which was supposed to make the ship “unsinkable.” Since the hull was divided, water could only fill sections where a hole or rip may occur. Watertight doors would keep the water from spreading. Two to three sections may take on water, but the water could be pumped from the section and the remaining sections would remain water-free and keep the ship afloat. So, that was the plan.

After its completion, the ship was 882.5 feet long and was a floating palace. First class accommodations were immaculate and designed to appear as a high-class hotel. First class passengers could enjoy private suites, beautiful on deck views, a swimming pool, barber shop and exquisite dining.

Second class passengers could also enjoy excellent dining, an outdoor promenade and access to indoor libraries and relaxation facilities. Third class passengers did have to share many of the facilities with one another and their cabins were not as spacious as the other two classes. However, they were still aboard the grandest ship to have ever been built.

The ship embarked across the Atlantic Ocean from a port in South Hampton, England. 2,240 passengers and crew were on board. A journey of a lifetime, so they thought. The times of bliss and fun were brought to a halt just before midnight on April 14, 1912. Hidden in the darkness was an enormous iceberg that would prove to be the demise for the “Ship of Dreams.”

A half-dozen ice warnings had been issued to the captain, but he continued the course as charted. After the iceberg had been spotted and Captain Smith received the warning, he had only 40 seconds to react. His decision to bank hard left avoided a head-on collision but allowed the iceberg to scrape along the side of the Titanic. The jagged ice was in contact with the ship’s hull for only 8 seconds but tore a hold nearly 270 feet long. Water gushed in, and it was soon determined that the ship was going to sink.

Because of its immense size, many passengers noted that the only way they knew something had occurred was because the hum of the engines died as they were shut off. Word quickly spread amongst the staff and plans were made to load the lifeboats.

Preparations to launch the lifeboats were made and then came the difficult decisions. First class women and children were given preference whenever the lifeboats were loaded. As you can imagine, chaos ensued and the loading and launching of the lifeboats was a disaster. Not only were there not enough lifeboats to carry all the passengers, but many were also launched less than half full. A journey that had begun with such grandeur was becoming a nightmare. Women and children were given preference over the men. First class passengers were also given preference over the second- and third-class passengers.

No one really knew just how long the ship would stay afloat, and the calls of distress could not be answered quickly enough. They had a mere 2 hours and 40 minutes before the ship sank entirely. Each person on the lifeboats had to witness the ship’s destruction and hear the cries of people who desperately jumped or fell into the icy waters. Passengers stood no chance of surviving the freezing cold water.

The only ship to respond to the Titanic’s SOS signal was another passenger liner called the Carpathia. The ship’s captain began his mission to aid the survivors but arrived long after the Titanic sunk. All survivors who were on the lifeboats were taken aboard the Carpathia and finished their journey to New York.

For three days anxious families waited in New York City to see if their loved ones survived. On April 18, 1912, Carpathia arrived with the Titanic’s survivors.  News of the tragedy shook the world. The sinking of the Titanic led to changes regarding the number of lifeboats that a vessel was to have. If the Titanic had had enough lifeboats, the loss of life could have been zero. Only 706 people survived. 492 were passengers and 214 were crew members.

The wreckage lay undiscovered until 1985 when underwater explorer, Dr. Robert Ballard and his team pinpointed the Titanic’s location and traveled to the site. Dr. Ballard was able to get video footage that revealed haunting images of the vessel. Since then, several submersibles have traveled to the wreckage.

Of the many ships that have sank over the years, why are people still so interested in the Titanic? Maybe it’s the majesty and grandeur of the ship that keeps people interested in the tragedy. So many lives were cut short due to negligence. Or perhaps the belief that the ship was unsinkable and did indeed sink on its maiden voyage that makes us wonder if the journey was somehow cursed. Either way, as the 113th anniversary of the sinking approaches, let’s stop and reflect on the importance of enjoying every moment of every day and recognize what a blessing life really is.