10 Things you didn't know about The Titanic
The facts surrounding the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 have long been fodder for
discussion. The disaster permeates popular culture and has spawned a myriad of
books, television specials, and movies -- perhaps none more famous than James
Cameron's recently re-released Titanic. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the tragedy and pay tribute to the passengers and crew on board that fateful
night, here's a quick look at some of the lesser known facts that have been lost
to history.
By the Numbers
The $7,500,000 (now $400,000,000) Titanic could hold a maximum of 3,547
people, but had 2,223 aboard when tragedy struck four days into its maiden
voyage. There were six warnings of icebergs before the collision and it took 160
minutes for the boat to sink into water that was negative two degrees
centigrade. Just 31.6 percent of the passengers and crew survived, however
experts say 53.4 percent should have survived given the capacity on the Titanic
lifeboats. Just 28 people were on board the first lifeboat, which had a capacity
of 65. Today, the ship sits at 12,600 feet below sea level.
Titanic's Near Collision
Long before it struck an iceberg in the Atlantic, the RMS Titanic ran into
trouble with another object: the steamer New York. A much smaller ship, the New
York was sucked into the Titanic's wake and its mooring snapped, spinning her
around stern-first toward Titanic. A nearby tugboat, the Vulcan, came to the
rescue by taking the New York under tow. The two ships avoided collision by a
matter of about four feet and the incident delayed Titanic's departure for about
an hour.
Canceled Lifeboat Drill
A lifeboat drill was planned for the Titanic on April 14, 1912 - the day it
struck the iceberg. For reasons that remain murky, Captain Edward John Smith
canceled the drill. Some say it was canceled to allow passengers to go to
church. Several historians believe that had the drill taken place, many more
lives could have been saved. There were not even close to enough lifeboats on
board to hold all passengers and crew, but when they were launched, they were
not filled to capacity.
Two Bathtubs
Nearly every passenger on the Titanic had to share a bathroom as only the two
promenade suites in first class had private facilities. However, the third class
passengers had it rough. There were just two bathtubs for the use of more than
700 passengers.
The Atlantic Daily Bulletin
The Titanic was so impressive for its time that it even had its own newspaper
on board. The Atlantic Daily Bulletin was printed every day on the Titanic. The
newspaper included news, advertisements, stock prices, horse-racing results, the
day's menu, and society gossip.
The Richest Man On Board
The wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic was Lt. Col. John Jacob Astor IV.
Astor, whose family made its fortune in opium, fur trade, and real estate, went
down with the ship after helping his pregnant wife escape into the last
lifeboat. Traveling with the Astors was their valet, maid, nurse, and pet
Airedale. The nurse and maid survived with wife Madeleine, the rest perished.
The Astors were returning on the Titanic from an extended vacation in Europe and
Egypt where they waited for gossip to calm down over their recent marriage.
Madeleine was one year younger than Astor's son Vincent from his first
marriage.
The Titanic Orchestra
All eight members of the Titanic orchestra perished in the disaster, though
just three of the bodies were found. According to those rescued, the all-male
group played until the ship went down. It's been suggested that the last tune
was the hymn Nearer My God to Thee. I shall never forget hearing the strains of
that beautiful hymn as I was leaving the sinking ship, an unnamed rescued sailor
told the Western Daily Mercury in 1912. It was always a favorite hymn of mine,
but at such a time and under such tragic circumstances it had for me a solemnity
too deep for words. On May 9, 1912, a concert was held at the Apollo Club in
Brooklyn, N.Y. to aid the families of the musicians who died in the
disaster.
The Mystery Ship
According to newspaper reports from 1912, the SS Californian was just eight
to 15 miles away from the Titanic as it sank, but failed to respond to distress
calls. Several Titanic buffs believe another ship, the 254-ton Samson, was just
five to eight miles away, between the Californian and Titanic. The SS
Californian's crew claimed that this mystery ship, which some believe to be the
Samson, was steaming away, confusing them into thinking the rocket-flares came
from a ship that was, in fact, in fine working order. For its part, the Samson
may not have been eager to identify itself because of illegal seal hunting.
Suicides
Ten Titanic survivors would later commit suicide. The first was stewardess
Annie Robinson who was sailing across the Atlantic to visit her daughter in Boston two years after the tragedy
and jumped overboard. The last was Frederick Fleet, the lookout on the Titanic
who first spotted the iceberg. He hung himself from a clothesline in his garden
in 1965.
The Lost Titanic Film
One of the roughly 700 survivors of the Titanic voyage was silent screen star
Dorothy Gibson. Gibson burst to superstardom in 1911 and her film The Lucky Hold
Up was released on April 11, 1912 while she was on the Titanic. Surviving the
disaster on the first lifeboat launched, Lifeboat No. 7, she convinced her
manager to appear in a film based on the sinking. She went on to write the
scenario and star in the one-reel drama Saved From The Titanic
wearing the very clothes she wore on the night of the tragedy. The film was
hugely successful on both sides of the Atlantic, but the only known prints were
destroyed in a 1914 fire at the Éclair Studios. Many film historians consider
this the greatest loss of the silent era. Gibson abruptly ended her film career soon after the film's release. At the
time, she was the highest paid movie actress in the world.
discussion. The disaster permeates popular culture and has spawned a myriad of
books, television specials, and movies -- perhaps none more famous than James
Cameron's recently re-released Titanic. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the tragedy and pay tribute to the passengers and crew on board that fateful
night, here's a quick look at some of the lesser known facts that have been lost
to history.
By the Numbers
The $7,500,000 (now $400,000,000) Titanic could hold a maximum of 3,547
people, but had 2,223 aboard when tragedy struck four days into its maiden
voyage. There were six warnings of icebergs before the collision and it took 160
minutes for the boat to sink into water that was negative two degrees
centigrade. Just 31.6 percent of the passengers and crew survived, however
experts say 53.4 percent should have survived given the capacity on the Titanic
lifeboats. Just 28 people were on board the first lifeboat, which had a capacity
of 65. Today, the ship sits at 12,600 feet below sea level.
Titanic's Near Collision
Long before it struck an iceberg in the Atlantic, the RMS Titanic ran into
trouble with another object: the steamer New York. A much smaller ship, the New
York was sucked into the Titanic's wake and its mooring snapped, spinning her
around stern-first toward Titanic. A nearby tugboat, the Vulcan, came to the
rescue by taking the New York under tow. The two ships avoided collision by a
matter of about four feet and the incident delayed Titanic's departure for about
an hour.
Canceled Lifeboat Drill
A lifeboat drill was planned for the Titanic on April 14, 1912 - the day it
struck the iceberg. For reasons that remain murky, Captain Edward John Smith
canceled the drill. Some say it was canceled to allow passengers to go to
church. Several historians believe that had the drill taken place, many more
lives could have been saved. There were not even close to enough lifeboats on
board to hold all passengers and crew, but when they were launched, they were
not filled to capacity.
Two Bathtubs
Nearly every passenger on the Titanic had to share a bathroom as only the two
promenade suites in first class had private facilities. However, the third class
passengers had it rough. There were just two bathtubs for the use of more than
700 passengers.
The Atlantic Daily Bulletin
The Titanic was so impressive for its time that it even had its own newspaper
on board. The Atlantic Daily Bulletin was printed every day on the Titanic. The
newspaper included news, advertisements, stock prices, horse-racing results, the
day's menu, and society gossip.
The Richest Man On Board
The wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic was Lt. Col. John Jacob Astor IV.
Astor, whose family made its fortune in opium, fur trade, and real estate, went
down with the ship after helping his pregnant wife escape into the last
lifeboat. Traveling with the Astors was their valet, maid, nurse, and pet
Airedale. The nurse and maid survived with wife Madeleine, the rest perished.
The Astors were returning on the Titanic from an extended vacation in Europe and
Egypt where they waited for gossip to calm down over their recent marriage.
Madeleine was one year younger than Astor's son Vincent from his first
marriage.
The Titanic Orchestra
All eight members of the Titanic orchestra perished in the disaster, though
just three of the bodies were found. According to those rescued, the all-male
group played until the ship went down. It's been suggested that the last tune
was the hymn Nearer My God to Thee. I shall never forget hearing the strains of
that beautiful hymn as I was leaving the sinking ship, an unnamed rescued sailor
told the Western Daily Mercury in 1912. It was always a favorite hymn of mine,
but at such a time and under such tragic circumstances it had for me a solemnity
too deep for words. On May 9, 1912, a concert was held at the Apollo Club in
Brooklyn, N.Y. to aid the families of the musicians who died in the
disaster.
The Mystery Ship
According to newspaper reports from 1912, the SS Californian was just eight
to 15 miles away from the Titanic as it sank, but failed to respond to distress
calls. Several Titanic buffs believe another ship, the 254-ton Samson, was just
five to eight miles away, between the Californian and Titanic. The SS
Californian's crew claimed that this mystery ship, which some believe to be the
Samson, was steaming away, confusing them into thinking the rocket-flares came
from a ship that was, in fact, in fine working order. For its part, the Samson
may not have been eager to identify itself because of illegal seal hunting.
Suicides
Ten Titanic survivors would later commit suicide. The first was stewardess
Annie Robinson who was sailing across the Atlantic to visit her daughter in Boston two years after the tragedy
and jumped overboard. The last was Frederick Fleet, the lookout on the Titanic
who first spotted the iceberg. He hung himself from a clothesline in his garden
in 1965.
The Lost Titanic Film
One of the roughly 700 survivors of the Titanic voyage was silent screen star
Dorothy Gibson. Gibson burst to superstardom in 1911 and her film The Lucky Hold
Up was released on April 11, 1912 while she was on the Titanic. Surviving the
disaster on the first lifeboat launched, Lifeboat No. 7, she convinced her
manager to appear in a film based on the sinking. She went on to write the
scenario and star in the one-reel drama Saved From The Titanic
wearing the very clothes she wore on the night of the tragedy. The film was
hugely successful on both sides of the Atlantic, but the only known prints were
destroyed in a 1914 fire at the Éclair Studios. Many film historians consider
this the greatest loss of the silent era. Gibson abruptly ended her film career soon after the film's release. At the
time, she was the highest paid movie actress in the world.