The Centennial of the R.M.S. Titanic, The Unsinkable Leviathan
by Owen James Burke
One hundred years ago this week, just over two years after her keel had been laid, the 840-foot Titanic was launched on May 31, 1911 as the world’s largest vessel afloat. Her design? Unsinkable, as the legend goes.*
Interior of the Titanic under construction – click to see full size
The Titanic and her sister ship, the Olympic, weighed 60,000 tons each and cost the commissioners of the project (the Hamburg-American Co.) over 1.5 million pounds each, employing over 12,000 shipbuilders who earned $10 each week. The construction of the two ships has been likened to that of a half-dozen cathedrals. Writers and wishful passengers watched in awe as the ships, built side-by-side, took on shape in the Belfast shipyards of Harland and Wolff. “She was incomplete…but the largest object moved by man.“
The Titanic, designed to carry 600 crew and 5,000 passengers, was declared ‘unsinkable’ by means of its compartmental design, with “…pine steel divided into 30 steel water tight compartments whose massive bulkheads [could] all be closed simultaneously by one lever on the ship’s bridge.”
Until the Titanic came along, the comfort and affluence of life at sea during a transatlantic voyage were at best shaky, cold and damp. From the Grey River Argus, a reporter said, “The speed of these great ships [would] be only 21 knots, so in that respect they [did] not rival the Mauritania and Lusitania. But the Titanic and Olympic [competed] with the Cundards in stability and absence of vibration in whatever sea they [encountered] and in spaciousness and general luxury.”
The great steamship was designed to carry the millionaires of the time, powered by turbine and reciprocating engines and filled with dozens of tons of steel, grand staircases, oak railings, oak paneling, and a magnificently large wrought-iron and glass dome above the first class ballroom. “As to the appointments, passengers may skate, dance, smoke, swim, dive, and practise the arts of physical culture at their will…The situation will be delightful as novel…and the heating arrangements will be such that the café can be occupied throughout the seasons. The construction and decorations of these cafes…will be fashioned to represent the delightful cafes of the Riviera…nothing will be left undone that will assist in making the ilusion complete”, a starry-eyed newspaper reporter wrote for the Wanganui Chronicle. Much more on the boat’s construction (Two volumes worth) can be found here.
The Titanic famously set sail at 12:00 PM (GMT) from Southhampton, England on April 10, 1912.
*Of course, this was not true.
header image via JAKE’S ROLEX WORLD - Interior of the Titanic under construction via -
- more images of Titanic Under Construction – Titanic, In It’s Planning Stage
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The HMS titanic was launched on Titanic was launched on May 31, 1911, not “…Titanic was launched on May 31, 2011…” as your text states.
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Titanic’s total passenger capacity was around 3,500, with a crew of around 875. Only the German ships being built by Albert Ballin in Berlin were being designed to carry 5,000 passengers
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When was it launched again?
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[...] This week is the centennial of the Titanic’s launch, May 31st, 1911. Why was she considered unsinkable? Because of her 30 compartments which could be sealed against one another with a pull of a single lever. [The Scuttlefish] [...]
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Neo-Pangea’s “Rebuilding Titatanic” Interactive Timeline Brings
History of the Titanic to Life
A Multimedia Extension of National Geographic Channel’s Rebuilding Titanic,
Timeline Captures Key Moments from the Infamous Ship’s History
Through Archival Photos, Videos, and Stop-Motion Model Reconstruction
(West Reading, PA – June 23, 2011) To promote National Geographic Channel (NGC)’s two-hour special, Rebuilding Titanic, boutique digital agency Neo-Pangea partnered with NGC to create an interactive, multimedia experience of the infamous ship’s history., Rebuilding Titanic, which encores on NGC this Saturday, June 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, sets out to re-create iconic sections of the Titanic, rebuilding massive parts of the ship by hand. A team of expert metalworkers and engineers will overcome the extreme conditions and challenges faced by the dedicated laborers who originally toiled to create the biggest, most luxurious ship the world had ever seen. The “Rebuilding Titanic” interactive timeline mirrors this extraordinary effort and invites viewers to travel virtually through time and explore the painstaking and awe-inspiring construction of the world’s most famous ship.
An endeavor that took over two months, the “Rebuilding Titanic” interactive timeline began with a careful, stop-motion construction of a detailed model of the Titanic, with comprehensive layers of archival imagery and historical details to assure authenticity of the Edwardian era. From conception to the ill-fated maiden voyage, the chronological timeline allows users to navigate through over 100 photos, videos, and facts taken from key moments in the Titanic’s history. While moving through the timeline, users can also watch an animation of the ship’s construction in a time-lapse sequence, with an additional option to explore the completed ship in a 360 degree view.
Archival materials from the “Rebuilding Titanic” interactive timeline were generously provided by the National Museums of Northern Ireland, including rare photos and videos of the Titanic’s construction force, its mechanical components and the ship in various stages of its construction, as well as the magnificent amenities.
“The National Geographic Channel is a dynamite collaborator. They offer us the opportunity to create some of the most intriguing experiences on the internet. The most exciting piece to date has to be this Titanic interactive.” stated Neo-Pangea’s creative director Brett Bagenstose. “It really sheds light on how massive an undertaking it was to create this nautical legend. There is a lot of random information out there for Titanic, but our piece brings it all into context. We believe that this site can also be used as a key educational resource for its historical content. We expect this interactive experience to become a quick favorite among Titanic fans everywhere even without Leonardo Dicaprio or a song by Celine Dion. ”
To experience the “Rebuilding Titanic” interactive timeline, visit http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/rebuilding-titanic-interactive-timeline
Neo-Pangea
Neo-Pangea is an innovative digital agency that specializes in digital video production, Web design, 3-D design, interactive experiences and live-environment multimedia. It has created successful promotions for Fortune 100 brands across the globe such as National Geographic Channel, Comcast and Wal-Mart. For more information, visit neo-pangea.com.
National Geographic Channel U.S. (NGC)
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is a joint venture between National Geographic Ventures (NGV) and Fox Cable Networks (FCN). Since launching in January 2001, NGC initially earned some of the fastest distribution growth in the history of cable and more recently the fastest ratings growth in television. The network celebrated its fifth anniversary January 2006 with the launch of NGC HD, which provides the spectacular imagery that National Geographic is known for in stunning high definition. NGC has carriage with all of the nation’s major cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available in more than 70 million homes. For more information, please visit natgeotv.com.
[...] with the debris left floating behind in the weeks following the sinking of the great leviathan, many other artifacts have resurfaced from private collections too, including photographs, original [...]