The RMS Titanic leaving Belfast for sea trials, 2 April 1912
Career
Class and type:	Olympic-class ocean liner
Builder:	Harland and Wolff shipyard, Belfast
Laid down:	31 March 1909
Launched:	31 May 1911
Christened:	Not christened, as per White Star Line practice
Status:	Sunk  struck iceberg 14 April 1912 23:40  sank
General Characteristics
Displacement:	52,310 L/T
Length:	882 feet 9 inches (269 m)
Beam:	92 feet 6 inches (28 m)
Draught:	34 feet 7 inches (10.5 m)
Propulsion:	25 double-ended and 4 single-ended Scotch boilers at 215 psi. Two four-cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engines each producing 15,000 hp (12 MW) at a speed of 75 rpm for outer two propellers. One low-pressure (about 7 psi absolute) steam turbine producing 16,000 hp (13.5 MW) for the centre propeller at 165 rpm. Total 46,000 hp at 75 rpm; 59,000 hp at 83 rpm (37 MW).[1] Two bronze triple-blade side propellers. One bronze quadruple-blade central propeller
Speed:	– service speed: 21 knots (40.6 km/h) (24.5 mph) – top speed: 23  knots (42.6 km/h) (26.5 mph)
Complement:	2,208 (maiden voyage)  First-class: 324  Second-class: 285  Third-class: 708  Crew: 891  Survivors: 712 (estimate)

The RMS Titanic, a British Olympic-class ocean liner, became famous as the largest ocean liner built in her day, and also for sinking on her maiden voyage in 1912 with a huge loss of life.^[2] The second of a trio of superliners,^[3] the Titanic and her sisters were designed to provide a three-ship weekly express service and to dominate the transatlantic travel business for the White Star Line.^[4] The Titanic, and her sister ship, the Olympic, were introduced to the world in a New York Times article on 23 April 1908, almost four years before the sinking.^[5] Look up titanic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links RMS_Titanic_sea_trials_April_2,_1912. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Image File history File links Government_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Olympic-class ocean liners were a trio of ocean liners built by the Harland & Wolff shipyard for the White Star Line in the early 1900s. ... Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries began as a shipyard located in Belfast. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... A long ton is the name used in the US for the unit called the ton in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used (alongside the metric system) in the United Kingdom and to some extent in other Commonwealth countries. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point, or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length. ... The draft of a ships hull is the vertical distance from the bottom of the hull to the waterline. ... A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated under pressure. ... A pressure gauge reading in PSI (red scale) and kPa (black scale) The pound-force per square inch (symbol: lbf/in2) is a non-SI unit of pressure based on avoirdupois units. ... A Triple-expansion engine is a type of piston steam engine in which exhaust steam is sent through successively larger cylinders. ... Components of a typical, four stroke cycle, DOHC piston engine. ... This article is about a unit of measurement. ... rpm or RPM may mean: revolutions per minute RPM Package Manager (originally called Red Hat Package Manager) RPM (movie) RPM (band), a Brazilian rock band RPM (magazine), a former Canadian music industry magazine In firearms, Rounds Per Minute: how many shots an automatic weapon can fire in one minute On... A rotor of a modern steam turbine, used in a power plant A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into useful mechanical work. ... For other uses, see Propeller (disambiguation). ... A knot is a unit of speed abbreviated kt or kn. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Royal Mail Ship (sometimes Steam-ship, Steamer), usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail. ... RMS Olympic was the first of her class of ocean liners built for the White Star Line, which also included the ill-fated liners Titanic and Britannic. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Superliner is a term sometimes used for an ocean liner of over 10,000 gross tons. ... For other uses, see Transatlantic (disambiguation). ... Babylon 5 starships, see the article White Star. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland,^[6] the Titanic was the largest passenger steamship in the world at the time of her sinking.^[7] During the Titanic's maiden voyage (from Southampton, England^[8] to Cherbourg, France,^[9] then on to Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland^[10] and finally New York City), she struck an iceberg at 23:40 (ship's time) on Sunday 14 April 1912, sinking two hours and forty minutes later at 02:20 on Monday 15 April,^[11] having broken into two pieces at the aft expansion joint.^[12] Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries began as a shipyard located in Belfast. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... For other uses, see Steamboat (disambiguation). ... The maiden voyage of a ship or aircraft is the first cruise or flight in revenue service, typically following a series of shakedown cruises or test-flights. ... For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Cherbourg-Octeville is a town and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference W793666 Statistics Province: Munster County: Elevation: 47 m (154 ft} Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural:   6,517  6,370 Website: www. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The White Star line designed Titanic to compete with rival company Cunard Line's Lusitania and Mauretania, luxurious ships and the fastest liners on the Atlantic.^[13] Titanic and her Olympic class sisters, Olympic and the then upcoming Gigantic,^[12][14] were intended to be the largest, most luxurious ships ever to operate (the planned name Gigantic was changed to Britannic after the disaster). Titanic was designed by Harland and Wolff chairman William Pirrie, head of Harland and Wolff's design department Thomas Andrews, and general manager Alexander Carlisle, with the plans regularly sent to the White Star Line's managing director J. Bruce Ismay for suggestions and approval. Construction of the Titanic, funded by the American J.P. Morgan and his International Mercantile Marine Co., began on 31 March 1909. Titanic No. 401 was launched two years and two months later on 31 May 1911. Titanic's outfitting was completed on 31 March the following year. The Cunard Line, formerly Cunard White Star Line, is a British cruise line, operator of ocean liners RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) and RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2). ... RMS Lusitania was a British luxury ocean liner owned by the Cunard Steamship Line Shipping Company and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. ... RMS Mauretania (also known as Maury), sister ship of the Lusitania, was an ocean liner built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, and was launched on September 20, 1906. ... RMS Olympic was the first of her class of ocean liners built for the White Star Line, which also included the ill-fated liners Titanic and Britannic. ... HMHS Britannic (1914), the third Olympic-class ocean liner of the White Star Line, sister ship of RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic, sank in 1916 after hitting a mine with the loss of 30 lives. ... William James Pirrie, Viscount Pirrie, KP (May 31, 1847) - (June 6, 1924) was a leading Irish shipbuilder and businessman. ... Thomas Andrews, Jr. ... John Pierpont Morgan (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913), American financier and banker, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, a son of Junius Spencer Morgan (1813–1890), who was a partner of George Peabody and the founder of the house of J. S. Morgan & Co. ... The International Mercantile Marine Co. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ...

Titanic was 882 feet 9 inches (269 m) long and 92 feet 6 inches (28 m) at the beam.^[15] She had a Gross Register Tonnage of 46,328 tons, and a height from the water line to the boat deck of 60 feet (18 m).^[16] Her three propellers were driven by two four-cylinder, triple-expansion, inverted reciprocating steam engines and one low-pressure Parsons turbine.^[17] Steam was provided by 25 double-ended and 4 single-ended Scotch-type boilers fired by 159 coal burning furnaces that made possible a top speed of 23 knots (43 km/h).^[18] Only three of the four 63 foot (19 m) tall funnels were functional; the fourth, which served only as a vent, was added to make the ship look more impressive.^[19] Titanic could carry a total of 3,547 passengers and crew and, because she carried mail, her name was given the prefix RMS (Royal Mail Steamer) as well as SS (Steam Ship). Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo capacity of a ship. ... A long ton is the name used in the US for the unit called the ton in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used (alongside the metric system) in the United Kingdom and to some extent in other Commonwealth countries. ... For other uses, see Propeller (disambiguation). ... Cylinder with piston in a steam engine A cylinder in the central working part of a reciprocating engine, the space in which a piston travels. ... Components of a typical, four stroke cycle, DOHC piston engine. ... // The term steam engine may also refer to an entire railroad steam locomotive. ... A rotor of a modern steam turbine, used in a power plant A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into useful mechanical work. ... A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated under pressure. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... A furnace is a device for heating air or any other fluid. ... A knot is a unit of speed abbreviated kt or kn. ... A funnel is the smokestack on a ship used to expel boiler smoke or engine exhaust ... For other uses, see Mail (disambiguation). ... A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship. ... Royal Mail Ship (sometimes Steam-ship, Steamer), usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail. ...

Contemporaries considered the Titanic the pinnacle of naval architecture and technological achievement,^{[citation needed]} and was thought by The Shipbuilder magazine to be "practically unsinkable."^[20] Titanic had a double-bottom hull, containing 44 tanks for boiler water and ballast to keep the ship safely balanced at sea^[21] (later ships also had a double-walled hull). Titanic exceeded the lifeboat standard, with 20 lifeboats (though not enough for all passengers). Titanic was divided into 15 compartments. Dividing doors were held up in the open position by electro-magnetic latches which could be closed by a switch on the ship's bridge and by a float system installed on the door itself.^[22] Steamer New York in c. ... Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field, encompassing all of space, which exerts a force on those particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of such particles. ...

Fixtures and fittings

The Grand Staircase of the Olympic: identical to the Titanic's first class section.

In her time, Titanic surpassed all rivals in luxury and opulence. She offered an onboard swimming pool, a gymnasium, a Turkish bath, libraries for each passenger class, and a squash court.^[23] First-class common rooms were adorned with elaborate wood panelling, expensive furniture and other decorations.^[24] In addition, the Café Parisien offered superb cuisine for the first-class passengers, with a sunlit veranda fitted with trellis decorations.^[25] Grand Canyon (A), Chocolate Cliffs (B), Vermilion Cliffs (C), White Cliffs (D), Zion Canyon (E), Gray Cliffs (F), Pink Cliffs (G), Bryce Canyon (H) NPS image [1] edited with the GIMP. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it... Grand Canyon (A), Chocolate Cliffs (B), Vermilion Cliffs (C), White Cliffs (D), Zion Canyon (E), Gray Cliffs (F), Pink Cliffs (G), Bryce Canyon (H) NPS image [1] edited with the GIMP. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it... A hammam in Chefchaouen, Morocco The Turkish hammam (also Turkish bath or hamam) is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the sauna. ... Squash racquet and ball Players in a glass-backed squash court International Squash Singles Court, as specified by the World Squash Federation Squash is an indoor racquet sport that was formerly called Squash racquets, a reference to the squashable soft ball used in the game (compared with the harder ball... Executive class cabin in Indian (airline), the higher of the two classes offered First Class travel is a particularly high quality travel class offered by passenger airlines, railways and shipping companies. ...

The ship incorporated technologically advanced features for the period. She had an extensive electrical subsystem with steam-powered generators and ship-wide electrical wiring feeding electric lights. She also boasted two wireless Marconi sets, including a powerful 1,500-watt radio manned by operators who worked in shifts, allowing constant contact and the transmission of many passenger messages.^[26] A typical spark transmitter circuit. ...

Comparisons with the Olympic

The Titanic closely resembled her older sister Olympic but there were a few differences. Two of the most noticeable were that half of the Titanic's forward promenade A-Deck (below the lifeboat deck) was enclosed against outside weather, and her B-Deck configuration was completely different from the Olympic's. The Titanic had a specialty restaurant called Café Parisien, a feature that the Olympic did not have until 1913. Some of the flaws found on the Olympic, such as the creaking of the aft expansion joint, were corrected on the Titanic. The skid lights that provided natural illumination on A-deck were round, while on Olympic they were oval. The Titanic's wheelhouse was made narrower and longer than the Olympic's.^[27] These, and other modifications, made the Titanic 1,004 gross tons larger than the Olympic. RMS Olympic was the first of her class of ocean liners built for the White Star Line, which also included the ill-fated liners Titanic and Britannic. ... Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo capacity of a ship. ...

Passengers and Crew

Main articles: List of passengers onboard RMS Titanic and List of crew members onboard RMS Titanic

The first-class passengers for Titanic's maiden voyage included some of the richest and most prominent people in the world. They included millionaire John Jacob Astor IV and his pregnant wife Madeleine;^[28] industrialist Benjamin Guggenheim;^[29] Macy's department store owner Isidor Straus^[30] and his wife Ida;^[31] Denver millionaire Margaret "Molly" Brown;^[32] Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon and his wife, couturiere Lady Duff-Gordon;^[33] streetcar magnate George Dunton Widener, his wife Eleanor and their 27-year-old son, Harry Elkins Widener;^[34] Pennsylvania Railroad executive John Borland Thayer, his wife Marion and their 17-year-old son, Jack;^[35] journalist William Thomas Stead;^[36] Charles Hays, president of Canada's Grand Trunk Railway, with his wife, daughter, her husband, and two employees;^[37] the Countess of Rothes;^[38] United States presidential aide Major Archibald Butt;^[39] author and socialite Helen Churchill Candee;^[40] author Jacques Futrelle, and their friends, Broadway producers Henry and Rene Harris; writer and painter Francis Davis Millet;^[41] pioneer aviation entrepreneur Pierre Maréchal Sr.;^[42] American silent film actress Dorothy Gibson,^[43] White Star Line's Managing Director J. Bruce Ismay^[44] (who survived the sinking) and, from the ship's builders, Thomas Andrews,^[45] who was on board to observe any problems and assess the general performance of the new ship. A work-in-progress list of passengers aboard the RMS Titanic. ... A work-in-progress list of crew aboard the RMS Titanic. ... John Jacob Astor IV (July 13, 1864 – April 15, 1912) was an American millionaire businessman, inventor, writer, a member of the prominent Astor family, and a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War. ... John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Astor Madeleine Talmage Astor Dick Fiermonte (June 19, 1893 – March 27, 1940) was born in Brooklyn, New York City and became famous in 1911 when she married millionaire John Jacob Astor IV. While traveling abroad to avoid the gossip generated by her marriage, Madeleine Astor... Benjamin Guggenheim (October 26, 1865 – April 15, 1912) was an American businessman. ... This article is about the R.H. Macy & Co. ... Isidor Straus (February 6, 1845 – April 15, 1912)—also known as Isadore Strauss—, a German Jewish American, was co-owner of the Macys department store and served as a Member of Congress in the United States. ... Isidor and Ida Straus Ida Straus, née Rosalie Ida Blun (February 6, 1849 - April 15, 1912) was an American homemaker and wife of the co-owner of the Macys department store. ... Nickname: Location of Denver in Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State Colorado City-County Denver (coextensive) Founded [1] November 22, 1858 Incorporated November 7, 1861 Government  - Type Strong Mayor/Weak Council  - Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) Area [1]  - City & County  154. ... For the New York criminal, see Margaret Brown. ... Sir Cosmo Edmund Duff Gordon, 5th Baronet (July 22, 1862 - April 20, 1931), the son of the Hon. ... Lady Duff Gordon (Lucile) with a model in her New York salon, 1916 (photo: Arnold Genthe) Lucy Christiana, Lady Duff Gordon (June 13, 1863 – April 20, 1935) was a leading fashion designer in the late C19th and first decades of the C20th. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... George D. Widener George Dunton Widener (June 10, 1861 - April 15, 1912) was an American businessman who died in the sinking of the Titanic. ... Harry Elkins Widener (January 3, 1885 – April 15, 1912) was a book collector from the United States. ... 1893 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad that was founded in 1846 and merged in 1968 into Penn Central Transportation. ... John Borland Thayer was a first-class cricketer who died shortly before his 50th birthday in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on 15 April 1912. ... John Borland Jack Thayer III (December 24, 1894 - September 18, 1945) was a 17-year-old first class passenger on the RMS Titanic who boarded with his parents, Marian and John Borland Thayer, an American first class cricketer and vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. ... William Thomas Stead (July 5, 1849 - April 15, 1912), English journalist, was born at Embleton, Northumberland, the son of a Congregational minister. ... Charles Melville Hays, sometimes spelled Hayes, (May 16, 1856 – April 15, 1912) was a railway official most famous for his role as president of the Grand Trunk Railway System. ... 1885 map The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was a historic railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. ... The Right Honourable Lucy Noël Martha Dyer-Edwardes, Countess of Rothes (December 25, 1884 – September 12, 1956) was the only child of Thomas and Clementina Dyer-Edwardes. ... Lieutenant Archibald Butt in 1909. ... Helen Churchill Candee (October 5, 1858-August 23, 1949) was an American author, interior decorator, and socialite. ... Jacques Heath Futrelle (April 9, 1875 - April 15, 1912), born in Pike County, Georgia, was an American writer. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Francis Davis Millet Francis Davis Millet (name sometimes given as Francis David Millet; November 3, 1846 - April 15, 1912) was an American painter and writer and one of those who died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. ... Dorothy Gibson in a 1911 publicity photo Dorothy Gibson (nee Dorothy Winifred Brown, May 17, 1889 – February 17, 1946) was a pioneering actress in silent film and a popular artists model, active in the early 20th century. ... J. Bruce Ismay Joseph Bruce Ismay (December 12, 1862 - October 15, 1937) was a British businessman who served as Managing Director of the White Star Line of steamships. ... Thomas Andrews, Jr. ...

Second-class passengers included Lawrence Beesley,^[46] a journalist who wrote one of the first-hand accounts of the voyage and the sinking. Father Thomas R.D. Byles, a Catholic priest, was on his way to America to officiate at his younger brother's wedding.^[47] Michel Navratil, a Frenchman, was kidnapping his two sons, Michel Jr. and Edmond, and taking them to America. Sylvia Mae Caldwell, who later married the founder of State Farm Insurance George J. Mecherle,^[48] was travelling with her first husband, Albert, and their young son, Alden, to Roseville, Illinois. Lawrence Beesley (born Wirksworth, Derbyshire, 31 December 1877, died 14 February 1967), was an English teacher, journalist and author who was a survivor of the RMS Titanic. ... Father Thomas Byles (Thomas Roussel Davids Byles, 26 February 1870 - 15 April 1912) was a Catholic priest who famously remained on board the RMS Titanic as she was sinking after colliding with an iceberg, hearing confessions and giving absolution. ... Michel Navratil (1880-15 April 1912) was a passenger on the RMS Titanic who perished in the disaster. ... Michel Marcel Navratil (12 June 1908–18 April 2001) was a passenger on the RMS Titanic. ... State Farm Insurance Companies are a group of large US insurance and financial services companies started in 1922 by former farmer George J. Mecherle (pronounced Ma-herl). ... George Jacob Mecherle (pronounced Ma-herl) (born June 7, 1877) was the founder of State Farm Insurance Companies, headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois. ... Roseville is a village located in Warren County, Illinois. ...

Both J. P. Morgan and Milton S. Hershey^[49] had plans to travel on the Titanic but cancelled their reservations before the voyage. This article is about the financier. ... Milton Snavely Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) was an American businessman and philanthropist. ...

In 2007 scientists using DNA identified the body of an unknown child recovered shortly after the incident as Sidney Leslie Goodwin, a nineteen-month-old boy from England. Goodwin, along with his parents and five siblings boarded in Southampton, England, as third-class passengers. ^[50] The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. ... Sidney Leslie Goodwin (September 9, 1910 – April 15, 1912) was a 19-month-old English boy who died during the sinking of the RMS Titanic. ... This page discusses the English city of Southampton. ...

Disaster

Main article: Sinking of the RMS Titanic

Photograph of an iceberg in the vicinity of the RMS Titanic’s sinking taken on April 15, 1912 by the chief steward of the liner Prinz Adelbert.

New York Times front page report on the sinking of The Titanic.

On the night of April 14th, at 11:40 PM, The Titanic struck an iceberg. Titanic sank, with great loss of life, at 2:20 AM, on April 15th, 1912.^[51] The United States Senate investigation reported that 1,517^[52] people perished in the accident, while the British investigation has the number at 1,490.^[53] Regardless, the disaster ranks as one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history, and is by far the best known. The media frenzy about the Titanic's famous victims, the legends about what happened on board the ship, the resulting changes to maritime law, Walter Lord's 1955 non-fiction account A Night to Remember, and the discovery of the wreck in 1985 by a team led by Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel have sustained the Titanic's fame. The Titanics sinking as depicted by artist Willy Stöwer. ... Image File history File links Titanic_iceberg. ... Image File history File links Titanic_iceberg. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 460 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1163 × 1515 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 460 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1163 × 1515 pixel, file size: 1. ... Admiralty law (usually referred to as simply admiralty and also referred to as maritime law) is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. ... A Night to Remember is a 1955 non-fiction book by Walter Lord about the sinking of the ocean liner RMS Titanic in 1912. ... Dr. Robert D. Ballard Robert Duane Ballard, Ph. ... Jean Louis Jean-Louis Michel (1785 – 1865) was a mulatto fencing master, sometimes hailed as the foremost exponent of the art of fencing in the nineteenth century. ...

The break-up

For seventy years after the disaster, it was widely believed that the Titanic had sunk intact. Although there were several passengers who insisted that the ship had broken in two as it sank (including Jack Thayer, who even had another passenger draw a set of sketches depicting the sinking for him ^[54]), the inquiries believed the statements of the ship's officers and first-class passengers that it had sunk in one piece. Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... John Borland Jack Thayer III (December 24, 1894 - September 18, 1945) was a 17-year-old first class passenger on the RMS Titanic who boarded with his parents, Marian and John Borland Thayer, an American first class cricketer and vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. ...

In 1985, when the wreck was discovered by Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER, Robert Ballard and his crew, they found that the ship did in fact break in two as it sank. It was theorised that as the Titanic sank, the stern rose out of the water. It supposedly rose so high that the unsupported weight caused the ship to break into two pieces, the split starting at the upper deck. This became the commonly accepted theory. Jean Louis Jean-Louis Michel (1785 – 1865) was a mulatto fencing master, sometimes hailed as the foremost exponent of the art of fencing in the nineteenth century. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... Dr. Robert D. Ballard Robert Duane Ballard, Ph. ... Aft of the Soleil Royal, by Jean Bérain the Elder. ...

In 2005, new evidence suggested that in addition to the expected side damage, the ship also had sustained damage to the bottom of the hull (keel). This new evidence seemed to support a less popular theory that the crack which split the Titanic in two started at the keel plates. This proposition is supported by Jack Thayer's sketches. A hull is the body or frame of a ship or boat. ... For other uses, see Keel (disambiguation). ...

Long-term implications

The sinking of the RMS Titanic was a factor that influenced later maritime practices, ship design, and the seafaring culture. Changes included the establishment of the International Ice Patrol, a requirement for 24 hour radio watchkeeping on foreign-going passenger ships, and new regulations related to lifeboats.^{[citation needed]} The International Ice Patrol monitors the presence of icebergs in the northern Atlantic Ocean and reports their movements for safety purposes. ...

International Ice Patrol

Main article: International Ice Patrol

The Titanic disaster led to the convening of the first International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) in London, on 12 November 1913. On 30 January 1914, a treaty was signed by the conference that resulted in the formation and international funding of the International Ice Patrol, an agency of the United States Coast Guard that to the present day monitors and reports on the location of North Atlantic Ocean icebergs that could pose a threat to transatlantic sea lane traffic. It was also agreed in the new regulations that all passenger vessels would have sufficient lifeboats for everyone on board, that appropriate safety drills would be conducted, and that radio communications on passenger ships would be operated 24 hours a day along with a secondary power supply, so as not to miss distress calls. In addition, it was agreed that the firing of red rockets from a ship must be interpreted as a distress signal (red rockets launched from the Titanic prior to sinking were mistaken by nearby vessels as celebratory fireworks, delaying rescue). This treaty was scheduled to go into effect on 1 July 1915, but was upstaged by World War I. The International Ice Patrol monitors the presence of icebergs in the northern Atlantic Ocean and reports their movements for safety purposes. ... The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is the most important treaty protecting the safety of merchant ships. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The International Ice Patrol monitors the presence of icebergs in the northern Atlantic Ocean and reports their movements for safety purposes. ... USCG HH-65 Dolphin USCG HH-60J JayHawk The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is at all times a branch of the United States armed forces a maritime law enforcement agency, and a federal regulatory body. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Ship design changes

The sinking of the Titanic changed the way passenger ships were designed. Many existing ships, such as the Olympic, were refitted for increased safety. Besides increasing the number of lifeboats on board, improvements included reinforcing the hull and increasing the height of the watertight bulkheads. The bulkheads on Titanic extended 10 feet (3 m) above the waterline; after Titanic sank, the bulkheads on other ships were extended higher to make compartments fully watertight. While Titanic had a double bottom, she did not have a double hull; after her sinking, new ships were designed with double hulls; also, the double bottoms of other ships (including the Olympic) were extended up the sides of their hulls, above their waterlines, to give them double hulls. ^{[citation needed]} RMS Olympic was the first of her class of ocean liners built for the White Star Line, which also included the ill-fated liners Titanic and Britannic. ... Waterline refers to an imaginary line marking the level at which ship or boat floats in the water. ... A double bottom is a ship hull design and construction method where the bottom of the ship has two complete layers of watertight hull surface: one outer layer forming the normal hull of the ship, and a second inner hull which is somewhat higher in the ship, perhaps a few... A double hull is a ship hull design and construction method where the bottom and sides of the ship have two complete layers of watertight hull surface: one outer layer forming the normal hull of the ship, and a second inner hull which is somewhat further into the ship, perhaps...

Speed

The conclusion of the British Inquiry into the sinking was “that the loss of the said ship was due to collision with an iceberg, brought about by the excessive speed at which the ship was being navigated”.^[55] At the time of the collision, it is thought that the Titanic was at her normal cruising speed of about 22 knots,^[56] which was less than her top speed of around 24 knots. It was then common (but not universal) practice to maintain normal speed in areas where icebergs were expected.^[57] It was assumed that any iceberg large enough to damage the ship would be seen in sufficient time to be avoided. After the sinking, the British Board of Trade introduced regulations instructing vessels to moderate their speed if they were expecting to encounter icebergs. It is often alleged that J. Bruce Ismay instructed or encouraged Captain Edward Smith to increase speed in order to make an early landfall, and is a common feature in popular representations of the disaster. As there is no evidence for this having happened, many disputed the claim.^[58] J. Bruce Ismay Joseph Bruce Ismay (December 12, 1862 - October 15, 1937) was a British businessman who served as Managing Director of the White Star Line of steamships. ... Captain Edward John Smith, RD , RNR (January 27, 1850 – April 15, 1912) was the captain of the RMS Titanic when it sank in 1912. ...

Lifeboats

The Titanic did not carry sufficient lifeboats for all of her passengers and crew. The law at that time stipulated that a minimum of 16 lifeboats and enough place for 962 occupants were required for a ship that weighed more than 10,000 tons. This law was issued in 1894, when the largest emigrant steamer was the "Lucania," of 12,952 tons. It had not been updated for 18 years and ships had increased rapidly in size. Thus, the Titanic was only legally required to carry enough lifeboats for 962 occupants (the ship had room for 3,547 passengers). The White Star Line exceeded the regulations by including four collapsible lifeboats, bringing total lifeboat capacity to 1,178. ^[59]

In the busy North Atlantic sea lanes it was expected that in the event of a serious accident, help from other vessels would be quickly obtained, and that the lifeboats would be used to ferry passengers and crew from the stricken vessel to her rescuers. Full provision of lifeboats was not considered necessary for this. During the design of the ship, it was anticipated that the British Board of Trade might require an increase in the number of lifeboats at some future date. Therefore, lifeboat davits capable of handling up to four boats per pair of davits were designed by Alexander Carlisle and installed to give a total potential capacity of 64 boats.^[60] The additional boats were never fitted. It is often alleged that J. Bruce Ismay, the President of White Star, vetoed the installation of these additional boats to maximize the passenger promenade area on the boat deck. Harold Sanderson, Vice President of International Mercantile Marine denied this allegation during the British Inquiry.^[61] J. Bruce Ismay Joseph Bruce Ismay (December 12, 1862 - October 15, 1937) was a British businessman who served as Managing Director of the White Star Line of steamships. ...

The lack of lifeboats was not the only cause of the tragic loss of lives. After the collision with the iceberg, one hour was taken to evaluate the damage, recognise what was going to happen, inform first-class passengers, and lower the first lifeboat. Afterwards, the crew worked quite efficiently, taking a total of 80 minutes to lower all 16 lifeboats. The crew was divided into two teams, one on each side of the ship, and an average of 10 minutes of work was necessary for a team to fill a lifeboat with passengers and lower it.^{[citation needed]}

Yet another factor in the high death toll that related to the lifeboats was the reluctance of the passengers to board them. They were, after all, on a ship deemed to be "unsinkable." Because of this, some lifeboats were launched with far less than capacity, the most notable being Lifeboat #1, with a capacity of 40, launched with only 12 people aboard. Included in the first launched were lifeboats 6, 7, and 8, each of which were equipped to hold 65 but evacuated the ship with only 28 on board each boat. ^[62]

The excessive number of casualties has also been blamed^{[citation needed]} on the "women and children first" policy for places on the lifeboats. Although the lifeboats had a total capacity of 1,178 - enough for 53% of the 2,224 persons on board - the boats launched only had a capacity of 1,084, and, altogether only 712 people were actually saved - 32% of those originally on board. This is a result when the 1,084-person capacity of the lifeboats actually launched had sufficient room to include all of the 534 women and children on board, plus an additional 550 men (of which there were 1,690 on board). It has been suggested^{[citation needed]} based on these figures that allowing one man on board for each woman or child from the start would not only have increased the number of women and children saved, but also had the added benefit of saving more lives in total. As it was, the many desperate men had to be held off at gunpoint from boarding the lifeboats, adding to the chaos of the scene and there were many more casualties - of women, children and men - than otherwise.^[63]

Use of SOS

The sinking of the Titanic was not the first time the internationally recognized Morse code distress signal "SOS" was used. The SOS signal was first proposed at the International Conference on Wireless Communication at Sea in Berlin in 1906. It was ratified by the international community in 1908 and had been in widespread use since then. The SOS signal was, however, rarely used by British wireless operators, who preferred the older CQD code. First Wireless Operator Jack Phillips began transmitting CQD until Second Wireless Operator Harold Bride suggested, half-jokingly, "Send SOS; it's the new call, and this may be your last chance to send it." Phillips, who was to perish in the disaster, then began to intersperse SOS with the traditional CQD call. 1922 Chart of the Morse Code Letters and Numerals Morse code is a method for transmitting telegraphic information, using standardized sequences of short and long elements to represent the letters, numerals, punctuation and special characters of a message. ... For other uses, see SOS (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... John George Phillips John George Jack Phillips (April 11, 1887 - April 15, 1912) was the Senior Wireless officer on board the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic which sank on April 15, 1912. ... Harold Sydney Bride (January 11, 1890 – April 29, 1956) was born in London, England and later became the Junior Wireless officer on board the maiden voyage of the ocean liner RMS Titanic. ...

Titanic's turning ability

The memorial to the Titanic's engineers in Southampton

The Titanic had triple-screw engine configuration, with reciprocating steam engines driving the wing propellers, and a steam turbine driving her centre propeller. The reciprocating engines were reversible, while the turbine was not. When Murdoch gave the order to reverse engines to avoid the iceberg, he inadvertently handicapped the turning ability of the ship. Since the centre turbine could not reverse during the "full speed astern" manoeuvre, it simply stopped turning. Furthermore, the centre propeller was positioned forward of the ship's rudder, diminishing the turning effectiveness of the rudder. Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 826 KB)Memorial to the engineers who died on board the RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage, in Andrews Park, Southampton, UK. The inscription reads: 15th April 1912 Photo taken by me 2005-06-07. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 826 KB)Memorial to the engineers who died on board the RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage, in Andrews Park, Southampton, UK. The inscription reads: 15th April 1912 Photo taken by me 2005-06-07. ... For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation). ...

Had Murdoch reversed the port engine, and reduced speed while maintaining the forward motion of the other two propellers (as recommended in the training procedures for this type of ship), experts theorise that the Titanic might have been able to navigate around the berg without a collision.^[64] However, given the closing distance between the ship and the berg at the time the bridge was notified, this might not have been possible without some sort of impact. Port is the nautical term (used on boats and ships) that refers to the left side of a ship, as perceived by a person facing towards the bow (the front of the vessel). ...

Additionally, Titanic experts have hypothesised that if Titanic had not altered its course at all, but reversed its engines, and had run head-on into the iceberg, the damage would only have affected the first or, at most, the first two compartments. The liner SS Arizona had such a head-on collision with an iceberg in 1879, and although badly damaged, managed to make it to St John's, Newfoundland for repairs. Some dispute that Titanic would have survived such a collision, however, since Titanic's speed was higher than "Arizona's", her hull much larger, and mass much greater, and the violence of the collision could have compromised her structural integrity. ^{[citation needed]} The SS Arizona was a merchant ship launched by the Guion line (officially the Liverpool & Great Western Steamship Company Limited -- see Guion_Steamship_Company) on 31st May 1879. ... St. ...

Faults in construction

Women's Titanic Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Though the topic is seldom discussed, there is some speculation as to whether Titanic was constructed by methods considered sufficiently robust by the standards of the day. In the documentary series Seconds from Disaster, this was investigated further. Rumoured faults in the construction included problems with the safety doors and missing or detached bolts in the ship's hull plating. This may have been a major contributing factor to the sinking and that the iceberg, in part with the missing bolts and screws, eventually led to the demise of Titanic. Possibly, if the watertight bulkheads had completely sealed the ship's compartments (they only went 3 m above the waterline), the ship would have stayed afloat. ^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Womens Titanic Memorial The Womens Titanic Memorial is a granite statue in southwest Washington, D.C., that honors the men who died on the RMS Titanic. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Seconds From Disaster is a documentary television series that investigates the worst man-made disasters and several natural disasters in modern history, and analyses the causes and events that led up to each disaster. ...

However, Titanic's hull was held together by rivets, which are intended to be a permanent way of attaching metal items together, whereas bolts can be removed and would require periodic tightening unless the nut and bolt are welded after being screwed together. Welding technology in 1912 was in its infancy, so this was not done. While issues with Titanic's rivets have been identified from samples salvaged from the wreck site, many ships of the era would have been constructed with similar methods and did not sink after becoming involved in collisions. There was a claim that the rivets of the Titanic had not been properly tempered, leaving them brittle and sensitive to fracture in the infamous collision. ^[65] A rivetted buffer beam on a steam locomotive A rivet is a mechanical fastener consisting of a smooth cylindrical shaft with heads on either end. ... Tempering is a heat treatment technique for metals and alloys. ...

Although sealing off the watertight bulkheads with watertight decks would have increased the survivability of a vessel such as Titanic, it would have by no means ensured the survival of a ship with as much underwater damage as Titanic sustained in her collision with the iceberg; it was a big iceberg. Even if the compartments themselves had remained completely watertight, the weight of the water would still have pulled the bow of the ship down to the point where decks above the watertight deck would have been below the waterline. The ship would then have flooded via the portholes and sunk anyway. It should also be noted that watertight decks would have hampered access to the lower sections of the ship and would have required watertight hatches, all of which would have had to be properly sealed to maintain the barrier between the incoming water and the rest of the ship. As the increased survivability that such watertight decks would have offered is questionable, they are generally considered to this day to be impractical in merchant vessels (though some military vessels, which are exposed to much greater risk of flooding by virtue of being targets for enemy mines and torpedoes, do feature such decks). Cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship that carries goods and materials from one port to another. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Olympic, built to almost identical specifications by the same builders as Titanic, was involved in several collisions during the course of her operational lifetime, one of which occurred before Titanic sank; and Olympic's hull was modified to protect her from flooding in a fashion similar to her ill-fated sister's. None of these collisions threatened to sink the ship, suggesting that the Olympic-class liners were built to be sufficiently tough and did not suffer from slipshod construction. RMS Olympic was the first of her class of ocean liners built for the White Star Line, which also included the ill-fated liners Titanic and Britannic. ...

Alternative theories and curses

Main article: Titanic alternative theories

As with many famous events, many alternative theories about the sinking of Titanic have appeared over the years. Theories that it was not an iceberg that sank the ship or that a curse caused the disaster have been popular reading in newspapers and books. Most of these theories have been debunked by Titanic experts, claiming that the evidence on which these theories were based was inaccurate or incomplete. Another theory is that the Titanic was sacrificed because, once construction had been completed, she was expected to be a potential perpetual financial loss. Supporters of this theory cite the claim that everyone concerned, the company and the officers aboard, had received iceberg warnings and yet the Titanic maintained a northern course instead of sailing to the south of the warning limit. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

There is a minor school of thought that it was not Titanic that sank but Olympic. Conspiracy theorists cited evidence in favour, including the Hawke incident, which seriously damaged Olympic. This supposedly motivated management to scuttle Olympic/Titanic and file an insurance claim. The two ships were dry-docked at the same yard at the same time (making a switch possible), and cosmetic changes were made, presumably to make the two ships more similar. Primary evidence against lies in the surveys made by the British government of Olympic from shortly after the sinking of Titanic to shortly before Olympic's scrapping which show artefacts of her 1911 collision damage. Titanic also possessed many design features Olympic did not, such as enlarged B-deck suites. Both vessels, additionally, were underinsured relative to their value and sinking either would cause a substantial loss, far greater than the operating costs of repairing Olympic, to say nothing of the lost revenue resulting from loss of confidence in the company after the loss at sea of their flagship.

A similar legend states that the Titanic was given hull number 390904 (which, when seen in a mirror or written using mirror writing, looks like "NO POPE"). This is a myth.^[66] Titanic's yard number was 401; Olympic's was 400. Another myth states that Titanic was carrying a cursed Egyptian mummy, often named Princess of Amen-Ra. The mummy, nicknamed Shipwrecker after changing hands several times and causing many terrible things to happen to each of its owners, exacts its final revenge by sinking the famous ship. There was no mummy on board, only a coffin lid.^[67] Another myth says that the bottle of champagne used in christening Titanic did not break on the first try, which in sea lore is said to be bad luck for a ship. In fact, Titanic was not christened on launching, as it was White Star Line's custom not to do so. ^[68] The notes on Leonardo da Vincis famous Vitruvian Man image are in mirror writing. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope (from Latin... A mummy is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or airlessness. ...

Rediscovery

Titanic's bow as seen from the Russian MIR I submersible

The idea of finding the wreck of Titanic and even raising the ship from the ocean floor had been perpetuated since shortly after the ship sank. No attempts even to locate the ship were successful until 1 September 1985, when a joint French-American expedition^[69], led by Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER and Dr Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, sailing on the Research Vessel Knorr, discovered the wreck using the video camera sled Argo. It was found at a depth of 12,536 feet (3,821 m), south-east of Newfoundland at 41°43′32″N, 49°56′49″W^[70], 13 nautical miles (24 km) from where Titanic was originally thought to rest. Download high resolution version (676x1014, 128 KB)A view of the bow of the Titanic from a camera mounted on the outside of the Mir I submersible. ... Download high resolution version (676x1014, 128 KB)A view of the bow of the Titanic from a camera mounted on the outside of the Mir I submersible. ... MIR submersible. ... For other uses, see Shipwreck (disambiguation). ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Jean Louis Jean-Louis Michel (1785 – 1865) was a mulatto fencing master, sometimes hailed as the foremost exponent of the art of fencing in the nineteenth century. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... Dr. Robert D. Ballard Robert Duane Ballard, Ph. ... The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of all aspects of marine science and engineering and to the education of marine researchers. ... R/V Knorr is a research vessel operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. ... Argo is launched from the Knorr during the 1985 Titanic expedition. ... Newfoundland —   IPA: [nuw fÉ™n lænd] (French: , Irish: ) is a large island off the east coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ...

The most notable discovery the team made was that the ship had broken in two, the stern section lying 1,970 feet (600 m) from the bow section and both facing in opposite directions. There had been conflicting witness accounts of whether the ship broke apart on the surface or not, and both the American and British inquiries found that the ship sank intact. Up until the discovery of the wreck, it was generally assumed the ship did not break apart. In 2005, a theory was presented that a portion of Titanic's bottom broke off right before the ship broke in three.^[71] The theory was conceived after an expedition sponsored by The History Channel examined the three hull pieces.^[72] For the Canadian equivalent of this channel, see History Television. ...

The bow section had embedded itself more than 60 feet (18 m) into the silt on the ocean floor. Although parts of the hull had buckled, the bow was mostly intact, as the water inside had equalized with the increasing water pressure. The stern section was in much worse condition. As the stern section sank, water pushed out the air inside tearing apart the hull and decks. The speed at which the stern hit the ocean floor caused even more damage. Surrounding the wreck is a large debris field, with pieces of the ship (including a large amount of coal), furniture, dinnerware and personal items scattered over one square mile (2.6 km²). Softer materials, like wood and carpet, were devoured by undersea organisms, as were human remains.

Later exploration of the vessel's lower decks, as chronicled in the book Ghosts of the Titanic by Charles Pellegrino, showed that much of the wood from Titanic's staterooms was still intact. A new theory has been put forth that much of the wood from the upper decks was not devoured by undersea organisms but rather broke free of its fixings and floated away. This is supported by some eyewitness testimony from the survivors. Headline text Charles Pellegrino: Charles Pellegrino is a brilliant archeaologist. ...

Ownership and litigation

Titanic Memorial, grounds of Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland

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