Tuesday, April 10, 2012

April 10, 1912

Titanic leaving Southampton, England 

On April 10, 1912, the R.M.S. Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage.   After three years of planning, designing, constructing, and testing the majestic ship was ready to sail the seas.  What happened in the four days between the sailing and the sinking?  What was being on board the Titanic like?  Over the next few days, I hope to share what I know of the famous ocean liner.  

The morning of Wednesday, April 10, 1912 was busy.  Many of the officers making the journey and responsible for keeping the ship running spent the night prior on-board.  Captain Edward Smith arrived on board at 7:30 a.m. the morning of.  At approximately 8:00 a.m. the crew participated in a quick life boat drill, lowering two life boats and then raising them again.  This as part of the final check by the Board of Trade to ensure all was ready for the crossing. Last minute finishing touches were being made throughout the ship as well and workers were being directed to put out a fire that had broken out in a coal bin below decks (which was kept from the Board of Trade).

At 10:00 a.m. the third and second class passengers arrived to board.  These early arrivals were largely third class passengers.  Their early arrival was tied to having to pass a medical examination in order to make the crossing.  If they failed the medical examination in New York City, they would have to return to the country of departure.  This medical examination made sure all those passengers on board would pass at the other end of the journey.

The remaining second and majority of first class passengers began arriving in large numbers approximately an hour before departure.  First class passengers were greeted at the ramp and then escorted to their rooms. 

What did the passengers pay for their tickets?

First class suite: $4,350 (1912)/$78,787.79 (2012)
First class berth: $150 (1912)/$2,717.15 (2012)
Second class: $60 (1912)/$1,085.54 (2012)
Third class: $40 (1912)/$271.39 - $723.72 (2012)

Everything went according to clockwork and the Titanic set sail from Southampton on time at noon.  Unfortunately, as the ship left the dock the water it displaced with her propellers created a suction that broke the six lines holding the New York to the dock.  The suction continued to pull the New York towards the Titanic.  The quick thinking of the tug boat Vulcan, there to assist the Titanic reach the English Channel,  kept the New York from colliding with the Titanic.  In the end, the New York missed the Titanic by a matter of feet and the whole process delayed the Titanic by about an hour.


The Titanic headed across the English Channel towards Cherbourg, France to pick up additional passengers and drop off others.  Cherbourg, while popular with ships crossing the Atlantic, had a disadvantage that other ports did not - no dock or jetty large enough to accommodate liners.  This meant boats had to be hired to ferry passengers and supplies from the mainland to the ships.  The White Star Line hired two tenders - the Nomadic and the Traffic.  

The Titanic arrived in Cherbourg just after 6:00 p.m.  When all was said and done, 142 first class passengers boarded (Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon, Benjamin Guggenheim), 30 second class passengers, and additional third class passengers.  While many additional passengers boarded the ship at Cherbourg, 13 passengers disembarked.  The ship pulled up anchor at 8:00 p.m. and started the journey towards Queenstown.


The Titanic blasted it's horn around 8:00 p.m. alerting others that the mighty ship was on it's way to Queenstown, Ireland...it's last port before heading out to sea.


No comments:

Post a Comment