Key Facts at a Glance
The RMS Titanic was a British ocean liner built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast for White Star Line transatlantic service. It was the largest ship afloat at its launch, featuring advanced safety claims for the era. On 10 April 1912, Titanic departed Southampton on its maiden voyage to New York City. Four days later, on 14 April, it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic; the hull ruptured along several compartments, and the ship sank in the early hours of 15 April. Of the approximately 2,224 people on board, more than 1,500 perished, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.
Construction and Design
Construction began in 1909 at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. The project was part of a three-ship transatlantic class for White Star Line, alongside Olympic and Britannic. The hull was divided into 16 watertight compartments, with electrically operated watertight doors. Lifeboat capacity was regulated by Board of Trade requirements at the time, not by total passenger capacity, resulting in enough lifeboat space for about 1,178 people. Titanic also featured advanced systems for its time, including wireless telegraphy and electric lights.
Ship Specifications
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 882 feet 9 inches (269.1 m) | Harland and Wolff records | Beam | 92 feet 6 inches (28.2 m) | Harland and Wolff records | Gross Register Tonnage | 46,328 GRT | Lloyd’s Register | Propulsion | Two triple-expansion steam engines + low-pressure steam turbine | Design plans | Service Speed | Service: about 21–23 knots; Maximum: 24 knots | Sea trials report |
| Passenger Capacity (approx.) | 892 first class, 501 second class, 1,010 third class = 2,405 berths | White Star Line manifests |
| Lifeboat Capacity | 1,178 persons in 20 lifeboats and 2 cutters | Board of Trade requirements |
| Maiden Voyage | 10 April 1912 from Southampton to New York | Shipping schedules |
| Sinking | 02:20 ship time, 15 April 1912 | Board of Trade inquiry and US inquiry |
The Maiden Voyage and Final Hours
Titanic departed Southampton on 10 April 1912, stopping at Cherbourg and Queenstown, then headed west across the North Atlantic. Onboard were passengers from diverse backgrounds, including wealthy first-class travelers and hundreds of emigrants in third class pursuing new opportunities. Warnings about ice were received from other ships. On the night of 14 April, lookouts spotted the iceberg only shortly before the ship could change course significantly. The collision caused damage along a long segment of the starboard side, rupturing several adjoining watertight compartments. Because the ship was designed to stay afloat with any two compartments flooded, and five were breached, progressive flooding made the situation unsustainable.
Timeline of Critical Events, 14–15 April 1912
| Date/Time (Ship’s Time) | Event | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 11:40 p.m., 14 April | Lookouts spot iceberg; hard-a-starboard turn and engines reversed | Late reaction limited avoidance |
| 11:40 p.m. | Collision with iceberg along forward starboard hull | Opened multiple compartments to seawater |
| 12:05 a.m., 15 April | Lifeboats begin to be loaded and lowered | Initial confusion about severity |
| 12:20 a.m.–2:00 a.m. | Water rises through decks; distress rockets fired | Evacuation accelerates as list increases |
| 2:10 a.m. | Rear of ship rises steeply; final separation occurs | Structural failure imminent |
| 2:20 a.m., 15 April | Ship sinks | More than 1,500 people remain onboard |
| 4:00 a.m., 15 April | Carpathia arrives and begins rescue | First surviving passengers taken aboard |
Rescue, Aftermath, and Investigations
After the collision, Titanic sent distress signals by wireless and rockets. The nearest ship with a functioning wireless, Californian, had ceased radio operations for the night and did not receive the calls. The Carpathia, responding to rockets and wireless messages, arrived about 1 hour and 50 minutes after the sinking and took aboard 705 survivors. Investigations followed in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Both inquiries criticized the lack of lifeboats relative to passenger capacity, inadequate crew training for emergency drills, and the failure to heed ice warnings. The inquiries led to international maritime safety reforms, including 24-hour radio watches and revised lifeboat requirements.
Legacy and Cultural Influence
The Titanic story has remained a powerful symbol of technological ambition, class distinctions, and human vulnerability at sea. Memorials, museums, and commemorations have been held in Southampton, Belfast, Cobh, and other ports linked to the voyage. The wreck was discovered in 1985 by a team led by Robert Ballard, resting in two main pieces about 3,800 meters below the ocean surface. Subsequent expeditions have documented decay of the hull while preserving thousands of artifacts. The narrative has inspired countless books, documentaries, and research focused on maritime engineering, ethics of survival, and deep sea archaeology.
Common Questions and Clarifications
- Was Titanic considered unsinkable? The ship was described as nearly unsinkable due to its compartmental design, but this was an overstatement in popular press rather than a formal claim.
- How many lifeboats were required at the time? Board of Trade regulations required lifeboat capacity for about half the number of people on board; Titanic met that legal requirement but not modern safety standards.
- Are any descendants of survivors still alive? As of current records, a small number of grandchildren of survivors remain alive, though no verified first-hand survivors remain.
- What caused the rapid flooding? The extended rupture across multiple compartments allowed water to spill over the tops of watertight bulkheads, leading to progressive flooding.
- Where is the wreck now? The wreck lies in international waters in the North Atlantic, approximately 370 nautical miles southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Key Numbers at a Glance
| Metric | Estimate or Range | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Length overall | 882 ft 9 in (269.1 m) | One of the longest passenger ships at the time | Beam | 92 ft 6 in (28.2 m) | Narrow enough for Atlantic port constraints | Gross tonnage | 46,328 GRT | Largest ship by gross register tonnage in 1912 |
| Passengers and crew | About 2,224 | Included emigrants, second class, and first class travelers | Lifeboat capacity | 1,178 | Compliant with 1896–1912 regulations but insufficient for all aboard |
| Survivors | About 705 | Rescued primarily by RMS Carpathia |
| Deaths | More than 1,500 | Among the deadliest maritime disasters in peacetime |
| Wreck discovery year | 1985 | Located by a team led by Robert Ballard |
Companion Topics Worth Exploring
- Maritime safety reforms after 1912: Lifeboat laws, radio standards, and International Ice Patrol.
- Engineering and class on ocean liners: How design and accommodation reflected social hierarchy.
- The Carpathia rescue and its passengers: The other side of the disaster narrative.
- Expeditions to the wreck: Ethics, technology, and preservation challenges.
- Titanic in memory and media: How the story has evolved in books, film, and commemoration.
Sources and Further Reading
Information in this article is drawn from official inquiries (British and U.S.), Harland and Wolff records, Lloyd’s Register, and widely cited maritime histories. For deeper study, consult primary inquiry transcripts, contemporary ship manifests, and peer-reviewed analyses of Titanic design and rescue operations.