Introduction to the RMS Titanic
The RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early hours of 15 April 1912, after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. The disaster resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 of the approximately 2,224 passengers and crew on board. This article provides factual context, verified photos where available, construction details, operational history, and the lasting legacy of the Titanic, prioritizing authoritative records and artifacts over speculation.
Design, Construction, and Technical Details
Ship Specifications and Layout
Designed as a state-of-the-art ocean liner, the Titanic was the largest vessel of her time. Key technical attributes are summarized below.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Yard Number | 401 | Harland and Wolff records |
| Way Number | 326 | Harland and Wolff records |
| Keel Laid | 31 March 1909 | Shipyard logs |
| Launch Date | 31 May 1911 | Official launch report |
| Gross Register Tonnage | 46,328 GRT | Lloyd's Registry |
| Length Overall | 882 ft 9 in (269.1 m) | Naval architecture specs |
| Beam | 92 ft 6 in (28.2 m) | Naval architecture specs |
| Draft | 34 ft 7 in (10.5 m) | Trialing data |
| Propulsion | Two reciprocating triple-expansion engines + low-pressure Parsons turbine; three screws | Powerplant diagrams |
| Service Speed | Approximately 21–22 knots (39–41 km/h) | Trials and logbooks |
| Passenger Capacity (typical load) | 885 First Class, 614 Second Class, 1,010 Third Class; 685 crew | Company manifest and census data |
| Lifeboat Provision | 20 lifeboats for approximately 1,178 places (about 53% of persons on board) | Board of Trade regulations and manifest |
The Titanic featured advanced watertight subdivision with 16 compartments, and was built to remain afloat with any two adjacent compartments flooded. This safety concept underpinned her reputation as "unsinkable" in marketing materials, though it was never an official claim in legal or technical documentation.
Maiden Voyage and Final Leg
After sea trials in late March 1911 and crew training in early April 1912, Titanic departed Southampton on 10 April 1912. She called at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, before heading for New York City. On 14 April 1912, at approximately 23:40 ship's time, the vessel struck an iceberg in a region known for drifting sea ice. The progressive flooding of multiple forward compartments led to the loss of buoyancy and the liner's breakup and sinking in the early hours of 15 April. The nearest ship with radio capability, the SS Californian, did not respond effectively to distress signals, a factor later scrutinized in inquiries.
Photographic Record and Artifacts
Verified Photography Context
Relatively few verified photographs exist of Titanic in service, largely because onboard photography was limited and early attempts to recover images from the wreck faced technological constraints. Many widely circulated images are artists' impressions or models rather than direct photographs. Underwater photography of the wreck began in the 1980s, revealing the deteriorated but still informative remains on the seabed.
- 1910–1912 official and press photographs of Titanic in ports such as Southampton and Cherbourg, sourced from archival collections.
- 1985 and later expedition photographs by Robert Ballard and subsequent missions showing the bow and stern sections.
- Recovered artifacts—such as parts of the ship's hull, cutlery, personal effects, and a limited number of passenger photographs—are displayed in museum collections and documented in official expedition logs.
Investigations and Safety Legacy
Immediate Official Inquiries
Multiple investigations followed the disaster, most notably the U.S. Senate inquiry and the British Wreck Commissioner's inquiry. These reviews examined lookout practices, iceberg warnings, lifeboat capacity, and communication protocols. Key findings contributed to lasting changes in maritime law, including 24-hour radio watch requirements and sufficient lifeboat provisions for all aboard.
The wreck today
The wreck lies at a depth of approximately 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) and has been visited by scientific and expedition teams. These visits have helped historians understand the ship's condition and the circumstances of its breakup, while also raising ethical debates about artifact recovery and site preservation.
Cultural Memory and Reassessment
Titanic has remained a prominent subject of scholarly study, museum exhibitions, and popular culture, offering lessons about engineering limits, regulatory oversight, and human behavior under stress. Historians emphasize verified documentation—such as passenger lists, inquiry reports, and recovered materials—while cautioning against conflating documented fact with dramatized narratives. Museums and maritime institutions continue to present artifacts and data-driven exhibits that reflect ongoing research.
References and Further Verification
Information in this article is drawn from a range of authoritative sources, including Lloyd's Registry, British and U.S. inquiry reports, Harland and Wolff archives, and peer-reviewed maritime historical research. For further verification, consult primary documents such as the British Wreck Commissioner's formal inquiry transcripts and contemporary newspaper archives reporting on the disaster and its aftermath.