| |
N0KFQ > TODAY 15.04.13 18:06l 70 Lines 3054 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 38637_KB0WSA
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Apr 15
Path: IZ3LSV<IV3YXW<I3XTY<I0OJJ<VE3UIL<N0KFQ<KB0WSA
Sent: 130415/1455Z 38637@KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA BPQK1.4.54
...
Apr 15, 1912:
"Unsinkable" Titanic sinks
The RMS Titanic, billed as unsinkable, sinks into the icy waters
of the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg on its maiden
voyage, killing 1,517 people.
The United Kingdom's White Star Line built the Titanic to be the
most luxurious cruise ship in the world. It was nearly 900 feet
long and more than 100 feet high. The Titanic could reach speeds
of 30 knots and was thought to be the world's fastest ship. With
its individualized watertight compartments, it was seen as
virtually unsinkable.
On its first voyage, from Southampton, England, to New York with
stops in Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown, Ireland, the Titanic
was carrying 2,206 people, including a crew of 898. A relatively
mild winter had produced a bumper crop of icebergs in the North
Atlantic, but the crew, believing their ship was unsinkable, paid
scant attention to warnings.
On the night of Sunday, April 14, other ships in the area
reported icebergs by radio, but their messages were not delivered
to the bridge or the captain of the Titanic. The iceberg that
struck the ship was spotted at 11:40 p.m. Although a dead-on
collision was avoided, the Titanic's starboard side violently
scraped the iceberg, ripping open six compartments. The ship's
design could withstand only four compartments flooding.
Minutes later, the crew radioed for help, sending out an SOS
signal, the first time the new type of help signal was used. Ten
minutes after midnight, the order for passengers to head for the
lifeboats was given. Unfortunately, there were only lifeboats for
about half of the people on board. Additionally, there had been
no instruction or drills regarding such a procedure and general
panic broke out on deck.
The survivors--those who successfully made it onto the
lifeboats--were largely women who were traveling first class. In
fact, the third-class passengers were not even allowed onto the
deck until the first-class female passengers had abandoned the
ship. White Star President Bruce Ismay jumped onto the last
lifeboat though there were women and children still waiting to
board.
At 2:20 a.m., the Titanic finally sank. Breaking in half, it
plunged downward to the sea floor. Captain Edward Smith went down
with the ship. The Carpathia arrived about an hour later and
rescued the 705 people who made it onto the lifeboats. The people
who were forced into the cold waters all perished.
Official blame for the tragedy was placed on the captain and
bridge crew, all of whom had died. In the wake of the accident,
significant safety-improvement measures were established,
including a requirement that the number of lifeboats on board a
ship reflect the entire number of passengers. The sinking of the
Titanic has become a legendary story about the dangers of hubris.
In 1985, after many attempts over many years, divers were finally
able to locate the wreckage of the Titanic on the floor of the
North Atlantic.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@hotmail.com
Using Outpost Version 2.6.0 c29
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
