Titanic: The Unsinkable Ship
Titanic was a British passenger ship that sank in the wee hours of 15th April in the year 1912. Before the ship sank, it was believed to the safest, largest and most luxurious ship that has ever been built. According to research it is estimated that the ship was about 882 feet, this is about 269.06 meters while the breadth was 92 feet which translates to 32 meters. Due to her size, the ship was able to carry as much as 46,000 tons. Above all, the ship would be able to accommodate as many as 2,345 passengers and 860 cabin crew – members. A closer look at the interior of the ship reveals that it was furnished and decorated with the finest items.
The Interior of the Titanic
Parlor suites consisted of as private lavatory and bathroom, two bedrooms, wardrobe rooms and a huge sitting room. Next in order, the dining room belonging to first class boarders could serve as many as 500 people (Thresh 18). Other accommodations that were offered for first class boarders included a library, a photography room, Turkish baths and a barber shop. The main reason why Titanic was considered as the safest ship at that time was because it had 16 compartments that were watertight and automatic doors that would close if water entered the compartments accidentally.
Advanced Features of the Titanic
Both steering and rudder engines were used in the navigation of the ship but only one engine was used at a particular time reserving the other for emergency situations. Titanic’s waterworks were also complicated and could be able to pump heated water to all parts via a complex pipes and valves networks. Radio communications between passengers and the crew was done through telegrams and there was a special radio – room. Last but not least, the ship had 20 lifeboats, 14 Wolff, Harland wooden boats that would carry a maximum of about 65 people and 4 collapsible boats that had a carrying capacity of 47 people.
The Sinking of the Titanic
Over the past few years, the sinking of the titanic has become a phenomenon that has been commemorated by film – makers, artist, writers, dancers and musicians from all over the World. Titanic is believed to have sunk in North Atlantic Ocean between 23:40 – 02:20 after it had hit an iceberg. The collision is said to have resulted to an opening that was not less than 91 meters or 300 feet (Tibbals 23). The total number of people who lost their lives is thought to be anywhere between 1,490 t0 1,695. Before the ship departed from Ireland, the weather was calm and composed. The sky was also clear and it was with no doubt that this was the perfect weather for sailing.
The Final Moments
Thereafter the ship had collided head on with the iceberg, water started flowing in fast. By the time cabin crew members had initiated a process to ensure that the ship does not sink, five compartments had already been filled with water since they were punctured. After learning that it was impossible to reverse the situation, crew members started firing distress rockets and sending distress signals but to no avail since there were no ships close to arrive as fast as possible (Tibbals 27). As a result of over flooding, the ship broke into two pieces and sank deep into the ocean. As mentioned earlier on, the ship had just about 20 lifeboats that were only enough for saving only half of the total passenger population. Most lifeboats were loaded with children and women since they are more vulnerable than men in such situations.
The Aftermath
In summary, the sinking of the Titanic transpired over a time – frame of about two and half hours. This was relatively a short – time frame for a well – developed and big ship like the Titanic. The total number of people who managed to escape the ordeal are estimated to have been 710. They were either in lifeboats or were wearing lifesavers. A significant number of people who died were men who were second class boarders. The sinking of the Titanic served as a lesson to all cabin – crew members. Before the ship sank, it should be noted that at least 6 warning messages were sent to the radio room advising the sailors to be weary and keen but all they did is travel at a high speed. Predominantly this is the sole reason why they were unable to turn and avoid hitting the iceberg. A total of 1,522 people died on that fateful day (Lynch 40).
Titanic: The Movie
Titanic the movie was produced and directed after been written by James Cameron. Fundamentally, James Cameron’s idea in shooting this movie was to bring out the action of what happened during that fateful night. Over time, the director has admitted that coming up with the movie’s storyline was quite cumbersome and it required him to carry out at least 6 months of research so as to compile a tie line that as highly detailed. It is estimated that James Cameron spent most of his time visiting the wrecked ship as compared to visiting survivors from the accident.
The Making of the Movie
Besides being cumbersome and entailing a lot of work and research, the film’s budget was also expensive and it involved a lot of hard work. It was once stated that the film had a total budget of around $250 million (Kramer NP). This was a huge sum of money. In order to make everything seem real, there was a need to construct a replica ship that was just as big. The replica was constructed in Baja California (Marsh 37). The opening scenes of the movie were shot directly from the ocean floor where the wreck of the ship was laying at that time. After the movie was released, it was very successful and it had made over $ 600 million. At that moment, it was the number one movie.
Conclusion
Titanic was an amazing work of art that nobody thought would ever sink. Its structures seemed to defy all odds but fate is fate. The sinking of the ship is a very tight and sad story since one cannot help but imagine the terrible scenes that people boarding the ship were going through. The Titanic movie was hugely successful since this was a very touching tragedy that has never being witnessed before. Titanic’s sinking remains one of the worst tragedies. What amazes me is the fact that there was a book that was written 14 years before Titanic sank and it was known as The Wreck of the Titan. This book is a clear prophecy of what came to pass.
Works Cited
Ballard, R. (1988). Exploring the Titanic. Toronto, Ontario: Madison Press Books.
Kramer, P. (1998). Women first: ‘Titanic’ (1997), action adventure films and Hollywood’s female audience. Historical Journal of Films, Radio, and Television, 18, 599-618.
Lord, W. (1955). A night to remember. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Lynch, D. (1992). Titanic: An illustrated history. New York, New York: Hyperion.
Marsh, E. (1997). James Cameron’s Titanic. New York, New York: Harper Perennial.
Thresh, P. (1992). Titanic: The truth behind the disaster. New York, New York: Crescent Books.
Tibbals, G. (1997). The Titanic: The extraordinary story of the “unsinkable” ship. Pleasantville, New York: Reader’s Digest.
