Anyanka, you lucky Bunny! do you have any pictures? I hear that the clock is there also but not at the stairwell? What do you remember from your visit there? Did you stay over?

The ties between Ireland and the Titanic are many, from Titanic being built in Belfast by Harland and Wolff to the last port of call, Queenstown, now known as Cobh (pronounced Cove). Photography for the masses was in its infancy back then, dedicated photographers started to turn up everywhere, Titanic was one of them and the last pictures were taken by a Father Frank Brown, who had been gifted a trip on Titanic from Southampton to Queenstown. The pictures he took were seen in newspapers the world over following the sinking of Titanic. Lucky for Father Brown, he had been offered by a millionaire on board to continue to New York but a wire telegram to his Superior came back with the reply “GET OFF THAT SHIP.”

Father Brown had taken the only picture of the Marconi room in operation Where Jack Phillips and Harold Bride were run off their feet sending messages from Titanic's passengers. They would have been the “Geeks” or “techno savvy” of that day. The Marconi equipment had gone down the day before the disaster. they found and repaired the fault.

Rebecca, I love that movie “Elisabethtown” my tag line is from it! And thank you Sharon for your kind words. The Titanic was more than just a trans-atlantic ship. It was a statement about how far the human race had come. How perfect a world that was made at the start of the 20th century. Titanic was the ultimate in what technology that was available. Titanic was even advertised as a “3 screw” ship or having three propellers. Most ocean liners of that class had four chimney stacks, titanic only needed three but a fourth (nearest the stern) was for show. It did contain a stairway that transcended all decks from the boiler rooms. Olympic class ships were the first to have a swimming pool on board and they boasted a gym and Titanic had “Turkish Baths” The ultimate in “built for comfort and not for speed” however, Ismay is rumored to have pushed Captain Smith to arrive in New York earlier than anticipated. So much is said about Titanic being billed as unsinkable. White Star did not say this but a Ship builders periodical Magazine wrote about Titanic (and indeed the Olympic class) as “Virtually unsinkable” the press of the day picked up on this and made the Titanic unsinkable legend. 

On the “Triple Screw” on the Olympic class, the sheer size of the propellers is something over looked. The  accident between Olympic and the Hawke in the Isle of Wight, the propellers caused a strange wake or water movement around the Olympic and the accident happened when the Hawke was sucked in by the turbulence of the water around Olympic. On Titanic's departure from Southampton, this same suction or wake almost caused a disaster for another liner “The New York” so strong was the pull from Titanic, the mooring ropes war snapped and near by tugs saved the day in the nick of time. Titanic had plenty fire power, not for speed, but by alternating the engines, the speed could be maintained. Top speed was 25 knots.

This  water movement was a problem I believe for Titanic at the time of the accident Murdoch was in command and on receiving the information that there was an “iceberg, right ahead” Murdoch tried to move this big ship away from the Iceberg by giving the command “Hard a'starboard” but he also reversed the engines which can only have worked against Titanic as the turmoil in the water around her tiller would have reduced the effect. Had Murdoch stopped the engines, it is most likely that his plan to port around the iceberg would have worked.

Titanic and the Olympic class were 100 feet longer than Lusitania and Mauritania and at that time the largest vessel on the sea. Sailing her needed expertise in the handling, unfortunately they were tested on their first trip out. Also, the vast crew were just getting to know each other and the Titanic.

On Ismay, my jury is out on him and put to the pin of my collar, I may have taken the place on the lifeboat also. To the passengers of the Titanic, the idea of the ship sinking with no visible damage was unbelievable on the “unsinkable Titanic.” Many of those who went in the first lifeboats believed that they were going as a precaution and not out of mortal danger.How could the crew possibly control everyone on board if they knew what Ismay, Andrews, Captain Smith and his officers knew? That the Titanic would sink, the nearest ships were too far away to be able to help and there were lifeboats for a third of those on board.Those who would go in the water would last 15 minutes before the cold would kill. Many passengers did not want to go on the lifeboats as they believed that it was not necessary as the ship would not sink. I think Ismay knew what was going to happen, one of the few that did, I think that was the point that the people made to Ismay during and after the enquiry's. I'm a sailor and have a Yacht Masters License. I have had to do courses on survival at sea, I do wish my Navy buddies on both sides of the Atlantical pond would come on board and help with their knowledge, which would be vast compared to mine. I do know that swimming around in freezing water would hasten death as with a faster blood flow, one gets cold overall the body quicker. Hastening organ close down and hyperthermia.

White Star had put everything they had financially into the three Olympic class sisters. The ships went far over budget and put The White Star Line in a bad financial situation. Shares were bought up by JP Morgan, the banker who owned the company more or less by the time Titanic set sail. Ismay needed to show Morgan that he meant business and the time factor was the one thing that put them in the shade of Cunard's ships. If Titanic made good time, the advertising value would have been priceless. The lap of luxury and time for the crossing a little more than the rest, but worth it!