The Intrigue of RMS Titanic

7/29/2019 The Intrigue of RMS Titanic

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The Intrigue ofRMS TitanicPaula MoldenhauerWhy are we drawn to stories about the RMS Titanic?1 Its sinking is one of the greatest

tragedies of its time. Yet instead of only whispered grief, there remains fascination with

everything Titanic, even one hundred years later.Perhaps were drawn to Titanics riches. The largest moveable object built by man, shewas

dubbed one of the greatest achievements of her time. While only 20 percent of London had

electricity, this ship was electric from bow to stern. The Titanics breathtaking opulence

included carved oak staircases, chandeliers, and beautiful crystal. Passengers enjoyed a

heated saltwater pool, Turkish baths, lavish lounges, a library, and even a gymnasium

boasting an electric camel. The collective assets of her passengers totaled over $600

million. To secure a first-class suite on Titanic, passengers paid as much as $4,350 for the

journeyequivalent to an estimated $100,000 in todays economy.

But Titanicwasnt the only fancy ship of her day. She had two sister ships, the RMSOlympic, who had a long and illustrious career, and the Britannic, whoseintendedpurpose

was interrupted by World War I, during which she served as a hospital ship instead. Many

pictures touting the magnificence of the Titanicwere actually pictures ofOlympic, since

most of the pictures taken ofTitanicaccompanied her to the bottom of the Atlantic.

Theres more to Titanics allurement than her grandeur. Perhaps part of the draw is the

audacity that was reflected by this saying: Even God Himself couldnt sink her. Actually,

the White Star Line, a British shipping company and owner of the Titanic, never made

such a claim. It said, With Titanics transverse bulkheads and watertight doors, it renders

this vessel practically unsinkable. While some historians report that a deckhand made the

famed comment, it seems more likely that the quote was written after the sinking andglamorized by Hollywood.Our attraction to the Titanicgoes deeper than being enamored with opulence, horrified by

disaster, or shocked by arrogant declarations. The stories of the heroism of the survivors

and the deceased call forth our admirationand cause us to ponder our own courage. The true story ofRMS Titanicencompasses conflicting accounts from her 705 survivors.

Titanichad nine decks and was over 882 feet long. One man said if the Titanicwere placed

on 34th Street in New York City, she would stretch north of 37 th Street. When analyzing

stories of the Titanic, perspective is gained by considering how her 2,225 passengers

processed the tragedy, each one responding according to his or her background and location

on that great ship.Titanics construction began in 1908 in Belfast, Ireland, and sea tria ls for the magnificent

vessel were conducted on April 2, 1912. Titanicbegan her maiden voyage from

Southampton, England, on April 10 at 12:15 p.m., journeying down the River Test. Another

ship, the New York, rose so high on the swell caused by Titanicthat its moorings snapped,

causing it to almost collide with the Titanic. Disaster was avoided, and ninety minutes later

the Titanicarrived in Cherbourg, France, to take on more passengers.


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On the morning of April 11, the great ship arrived in Queenstown, Ireland, and then

departed for New York City. The seas were calm, and Titanicmade good time on April 12

and 13.

On Sunday, April 14, passengers enjoyed a hearty breakfast and were given an opportunity

to attend Sunday services. There is dispute about whether services were open to all or if

separate services were held by class. The latter seems most likely. Steerage passengers

were separated from the rest of the ship via locked gates, a recognized practice of the time.

Throughout Sunday, temperatures outside were so bitter that most passengers avoided

being on deck. The second-class library was filled with people who were reading, playing

cards, writing letters, or visiting. First-class entertainment included an exclusive dinner with

the captain. Third-class passengers enjoyed festivities in their own common room. Unknown

to any of them, the ship received seven warnings about icebergs that day. That evening all enjoyed a wonderful meal. While the differences between the first-class and

third-class accommodations were profound, the Titanicoffered better lodging and food to its

third-class passengers than they were accustomed to at home. The Titanicwas filled withcontented passengers.After dinner, Reverend Ernest Courtenay Carter led a hymn sing in the second-class dining

salon, and about one hundred passengers attended. Among the hymns sung was For Those

in Peril on the Sea.Lawrence Beesely, author ofThe Loss of the SS Titanic,2 attended the hymn sing and

then retired to his room to read. He was disturbed around 11:40 p.m. when his bed began

to vibrate more than usual. This perplexed him, but more perplexing was the quiet that

followed as the Titanics engines stopped. He left his berth to make inquiry and was told

that nothing was wrong. In truth, the Titanichad hit an iceberg, and water was already

pouring into her side.Beesley roamed the ship but didnt find anything amiss. Some men in the smoking room

admitted that an iceberg, approximately 80 feet tall, had passed by their window, but they

werentconcerned. In fact, one card player joked that someone should just run along the

deck and see if any ice has come aboard so he could put some in his whiskey.

At midnight, April 15, Captain Edward John Smith was informed that the ship would be

afloat for only a couple more hours. He radioed for help, but none was forthcoming. Captain

Smith knew there were only enough lifeboats for about a third of those aboard. (It is

interesting to note that Titanicwas outfitted with more lifeboats than was required by

British regulations. The tragedy prompted reform of safety requirements.)Smith sent the crew to gather passengers, who were told to put on lifebelts and go on deck.

Most of the passengers still believed that nothing was amiss. As they assembled, women

and children were encouraged to get into the lifeboats.The first lifeboat was lowered around 12:45 a.m., about the same time that the band began

playing ragtime on the deck. Most of the early boats lowered carried less than half of their

occupancy limits and contained first- and second-class passengers. Third-class passengers


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struggled to find their way through the maze of corridors to reach the upper decks or were

trapped behind partitions that segregated steerage from other passengers.

According to Irish survivor Margaret Murphey, gates were locked, keeping third-class

passengers below. She was saved when James Farrell, also a steerage passenger, yelled:

Great God, man! Open the gate and let the girls through.3

While the third-class passengers faced mostly futile efforts for survival below, first- and

second-class passengers faced their own trauma above as husbands and fathers were

separated from loved ones. One of the most touching love stories of the Titanicis that of an

elderly first-class couple, Isidor and Rosalie Straus. Rosalie refused to go to safety without

her husband. We have lived together for many years. Where you go, I go, she said. Most

accounts have them sitting hand in hand on deck as the Titanicwent down.Another touching story is of Bristol preacher Bob Bateman. His sister-in-law was quoted as

saying: Brother forced me into the last boat, saying he would follow me later. . . . [He]

threw his overcoat over my shoulders as the boat was being lowered away [and said],

Good-bye, God bless you! 4

Bateman is said to then have gathered about fifty men on deck to pray and is credited with

requesting that the band play Nearer, My God to Thee as water covered the deck. The

heroism of the band playing until the end is well documented, though there are conflicting

reports about this final song.

Around 2:00 a.m., the last lifeboat was launched. At 2:18 a.m. the Titanicheaved out of the

water, the stern vertical. Some eyewitnesses say it hung in the air at a 45-degree angle;

others believe it was 90 degrees. Then the RMS Titanics lights blinked and went out as she

broke in half and disappeared, sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic. No one disagrees about the horror that followed as the sound of 1,500 voices crying out forhelp filled dark night. The great volume of desperate cry quieted, little by little. Within forty

minutes all was silent.

Of special note during this dreadful time is the story of evangelist John Harper. When the

Titanicwent down, he swam from person to person asking, Is your soul saved? It is said

that he led many to salvation before the frigid waters took his life. 5In the end, 76 percent of the crew perished, along with 75 percent of third-class

passengers, 58 percent of second-class passengers, and 40 percent of first-class

passengers. Though the lifeboats werent full, many feared getting too close to the sinking

Titanicor being overturned by desperate swimmers and didnt attempt rescue of thedrowning. Those who tried had little success, finding mostly frozen bodies. The survivors grieving in the lifeboats spent a harrowing night scanning the black waters for

signs of a rescue ship. When the sun rose, Titanics survivors discovered that they were in

an ice field, and their rescue ship, RMSCarpathia, awaited them just beyond its borders.

The survivors rowed toward safety. The first lifeboat reached the Carpathia at 4:10 a.m.

and the last a full four hours later.


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On the evening of April 18, the Carpathia delivered survivors to Pier 54 in New York City.

Charles Vale writes: Good and bad deed were done that night and morning; but the good

outvalued the bad immeasurably and when . . . the few cowards [are] dismissed, and the

uncouth or selfish weighed and found wanting, there remains the grand total of brave and

steadfast men and women whose names must be enrolled imperishably in any record of

world-heroism.

6Notes:1. RMSstands for Royal Mail Ship, a prefix used by all sailing vessels that were contracted

to carry British Royal Mail. Seewww.titanicinternational.org.2. Loss of the S. S. Titanicby Lawrence Beesley:www.titanic-titanic.com/loss_of_the_ss_titanic_1.shtml.3.www.keyflux.com/titanic/passdata.htm.4. Walter LordsA Night to Remember,www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/robert-james-bateman.html andwww.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/2094682389.5. John Harpers story was told in The Titanics Last Hero produced by Moody Press, 1997.

To view an online video, visit

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUUwazTjw8Y&feature=player_embedded.6. The Truth About the Titanic: A Survivors Storyby Colonel Archibald Gracie,

www.archive.org/stream/truthabouttitan00gracgoog#page/n6/mode/2up.Homeschooling mom of four, Paula Moldenhauer longs to be close enough to Jesus to

breathe His fragrance. For more about her historical novel, Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal,

co-authored with award-winning novelist, Kathleen E Kovach, visit

www.titaniclegacyofbetrayal.com. Learn more aboutRMS Titanic on Titanic Tuesdays at

www.gracereign.blogspot.com.Copyright, 2012. Used with permission. All rights reserved by author. Originally appeared in

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, the family education magazine, April 2012. Read the

magazine free atwww.TOSMagazine.comor read it on the go and download the free apps at

www.TOSApps.comto read the magazine on your mobile devices.
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