April 15, 1912
It is a little after midnight in the mid-Atlantic right now. About now, 97 years ago the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg, under the command of a man whom I admire and may or may not be related to. Upon sinking, the ship will leave approximately 1,500 people dead in the icy Atlantic water and send shock waves into the media. The sinking of this majestic ship will become the talk of the time, fueling books, movies, and art exhibits. This event has been a source of interest for me for a long time. The movie obviously lead to this interest, but I fell in love not with Jack or Rose but the actual people. I began looking into the life of William McMaster Murdoch, who was first officer, the officer on duty when the ship hit the iceberg at approximately 11:44 PM, and found that he and the other officers fascinated me. And, after looking into the officers, I became more and more interested in the chance happening of the sinking. So many startling things contributed to the event. Sure, the man on the bridge, the man at the helm, they both has a degree of responsibility, but so many other things helped the ship sink. The possible weakness of the iron, the height, or lack thereof, of the "water-tight" bulkheads, the lack of binoculars in the crow's nest, the unnatural calm and clearness of the night, the lack of life boats, the disbelief that the ship could sink, the lack of communication between the wireless operators and the officers, it all helped. But, history is defined by that single moment. Everything that leads up to it helps, but that single, fateful moment dictated the rest of the lives of everyone on that ship. Whether they were lost or saved, 2,200 people were changed that night.
The ship was seen as a source of hope in the fierce competition between the Cunard and White Star lines. Cunard had the fastest ships, the Lusitania and Mauritania and rather than compete in that area, White Star went for luxury and grandeur. When the keels were laid for Olympic, Titanic's sister, it was the largest thing created by humans at the time. And the Titanic was only bigger. It's maiden voyage was the most talked about topic in England, and it's arrival in New York was to mark White Star's dominance over shipping in England and be the final voyage of the ship's captain. But it wasn't meant to be. So much was lost that night. White Star's name was ruined, the loss of life was something unheard before this point in a time of peace, and money, art, and material wealth was lost in the sea. But good things came from it as well: shipping regulations to prevent a loss of life like this again came into practice, saving lives. I think every Titanic historian is struck by the fancy of those 'what ifs' at some point in their time. What if the ice warnings had been intercepted? What if there had been enough life boats? What if, what if? I know I've been struck by the fancy more than once, but it is the sinking that changed history. If the ship hadn't sunk, how many more ships would have to sink before safety regulations were improved? How many more people would have had to die before changes came into practice. And if the ship hadn't sunk, where would I be today?
I always pay homage to the event because my interest in Titanic lead to two of the most important parts of my life: my love for history and the subject of Titanic was involved in my first exercise into writing. My interest in Titanic have opened so many avenues of more and more information. I know so much about pre-World War I Europe and America thanks to investigation into Titanic, I know almost all of my nautical jargon because of Titanic, and I became interested in Napoleonic Europe thanks to an interest in Titanic as well. I found my skill in investigation and analysis thanks to Titanic. I think it would be a bit cliche to say that Titanic changed my life...but really. It did. The Titanic tragedy is fascinating. There are so many amazing characters involved: the Who's Who of the time, John Jacob Astor, Molly Brown, Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress, Countess of Roths and more than I could possibly name; a highly distinguished Captain, Edward Smith and a top-notch officer staff, headed by senior officers Henry Wilde, William Murdoch and Charles Lightoller; the poorest of the poor, and the everyman. The human drama is like that of the perfectly planned novel. Studying these people and learning as much as I could about them, I feel a fondness for them. I feel like I knew them personally, and that's why this date moves me so much. I have so much to thank them for. They will never, ever know the effect they had on me, but it's there. It's inspired me and motivated me. And for that I will be ever thankful.
The ship was seen as a source of hope in the fierce competition between the Cunard and White Star lines. Cunard had the fastest ships, the Lusitania and Mauritania and rather than compete in that area, White Star went for luxury and grandeur. When the keels were laid for Olympic, Titanic's sister, it was the largest thing created by humans at the time. And the Titanic was only bigger. It's maiden voyage was the most talked about topic in England, and it's arrival in New York was to mark White Star's dominance over shipping in England and be the final voyage of the ship's captain. But it wasn't meant to be. So much was lost that night. White Star's name was ruined, the loss of life was something unheard before this point in a time of peace, and money, art, and material wealth was lost in the sea. But good things came from it as well: shipping regulations to prevent a loss of life like this again came into practice, saving lives. I think every Titanic historian is struck by the fancy of those 'what ifs' at some point in their time. What if the ice warnings had been intercepted? What if there had been enough life boats? What if, what if? I know I've been struck by the fancy more than once, but it is the sinking that changed history. If the ship hadn't sunk, how many more ships would have to sink before safety regulations were improved? How many more people would have had to die before changes came into practice. And if the ship hadn't sunk, where would I be today?
I always pay homage to the event because my interest in Titanic lead to two of the most important parts of my life: my love for history and the subject of Titanic was involved in my first exercise into writing. My interest in Titanic have opened so many avenues of more and more information. I know so much about pre-World War I Europe and America thanks to investigation into Titanic, I know almost all of my nautical jargon because of Titanic, and I became interested in Napoleonic Europe thanks to an interest in Titanic as well. I found my skill in investigation and analysis thanks to Titanic. I think it would be a bit cliche to say that Titanic changed my life...but really. It did. The Titanic tragedy is fascinating. There are so many amazing characters involved: the Who's Who of the time, John Jacob Astor, Molly Brown, Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress, Countess of Roths and more than I could possibly name; a highly distinguished Captain, Edward Smith and a top-notch officer staff, headed by senior officers Henry Wilde, William Murdoch and Charles Lightoller; the poorest of the poor, and the everyman. The human drama is like that of the perfectly planned novel. Studying these people and learning as much as I could about them, I feel a fondness for them. I feel like I knew them personally, and that's why this date moves me so much. I have so much to thank them for. They will never, ever know the effect they had on me, but it's there. It's inspired me and motivated me. And for that I will be ever thankful.