Titanic, 100 years today

[Harleyman]

Does any one know that one of sailors on lookout that night was myopic and was not wearing glasses. That binoculars could not be supplied because they were locked up in storage and the ship's officer who had the key had been transferred to another ship and had the key with him. That had the ship hit the iceberg head on it would have survived due to the fact that the ship was built to withstand such a collison.

 

There must have been many instances of individual heroism that night but the lasting shame was attempting to bar passengers in steerage acces to the first class area of the ship which was necessary in order to reach the life boat deck

[Anarchon]

Does any one know that one of sailors on lookout that night was myopic and was not wearing glasses. That binoculars could not be supplied because they were locked up in storage and the ship's officer who had the key had been transferred to another ship and had the key with him. That had the ship hit the iceberg head on it would have survived due to the fact that the ship was built to withstand such a collison.

 

There must have been many instances of individual heroism that night but the lasting shame was attempting to bar passengers in steerage acces to the first class area of the ship which was necessary in order to reach the life boat deck

 

It was an absolute scandal that most 3rd class passengers were prevented from reaching the boat deck until it was too late and this is reflected in the very low percentage figure of those that survived. 66% of children in 3rd class lost compared with 16% in 1st class. 54% of women in 3rd class lost compared with 3% in 1st class. Half the problem was that the 3rd class areas were located in the lower decks both fore and aft of the ship. There weren't any direct access routes from these areas up to the boat deck. As it was a brand new ship with a mostly unfamiliar crew, even many crew members got lost trying to find their way around the ship. Captain Smith had planned to hold a lifeboat drill on Sunday 14 April, however, it never took place. What also didn't help were the US immigration law requirements that mandated ships to separate steerage passengers from 1st and 2nd class passengers.

[xenia]

I think the ongoing angst regarding this incident is distasteful, memorabilia is being sold for private gain, cruises arranged so that you can sail over the spot where the boat sank, Divers poking about on a wreck that should be regarded as a grave. False sentimentality. Pathetic.

 

Look to the living Let the dead rest.

[xenia]

Perhaps because nothing was particularly heroric about the things you mention?

 

Nothing heroic in two world wars? No doctors or nurses who teated the flu victims of 1918 and died as a result?

 

No heroes since 1912?

 

I disagree. The Titanic industry is about profit. A terrible legacy to those who died on that ship,

[Harleyman]

It was an absolute scandal that most 3rd class passengers were prevented from reaching the boat deck until it was too late and this is reflected in the very low percentage figure of those that survived. 66% of children in 3rd class lost compared with 16% in 1st class. 54% of women in 3rd class lost compared with 3% in 1st class. Half the problem was that the 3rd class areas were located in the lower decks both fore and aft of the ship. There weren't any direct access routes from these areas up to the boat deck. As it was a brand new ship with a mostly unfamiliar crew, even many crew members got lost trying to find their way around the ship. Captain Smith had planned to hold a lifeboat drill on Sunday 14 April, however, it never took place. What also didn't help were the US immigration law requirements that mandated ships to separate steerage passengers from 1st and 2nd class passengers.

 

That's an interesting point. It would have been hard to imagine though that millionairs like Guggenheim and Astor would have found it normal to share the same areas of the ship with far less well off Irish and European immigrants who could only afford a steerage class ticket.

That just wasn't on in the society of 1912.

[Harleyman]

The ship is the grave of 1500 poor souls. It should be respected as such and left alone

[Chris_Sleeps]

The Titanic industry is about profit. A terrible legacy to those who died on that ship,

Why? Forgetting about it would be better?

The ship is the grave of 1500 poor souls. It should be respected as such and left alone

So is the sea, using the same logic.

[Jim Graham]

Andrew Marr described all the fuss about Titanic as "sordid and tasteless". For once I agree with him.

[Minimo]

I was shocked to read that White Star got most of their profit from third class passengers and the mail that was carried.

 

If true, it is an even bigger scandal that third class passengers were kept away from the lifeboats. I suppose first class, although they would have paid a lot more for their fare, also had the most expenditure lavished on them, which third class certainly didn't have.

[HeadingNorth]

There must have been many instances of individual heroism that night but the lasting shame was attempting to bar passengers in steerage acces to the first class area of the ship which was necessary in order to reach the life boat deck

 

Since that did not happen, what was shameful about it?