There are some stories that become so famous, so ingrained in the public consciousness, that we often forget they’re not real. The sinking of the Titanic is one such story. It has been immortalized in books, plays, and films over the last century. But how much of it is true? Did this giant ship really sink on its maiden voyage? Or did everything we think we know about this tragedy actually only happen in Hollywood? In this article, we will be exploring the real story behind the sinking of the Titanic and uncovering whether or not there is more to the tale than meets the eye. There are those who believe there are secrets hidden within this tragedy and that there is evidence to suggest that there might be a conspiracy at work here. Was there something more sinister going on? Let’s read on to find out.
Is The Titanic Real?
Yes, it is. The Titanic was a luxury liner that sank in the north Atlantic Ocean after colliding with an iceberg, on 15 April 1912. The sinking claimed the lives of 1,503 of the ship’s 2,224 passengers and crew. The wreck lies on the bottom of the ocean at a depth of about 4,800 meters (16,000 feet).
What Caused The Sinking Of The Titanic?
Lack of binoculars for lookout
The first reason why the Titanic sank was a lack of binoculars for the lookout. The Titanic originally had two lookout posts, but one was removed due to the cost of installing the required winches for the ropes. This was a mistake for several reasons. The lookout needs to be able to communicate with the bridge. When signaling a hazard, such as ice or a ship in the distance, the lookout needs to be able to direct the ship’s course and distance away. A binocular is necessary for this. The lookout also needs to be able to see the ice in order to determine if it’s a problem or not. When the weather was clear, the lookout could see the ice. But when it was foggy, he couldn’t even see his own ship, let alone discern whether there was ice nearby. The binoculars used in 1912 were not the same as those used in 2019. The binoculars available at that time were of the Galilean design and were not very powerful. Telescopic binoculars, which are more powerful and easier to use, were not invented until the 1920s.
The ship was going too fast
Another reason why the Titanic sank was the ship was going too fast. The Titanic was traveling at 22 knots towards New York, which was its destination. At this speed, the ship would cover about 181 nautical miles a day. This was far too fast for the weather conditions, especially for a ship that was brand new. The Titanic had never sailed in the North Atlantic Ocean before. The crew members were unfamiliar with the weather conditions and what speed at which the ship could travel safely. When the Titanic hit the iceberg, it was traveling too fast to stop or turn around in time. The ship’s rudder was also too close to the hull, making it more difficult to manoeuvre.
Lack of lifeboats
There were not enough lifeboats on the Titanic. The White Star Line company, which operated the Titanic, had been forced to reduce the number of lifeboats on the ship to make room for additional First Class cabins. The Titanic was designed to be able to hold 2,150 passengers and 900 crew members. The ship was supposed to have 16 lifeboats onboard, which would be enough for all passengers and crew. However, due to the reduction in the number of lifeboats, there were only enough for 1,178 people. This left roughly 1,800 people on board the ship. If the weather and sea conditions had been calm, the lifeboats would have been enough for everyone. Unfortunately, it was not that day. The weather and sea conditions were calm and sunny during the early part of the journey. However, as the ship sailed towards the North Atlantic Ocean, the weather conditions quickly changed.
Faulty storage in the hull
Another reason why the Titanic sank was faulty storage in the hull. The Titanic had a double hull, which is a standard design for large ships. The double hull is designed to protect the ship if it hits an iceberg or some other obstacle. The water is supposed to flow into the empty space between the hulls and not do any damage. This is what happened with the Titanic, but there was one problem. The designers of the Titanic placed the coal in the space between the hulls to save space and increase fuel capacity. This was a big mistake and contributed to the sinking of the ship. When the Titanic hit the iceberg, the water that entered the empty space between the hulls was very cold, around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This was below the freezing point and was too cold for the coal. The coal expanded and pushed against the hull, making it weaker. This allowed water to enter the hulls and sink the ship.
Incorrect placement of the watertight doors
Another reason why the Titanic sank was the incorrect placement of the watertight doors. There were 24 watertight doors on the Titanic. They were designed to close automatically if the water inside a section of the ship rose above a certain level. These doors were a major reason why so many people survived the sinking of the Titanic. Unfortunately, there was one mistake made with these doors. The designers placed the doors on the bottom of the ship. This allowed the water to quickly rise and flood the bottom levels of the ship. The designers should have placed them on the top of the ship in order to allow the water to be pumped out from the top levels. This would have given the crew more time to rescue passengers and reduce the number of deaths.
Is There Any Evidence Of A Conspiracy?
As we’ve already established, the Titanic was not supposed to sink. And because so many people lost their lives on this ship, there have always been rumors that someone was to blame. There have always been rumors that Thomas Andrews, the Chief Engineer of the Titanic, was threatened with a gun and forced to make the ship go faster than it was supposed to. Some people even believe that the ship was sinking all along and that the captain was forced to go full steam ahead to make sure the ship sank as quickly as possible. There have been whispers that insurance companies hired a hitman to make sure that the Titanic was sunk. Some people even point to icebergs as evidence of a conspiracy. They claim that icebergs are not usually found in areas where they were reported to have hit the Titanic.
What Is The Real Story?
- There is no evidence to suggest that the Titanic was sunk on purpose. However, there are a few mistakes that investigators found during the investigation that contributed to the sinking of the ship.
- The first mistake the crew made was not traveling at a safe speed. Even though the ship was new, it wasn’t designed to go at full speed. In fact, the Titanic was only traveling at 21 knots, which is around 25 miles per hour.
- That’s almost half the speed of today’s cruise ships. Next, the crew didn’t follow the rules for icebergs.
- The Titanic had a lookout posted to look for icebergs, but his job was to spot them 5 miles out. That night, the lookout spotted the iceberg a mere 400 yards ahead of the ship.
- This wasn’t enough time to react, and the ship hit the iceberg. The third and final mistake was not having enough lifeboats on the ship. The rule for ocean liners of the time was that they needed enough lifeboats for 10% of the passengers on board.
- The Titanic had enough room for 2,200 passengers, so they needed 220 lifeboats. However, the ship was only equipped with enough space for just under half of that.
Conclusion
There are rumors that all of these mistakes could be a result of a conspiracy. While they are certain mistakes that contributed to the sinking of the Titanic, they are not a result of a cover-up. So, while the ship sinking on its maiden voyage and resulting in the loss of over 1,500 lives is tragic enough, there is no evidence to suggest the sinking was anything but an accident. So if there wasn’t a conspiracy, is there still anything interesting about the Titanic? Well, yes. There are many interesting things about this tragedy. For instance, the fact that the Titanic was so well documented is unusual. And the fact that there are some items from the Titanic that still exist today is even more unusual.
