Re: INTERESTING LIVES and INTERESTING FACTS
T I T A N I C
*The Titanic was a White Star Line ocean liner, *
*built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard
in Belfast, Ireland, designed to compete *
*with rival company Cunard Line's Lusitania and Mauretania. *
*The Titanic, along with her Olympic-class sisters, *
*the Olympic and the soon
to be built Britannic *
*(originally named Gigantic), *
*were intended to be the largest, most
luxurious ships ever to operate. *
*Construction of the RMS Titanic, funded by the American
J.P. Morgan and his *
*International Mercantile Marine Co., *
*began on March 31, 1909. Titanic's
hull was launched May 31, 1911, *
*and her outfitting completed March 31 the following year.
*
*Titanic was 882 ft 9 in (269 m) long and 92 ft 6 in (28 m) wide, had a gross register tonnage of 46,328 tons, and a height from the water line to the boat deck of 60 ft (18 m).
*
*Titanic contained two reciprocating four-cylinder, triple expansion, inverted steam engines and one low pressure Parsons turbine which powered three propellers. *
*There were 29 boilers fired by 159 coal burning furnaces that made possible a top speed of 23 knots (43 km/h).
Only three of the four 63 feet (19 m) tall funnels were functional; *
*the fourth funnel, which only served as a vent, *
*was added to make the ship look more impressive. *
*The ship could hold a total of 3,547 passengers *
*and crew and, because she carried mail, *
*her name was given the prefix
RMS (Royal Mail Steamer) *
**as well as SS (Steam Ship).
**