Death Ship: The Titanic Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

The Titanic actually sank on its maiden (very first) crossing of the Atlantic.

Answer: All of these

The Titanic was considered an engineering marvel - it was clearly the largest and most luxurious liner of its time. It was also considered the safest. At the time that it sank it was setting a record pace for the Atlantic crossing and may also have been the fastest liner of the time.

Answer: 1,522 people died and 705 were rescued.

On its maiden voyage the Titanic carried 337 first class passengers, 271 second class passengers and 712 third class passengers. The crew on the maiden voyage was 907.

Answer: The ship sank on April 14 and 15, 1912.

April is springtime in the northern hemisphere. A particularly warm spring had caused larger than normal icebergs to break away and become hazardous in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Answer: It was the first British ship to send an SOS message.

Previously, the international signal for distress was 'CQD' - at the time of the Titanic sinking, 'SOS' was a new call. SOS was chosen because of the simplicity of those three letters when put into Morse Code.

Answer: Belfast

The Titanic was built in the Belfast shipyard of Harland and Wolff, the most expensive and most reliable shipbuilder in Europe.

Answer: It took nearly two years

The Titanic's keel was laid in 1909. She was launched on May 31, 1911 - nearly 12 months before her maiden voyage.

Answer: 3

Although the Titanic had four funnels, only three of them were functional - the fourth was only cosmetic, serving no useful purpose apart from providing a vent from one of the galleys. It was considered that to have only three funnels, while other ships of the day had four, would make the Titanic appear to be inferior.

Interestingly, although all four funnels have their own whistles, only two of the whistles functioned - the other two were only dummies.

Answer: One and a Half Million Pounds

The Titanic was the largest ship afloat, weighing 46,328 tonnes. It had a power-plant which could produce 50,000 horsepower. The ship was constructed using the latest technology and contained the most modern of equipment, including a cinema, refrigerators and automated shampoo machines.

Answer: True

The steamer New York was next to the Titanic as the Titanic left Southampton. The New York's steel hawsers snapped and whipped through the air. If not for the skill of the Titanic's captain, a collision may have occurred.

Answer: False

The Titanic sailed to Cherbourg and then to Queenstown (Ireland) before setting out across the Atlantic.

Answer: Colonel J.J. Astor

Colonel Astor, the owner of a chain of New York Hotels, was worth Thirty million pounds. Guggenheim was worth Twenty million pounds from manufacturing mining machinery. Isidor Strauss, the owner of Macys department store, was worth a mere Ten million pounds. E.J. Smith was the Captain of the Titanic.

Answer: 20

The lifeboats were carried above 'A' deck. Hence the expression, "Rich women and children first!"

Answer: The Titanic reduced speed due to the danger posed by icebergs

Prior to receiving the message from the 'Amerika', the Titanic has also received an iceberg warning from the French liner 'Touraine'. The lookout in the crow's nest was relying on his own eyes as he sat in the dark, freezing night. The Titanic sailed at 21 knots, three below its maximum of 24 knots.

Answer: Californian

The skipper of the Californian, Stanley Lord, claimed that he thought the rockets were part of celebration, not a distress signal at all.

Answer: Mr and Mrs Strauss

Benjamin Guggenheim refused to use a lifeboat while there were still women on deck. Colonel Astor did the same, as did Major Archibald Butt, assistant to President William Taft. J. Bruce Ismay was officially criticised for his behaviour during the lowering of lifeboats.

Answer: Carpathia

The Carpathia reached the scene at dawn and picked up lifeboat survivors as well as many of those who had died.

Answer: Britain and the United States

The sinking of the Titanic was as unthinkable then as the destruction of the World Trade Centre was before September 11th. There were questions that needed to be answered and blame that needed to be attached ... to someone.

Answer: True

The regulations stated that any vessel of more than 15,000 tonnes must carry a minimum of 16 lifeboats. The Titanic carried 20, allowing space for 1,178 people - more than 1,000 short of the number of people on the maiden voyage.

Answer: That all ships should be equipped with a radio transmitter.

As well as recommending the value of radio technology as the standard of communication, the courts of enquiry also recommended that the number of lifeboats should be adequate to accommodate all passengers and crew travelling on board and was also instrumental in the establishment of regular ice patrols by the US Coastguard, funded by 13 countries.