20 Difficult Questions about RMS Titanic

Answer: April 15, 1912

No, this is NOT a trick question! The Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14th. Since the date changes at midnight and the ship sank at 2:20 a.m., this makes the date April 15th.

Answer: Edward John Smith

Stanley Lord was Captain of the Californian; Arthur H. Rostron was Captain of the Carpathia; Bruce Ismay was President of the White Star Lines.

Edward John Smith was born on January 27, 1850. He became the commodore of the White Star Lines in 1904, and always took the White Star Line ships on their maiden voyages. He was very popular with his crew and with passengers. Some passengers would only sail on ships where he was the Captain.

It seems quite a shame that some blame Captain Smith for the accident. I believe he handled the ship the same way any other Captain might have done. After all, everyone, including Bruce Ismay, considered the ship "unsinkable." When Mrs. Albert Caldwell was watching deck hands carry up luggage at Southampton, she asked one of them, "Is this ship really nonsinkable?" He replied, "Yes, lady, God Himself could not sink this ship." There is a memorial statue of Captain Smith in Beacon Park Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.

Answer: 11:40 pm

All surviving passengers and crew agree as to the time. Lookout Frederick Fleet saw the berg, rang the crow's-nest bell three times, and phoned the warning to the bridge. He and Lookout Reginald Lee watched for the next 37 seconds before the ship began to turn. Sadly, it was too late.

Answer: American liner New York

As the Titanic left Southampton at 12:00 p.m., the large water displacement from the ship caused the New York to break her moorings and almost collide with the Titanic. Only quick thinking from Captain Smith, who ordered the port engine reversed saved the ships from colliding.

Answer: Fireman J. Coffey

Fireman John Coffey deserted at Queenstown, Ireland (now known as Cobh). Do you suppose he had a premonition?

Answer: 12:15 am

Senior Wireless Operator Jack Phillps sent CQD - the usual distress call at that time. It was at 12:45 that he switched the call to SOS-the first ever sent by a British ship in history.

Answer: MGY

Every ship had its own call letters for wireless transmission. If you're interested, read about this on Wikipedia. It's quite fascinating!

Answer: 20

There were 16 lifeboats and 4 collapsibles, known as "Englehardts". There were 8 lifeboats on each side. Four toward the bow, an open space of 190 feet, then another four toward the stern. Port boats had even numbers, starboard side odd. The collapsibles were stored on deck and fitted into the empty davits after the first two boats had been lowered, and lettered A, B, C and D.

Answer: 1178

According to the Board of Trade regulations, a ship the size of the Titanic was only required to carry enough boats for 962 people. The White Star Line complained that nobody appreciated their 'thoughtfulness' in carrying enough boats to hold 1178!

Answer: Number 7

First Officer William Murdoch was in charge of the starboard side lifeboats. At first, most passengers were quite reluctant about getting in. Finally boat 7 was sent off with a total of 19-20 people in it. At first, the crew was reluctant to fill the boats to capacity for fear they would buckle under the weight if fully loaded.

As the ship got lower, they began to put more people in them.

Answer: 2207

There were 1316 passengers and 891 crew according to the US Inquiry figures.

Answer: 5

There were only 5 passengers - the other 7 were crewmen. The passengers were Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, Lady Duff Gordon, her secretary, and two male American passengers.

Answer: Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen

Major Puchen was allowed into boat number 6 to help fill out the crew, as there was only one crewman in the boat. Major Peuchen had to swing out on the forward fall and slide down the rope to get in!

Answer: Fifth Officer Lowe

He hung on to the davit with one hand and waved his other in a huge circle yelling 'Lower away! Lower away! Lower away!' 5th Officer Lowe told him to 'Get the hell out of the way....'

Answer: 6

She was irrepressible! She organized the women, two to an oar. One held the oar in place, while the second did the pulling.

Answer: Boat 14

In most of the boats, there was a timid suggestion, a stronger refusal and nothing done!

Answer: Frank Carlson

Frank Carlson missed the ship entirely. His name was still on the passenger list, and when he didn't show up among the survivors, he was presumed dead.

Answer: Willam Alden Smith

William Alden Smith was a U.S. Senator from Michigan. The inquiry was held at at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City on April 19th. One question asked at the hearing was to Fifth Officer Lowe. He was asked what an iceberg was made of. "Ice!" Fifth Officer Lowe calmly replied.

Answer: Lord Mersey

Lord Mersey was John Charles Bigham. Some felt that he was not exactly fair in his inquiry, supossedly favoring the Board of Trade and the shipping companies, but both his and the American inquiries did result in much safer rules for ships. Lifeboats for all people on board and 24 hour wireless coverage became standard after the disaster. Also, British and American Governments created the International Ice Patrol (the Coast Guard today), and the shipping lane itself was shifted further south.

Answer: Carpathia

The RMS Carpathia was a Cunard liner, sailing from New York City to Fiume, Austria (now known as Rijeka, Croatia). Wireless Operator Harold Cottam was about to turn in for the night, as his shift had ended. He happened to listen in to calls for a bit longer and was able to pick up the Titanic's SOS message. He immediately informed Captian Arthur Rostron, who ordered the ship turned and headed to the Titanic's last known location.They arrived around 4:00 a.m. They rescued a total of 705 survivors and the ship returned to New York. Captain Rostron received numerous awards for his courage.