"And the band played on . . ." is a phrase inextricably linked to one of the most well-known maritime disasters of all time: the sinking of the Titanic.

On the freezing, still night of April 14, 1912, the 46,000-ton British luxury liner Titanic was on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City. About 95 miles south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, she met her premature and tragic death.

She had steamed all day at a speed of upwards of 20 knots, covering 546 miles in the previous 24 hours. The temperature had dropped rapidly through the course of the evening, but the weather was fair and the sea calm. There was a relaxed party atmosphere on board as more than 2,200 passengers and crew enjoyed the amenities on the most luxurious ship afloat.

No rigid, organized routine was enforced, and the passengers came and went as they pleased. The liner had everything you could possibly imagine; no expense had been spared in the construction of lavish staterooms, sumptuous dining rooms and luxurious smoking rooms. She had libraries, a swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a gymnasium, a squash court, even an eight-piece orchestra-comforts to satiate all the desires of her passengers.

One thing, however, was lacking. There were not enough lifeboats. In fact, she had only 20, which was enough for fewer than half the passengers. The builders and owner were so confident in the Titanic's construction and safety features that they considered additional lifeboats unnecessary, and regulations at the time required no more. After all, with 16 watertight compartments, the most luxurious and largest ship afloat was unsinkable. Or was she?

Read the full article at www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn15/titanicvoyage.htm

Related Information on UCG Sites:

Table of Contents that includes "Titanic: The Unfinished Voyage"
Other Articles by John Meakin

Titanic:

• _Titanic: A Lesson For Today
• _Lessons From the Titanic
• _Prepare Yourself: Icebergs Ahead