Titanic Facts:
The Ship
White Star Line was the company that built the Titanic, and was owned by J.P. Morgan, an American tycoon.
The cost to build the RMS Titanic was $7.5 million
It took 3,000 men two years to build the Titanic. Three million rivets held its massive hull together.
The Titanic was never christened. It was not the practice of the White Star Line to hold such ceremonies.
Price of a single first-class ticket was $4,700. (Equals $50,000 in today's economy)
The Iceberg
There were 6 ice warnings received by Titanic on the day of the collision. They were all ignored by the wireless operator who was preoccupied with transmitting passenger messages.
On the night of the collision, because the moon was not out, and the water was so still, it was very difficult to see the iceberg. Less calm water would have caused breakers around the iceberg making it easier to see it from afar.
The iceberg that the Titanic struck was not a very big one. It did not even come up as high as the bridge of the ship.
Survivors / Casualties
1,503 people total died, including passengers and crew.
Only 705 people survived.
962 lifeboat seats were required by law.
1,178 lifeboat seats were carried aboard.
2,208 lifeboat seats were needed.
One of the first lifeboats to leave the Titanic carried only 28 people; it could have held 64 people.
There were 472 lifeboat seats not used.
300 dead bodies were pulled from the sea the next morning. They were found