The Titanic Sinks, and 1,595 are lost
What has been called one of the greatest tragedies of histories, is still lurking in our minds more than 90 years later. Most famous for the ignorance of the upper class, the sinking of the Titanic shook the world as the "unsinkablt" luxury liner, went down near Newfoundland. An iceberg ripped through the hull, as the Titanic pompously speeded through the icy waters at 21 knots.
With only enough lifeboats to save half the passengers and crew because they cluttered the deck area, 745 were saved of the original 2,340. Some of the lifeboats, occupied by mostly upper class passengers, were only filled to half their maximum, since the passengers didn't want to be too crowded. This was allowed because most of the passengers did not think much of the accident. "A slight tremble, rather than a severe jolt, was felt at the time of the collision." Most of the passengers regarded the collision as an annoyance, and even took the time to find a warm coat, or to finish their dinner in their stateroom.
But as we all know, the Titanic sank into the icy, dark water after snapping in two. It's true that a band played on the deck until the last possible moment, and that the Carpathia had sent a message to the Titanic, warning her of icebergs, a few hours earlier. The remaining passengers were sucked down with the wreck, consisting of mostly men, crew, and a small portion of women, who refused to be rescued. Sadly, two lifeboats were also pulled down with the wreck.
Colonel Archibald Gracie was perhaps the only passenger to go down with the Titanic and live to tell about it. "I managed to grasp the brass railing and I hung on my might and main. When the ship plunged down, I was swirled around for what seemed an interminable time. Eventually, I came to the surface to find the sea a mass of tangled wreckage."
The Titanic is one of the most infamous events in the 20th century. Many documentaries have been, some going down to the wreck itself, as well as many films, including James Cameron's Oscar sweeping, Dicaprio flick. Some of the artifacts from the ship have been brought up, including jewels, silverware, and personal keepsakes. These are scattered across the globe in museums, and exhibits. Four years ago, there was talk of another Titanic in construction, but thankfully, those rumours turned out to be just rumours.
3 more documentaries are currently in production for a more in-depth look at the Titanic wreckage. Hopefully, these projects will be cancelled, and the wreckage, which is also a gravesite to more than 1500 souls, will be left to rest.