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The History - From Idea To Reality
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 "Titanic"
is a word which originates from Greek mythology. The Titans were a
race of giants reputed for their great size and force, and were eventually
overthrown by the Olympian gods. The word "titanic" in English
now likewise means "of, relating to, or held to have characteristics
of the Titans," or "marked by very great size : of enormous
magnitude, power, scope, strength, or influence : colossal, gigantic."
Titanic was just the sort of name the White Star Line was seeking
for the sister ships that were to be its newest triumvirate of transatlantic
steamers. |
 In
1907, five years before Titanic would set sail, J. Bruce
Ismay (photo below left, on right), managing director of the White
Star Line, and Lord William James Pirrie (photo below, left), chairman
of the shipbuilder Harland and Wolff, met for dinner in London. It
was on this night that the two discussed plans for three new liners
that would be like nothing the world had seen. Harland and Wolff and
the White Star Line had a very loyal partnership, but White Star had
major competition from the Cunard line, who was enjoying great success
with the Mauretania and Lusitania and their speed
records for crossing the Atlantic. |
 As
ships were the only means for crossing the oceans in this era, and
as an Atlantic crossing transit still took several days, people would
inevitably spend a significant amount of time on ocean liners. White
Star and Cunard understood this – while Cunard’s priority
was generally speed, backed by their revolutionary turbine engines,
The White Star Line had generally opted for the more comfortable and
slightly slower voyage. While White Star maintained this philosophy,
the size and luxury of the newly conceived liners held promise to
outdo the Cunard ships in more than one respect. The White Star flagships
would have both reciprocating steam engines, the norm for the period,
and a turbine engine to power the center of three propellers. Moreover,
a double plated hull and a sophisticated system of watertight compartments
provided the utmost in security. |
 The
three Royal Mail Steamships were to be called Olympic, Titanic,
and Gigantic. It was the tradition of the White Star Line to adjectivize
its ships with the suffix "ic," thus describing the liners as
well as naming them. They were to be virtually identical in size and structure,
but Titanic was to be the true shining star. On the 29th of July,
1908, White Star, including Ismay, came to the shipyard of Harland and Wolff
in Belfast, Ireland to review the tentative plans for the conception of
the ships. The creation of these initial plans was under the direct supervision
of Thomas Andrews (right), the managing director and senior draftsman for
Harland and Wolff. Andrews oversaw virtually every detail from blueprint
to maiden voyage. About a year and a half after the idea was born for the
White Star Titans, the keel was laid for the firstborn, Olympic. |
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