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KF5JRV > TODAY 14.04.19 15:00l 44 Lines 2196 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 34462_KF5JRV
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Apr 14
Path: IW8PGT<IZ3LSV<IK6ZDE<VE2PKT<N3HYM<KF5JRV
Sent: 190414/1357Z 34462@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA BPQ6.0.18
Just before midnight in the North Atlantic, the RMS Titanic fails to
divert its course from an iceberg, ruptures its hull, and begins to
sink.
Four days earlier, the Titanic, one of the largest and most luxurious
ocean liners ever built, departed Southampton, England, on its maiden
voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. While leaving port, the massive ship
came within a couple of feet of the steamer New York but passed safely
by, causing a general sigh of relief from the passengers massed on the
ship’s decks.
The Titanic was designed by the Irish shipbuilder William Pirrie and
spanned 883 feet from stern to bow. Its hull was divided into 16
compartments that were presumed to be watertight. Because four of these
compartments could be flooded without causing a critical loss of
buoyancy, the Titanic was considered unsinkable. On its first journey
across the highly competitive Atlantic ferry route, the ship carried
some 2,200 passengers and crew.
After stopping at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown, Ireland, to pick up
some final passengers, the massive vessel set out at full speed for New
York City. However, just before midnight on April 14, the ship hit an
iceberg, and five of the Titanic‘s compartments were ruptured along its
starboard side. At about 2:20 a.m. on the morning of April 15, the
massive vessel sank into the North Atlantic.
Because of a shortage of lifeboats and the lack of satisfactory
emergency procedures, more than 1,500 people went down in the sinking
ship or froze to death in the icy North Atlantic waters. Most of the
approximately 700 survivors were women and children. A number of notable
American and British citizens died in the tragedy, including the noted
British journalist William Thomas Stead and heirs to the Straus, Astor,
and Guggenheim fortunes. The announcement of details of the disaster led
to outrage on both sides of the Atlantic. The sinking of the Titanic did
have some positive effects, however, as more stringent safety
regulations were adopted on public ships, and regular patrols were
initiated to trace the locations of deadly Atlantic icebergs.
73 de Scott KF5JRV
Pmail: KF5JRV@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA
email: KF5JRV@GMAIL.COM
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