Quote:
Originally Posted by John Walmsley
According to an article I read, the Titanic was traveling at 23 knots (approx. 26.5 mph) and probably attempting to set a new Atlantic crossing record. The 100 ft iceberg was sighted less than a quarter mile away, too late to avert a collision. There is speculation that Captain Smith knew of the iceberg danger at least an hour before the collision. However, the ship had been called "unsinkable" by its designers, so there was little thought to reducing speed. Apparently the boat had a double-skinned bottom but not the hull. Later luxury liners were built with a double bottom and double hull that that extended up over the water line. It would seem that speed and negligence contributed much to the disaster.
|
Yes and, ironically, if they hit the iceberg dead on they would have stayed afloat.
As for the article, only an engineer with all given specifics (which of course are unknown) can determine if the problem were the rivits or not. One would have to know the size and mass and shape of the iceberg, and the angle that they hit the iceberg at. Otherwise it's just speculation. There are alot of what if's in the Titanic event -
-what if the tramp steamer that was 10 miles away reacted to the Titanic distress signals.
-what if they hit the iceberg at a different angle, or speed.
-what if the watertight compartments were built just a little higher.
-what if the hull was breached in one less compartment (in reading, the breach was just in one watertight compartment too many, one less and it would have stayed afloat).
-what if their were enough life boats,
-what if the titanic lookouts saw the iceberg a second sooner, or a second later for that matter.
all factors could have resulted in the titanic staying afloat or reduced the great loss of life.