April 10, 1912: RMS Titanic Began Its Fateful Voyage 99 Years Ago

The RMS Titanic set sail on April 10, 1912, from Southampton, England. The ship was headed to New York. It encountered an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912. It is believed the iceberg caused the ship to crash. However, there are also other theories about what caused the demise of the RMS Titanic.

Passengers from Around the World

The maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic had a very diverse roster of passengers. The people on board came from 44 countries. The ship was the largest steamship ever created. There was much publicity when the ship was about to sail off on its first journey on April 10, 1912.

Then the morning after the crash, only wreckage was left of the RMS Titanic. It still seems shocking that such a large ship could be destroyed so rapidly. And now it is 99 years since the RMS Titanic sailed off on its maiden voyage that ended in catastrophe, notes Brainy History.

The short-lived journey of the RMS Titanic and its sinking still hold much mystery. Many lives were lost. The survivors had many tales to tell about the final moments of the time aboard the ship.

An SOS Message

It seems when the ship first hit the iceberg it was not immediately known how serious the damage was. A worker aboard the ship, Harold Bride, was in the room while an SOS message was sent out. They were making jokes at the time. Either it was just dark humor or they did not realize the ship would sink.

The worker survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic, although he spent some time in the sea. He later told the New York Times that soon though the captain told the workers to leave their posts "Men, you have done your full duty. You can do no more. Abandon your cabin. Now it's every man for himself. You look out for yourselves. I release you." To read the full article go here.

Historical Articles about the RMS Titanic

To see the article from the New York Times in 1912 that described the news that the RMS Titanic had hit an iceberg and was in crisis, go here. To read about some of the well-known people aboard the RMS Titanic, including Col. Jacob Astor of New York, go to an archive article from the New York Times, go here.

Also, some of the female passengers who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic wrote about their experiences. To read about Elizabeth Shutes' experiences of leaving the ship via a lifeboat, go here.

Since the demise of the RMS Titanic, ocean bound ships are much safer. Ocean travel still has an exotic feel. The seas are magnificent and beautiful. They hold secrets too, of voyages never completed and lives lost.

The RMS Titanic on Twitter

To learn more about the Titanic and its place in history follow @RMS_Titanic_Inc on Twitter, go here. This Twitter feed is full of interesting facts about the Titanic.

Sources:

New York Times

New York Times

RMS Titanic on Twitter

Eyewitness to History

Brainy History

New York Times