The 20th September saw the Olympic, sister ship to Titanic, setting off from Southampton on her fifth Atlantic crossing.

On the bridge were Captain Smith and Pilot Bowyer, who would later be together again in the same capacity on board the Titanic. As the Olympic was leaving Southampton, the first class warship HMS Hawke, suddenly appeared.

Commanded by Willliam Frederick Hunt, she was only fifty metres away, almost level with Olympic which was increasing its speed. Suddenly the Hawke strayed toward the Olympic.

The Hawke being built to military specifications, was ‘armed’ below the bows with a steel ram covered in cement. The Hawke struck Olympic about twenty metres from her stern causing two breaches to Olympic’s starboard hull. One below the waterline and the other almost 2 metres deep and 4 metres wide on the topside.

The Olympic turned 30 degrees to the right and thanks to the strength of her watertight compartments, two of which were flooded, she did not sink.

The Olympic also suffered damage to her drive shaft, motor and the three bronze propellers. The propeller caliper was protected by the right back metal sheets which took the force of the impact.

The Hawke reported the loss of 2.5 metres of the ram and suffered crushed bows.

Both ships managed to enter port under their own power at reduced speed.

Sir Rufus Isaacs representing the Admiralty at the criminal proceedings following the collision requested the American Navy Shipbuilder D.W. Taylor to give evidence.

According to his evidence the accident was caused by the heavy wash created by the Olympic.

The damage was temporarily plugged with large planks of wood and the Olympic

returned to Southampton for initial repairs then back to Belfast for a refit.

1911

TITANIC The Name

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, or influence, gigantic, possessing or requiring colossal strength.

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.

So here’s a question ‘How many times a week in this modern day do you hear the word’ ‘TITANIC’ mentioned in, news broadcasts, soaps, dramas, documentaries, weather forecasts and current affairs programmes?

How often have you heard the phrase, ‘It was in Titanic proportions’ or ‘a Titanic battle’ or ‘it was on a Titanic scale’. And in political terms, ‘A Titanic Parliamentary struggle’, ‘it was a Titanic fight’. Little did they know when the name was chosen how significant the word would be used in modern day conversation.

Second into service

From his experience in the construction and launch of Olympic, Harland & Wolff's chief designer, Thomas Andrews, made several refinements to his second ship, Titanic.

This included enclosing the first-class promenade with glass to protect passengers from the wind and spray of the ocean. Real windows replaced portholes in the first-class staterooms, two of which were also fitted out with luxurious private decks.

These refinements added another thousand tonnes to Titanic. It is said that neither White Star nor Harland & Wolff ever stated publicly that Titanic was unsinkable although a contemporary White Star brochure did state that the Olympic class of liner was designed to be virtually unsinkable, something which has become part of the legend of Titanic today.

To make the ship unsinkable, Titanic was divided into 16 watertight compartments, any four of which could be flooded without sinking the ship. Public and press alike marveled at the many life-saving devices on Titanic, including its automatic watertight doors and bulkheads.

1911

TITANIC

Launched in Belfast

On May 31, 1911, Titanic was launched before thousands of spectators, including American financier J.P.. Morgan, the owner of the White Star Line's parent companies International Mercantile Marine and the Oceanic Steam Navigational Company.

Bruce Ismay was also in attendance, along with Lord Pirie, his wife, and the mayor of Belfast.

Before them rose the port side of the Titanic, her nearly 26,000 ton hull freshly painted black.

As was the White Star and Harland and Wolf custom, there was no christening.

At 12.05 pm two rockets were fired, followed by a third five minutes later.

At 12.13 pm the hull began to move under its own weight down the slipway into the River Lagan, Titanic took just 62 second to complete her launch. Over twenty-two tons of tallow and soap was spread one inch thick on the slipways to help Titanic slide effortlessly into the water.

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