Tragedy of the Titanic Essay Example

On the fourteenth of April in 1912, the sinking of the RMS Titanic was, at the time, the deadliest marine tragedy in history. The story of the disaster was in the newspapers for months and even years after it occurred. In every country and in every town, the story of that night never seemed to rest. Perhaps this was because the world had not been witness to such an unexpected tragedy before. Or perhaps the public was hooked to the story because of the details of what really happened that night. Day after day and week after week, investigators uncovered more details leading up to that fateful night. It was the lack of safety precautions and accident preparation that shocked the world. For one thing, the boat was fitted out with less lifeboats than it could carry. This was not nearly enough of the space needed to evacuate all passengers. It was also discovered that the boat was equipped with neither search lights nor binoculars in its crow’s nest. Not all events leading to the sinking of the mighty boat were unfortunate, however. Perhaps the most fortunate event of that night was the operation of the wireless communication system. It was what called for help and alerted the steamship, the Carpathia, to the scene. By looking at how poorly the Titanic had prepared for sea travel and how the people in 1912 responded to its planning, a lot can be said about the values of people that lived in 1912. Reflection, reconsideration, and improvement were very important to the generation the Titanic belonged to. They would learn from their mistakes and make it their goal to ensure nothing like the sinking of the Titanic would happen again.

Perhaps the most astonishing discovery after the wreck, was the lack of lifeboats the ship carried. The newspapers of 1912 all seemed to agree that there was no valid excuse for that fact. One article from the newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, exclaimed, “It is difficult to imagine why only less than half the vessel’s company was saved. Usually, these steamers carry enough lifeboats to accommodate all on board them” (“Not Lifeboats Enough”). From this passage, it is easy to see that even for a period in history where most of everything was subject to less intensive regulation, there was simply no excuse as to why the Titanic was short on lifeboats. Although the tragic consequences of such an oversight could not be undone, the authorities and lawmakers decided that such devastation could instead be prevented from happening again. In an article from the Olympia Daily Recorder, based in Olympia, Washington, it is stated, “Puget Sound steamboat companies are preparing a storm of protest as a result of a new U.S. regulation, compelling Sound steamers to carry enough lifeboats and life rafts for all on board” (“Declare Lifeboat Rules”). In another newspaper, The Duluth News Tribune, based out of Duluth Minnesota, tells readers, “Probably the first definitive and duly authorized regulations adopted as additional safeguards against loss of life at sea, as a lesson of the Titanic disaster… no White Star steamer may be permitted to leave an American port after July first unless provided with a full equipment of lifeboats and life rafts sufficient to care for all persons on board” (“Lifeboats Enough”). Based on these snippets of newspaper articles from 1912, after the tragedy, lawmakers were especially concerned with preventing such a needless loss of life from happening again. After spending time reflecting and learning, it can be seen that the people of 1912 were determined to improve regulations in order to prevent the loss of life. 

On the infamous night of April, when the Titanic sank, there were multiple devices that could have potentially changed the course of history and avoided the crash. Perhaps the most potential for change lied in the crow’s nest. An article by the Belleville News-Democrat tells, “The failure to provide binoculars or spyglasses for the lookouts on the Titanic was one contributing cause of that ship’s loss, and with it the lives of more than one thousand” (“Titanic Lookout Had”). Although this article argues that binoculars could have avoided the outcome of that evening, other sources like The Kansas City Star, report of an anecdote given by the White Star Line officials, who belonged to the cruise line that owned the Titanic, that reads “Bartlett said that he considered glasses for lookouts unnecessary” (“Lifeboats in the”). While it is true that these two sources do not agree, it must be remembered that The Kansas City Star was reporting what one of the White Star Line officials said in court while defending the actions taken by his company and may have contained bias. Regardless of whether the use of binoculars would have changed the course of history, both sources shine light onto how people were reflecting and questioning what went wrong that night in order to prevent it from reoccurring. It is easy to see how citizens living in the 1910s valued improvement.

Another item that was not present on the Titanic at the time of its sinking, was a searchlight. After the accident, many people could be heard through the newspapers and were questioning the decisions that led to the lack of a searchlight on the Titanic. In an article published by the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, it is stated “If the Titanic had been equipped with searchlights and used them in the watch for ice as she was warned the ocean leviathan would not now be lying below the surface of the sea” (“Search Lights On”). Statements like these made it clear that people in 1912 did not believe the Titanic’s voyage had to end the way it did. But it was statements like those of Captain John Knapp of the United States Navy that made it clear that improvement was necessary. In the same article by the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, Knapp said, “I would recommend the installation of searchlights on every ship whether it be a tramp plying on coastwise routes or the ocean greyhound in trans-ocean navigation” (“Search Lights On”). Not only did people recognize what went wrong that night, but they sought to change and improve their current practices. Not only did people want to alter regulations and laws to improve the safety of travelers, but some people were even inspired to innovate. The Dallas Morning News published an article about a man named S.H. Harrison who, inspired by the tragedy, was in the process of inventing a device he called the Rayograph (“Invents Light Ray”). The rayograph was meant to emit a beam of light that could be seen from forty miles away and 1500 feet in the air. His ideas prove how his generation valued learning from their mistakes.

It is easy to see how things that went wrong could be improved, but what did people think about aspects of the disaster that went right? Perhaps the only reason anyone was rescued as the Titanic sank to the frozen depths of the ocean was due to the wireless communication system on board. Harold Bride, the only survivor of the two men working the wireless on board the Titanic, recalled the events as he remembered them. He said, “The Carpathia answered our signal. We told her our position and said we were sinking by the head. The operator went to tell the captain, and in five minutes returned and told us that the captain of the Carpathia was putting about and heading for us” (“Thrilling Story”). It was because of Bride and Jack Phillips, his co wireless officer, that the Carpathia was sent to rescue survivors, which was able to rescue an extremely fortunate 705 passengers (“Carpathia Soon”). After his story was published in the New York Times, the public’s opinion on the importance of wireless was solidified. They believed wireless to be an important and necessary tool for all ships to carry. So important as a matter of fact, that in the following weeks of the incident, The Charlotte Daily Observer published an article reading, “Wireless telegraphy is not a plaything but a serious business and the amateurs should be forbidden under heavy penalty to interfere with the service of regular stations” (“Safety at Sea”). Before the accident, many people saw wireless as a luxury or even a gimmick. After the ship was saved by the use of wireless communication, people understood the potential it held. This change in mindset proves that in 1912, people were interested in reflecting on what went wrong and improving systems accordingly. 

By looking at how the people living in 1912 responded to the catastrophe that was the sinking of the Titanic, it is clear what their values were. After witnessing the biggest naval disaster of their time, both citizens and authorities sought to keep people safe by preventing this kind of accident from ever happening again. They valued learning from their mistakes and innovating the future. Moving forward, people ensured that steamships would have an adequate number of lifeboats for every man, woman, and child on board. They made it their goal to figure out why the Titanic’s lookouts were never given binoculars and why the largest boat of its time was not outfitted with large search lights. By taking the time to reflect, they realized how important wireless communication was while at sea and set out to improve it in every way. Through all of their care and commitment, those who played witness to the sad news of the Titanic were able to make the world a safer place for the future of mankind and by doing this, ensured that those who lost their life aboard the Titanic did not die for nothing.