Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
— Leonard Cohen, “Everybody Knows”
From late April 14 into early April 15, 1912 — between 11:45 p.m. and 2:15 a.m. — the RMS Titanic famously sank. The ship was constructed with a maximum capacity of 3,547 passengers and crew. On its maiden voyage, there were 2,208 humans on board. In full compliance with the maritime safety regulations of the time, the Titanic set sail with 20 lifeboats that could accommodate only 1,178 people.
Trying to “explain” that last curious fact is as slippery a task as getting answers about today’s goings-on. However, with more than a century of hindsight, there are some basic, universal, and timeless factors that can be pointed to as likely culprits. For example:
Bureaucracy, Greed, and Class
Let’s repeat something from above: In terms of lifeboats, the Titanic was in full compliance with the maritime safety regulations of the time. The ship’s owner, White Star Line, had cynically exploited a loophole made possible by an already corrupt system.
The post-disaster inquiry found that White Star Line (whose parent company was owned by J.P. Morgan — more about him soon) was more concerned with aesthetics than safety. Fewer lifeboats meant more unobstructed views.
More unobstructed views meant keeping the well-heeled first-class passengers happy and willing to pay exorbitant ticket prices. Lifeboat regulations were eventually changed — far too late, of course, for the 1,517 dead and their grieving families.
Arrogance and Ego
The Titanic was publicly decreed to be “unsinkable.” This accepted belief may shine some light on the lifeboat snafu. After all, why would anyone worry about rescuing passengers from a ship incapable of sinking? Even if some other minor trouble transpired, the powers-that-shouldn’t-be did not foresee a scenario in which every single passenger would need to be evacuated at the same time. A disabled Titanic, they promised, would still stay afloat until help arrived.
Inefficiency and Indifference
Had the White Star Line opted to supply enough lifeboats, there is little reason to believe this would’ve saved more lives. The crew was poorly trained. Only one cursory lifeboat drill took place while the ship was docked. Yet again, why bother with superfluous details like rescue training when you’ve built an invulnerable vessel? As the Titanic began sinking after striking an iceberg, only 18 of its 20 lifeboats were utilized by the panicked and unprepared crew. Some of those boats were launched half-full, at best, and only 705 people survived.
Meanwhile…
Everybody knows that the Plague is coming
Everybody knows that it's moving fast
— Leonard Cohen, “Everybody Knows”
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention two of the most prominent Titanic-related conspiracy theories. The first centers on the fact that J.P. Morgan begged off the maiden voyage just before it happened. You see, the theory posits that Morgan knew the ship would be sunk because he was behind a plan to kill Titanic passengers, John Jacob Astor IV, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Isidor Straus because they opposed Morgan’s plan to create the Federal Reserve.
Yes, Morgan did suddenly cancel his booking and he pulled a collection of his fine art from Titanic’s cargo just a few days before it sailed and sank:
Whenever someone of this power and influence does something like that, it does indeed warrant scrutiny. But I cannot find anything that proves Astor, Guggenheim, and Straus actually opposed The Fed. In fact, an October 16, 1911, New York Times headline (page 10) appears to highlight Straus’ support for a federal reserve bank:
The second Titanic-related conspiracy theory, however, has more evidence to keep it afloat (see what I did there?). Apparently, in order to perpetuate an insurance fraud, the Titanic was switched with its sister ship, the Olympic. If you’re curious, this article explains some of the myriad details behind this claim.
Of course, if anyone has other info on these two theories, please feel free to share them in the comments section.
Coda: After being picked up by the Carpathia, Titanic’s lifeboats were returned to the White Star Line at Pier 59 in New York. Scavengers immediately converged on the site to strip them bare for opportunistic souvenirs. Soon afterward, the ravaged boats completely vanished from any official record.
Some call it coincidence…
As I recall (from long ago reading), the powerful people of that time were mostly enthusiastic about the Fed. It offered them added support at public expense and the structure was under their control. What's not to like for career parasites? They were later horrified by FDR's rescue plan, even though it benefited them much more than anyone else. They preferred the Titanic model... They continue to prefer that. If it comes down to it, they'd rather rule over misery than cede an inch or an ounce.
Gee, why would you be thinking about the Titanic now?