Exactly 101 years ago, the ill-fated RMS Titanic hit an iceberg while it was crossing the Atlantic Ocean and sank, leading to the death of over 1500 people. Here are ten interesting facts on the ship that inspired the James Cameron blockbuster.
It took three years and 3,000 workers to build the gigantic RMS Titanic, which weighed 46,000 tons.
The richest passenger aboard was multi-millionaire John Jacob Astor, who was traveling with his second wife, Madeleine. She was five months pregnant. JJ Astor did not survive, but his wife did.
As a Royal Mail Ship, Titanic was carrying more than 3,300 bags of mail.
There was 75,000 pounds of fresh meat served everyday. 16,850 bottles of wine, liquor and ale were on board.
There were twenty lifeboats on Titanic when disaster struck, which were only enough to carry half of the 2,200 passengers aboard. Ironically, even this number was more than they were required to have by law.
Silent screen actress Dorothy Gibson was one of the survivors. She later made a film titled "Saved From the Titanic," which was a huge success.
A first-class Titanic (parlor suite) ticket cost $50,000 (Rs.25,74,665). A first-class (berth) ticket cost $1,724 (Rs.88,797 today), second-class accommodations cost $690 (Rs.35,592 today), and a third-class ticket cost $172 to $460 (Rs.8860 to Rs.23,693 today).
It cost one shilling to use the 30x14 feet pool on the ship, which included use of a costume. Men and women were not allowed to use the pool together.
The hero of the ship was senior officer Charles Herbert Lightoller who took charge of an overturned lifeboat, then calmed and organized the 30-odd survivors. He was the last survivor who was taken onboard the rescue ship, RMS Carpathia.
Today, the wrecked Titanic rests over 12,000 feet beneath in the North Atlantic ocean's chilly waters.
