Countdown to Disaster

The Last Days of the R.M.S. Titanic

tHURsday, April 11, 1912

 Thursday, April 11th, 1912, was the first full day of R.M.S. Titanic's maiden voyage. When the morning came, Titanic was moving at a speed of 21 knots. Early that morning, the ship's compass was upgraded. Soon, she passed the Daunt Light Vessel and picked up Queenstown's harbor pilot. An emergency full dress rehearsal was held that morning, complete with the alarm bells sounding and the watertight doors closing. The two men in the ships' wireless office celebrated the 25th birthday of the Senior Operator, Jack Phillips.

 At 11:30 a.m., Titanic anchored two miles off Roche's Point, near Queenstown, to await the 2nd and 3rd Class passengers that were to be brought aboard her. The tenders America and Ireland left Scott's Quay at Queenstown, Ireland, bound for the ship. Boarding were hundreds of 3rd Class passengers, the poorest people on the ship. Many of them had just come from an early morning mass at St. Colman's Cathedral, which dominated the city's skyline. As the tenders came up alongside, Lifeboat 2 of the Titanic was swung out, just in case of accident. The press was allowed aboard and they came onto the Officer's Promenade Decks. One reporter managed to catch Captain E.J. Smith and Purser Hugh McElroy, and asked them to pose for him. They did so, posing near the Captain's Quarters.

 The First Class Promenade Deck soon became covered with the wares of dozens of Irish linen merchants, all displaying their best products. One lucky vendor managed to get a good $800 for a single article from Colonel J.J. Astor for his young wife Madeleine. As the Ireland pulled up to the ship's side, a soot-faced stoker popped his head up from the liner's dummy fourth funnel, peering down at the tender and the Titanic. To some aboard, this was seen as a bad omen, symbolizing an impending doom. At least one passenger left the ship because of it.

 A fireman, John Coffee, a native of Queenstown, hid himself in the bottom of some empty mailbags and left the ship, with the full pay he had received for the voyage. He said that he did this as he was homesick for his country, and when he saw it from the ship he could not resist it. Also debarking were a Mr. E. Nicholls, the Odell family, and Fr. Francis Browne, S.J., the now famous photographer who was travelling with the Odells. At 1:15, while on a tender, Fr. Browne looked up with his camera and photographed the Starboard Bridge Wing, and the man peering down from it. As he must have known, this man Browne photographed was Captain Edward John Smith. This photograph was the last ever taken of the Commodore of the White Star Line. At about this time, 1st Officer Murdoch and Second Officer Lightoller closed the Titanic's gangway door. As she prepared to leave for open sea, 3rd Class Passenger Eugene Daly, leaving behind his native Ireland for the New World, played on his bagpipes 'Erin's Lament'.

 At 1:30 p.m., after Mr. E.J. Sharp, the immigration officer had a quick inspection, the ship's anchor was raised and she left for America, stopping once at the Daunt Light Vessel to drop off the pilot. Titanic left, passing the Old Head of Kinsale on her way through St. George Channel.

Countdown to Disaster has been prepared for ACT I by Titanic Researcher Addison Hart of DeKalb, Illinois.

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