Article from the Archives: ‘Titanic: Allegations & Evidence’
In summer 2007, many sensationalist claims were made about the Titanic disaster. It is a topic which made headlines in 1912 and it remains newsworthy today. Editors know that the ship’s name will draw attention. Unfortunately, sensationalism is often what draws attention in the mass media. One example of this was a headline in a United Kingdom newspaper:
‘Titanic faced disaster from the moment it set sail, experts now believe…Even if the ocean liner had not struck an iceberg during its maiden voyage, structural weaknesses made it vulnerable to any stormy sea’. (Copping, Jasper. ‘Revealed: Titanic Was Doomed Before it Set Sail’, Daily Telegraph 10 June 2007)
The arguments in the media and on television included the claim that Titanic was not built to be strong enough for her intended service; that the enclosure of the fore end of the A-deck promenade was intended to strengthen the ship; and that the shipbuilders Harland & Wolff, at the behest of the White Star Line, had been forced to reduce the thickness of the hull plating to save money. None of these claims were based on evidence. (Why let the facts get in the way of a good story?)
All of these claims are addressed point by point in my article, Titanic: Allegations & Evidence, which was published back in 2015. (You can also listen to a detailed discussion of all these topics in the Steam & Splendor podcasts I participated in.)
