# 3191l - 2000 33c Celebrate the Century - 1990s: "Titanic"
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2000 33¢ Blockbuster Film
Celebrate the Century â 1990s
City: Monterey, CA
Quantity:Â 8,250,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: 11 ½
Color: Multicolored
The Titanic SinksÂ
Construction on the RMS Titanic began on March 31, 1909, and was funded by J.P. Morgan and the International Mercantile Marine Company. The Titanic, along with the White Star ships Olympic and Britannic, were designed to be the largest and most luxurious ships of the time.
The largest passenger steamship in the world at that time, the Titanic was nearly 883 feet long and 92 and a half feet wide. The ship weighed 46,328 gross register tons and rose 60 feet above the water line to the deck. The Titanic had two reciprocating four-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines and a single low pressure Parsons turbine that powered the its three propellers with a total of 46,000 horsepower. The liner was fueled by 29 boilers with 159 coal-burning furnaces, allowing the ship to travel up to a maximum of 28 miles per hour. Three of the shipâs four 63-foot tall funnels were operational, and the fourth one was added simply to make the ship look more impressive.
Contrary to custom, the Titanic was first launched on May 31, 1911, with no christening. The fateful maiden voyage began in the harbor of Southampton, England, on Wednesday, April 10, 1912. Operated by Captain Edward J. Smith, the Titanic narrowly escaped a collision with a docked boat, the SS City of New York, by just four feet. The near-accident delayed the shipâs departure by an hour. After leaving the harbor, the Titanic crossed the English Channel, picking up passengers in Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown, Ireland, before setting course for New York.
The night became cool, with temperatures falling below freezing beneath the clear sky. At 11:40 PM, as the Titanic glided smoothly across the calm water near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee saw a large iceberg straight ahead of the ship. Fleet rang the shipâs bell three times, and, panic-stricken, called the bridge, warning âIceberg, right ahead!â His message was relayed to First Officer Murdoch, who ordered that the ship make an abrupt left turn and full speed astern, stopping and then reversing the Titanicâs engines. The iceberg was unavoidable. The collision caused a rupture in the shipâs right side, which buckled the hull in several locations and forced rivets to pop out below the waterline over a length of 300 feet.
As the Titanicâs passengers and crew grew anxious, the shipâs eight musicians, led by Wallace Hartley, began playing in the first-class lounge to ease peopleâs nerves. When passengers began moving outside, the band relocated to the deck and continued playing. Even as the band realized the ship was going to sink, they continued to play. Although none of the band members survived, their story did. Witnesses claim the last song they played was either âNearer, My God, to Thee,â or âSonge dâAutomne.â
The ship did not appear to be in danger, and many passengers feared leaving the safety of the giant liner for the small lifeboats. As a result, many of the early-launched lifeboats left the ship far below capacity. As the ship continued to fill with water and lifeboats became sparse, passengers realized the seriousness of the situation and began filling lifeboats to capacity. By 2:05 AM, the front of the boat (or bow) was under water and 18 of the 20 lifeboats had been launched.
Up on the surface, most of the lifeboats were moving away from the wreckage for fear of being pulled into the suction. Passengers debated about returning to pick up additional survivors, but feared they might be swamped by people and pulled under. Just two of the 18 boats went back for more survivors, while others managed to climb aboard the two rogue lifeboats that floated off the deck.
The Titanic carried 2,223 people on its maiden voyage. Of those, only about 705 survived. Many of the 1,517 deaths were caused by hypothermia from the 28ºF (-2ºC) water. (Sources vary on exact number of people.)
Several changes were made to maritime practices, ship designs, and more following the disastrous end of the Titanicâs maiden voyage. And it would be over 70 years before the ships remains were discovered at the ocean floor.
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Â
2000 33¢ Blockbuster Film
Celebrate the Century â 1990s
City: Monterey, CA
Quantity:Â 8,250,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: 11 ½
Color: Multicolored
The Titanic SinksÂ
Construction on the RMS Titanic began on March 31, 1909, and was funded by J.P. Morgan and the International Mercantile Marine Company. The Titanic, along with the White Star ships Olympic and Britannic, were designed to be the largest and most luxurious ships of the time.
The largest passenger steamship in the world at that time, the Titanic was nearly 883 feet long and 92 and a half feet wide. The ship weighed 46,328 gross register tons and rose 60 feet above the water line to the deck. The Titanic had two reciprocating four-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines and a single low pressure Parsons turbine that powered the its three propellers with a total of 46,000 horsepower. The liner was fueled by 29 boilers with 159 coal-burning furnaces, allowing the ship to travel up to a maximum of 28 miles per hour. Three of the shipâs four 63-foot tall funnels were operational, and the fourth one was added simply to make the ship look more impressive.
Contrary to custom, the Titanic was first launched on May 31, 1911, with no christening. The fateful maiden voyage began in the harbor of Southampton, England, on Wednesday, April 10, 1912. Operated by Captain Edward J. Smith, the Titanic narrowly escaped a collision with a docked boat, the SS City of New York, by just four feet. The near-accident delayed the shipâs departure by an hour. After leaving the harbor, the Titanic crossed the English Channel, picking up passengers in Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown, Ireland, before setting course for New York.
The night became cool, with temperatures falling below freezing beneath the clear sky. At 11:40 PM, as the Titanic glided smoothly across the calm water near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee saw a large iceberg straight ahead of the ship. Fleet rang the shipâs bell three times, and, panic-stricken, called the bridge, warning âIceberg, right ahead!â His message was relayed to First Officer Murdoch, who ordered that the ship make an abrupt left turn and full speed astern, stopping and then reversing the Titanicâs engines. The iceberg was unavoidable. The collision caused a rupture in the shipâs right side, which buckled the hull in several locations and forced rivets to pop out below the waterline over a length of 300 feet.
As the Titanicâs passengers and crew grew anxious, the shipâs eight musicians, led by Wallace Hartley, began playing in the first-class lounge to ease peopleâs nerves. When passengers began moving outside, the band relocated to the deck and continued playing. Even as the band realized the ship was going to sink, they continued to play. Although none of the band members survived, their story did. Witnesses claim the last song they played was either âNearer, My God, to Thee,â or âSonge dâAutomne.â
The ship did not appear to be in danger, and many passengers feared leaving the safety of the giant liner for the small lifeboats. As a result, many of the early-launched lifeboats left the ship far below capacity. As the ship continued to fill with water and lifeboats became sparse, passengers realized the seriousness of the situation and began filling lifeboats to capacity. By 2:05 AM, the front of the boat (or bow) was under water and 18 of the 20 lifeboats had been launched.
Up on the surface, most of the lifeboats were moving away from the wreckage for fear of being pulled into the suction. Passengers debated about returning to pick up additional survivors, but feared they might be swamped by people and pulled under. Just two of the 18 boats went back for more survivors, while others managed to climb aboard the two rogue lifeboats that floated off the deck.
The Titanic carried 2,223 people on its maiden voyage. Of those, only about 705 survived. Many of the 1,517 deaths were caused by hypothermia from the 28ºF (-2ºC) water. (Sources vary on exact number of people.)
Several changes were made to maritime practices, ship designs, and more following the disastrous end of the Titanicâs maiden voyage. And it would be over 70 years before the ships remains were discovered at the ocean floor.
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