R.M.S. Titanic: 4 days until cast off.

April 6, 1912

Exactly 100 years ago on April 6th, what was happening to the Titanic? She was still being prepared for her first voyage. The passersby in Southampton, England, still gawked as they walked past, taking in the sight of the huge ship in their harbor. 500 tons of cargo were taken into the vessel's hold that day, which shows in itself how many workers must have been there and the long hours they must have worked to prepare the Titanic.

It was going to be the voyage of a lifetime.

A coal strike had been going on for almost 3 months, but finally ended on April 6th. There was less coal available in Southampton than there regularly should be, because of the strike. In order for the Titanic to sail on time, without waiting for a new shipment of coal to arrive, 5 other steamships docked there in Southampton loaned the Titanic the needed amount of coal. Also in an attempt to conserve the available material, the White Star line announced that their Olympic-class ships would be going at 20 knots of speed, instead of the regular 23.

Crew members were being hired. Many seaman who had been on strike for the previous 3 months, now hurried to sign on with the Titanic. Most of these men came from London, Liverpool, Yarmouth, Belfast, and Queenstown. Over 800 men were needed to keep the Titanic running smoothly on her journey.

Only 4 more days to go before this giant ship left England on her first voyage.

Pop quiz! I just wanted to take you by surprise with a few questions!... See how many answers you know and leave a comment with your thoughts. (Don't worry, you can browse through my Titanic posts to refresh your memory.)

Question #1: In what town was the Titanic built in?

Question #2: What does the R.M.S. prefix stand for in the ship's name, R.M.S. Titanic?

Question #3: How many smokestack funnels did the ship have?

Question #4: How much did it cost to built the Titanic?

Question #5: What are the names of the Titanic's two sister ships?