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Line 32: − + − ==The sinking==+ − + − at 11:40 p.m., while sailing 400 miles off the coast of [[Newfoundland]], lookout Frederick Fleet spotted a large iceberg directly ahead of the ship, and alerted the bridge, calling "Iceberg, right ahead!" First Officer William McMaster Murdoch ordered the engines stopped and reversed, and ordered the tiller hard to starboard. The large ship could not slow down and turn quickly enough and its starboard side hit the iceberg, resulting in a long scrape below the waterline.<ref>http://www.cincymuseum.org/information_center/press_room/titanic/sinking_timeline.asp</ref>+ Line 51:
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==Flag==
==Flag==
[[British]] merchant vessels normally fly the Red Ensign. However, as the captain and at least 12 crew were members of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), a special warrant was issued to fly the Blue Ensign.<ref>http://www.nava.org/Flag%20Information/articles/Titantic/titanic.htm</ref>
[[British]] merchant vessels normally fly the Red Ensign. However, as the captain and at least 12 crew were members of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), a special warrant was issued to fly the Blue Ensign.<ref>http://www.nava.org/Flag%20Information/articles/Titantic/titanic.htm</ref>
==Maiden voyage==
==Maiden voyage==
''Titanic'' left Southampton on April 10, 1912, picking up additional passengers at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, before heading out into the Atlantic.
''Titanic'' left Southampton on April 10, 1912, picking up additional passengers at Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, before heading out into the Atlantic.
==The sinking==
A later investigation showed that the ship had failed to follow all safety procedures. Besides traveling through dangerous waters at high speed (after receiving repeated warnings concerning the presence of icebergs), the Titanic also had aboard an insufficient number of lifeboats for the passengers and crew. <ref> [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/today.html] </ref>
On April 14, the Titanic's wireless operators received seven iceberg warnings, but the ship continued sailing through the North Atlantic at 23 knots. Conditions were clear and the water was calm, which should have helped the lookouts spot an iceberg well in advance.<ref>http://www.historyonthenet.com/Titanic/titanic_timeline.htm</ref>
On April 14, the Titanic's wireless operators received seven iceberg warnings, but the ship continued sailing through the North Atlantic at 23 knots. Conditions were clear and the water was calm, which should have helped the lookouts spot an iceberg well in advance. <ref>http://www.historyonthenet.com/Titanic/titanic_timeline.htm</ref>
At 11:40 p.m., while sailing 400 miles off the coast of [[Newfoundland]], lookout Frederick Fleet spotted a large iceberg directly ahead of the ship, and alerted the bridge, calling "Iceberg, right ahead!" First Officer William McMaster Murdoch ordered the engines stopped and reversed, and ordered the tiller hard to starboard. The large ship could not slow down and turn quickly enough and its starboard side hit the iceberg, resulting in a long scrape below the waterline.<ref>http://www.cincymuseum.org/information_center/press_room/titanic/sinking_timeline.asp</ref>
The collision ruptured six watertight compartments on the starboard side, resulting in flooding of the bow, eventually flooding each watertight compartment. Water levels in the bow reached as high as 14 feet just 10 minutes after the impact with the iceberg.<ref>http://www.historyonthenet.com/Titanic/titanic_timeline.htm</ref>
The collision ruptured six watertight compartments on the starboard side, resulting in flooding of the bow, eventually flooding each watertight compartment. Water levels in the bow reached as high as 14 feet just 10 minutes after the impact with the iceberg.<ref>http://www.historyonthenet.com/Titanic/titanic_timeline.htm</ref>
As the lifeboats disembarked, the bow continued filling with water and the stern of the ship was slowly lifted out of the water. Witnesses in lifeboats recalled seeing the stern lift to almost a 45-degree angle above the water before snapping in two between the third and fourth funnels and sinking at 2:20 am on April 15. The 706 survivors were rescued by the Cunard liner ''Carpathia'', which was more than 50 miles away when it first heard the distress calls; she arrived some eighty minutes after the Titanic went down.
As the lifeboats disembarked, the bow continued filling with water and the stern of the ship was slowly lifted out of the water. Witnesses in lifeboats recalled seeing the stern lift to almost a 45-degree angle above the water before snapping in two between the third and fourth funnels and sinking at 2:20 am on April 15. The 706 survivors were rescued by the Cunard liner ''Carpathia'', which was more than 50 miles away when it first heard the distress calls; she arrived some eighty minutes after the Titanic went down.
==Passengers==
==Passengers==