The Loss of the S.S. Titanic

 In April of 1912, the luxury ocean liner RMS Titanic embarked on its maiden voyage. Leaving Southampton, England, its passengers ranged from a “who’s who” of the British upper class to humble travelers hoping to start new lives in America.

But very few of those aboard would survive after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Among those who did survive was Lawrence Beesley, a journalist who, after witnessing the ship sink from a lifeboat, recorded his harrowing experience in The Loss of the S.S. Titanic.

Here is Beesley’s authoritative account of the Titanic, from the ship’s construction, the fanfare surrounding its departure, its fateful collision, the survivors’ rescue aboard the RMS Carpathia, and the lessons learned from the terrible tragedy.