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Miss Unsinkable: Three Ships. Three Disasters. One Nurse.Episode 32:08
The Novel That Seemed to Predict Titanic
Fourteen years before Titanic sailed, a novelist imagined a giant ship called Titan striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
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Transcript
Morgan Robertson’s novella Futility was first published in 1898, fourteen years before Titanic’s maiden voyage.
Futility first appeared in 1898, written by Morgan Robertson.
Robertson’s fictional ship was named Titan, a name lingering in the imagination.
In Robertson’s story, the fictional ship was named Titan.
The fictional ship named Titan struck an iceberg and sank on a North Atlantic voyage.
Then Titan struck an iceberg and sank during that voyage.
Robertson gave his invented ship precise dimensions and speed.
Titan measured 800 feet, weighed 70,000 tons, and could reach 25 knots.
14 years later, Titanic departed Southampton for New York on April 10th, 1912.
Titanic was described as 882 feet long, 66,000 tons, and capable of 24 knots.
On its maiden voyage, Titanic struck an iceberg off Newfoundland and sank. The comparison now slips quietly into darkness and silence.
Titanic was also the largest passenger ship yet built when it sank.
Titanic sank on its maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg off Newfoundland.
The archive grows quiet; a shadow hangs in the air.
But the real danger left a paper trail before Titanic reached it.
Ice reports were issued daily before April 14th, 1912.
Ice had been reported near the disaster site on several earlier days.
Amerika reported two large icebergs; its message passed through Titanic’s radio room.
The Hydrographer later said Titanic transmitted by radio the report of the iceberg.
The Hydrographer wrote that heeding Titanic’s transmitted warning probably would have saved the ship.
Where it leaves off
Unlike Titan’s invented iceberg, Titanic’s real ice was already being reported across the North Atlantic.
Sources
- Titanic Treasure Trove (May 1998) - Library of Congress Information Bulletinloc.govsecondary
- Sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic | GovInfogovinfo.govsecondary
- Exhibit: Titanic Memorandumarchives.govsecondary
- Introduction - Wreck of the RMS Titanic: A Resource Guide - Research Guides at Library of Congressguides.loc.govsecondary
- The Titanic: A Warning Ignored | National Archivesarchives.govprimary
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