HMHS Britannic seen during World War I. Image:public domain
HMHS Britannic was the third ship in the Olympic class ocean liner built by White Star Line, and the sister ship of RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic. Due to World War I, she was never used as a transatlantic passenger liner and ended being used as a hospital ship in 1915. On 21 Nov 1916, the ship was sunk likely by an underwater mine off the Greek island of Kea. Of the 1.066 people aboard, 30 lost their lives. Since it sank in shallow waters, the wreck is easily accessible to divers and numerous expeditions have taken place. Although the wreck is in Greek waters, the British have designated it as a war grave and both governments must approve expeditions to the wreck. In 1996 the wreck itself was sold to author Simon Mills whose desire is to leave it as is.
Mrs. J.J. “Molly” Brown presenting trophy cup award to Capt. Arthur Henry Rostron, for his service in the rescue of the Titanic. Photo:Public Domain (US Library of Congress, digital id# cph 3c21013)
1. Molly Brown Subject Of Titanic Exhibit(22 Feb 2014,Knoxville News Sentinel) Items that once belonged to the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” are now on exhibit at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. The museum also is showing a 1912 loving cup that Brown gave Carpathia Capt. Arthur Rostron in thanks for saving her and 711 other Titanic survivors. That cup is on exhibit until March 30. The cup belongs to Rostron descendants and will be auctioned in Boston on April 24. At that time, bidding is expected to top $200,000.
2. Titanic Attraction(22 Feb 2014,The Star Online) A Chinese firm plans to spend US$165mil (RM551.26mil) building a full-scale replica of the Titanic as the main attraction for a theme park. Little known Chinese energy company Seven Star Energy Investment said the replica, which is expected to cost 1 billion yuan (US$165mil), will be the main attraction for a planned theme park located at Sichuan, a landlocked province famous for its spicy food. Construction of the ship, which is 270m long, is expected to be completed in two years and will be based on designs of the Titanic’s sister ship, RMS Olympic, which was in service from 1911 to 1935, the SCMP reported.
Quote from story:“We chose to rebuild the Titanic in China so that such spirit can be promoted or inherited in the east.”(Seven Star chief executive Su Shaojun)
The Irish Examiner reports that the historic pier in Cobh, Ireland, where people boarded Titanic, has been sold to Titanic Experience. Titanic Experience is on the site of the former White Star Line ticket office adjacent to the pier. The pier is in serious disrepair requiring considerable work to make it safe. The Cobh Town Council was disappointed to learn of the news as some desired it be taken over by the city. However confusion over who actually owned the pier was a sticking point for them to proceed. It appears Titanic Experience managed to make a determination and purchase the pier. Some bracing work has begun on the pier.
Source: Cobh’s Historic Titanic Pier Sold (17 Feb 2014, Irish Examiner)
Irish Examiner*
*Due to a policy of demanding payment for links to Republic of Ireland newspapers, this blog does not provide such links.
Titanic was the largest ship afloat in 1912 but according to Paul Stott, senior lecturer at Newcastle University’s School of Marine Science and Technology, it quite small compared to ships like Costa Concordia (which sank off Italy two years ago). Some reports, for instance, say Costa Concordia is two times larger than Titanic. Stott says Titanic today would be equivalent to a mid-size ferry. His problem with trying to compare Titanic and Costa Concordia is that it is hard to have a sense of scale. Stott says a more meaningful way of understanding the size differences is to use famous buildings.
“Stating that the salvors are using brute force to move an object the size of a sky scraper, which many have seen and can therefore relate to directly, really gets across the message of how heroic the salvage operation is.”
RMS Titanic departing Southampton on April 10, 1912.
Sarah Agnes Stap was a ship’s matron or first class stewardess. According to her account, a young cabin boy put her in lifeboat 11 after initially rejecting it saying she was in her thirties. Since she was born in 1865, she was actually 47 at the time. She was the daughter of master mariner Captain Henry Stap and was born at sea. She passed away in 1937 at the age of 73 and was buried at Rake Lane Cemetery in Wallasey, England.
Her gravestone simply was marked “Stap” until Friends of Rake Lane Cemetery decided to step up and have her grave properly note she was a Titanic survivor. Stonemason Allen Roberts produced a headstone that now has the following on it:
Sarah Agnes Stap
1st Class Stewardess and Titanic Survivor
Clive Palmer is having problems with his Coolum resort. Room rates are being slashed and promotions are being offered to draw people to stay. Layoffs have occurred dropping the once 650 workforce down to 90. The lack of business is hurting the local economy which depends upon people staying at such resorts. The reasons for the sudden lack of business could be that people are watching their cash or, as one news report speculates, that people are not liking Clive Palmer’s sometimes erratic behavior.
The sprawling golf-dinosaur-vintage car-Titanic-themed resort has 324 suites ranging in price from $400 to $2000 a night plus seven restaurants and bars. The vintage car museum and Palmersaurus Park were opened late last year with high entry costs that have failed to draw large crowds. Five accommodation packages and promotions are currently on offer to entice more visitors.
So what does this mean, if anything, for Titanic II? Possibly that Titanic II could be cancelled IF something were to go really amiss and Palmer pulls the plug. Thus far he has done a lot of preliminary steps and signed some contracts that indicate it is a go. When they start putting the keel down, then it becomes more real.
You have to wonder who thought this was a good idea. The people running SS Nomadic, the former tender for White Star line that ferried passengers to that ship in 1912, were going to have a “Bring Your Own Alcohol Beatnomadic” club night. The tender is the last surviving ship of the White Star Line, over 100 years old, and cost more than £7 million to restore. When word got out via social media that this event was going to take place, it sparked outrage. The Belfast Telegraph reported that several members of the Nomadic Charitable Trust threatened to resign. Additionally the volunteer group Nomadic Preservation Society (who helped raise money to restore and purchase artifacts for the ship), received phone calls inquiring how such a party would do to the old ship.
The rave was cancelled due to public outcry. And the person or persons who thought it was a good idea ought to get the sack. It would be one thing if they have a tasteful event (like a small party for donors etc) but rave parties are known to be loud, brash, and full of people dancing and drinking away. Hardly a fitting place for that sort of thing. Did they not realize such a party would enrage the Titanic community? Whatever passes for brains in those associated with this dumb decision ought to have their heads examined for possible brain injury.
American football(Pictured above 2009 Pro Bowl) Photo: Public Domain
1. Page For New Titanic 2 Ship Goes Down(2 Feb 2014,Cruise Ship News) Both the bluestarline.com.au and titanic-ii.com websites redirect to a suspendedpage.cgi page that states the following message, “Template Error: The template file must be given (or the template could not be opened)”. This news has led some to feel that the new Titanic 2 ship is never coming and more about helping Clive Palmer’s political career, although we will leave that debate to the conspiracy theorists.
2.Spotlight: ‘Raise the Titanic’ by Clive Cussler(2 Feb 2014,News OK) By now, readers know what to expect from Clive Cussler. He has written or co-authored 62 books, many of them thrillers focusing on Dirk Pitt, a darkly handsome, unstoppable hero who is something like an unlicensed James Bond. These days, Cussler’s portrayals of chivalry seem outdated and perhaps offensive, but he continues to churn out books, maintaining a consistent presence on the best-seller lists. He may never have become so popular if not for “Raise the Titanic,” a 1976 novel that introduced most readers to Pitt and launched Cussler’s career. The book, published long before Robert Ballard discovered the real resting place of the Titanic, was an unqualified success, in part because interest in the Titanic disaster never wanes. Pitt is tasked with bringing the remains of the great ship back to the surface in one piece, but as success draws nearer, dark forces are closing in.
3.Warhol-Style Exhibition Is Tribute To Titanic Victims (1 Feb 2014, Newtown Abbey Today) Newtownabbey artist Lise McGreevy has paid tribute to “Titanic’s fallen” with an exhibition inspired by the style of Andy Warhol.The display entitled “We Salute You” is currently on show at The Dock Cafe near the Odyssey in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, until February 28, then onboard the Nomadic, the ship which ferried passengers to the iconic vessel before its ill-fated maiden voyage where it will be shown from March 24 until April 30.
4.Premier Exhibitions, Inc. Announces Partnership To Bring King Tut Exhibition To North America-Press Release(27 Jan 2014,PR Newswire ) Premier Exhibitions, Inc. (“Premier Exhibitions”) , a leading presenter of museum quality touring exhibitions, announced today that it will bring The Discovery of King Tut, an exhibition that recreates one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century, to North America for the first time. The partnership with Semmel Concerts GmbH (“Semmel”), gives Premier Exhibitions the exclusive rights to tour the exhibition in North America. Semmel has successfully toured a similar exhibition in Europe since 2008, with approximately five million people experiencing the exhibition in 20 host cities.
The Irish Examiner reports that the historic pier in Cobh, Ireland, where people boarded Titanic, has been sold to 
