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Glottis

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
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Someone wrote a nice summary about it :)
A book recently came out claiming that it was not the titanic that sunk, but rather a sister ship that had become damaged in an accident (and the issurance company would not pay). So the company decided to let the boat sink on an iceberg, so they could claim the full insurance money.
Sadly the boat that was supposed to be near to rescue the people on the boat was not there as the "Titanic" was off course.
The real Titanic sailed for a very long time :)
Regards, Glottis
 

Heath

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Messages
508
Just dug out this nugget of information about the "switch"

One of the most popular Titanic myths that have sprung out has been the Olympic-Titanic switch. The story goes that Olympic was a poorly built ship, and because she kept hitting other vessels, made her more of a liability than an asset to White Star. Especially after the collision with H.M.S. Hawke in September 1911. To cash in on Olympic's insurance money, Titanic and Olympic were switched and the Olympic, dressed as Titanic, would be sunk.

Of course, White Star was not planning on killing its employees or clientele. That would bring some ill will on behalf of several people had that been that actual plan. Since the Olympic class liners were very safe ships, they had anticipated that Olympic would deliberately ram and iceberg, and take so long to sink that all passengers would be able to be ferried away safely. Supposedly, they had gone through the trouble in making sure that the ship Mount Temple would be in the area to steam to the rescue.

Unfortunately, because Olympic was such a clumsy ship, she hit ice too early and too far from the Mount Temple. Thus, history was made at night. As a matter of fact, the Mount Temple was roughly the same distance from the sinking liner as the Carpathia, but her rescue path had been obstructed by a gigantic field of ice.

Of course, this theory is what linguists would call "poppycock." Several reasons exist why such a switch could not have happened. Below are a few of just several reasons why Olympic and Titanic could not have been switched.


White Star was not in dire financial condition to resort to sinking a new ship for money.
Even though Olympic and Titanic were sisters, they had unmistakable physical differences. Here is a list of a just a few:

Physical Differences between Olympic and Titanic


Different air vent arrangements around the funnels.
Titanic was 4 inches longer than Olympic.
Olympic's bridge roof was painted gray while Titanic's was bare planking.
Olympic's breakwater was painted black while Titanic's was white.
Olympic's keel number was 400. Titanic's was 401. These would be apparent on the ships' propellers.
The propellers on the two ships had different pitches, and were therefore not interchangeable.

Olympic's outdoor forward stairs had covers while Titanic's didn't.
The porthole arrangements on Shelter Deck "C" between the two ships were different.
The lounge furniture had the names of the ships on them.
The forward third of Titanic's promenade on Promenade Deck "A" was enclosed. Olympic's was open all the way.
The Reception Room on Saloon Deck "D" was larger on Titanic than Olympic.
Bridge Deck "B" was drastically different on both ships. Olympic had a first class promenade whereas Titanic had two private verandahs and suites that were plush with the sides of the superstructure. The extra interior room on Titanic were used as rooms for a passenger's personal help. Also on Titanic, the second class promenade was eaten up for a larger À la Carte Restaurant and a Café Parisien. These modifications would result in Titanic having 1,004 gross tons (or 100,400 cubic feet) more enclosed space than Olympic.
The carpeting patterns on both ships were different.
Titanic had red carpet on her first class grand staircases, Olympic's were bare oak (supposedly).
Another reception room was added on Bridge Deck "B" next to the À la Carte Restaurant on Titanic.
The Officers' Deckhouse was pushed out more on Titanic than on Olympic.
The painting in Titanic's smoke room was "Approach to Plymouth Harbour," while Olympic's was "Approach to the New World."
Titanic was less dense than Olympic. Titanic's capacity was 3,295, while Olympic's was 3,547.
Olympic had open third class berths. Titanic did not.
The steel plating arrangement on the two ships were noticeably different.
The name plates of each ship were brass that had to be screwed onto the hull. Had passengers seen Olympic when they boarded instead of Titanic, they would've figured out something.
The layout of the Turkish Baths on the two ships were different.
Titanic had extra first class cabins on Boat Deck. On Olympic, that area was all crew.
Titanic had additional cabins on Promenade Deck "A" around the aft staircase.
On Olympic, the wireless room was on the port side of the Officers' Deckhouse. On Titanic it was amidships.

Impossible ???...hard to say. But, with so many conspiracy stories about everything lately, even if it was the truth, nobody would believe it anyway.
 

Heath

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Messages
508
Formash said:
<cough> Off topic <cough>

<cough>whogivesafuck<cough>

With the title of FAO ......it would have been totally ignored in OT, at least on here Ele knew it would get an answer....but, as we all know...there is always somebody to makes the flames or post comments like yours.

Ah well....at least you proved us right.

P.S ..the thing about the Titanic question was in reference to a post that was on this bit anyway..but got deleted, so..common sense meant that the person who posted the answer (me) was

A) An Alb
B) more likely to read this one than OT (which is also correct).
 
Joined
Feb 29, 2004
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Heath said:
P.S ..the thing about the Titanic question was in reference to a post that was on this bit anyway..but got deleted, so..common sense meant that the person who posted the answer (me) was

A) An Alb
B) more likely to read this one than OT (which is also correct).

exactly. :fluffle:
 

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