The sinking of RMS Titanic is among the most famous marine disasters in the history of the world. On April 15, 1912, this "unsinkable" ship hit an iceberg and sank into the icy waters of the North Atlantic, taking over 1,500 passengers and crew members to their deaths. Though the tragedy in and of itself is documented, there were several strange and mysterious occurrences surrounding the Titanic that continue to intrigue historians, conspiracy theorists, and enthusiasts alike. In this article, we look into ten curious, at times eerie, events that happened before, during, and after its ill-fated maiden voyage.
1. Premonitions and Strange Feelings of Doom
In the week preceding the departure of the Titanic, there were various passengers and crew who reported feelings of foreboding in unsettling forms of premonitions or dreams regarding some type of sea disaster. Among the most striking was a first-class passenger named Jessie W. T. Smith, who, as a result of overwhelming feelings of dread, called off her trip at the last minute. Also, a dream described by the wife of Captain Edward Smith was of a very ominous nature and said that she "saw the vessel sink." This, however, is quite anecdotal.
Many survivors reported afterward that they had felt apprehensive or uneasy about boarding the Titanic. Some even reported having had dreams of drowning or of seeing the ship break apart before they ever boarded the vessel. Many of these feelings can be understood and even dismissed as simple travel anxiety, but a large number of similar reports shrouds a little mystery on the events leading to the launch of the Titanic.
2. The Novel That Predicted the Titanic's Fate
One of the most unsettling coincidences in connection with the disaster of the Titanic was a novel written 14 years previously which seemed to predict the tragedy with remarkable accuracy. In 1898, American author Morgan Robertson wrote a novella titled Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan. This is a fictional story about an ocean liner known as the Titan, "unsinkable," and comparable in size and construction to the Titanic. In that story, it recounted how the Titan, during its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic, struck an iceberg and sank with great loss of life because of a deficiency in lifeboats.
The similarities are so striking between this imaginary Titan and the real Titanic that many people have advanced the theory that Robertson must have had some sort of second sight or inside knowledge concerning maritime disasters. Others say it was no more than a novel based upon the knowledge of shipbuilding at that time and the dangers of icebergs. Whichever argument, Futility remains a curious—and somewhat unsettling—parallel to the events which in fact did occur in 1912.
3. The Case of the Missing J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan was one of the most powerful businessmen of the time and was the owner of the White Star Line, a company that owned the Titanic. Morgan was supposed to travel on the ship during its maiden voyage but canceled the trip at the last minute due to health concerns. This decision has sparked countless conspiracy theories, with many speculating that Morgan might have had prior knowledge regarding the impending disaster of the ship and chose to stay away from it.
A popular theory in that regard holds that Morgan deliberately sank the Titanic in order to eliminate his business rivals traveling aboard the ship, which included his competitor John Jacob Astor IV. Yet another theory about the Titanic simply cannot be supported with any evidence of this nature, but the sudden change of plans by Morgan provides endless fuel for speculation among enthusiasts interested in the Titanic.
4. The Legend of the Mummy's Curse
The story of a mummy—ostensibly being transported on it, said to have been accursed—is perhaps the most consistent of the stories associated with the disaster of the Titanic. This mummy was supposed to be that of an ancient princess of Egypt, and legend had it that everybody connected with it had met misfortune. This story said that the mummy was put in the cargo hold of the ship and that its presence in some manner contributed to its sinking.
Actually, there was no mummy on board the Titanic; at the time, that particular artifact was housed in the British Museum. Still, the tale of the mummy's curse did indeed gain its popularity a few years following the sinking of the Titanic, and many survivors went so far as to claim they could hear strange noises emanating from the cargo hold as the ship sailed along. Although it has since been discredited, the story remains one of the most famous and longest-lived legends to survive the ship.
5. The SS Californian Controversy
The cargo ship SS Californian was supposedly within a distance from the Titanic on the night the disaster occurred to view the distress flares going up from the sinking vessel. These, however, were not responded to by the crew of the Californian, and after the tragedy, much criticism and controversy came upon their failure to do so. The captain, Stanley Lord, maintained that his crew did not realize the flares were distress signals and believed that the Titanic was simply celebrating its maiden voyage.
The failure to provide aid from the Californian to the Titanic has been argued and researched for many decades. Speculations have ranged from an outright refusal by Captain Lord to answer the distress calls to a view held that the crew was merely mistaken in what they saw. Whatever the truth, the inaction of the Californian ranks among the most puzzling elements of the Titanic disaster.
6. The Lifeboat Law Loophole
Of all the tragic and potentially preventable aspects of the Titanic disaster, perhaps the most salient regards the number of lifeboats available on board. The Titanic had been designed to be able to carry 64 lifeboats but was fitted with just 20 because of outdated maritime regulations that determined lifeboat capacity based on gross tonnage rather than numbers of passengers. It was believed at the time that huge ships like the Titanic were so safe that no lifeboats needed to be carried for all passengers since rescue ships would always be nearby in case of an emergency.
This loophole in the lifeboat laws, combined with poor management of the crew in launching them, resulted in many being launched partially filled. Eventually, this tragedy brought several changes in the regulations concerning safety in maritime. For instance, one had to do with carrying all lifeboats by every ship according to the number of passengers on board.
7. The Amazing Survival of Chief Baker Charles Joughin
One of the most unbelievable survival stories of the Titanic disaster comes from Charles Joughin, the chief baker aboard the vessel. According to his own account, Joughin stayed in the freezing North Atlantic waters for hours without succumbing to hypothermia. His explanation? He had consumed a large amount of alcohol before the ship went down, which he believed helped keep him warm and calm during the ordeal.
Joughin reportedly was the last or one of the last to leave the sinking ship, spending several hours floating in the water before being rescued. His survival in such extreme conditions has been the object of much debate since some claim that his alcohol consumption may have helped rather than hindered him, as it caused him to remain unconscious to avoid panic and conserve energy.
8. John Priest: The "Unsinkable Fireman"
Another survivor with an incredible story is that of John Priest, a stoker—that is, a fireman—on the Titanic. The Titanic disaster was not the only one which Priest lived through; in fact, during his career, he survived three other major shipwrecks, including the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915. Because of this uncanny ability to survive at sea, Priest became known as the "unsinkable fireman."
The fact that Priest survived them all has given rise to speculation about whether he had some special talent for keeping his head above water in tight situations or if he was simply incredibly lucky. Whatever the case may be, his story further shrouds the Titanic's legacy with even more mystery.
9. The Unstoppable Violet Jessop
Then, of course, there was Violet Jessop, a stewardess on board the Titanic, whose tale of survival is almost too fantastic to be believed. Not only did Jessop survive the disaster of the Titanic, but also those of two other ships—the RMS Olympic in 1911 and the HMHS Britannic in 1916. Much like John Priest, Jessop gained the reputation of being "unsinkable" for her uncanny ability to survive shipwrecks.
After the sinking of the Titanic, Jessop went back to her work as a stewardess and nurse—an exemplary case of returning to employment after such tragic events. Her survival story became one of the most famous and intriguing stories related to one of the most tragic maritime disasters in history.
10. The Coincidental Movie Role of Dorothy Gibson
American silent film actress Dorothy Gibson was a survivor of the Titanic disaster and starred in a film about it only one month after the ship sank. Saved from the Titanic was among the first films ever made about the tragedy, and Gibson acted as herself in the movie, relating her experience of surviving the disaster.
What really gives this story an air of strangeness is that Gibson appeared in the same clothes in the film as those she had worn on the night of the sinking. The film was released in 1912 and has since been lost to history, with only stills remaining. The fact that Gibson was involved in the film so soon after the disaster adds another layer of surrealism to the already bizarre circumstances of the Titanic's sinking.
Conclusion
The sinking of the Titanic is one of the most notorious nautical tragedies in history. Strange, weird events coupled with the tragedy of this sinking have kept this story alive in popular culture for well over a century. From eerie premonitions of doom to survivors with superhuman luck, the Titanic's legacy is full of strange coincidences, eerie predictions, and enduring myths. Whether somebody believes in jinxes, conspiracies, or just in chance, there is no getting around the fact that the true tale of the Titanic is one of history's most beguiling and mysterious stories.
