Many people think the Titanic’s disaster may have been foretold. Like the book about the Titan, a ship almost exactly like the Titanic. Also many seamen back then considered it bad luck if a ship set sail without its cat.
Legend: The Titanic tragedy was an almost exact copy of the disaster in the book Futility published 14 years before.
Verdict: True
14 years before the Titanic sank a book going by the name Futility (it was renamed later The Wreck of the Titan) was published by the author Morgan Robertson. The book had many details similar to the Titanic. Both of the ships were owned by British shipping companies. Both were on a maiden voyage and called unsinkable. Also they both sank after the ship hit an iceberg and most of the
people on board died because the ships did not have enough life boats. They both hit the iceberg around midnight in April 400 miles
from the Newfoundland coast. Not to mention the names Titan and Titanic.
Legend: As the Titanic was setting sail from Southampton, England it almost collided with another ship.
Verdict: True
As the Titanic was leaving Southampton, England it narrowly avoided a collision with the ship New York. The starboard side of the Titanic came within two feet of crashing into the port side of the New York which could have saved approximately 1,503 lives. Some people on board and on the docks thought this near miss foretold the disaster of the Titanic.
Myth: The Titanic set sail without its cat on board.
Verdict: Unproven
Many people believe that the the Titanic’s cat Jenney left the ship at Southampton, England with her litter of kittens (born a week or so, before the ship set sail). However there is no way to verify this. It was however bad luck back then if a ship set sail without its cat. However Jenny was supposedly a calico cat and not a black one.
Legend: The Titanic had a false funnel that foretold the ships sinking.
Verdict: Partly True
It is true that the Titanic had a false funnel. It is not true however that the false funnel foretold the ships disaster. The fourth funnel was added merely to make the ship look more appealing to passengers and people on the dock.
Myth: The Titanic was never christened.
Verdict: True
Many ships of the Titanic's time were indeed christened for good luck. However the White Star Line didn't hold with this practice so none of their ships, including the Titanic were ever christened.
Legend: The Titanic tragedy was an almost exact copy of the disaster in the book Futility published 14 years before.
Verdict: True
14 years before the Titanic sank a book going by the name Futility (it was renamed later The Wreck of the Titan) was published by the author Morgan Robertson. The book had many details similar to the Titanic. Both of the ships were owned by British shipping companies. Both were on a maiden voyage and called unsinkable. Also they both sank after the ship hit an iceberg and most of the
people on board died because the ships did not have enough life boats. They both hit the iceberg around midnight in April 400 miles
from the Newfoundland coast. Not to mention the names Titan and Titanic.
Legend: As the Titanic was setting sail from Southampton, England it almost collided with another ship.
Verdict: True
As the Titanic was leaving Southampton, England it narrowly avoided a collision with the ship New York. The starboard side of the Titanic came within two feet of crashing into the port side of the New York which could have saved approximately 1,503 lives. Some people on board and on the docks thought this near miss foretold the disaster of the Titanic.
Myth: The Titanic set sail without its cat on board.
Verdict: Unproven
Many people believe that the the Titanic’s cat Jenney left the ship at Southampton, England with her litter of kittens (born a week or so, before the ship set sail). However there is no way to verify this. It was however bad luck back then if a ship set sail without its cat. However Jenny was supposedly a calico cat and not a black one.
Legend: The Titanic had a false funnel that foretold the ships sinking.
Verdict: Partly True
It is true that the Titanic had a false funnel. It is not true however that the false funnel foretold the ships disaster. The fourth funnel was added merely to make the ship look more appealing to passengers and people on the dock.
Myth: The Titanic was never christened.
Verdict: True
Many ships of the Titanic's time were indeed christened for good luck. However the White Star Line didn't hold with this practice so none of their ships, including the Titanic were ever christened.