The Guardian - Titanic: A century of news

30 April 1908

The Guardian

Commercial and Financial Notes: The New White Star Liners

Many unauthorised statements have been published about the two big steamers which the White Star line is to build for the Southampton-New York service, but official information has been rather meagre. It is interesting, therefore, to note that the editor of the Shipping World has obtained from the Company the following facts, which, it is said, represent all the information which they are prepared to give at present:- In the first place, it is true that the White Star management have decided upon the construction of two new vessels which will carry the reputation of being the largest afloat; and while the White Star officials are always careful not to draw comparisons with the steamers of their competitors, it may be inferred from this plain statement that the two new White Star liners will be of greater dimensions than the leviathan Cunarders the Lusitania and the Mauretania. What these dimensions will be they are not prepared to make known at the present time. As to their names, the first will be called the Olympic, but the name of the second has not been decided upon. They will be propelled by a combination of reciprocating and turbine engines, and their speed will not be less than twenty-one knots. These are really all the particulars that the White Star Company care to make known at present; when the work of construction will be begun is also withheld, and, besides, they describe as incorrect the report that the keels will be laid down within the next two months. It may, however, be assumed from the White Star enterprise in the past that in regard to these vessels they will be record ships for comfort and luxury as well as in size.

16 September 1908

The Guardian

The New White Star Liners

The White Star Line announce that the Titanic will be the name of the second of the two liners which are to be built for their New York service by Messrs. Harland and Wolff, of Belfast. The first, as already stated, is to be called the Olympic. It is understood that keel blocks for her construction have already been laid down, while those for the Titanic are to be placed in position early next year.

28 April 1909

The Guardian

Miscellany

The great steamship lines which christen their vessels with a uniform termination are notoriously hard put to it sometimes for fresh names. The Laurentic, which is waiting in the Mersey for her maiden trip to Canada, ought strictly, perhaps, to derive her name from the capital of the ancient kingdom of Latium, which was called Laurentum, it is said, from the abundance of laurels that grew in the country. But perhaps the Company were thinking rather of the River St. Lawrence, which the vessel is to navigate. The name is not the happiest thought the White Star line have hit on - not so happy, for example, as the names Olympic and Titanic, which are to be given to the great monsters which are now being built, but it is better than some of the names which have been suggested by the wags who have amused themselves with the subject. Idiotic and Spasmodic are among their contributions to the difficulty, and so also are Sea-sick and No-tick, names which satisfy the ear alone and defy the laws of spelling as well as the sense of propriety.

6 January 1911

The Guardian

Insuring the Giant Liners

The Times says:- During the past three days great progress has been made with the work of insuring the new White Star liners Olympic and Titanic. It is understood that the cost of each of the vessels may be put approximately at 1,500,000, but the steamers are not likely to be fully insured by the underwriters.

1 June 1911

The Guardian

Launch of the Titanic. Giant Sisters in Belfast Lough

(From our Special Correspondent.)

Ninety thousand tons of shipping, comprised in two sister vessels, floated safely at high tide to-day on the waters of Belfast Lough. The first of the two ships, the Olympic, was presently on her way to Liverpool before going to Southampton to take her place in the regular sailings between England and the United States. The other ship had just taken the water - a huge, ponderous hulk, but the shell and sheath of the handsome vessel that will be. On the upraised bow, towering nearly 100 feet from the ground, was the name Titanic, like an exclamation flung up to heaven and suggesting in one word the pride and glory of her owners.

Messrs. Harland and Wolff have an unostentatious way of launching even their greatest productions. The only thing about their yard to betoken the event of the year was the flying of half-a-dozen flags above the gantry where the new ship lay. There was no naming ceremony, and there were no cheering masses of workmen, though the yard seemed to be keeping holiday. Everything was stolid and workmanlike. Everything was in readiness at an early hour. No staging remained about the ships sides, but occasionally the clanging of hammers was heard from underneath the hull, where the remaining shores were being knocked down in batches. Only a few were left on either side at the hour of noon when Lord Pirrie made his final inspection of the arrangements. A minute later a whistle sounded a shrill summons, and a little regiment of men armed with long-handled hammers attacked the last of the shores. They fell like saplings before an axe, and other men lifting them shoulder high, carried them off.

The hammers ceased, and everywhere among workmen and spectators there was a tense silence. It was broken by the discharge of a rocket. By the time the rocket had burst somewhere out of sight in the glare of the sun the workmen had rushed to new stations or jumped aside as not wanted. A second rocket was fired to signal the launch. It rose and burst, and what seemed at first an echo of the explosion came from the ground. It was the crackling of massive timbers strained almost to breaking point. The bow of the ship at the same time moved, but so slightly that doubt could be excused. It took a perceptible moment to tell that the ship was actually sliding down the ways. There was a short glad shout of Shes off, followed by what seemed a long silence, while the big mass glided noiselessly to the water. From the stand near the bow we soon caught sight of the curl of the wave flung back by the vessels stern, and the perspective through the gantry gradually drew out to its full length. Suddenly we saw the gleam of the sky beyond and the bow of the ship dipping a graceful curtsey and baptizing itself in far-flung spray. Then there was indeed a shout, and a hoarse chorus of syrens, in which one imagined there came the deep note of the twin ship waiting for the news off Bangor.

21 September 1911

The Guardian

Liner Rammed By Cruiser. The Olympic Badly Damaged. No Lives Lost: No Panic.

The first-class cruiser Hawke, attached to Portsmouth command, and the Olympic, belonging to the White Star Line, were in collision yesterday in Cowes Roadstead. Both vessels were damaged, but happily there was no loss of life.

The Hawke was returning from a trial trip undertaken after extensive overhaul in Portsmouth Dockyard, and the Olympic was proceeding out of Southampton Harbour with a large complement of passengers for New York. The liners decks were crowded with interested passengers anxious to catch a glimpse of the warship as she came alongside. Suddenly it was seen that the vessels were drawing together, and, more quickly than it takes to relate the story, the collision occurred.

The consequences of the collision were soon apparent, and, considering how serious they were, it is marvellous that there was not a grave casualty list there recorded. As the Hawke and Olympic drew apart some idea of the extent of the damage could be obtained. Nearly forty feet of the Olympics plating was seen to be torn and rent, the damage extending both above and below the water-line.