FROM THE DRAWING BOARD TO THE SEA

Before RMS Titanic had even left Southampton in April 1912, the ominous signs of tragedy were there. Thousands had gathered at the port to wave off friends and family and catch a glimpse of the record-breaking vessel, then the biggest ship in the world. To the horror of onlookers, Titanic was almost immediately met with disaster: as the ship was pulled out of the dock by tugboats and began to get underway, water displacement caused the nearby SS City of New York to be drawn towards the new vessel. Quick thinking by Captain Smith and a nearby tugboat managed to prevent a collision and City of Newwas towed out of harm’s way, but a serious accident that could have led to cancellation of the voyage was only very narrowly avoided.