How Did They Build the Titanic?

How Did They Build the Titanic?

The creation of the Titanic began with the formation of White Star Lines, a British shipping company. Thanks in part to the discovery of gold and other valuable commodities in 1820s Australia, there was a rapid increase in demand for transport to and from the far away continent by prospectors, entrepreneurs and settlers.

White Star Line logo

In 1845, the White Star Line was founded in Liverpool, England by John Pikington and Henry Wilson.  The new company ran sail-powered ships and focused on UK-Australia trade. By 1863, the White Star Line was operating its first steamship, the Royal Standard. The White Star Line had changed over time to focus on a Liverpool to New York service.  Heavy investment in the new ships was financed by borrowing, but the company’s bank, the Royal Bank of Liverpool, failed in October 1867.  The White Star Line was left with nearly 10 million dollars (with current inflation) of debt and was forced into bankruptcy.

"The Road from Liverpool to New York, as they who have traveled it well know, is very long, crooked, rough, and eminently disagreeable."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1833

On January 18, 1868, Thomas Ismay, a director of the National Line, purchased the iconic White Star double tailed red flag, along with the trade name and the “good will” of the bankrupt company, with the intention of operating large ships between Liverpool and New York.

Ismay was approached by Gustav Christian Schwabe, a Liverpool merchant, and his nephew Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, a shipbuilder.  Schwabe offered to finance the new line of ships if they were built by Wolff’s company Harland & Wolff. Harland & Wolff would build the steamships at cost with a fixed percentage profit and would not build any vessels for White Star’s competitors.

In 1884, the RMS Umbria and her sister ship the RMS Etruria were record breakers by the standards of the time, and were the largest liners then in service, plying the Liverpool to New York route.

Service between Liverpool and New York began in 1871.  It was common for companies to name ships according to a common theme.  As in the Oceanic, White Star used the suffix “ic” in its names, and also painted their ships’ funnels a buff color with a black top, to be distinguishable from a great distance.

Joseph Bruce Ismay

In 1899, Thomas Ismay died.  His son, Joseph Bruce Ismay, took over running the firm.  Bruce showed flair for the shipping business, and the company thrived under his stewardship.  White Star became a target for acquisition, and in 1902 the White Star Line was absorbed into the International Merchantile Marine Company (IMM).  IMM was an American company headed by J.P. Morgan, who threatened a rate war if White Star did not capitulate.  Bruce Ismay ceded control but managed to retain the title of Chairman and Managing Director of the White Star Line.

Between 1901 and 1907, White Star brought the “Big Four” into service – the Celtic, the Cedric, the Baltic and the Adriatic.  White Star was among the first shipping lines with passenger ships having inexpensive 3^rd Class accommodations, in addition to higher paying 1^st and 2^nd Class passengers.  White Star advertised extensively to emigrant passengers.  Irish emigrants from Britain became a chief source of income for the company.

When White Stars competitor, Cunard introduced the competitor ships, the Lusitania and Mauretania, White Star responded with the Olympic class of ships, including the infamous Titanic.