April 2nd,1912 Tuesday Day breaks calm and mild; a marked improvement from the day before. Like the morning before, members of the skeleton crew arrive early—firemen by 4 AM, seamen by 6 AM—to ready the ship for her seal trials which are all but guaranteed to actually happen today. They are joined by a multitude of other people. An inspection of the ship is carried about by Board of Trade supervisor Francis T. Carruthers with Captain Smith and several other members of the crew in attendance. Carruthers is no stranger to the ship, having visiting her hundreds of times during her construction and fitting-out. Elsewhere, members of the Victualling Department begin working in the ships galleys to prepare the first meal that will be served aboard while the ship is at sea.* Workers from Harland & Wolff are also busy throughout the ship, seeing to a number of areas that are not yet completed. Hidden away in the Marconi Room on the Boat Deck, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride continue readying the wireless equipment. Their afternoon will no doubt be a busy one as they relay information regarding the ships trials to the White Star offices in Liverpool and Southampton. Thomas Andrews is also aboard the ship for sea trials. In fact, Andrews will be sailing with the ship to Southampton and then on to New York during her maiden voyage and return trip. He will be joined by eight other members of Harland & Wolff. Together, they comprise the “Guarantee Group”, a team meant to sail with the ship during her first voyage and ensure that everything is working efficiently and to make note of any improvements that might need to be made. The members of the Guarantee Group—and their class bookings—are as follows: Thomas Andrews, First Class; 40-year-old Chief Draughtsman Roderick Chisholm, First Class; 29-year-old Electrical Department Assistant Manager William Parr, First Class; 21-year-old Apprentice Joiner William Campbell, Second Class; 21-year-old Apprentice Fitter Alfred “Alfie” Cunningham, Second Class; 37-year-old Foremen Fitter Anthony “Artie” Frost, Second Class; 18-year-old Apprentice Plumber Francis Parkes, Second Class; 18-year-old Apprentice Electrician Ennis Hastings Watson.** Regardless of the class they are booked in every man will have full access to the entire ship. Their selection to be a part of the Guarantee Group is a great privilege, indicative of their skill and promise within Harland & Wolff. A pair of noticeable absences on the ship are Bruce Ismay and Lord Pirrie. Ismay is busy with family matters while Pirrie is fighting off a case of pneumonia. At 6 AM, the tugs attaches lines to the ship and slowly begin to tow her into the River Lagan toward the Victoria Channel and the Belfast Lough beyond. Like the day before, hundreds of people line the shores of the river and the Lough to see Titanic off. When the ship reaches the open water of the Irish Sea the tugs cast off and Titanic begins steaming under her own power for the first time. Of the tests to follow Carruthers said: “The trials consisted of running from slow up to full speed ahead, manoeuvring with the turbine cut out, going astern and swinging the vessel at full speed head with the helm hard over to test the steering gear.” While Olympics trials had been done over the course of two days, Titanics will require only the rest of the morning and afternoon to complete. This is due to the shortness of time—the ship still needs to sail to Southampton and be readied for her maiden voyage in eight days time—and also because the ship is expected to perform in much the same way as Olympic. The ship is run up to 20 knots and then put through a series of turns, first with the engines full ahead and then a second time with one engine put in reverse to aid in the maneuver. Turns are also made at 11, 19 ½, and 21 ½ knots. A full-stop test is also conducted. With the rudder amidships and the ship steaming at 18 knots the engines are run in full reverse. It takes the ship just over three minutes and 3,000 feet to come to a full stop—a huge distance to be sure, but for a ship the size of Titanic it is a swift response. After noon, the ships officers, the Board of Trade officials, and several others sit down for lunch in the First Class Dining Saloon on D Deck. The menu includes salmon, roast chicken, lamb with mint sauce, ham, vegetables, and a number of desserts. The conversation naturally turns to the ships performance, both in general and how she relates to Olympic and other ships. After steaming back through the Belfast Lough Titanic returns to Belfast around 7 PM. Francis Carruthers is thrilled with the ships performance. After conducting one final test—raising and lowering the ships huge anchors—he issues the ship a 12-month certification as a passenger-carrying vessel. For everyone at Harland & Wolff it is a joyous moment, but also a bittersweet one as it means the time has come to hand the ship over to the White Star Line. As the ship prepares to leave Belfast, many of the workers still aboard leave the ship, bidding their workmates and Titanic herself farewell. For Andrews, too, it is a moment of mixed emotions. Though no doubt happy with the days events, he is sad to be leaving his wife, Helen, and their 1 ½-year old daughter Elizabeth. As the ship is about to leave he pens a letter to Helen: “Just a line to let you know we got away this morning in fine style and have had a very satisfactory trial. We are getting more ship-shape every hour, but there is still a great deal to be done.” In fact, workers bring aboard numerous materials that will be required to complete the ship before she leaves Southampton on April 10th. Second Officer Lightoller notes the items being brought aboard as “requisites in the galley, cooking apparatus, a few chairs, and such things as that”. The ship also takes aboard a passenger: 61-year-old Wyckoff Van der Hoef. He is booked in First Class and will stay aboard the ship all the way to New York. When booking passage to America, Hoef decided that despite the ships extended stay in Southampton, being aboard for the ships maiden voyage was too interesting a chance to pass up. At 8 PM, Titanic casts off from the jetty and makes for the Belfast Lough, this time bound for Southampton, 570 miles to the southeast. Those left behind at the dock watch as the ship theyve spent four years building slowly steams away into the darkness.*** In the Marconi room, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride are busy sending messages to the White Star Line offices in Liverpool and Southampton. Some are addressed specifically for Bruce Ismay. As they work they also exchange message with other Marconi stations, even making contact with Tenerife, 2,000 miles away in the Canary Islands and Port Said in Egypt, 3,000 miles away. As they work, the ship steams through the Irish Sea and into the night. __________ * While the Deck and Engine Departments are concerned with the operating the ship, the Victualling Department is in charge of caring for passengers. Today it is called the Hotel Department. ** Thomas Andrews will occupy cabin A-37 on the port side of the Aft Grand Staircase. *** In fact, it has been four years and two days since Titanics keel was laid in Slipway No. 3.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 18:00:00 +0000
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