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FM
Former Member

Just been reading about a novel, 'Futility: The Wreck of the Titan' written by a Morgan Robertson.  Not read it myself but, given the reviews of people who have read it, the book is not a literary masterpiece but it is rather weird in that the ship at the centre of the yarn, The Titan, meets a similar fate to that of the Titanic - allegedly unsinkable, hits an iceberg;  watertight compartments flood; not enough lifeboats and it sinks on its maiden voyage, in the month of April, en route to America, with great loss of life. 

What's a bit spooky about it is that it was written in 1898, 14 years before the Titanic set sail.

 

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Robertson's book (actually a novella) is quite famous: to the extent that many of the alleged similarities have achieved mythic status, even though some of them aren't actually true.

 

In the book, the Titan does not sink on its maiden voyage (despite what some quite reputable sources claim), but on the return leg of its third trip. And it was sailing East (New York to England), not West.

 

I first read an article about "The Wreck of the Titan" years ago, and the journalist claimed the really surprising thing is that Robertson didn't get more correct: if she'd done a bit more research, she probably would have...

 

You can read the novella at:

http://www.titanic-titanic.com...of_the_titan_1.shtml

 

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...e_Wreck_of_the_Titan

Eugene's Lair
Originally Posted by Avalon:

Well, that's me told!

Aw, sorry: wasn't having a go, Avalon.

 

The problem is just that a lot of the websites about this (which you and I would go to for information on the book) often get some of the main details wrong.

 

I was talking about "Wreck of the Titan" with a friend only a couple of days ago: I find the whole "accidental predictions" thing fascinating...

Eugene's Lair
Last edited by Eugene's Lair
Originally Posted by Avalon:

Just been reading about a novel, 'Futility: The Wreck of the Titan' written by a Morgan Robertson.  Not read it myself but, given the reviews of people who have read it, the book is not a literary masterpiece but it is rather weird in that the ship at the centre of the yarn, The Titan, meets a similar fate to that of the Titanic - allegedly unsinkable, hits an iceberg;  watertight compartments flood; not enough lifeboats and it sinks on its maiden voyage, in the month of April, en route to America, with great loss of life. 

What's a bit spooky about it is that it was written in 1898, 14 years before the Titanic set sail.

 

Gosh....  I must check that book out.....

Baz

Anyone else think that this Titanic  memorial etc,is a bit over the top and quite frankly to me rather distateful?  It's almost celebratory rather than a remembrance .I saw on  the BBC in the wee small hours (News 24) That J G Ballard that found the wreck  in  the 80's now wishes that he hadn't,though he did admit that someone else would have if he didn't.He feels it's a grave site and should not have been "plundered" etc ,stuff on sale and all that.He didn't bring anything to the surface.

One thing he said was that bodies must have rained down onto the ocean floor at the wreck site and one thing that stuck in his mind was two pairs of shoes,a pair of ladies shoes and a childs close together.

He  says the wreck is disintegrating,submarines land on the deck and damage it etc,in thirty years time it may be gone forever if it's not preserved.

kattymieoww

If he'd have taken just one item off the ocean floor he would have had rights to the wreck and kept it the way he now wants to.

 

Because he didn't, it's been plundered by trophy hunters who are diving to the wreck and bringing up artifacts which are selling for thousands and there's not a damn thing anyone can do because Ballard didn't claim rights to it.

 

Personally I feel it should stay as a graveyard and nothing more should be brought to the surface and the pleasure cruises down to it should be stopped but while there is this interest in it, it will continue

FM
Originally Posted by Beverly Crusher:

If he'd have taken just one item off the ocean floor he would have had rights to the wreck and kept it the way he now wants to.

 

Because he didn't, it's been plundered by trophy hunters who are diving to the wreck and bringing up artifacts which are selling for thousands and there's not a damn thing anyone can do because Ballard didn't claim rights to it.

 

Personally I feel it should stay as a graveyard and nothing more should be brought to the surface and the pleasure cruises down to it should be stopped but while there is this interest in it, it will continue

I agee with Katty and Crusher.    I have even heard of couples having marriage ceremonies performed at the wreck site.

 

It's not a theme park; it's a mass grave and should be treated as such, IMO

FM

Oh thank God for the common sense on here.

 

I too have felt that some of the stuff going on was insensitive and distasteful (if not ghoulish) and when I tried explaining that to some people I know they thought I was mad.

 

A commemorative cruise for crying out loud! Do these people have no decency? I can understand relatives wanting to go but the bandwagon hitchers make me fume

FM
Originally Posted by Soozy Woo:
Originally Posted by Veggieburger:
Originally Posted by Borg Queen Pengy:

I knew it was Bob Ballard and I've never heard of J G Ballard 

He wrote Empire of the Sun

I liked both the film and the book 

thanks Soozy and Veggie - I've seen the film but never read the book - will put it on my kindle wish list 

FM

You ought to be down here, im in Southampton, its gone titanic mad. We have re-enactments in the street outside the old white star line building , we have a whole weekend of events   A club in Bournemouth has been slated for hosting a fancy dress titanic party "what you were wearing when the ship went down". But I think thats no more bad taste than the people selling the private belongings of drowned passengers for thousands.

 

I think it should just have been left as it was, at the most people could have gone down to see it in submersibles

 

My favourite sounding act this weekend is "Pat cruise..fresh from her show on HMS Slippery Queen"

FM

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