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The story of the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic has passed down from generation to generation and shows no sign of ever dying. Numerous plaques, statues, fountains, and even buildings were erected in memory of the sinking in the aftermath of the disaster.
For over fifty years the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse sat atop New York's Seamen's Church Institute. It was later moved to the South Street Seaport Museum. In Southampton, England, there is a huge statue commemorating the engineering staff (all of whom were lost) as well as a fountain dedicated to the passengers and a bronze plaque, cast from the Titanic's spare propeller, honoring the ship's postal workers.
Thomas Andrews, builder of the Titanic, is remembered by the Thomas Andrews, Jr. Memorial Hall in his hometown of Comber, Northern Ireland. In Washington, D.C., there is an impressive monument to the men lost.
The Titanic's greatest legacy, however, is the safer sea travel which resulted from the disaster. After the two great inquiries in the States and England, major changes were called for in safety regulations - regulations which are still in place today. The shipping lanes were shifted further south and all ships carrying fifty or more people were required to have a twenty-four hour radio watch. Ships were soon required to carry sufficient lifeboats to hold everyone one board and lifeboat drills became mandatory.
The International Ice Patrol was created in 1914 and, with the exception during the two world wars, sighted and tracked thousands of icebergs.
Interest in the Titanic story has never strayed far from the public eye since then. In 1953, Twentieth Century Fox released the movie “Titanic.” Walter Lord's famous book A Night to Remember soon followed in 1955. The book became so popular that in 1958 a movie was made based upon it and starred the popular British actor Kenneth More who played Second Officer Lightoller.
Other movies followed such as Raise the Titanic, a movie based on the popular novel by Clive Cussler, and S.O.S. Titanic in 1979.
After the Titanic's discovery in 1985 by Robert Ballard, interest in the story was raised to new levels and it appears that it will never die. Now, as we approach the dawn of a new century, the Titanic continues her legacy here in cyberspace. The story of the Titanic has become so entrenched in our society that it has become a part of our culture. She, and those she took with her, shall forever remain in our imagination and hearts.
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Copyright (c)1996 Gary Arnold