On 31 May 1911, SS 401, Titanic, slid down Slipway No. 3 at the Queen's Yard of Harland and Wolff into the Victoria Channel in Belfast Lough. Built as part of White Star Line's response to competition from Cunard after the launch of Lusitania and Mauretania in 1906, she was one of three Olympic-class liners conceived in 1907 by Bruce Ismay and William Pirrie and designed at Harland and Wolff under Chief Designer and Managing Director Thomas Andrews. To build these ships, Harland and Wolff rebuilt its slipways and erected the Arrol Gantry, then laid Titanic's keel on 31 March 1909. Her construction used vast steel plates and millions of rivets, with extra attention to strength, and by 19 October 1910 she was fully framed and plated. More than 100,000 spectators watched her launch on 31 May 1911, when she entered the water in 62 seconds and was then moved to a deep water wharf for fitting out. Over the following months, engines, propelling machinery, propellers, interiors, and all the equipment needed for service were installed. On completion, she measured 882.5 ft. in length and weighed 46,328 tons. After successful sea trials, she left Belfast for Southampton, then departed on her first trans-Atlantic crossing to New York on 10 April under Captain Edward J. Smith, calling at Cherbourg and Queenstown. Leaving Queenstown on 11 April with 1,308 passengers and 898 crew, she struck an iceberg late on 14 April 1912 while making nearly 22 knots. Captain Smith then ordered the lifeboats filled, and at 2.19am the ship split in two between the second and third funnels; by 2.20am RMS Titanic had sunk, with the loss of 1,522 lives.

Photo: William Fischer, Jr.

Photo: William Fischer, Jr.

Photo: William Fischer, Jr.