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"Seventy-five thousand tons dead weight rushing
through the fog at the rate of 50 feet [15 meters] a second, had
hurled itself at an iceberg." This is how the New York author,
Morgan Robertson, described the catastrophe unfolding in his prophetic
novel penned in 1898. In his avant-la-lettre science fiction story, a
giant ocean liner driven forward by three propellers, and believed unsinkable,
is launched on an April night for its maiden voyage. Carrying 3,000 passengers,
it measures 800 feet in length and weighs 70,000 tons. Unfortunately,
it met with an iceberg, sunk, and, since there were only 24 lifeboats,
more than 1,000 people perished. Name of the boat: The Titan.
Then, 14 years later, on an April night, the Titanic sinks after
striking an iceberg.
Quick overview of coincidences:
|
In the nvel
|
In real life
|
| Ship
name |
Titan
|
Titanic
|
| Size
of ship |
214 meters
|
269 meters
|
| Tonnage |
45 000 metric tons
|
46 000 metric tons
|
| Speed |
25 knots
|
22 to 24 knots
|
| Number
of propellers |
3
|
3
|
| Watertight
compartments |
19
|
16
|
| Passengers |
About 3000
|
About 2200
|
| Date
of the shipwreck |
April
|
April
|
| Place
of the shipwreck |
North Atlantic
|
Off Newfoundland
|
| Causes
of the shipwreck |
Collision with an iceberg
|
Collision with an iceberg
|
| Presumed
unsinkability |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Lifeboats |
Insufficient number
|
Insufficient number
|
|
 |
|