Chapter 2

           AtnoononWednesday,10thApril1912,theTitanicstartedfromSouthamptononhermaidenvoyage.Smallenoughwasherexperienceoftheseabeforethatday.Manyhandshadhandledher;manytugshadfussedabouther,pullingandpushingherthiswayandthatasshewasmanoeuvredinthewatersofBelfastLoughandtakenouttotheentrancetosmellthesea.Thereshehadbeenswungandhercompassesadjusted.Threeorfourhourshadsufficedforhertrialtrip,andshehadfirstfeltherownpowerintheIrishSea,whenallhernewmachineryworkingtogether,atfirstwithacertainreserveanddiffidence,hadtestedandtrieditsvariousfunctions,andshehadcomedownthroughSt.George’sChannelandroundbytheLizard,andpasttheEddystoneanduptheSolenttoSouthamptonWater,feelingalittlehustledandstrange,nodoubt,butfindingthisbusinessofploughingtheseassurprisinglyeasyafterall.Andnow,onthedayofsailing,amidthecheersofacrowdunusuallyvastevenforSouthamptonDocks,thelargestshipintheworldslidawayfromthedeep-waterjettytobeginhersealifeinearnest.

           Inthefirstfewminuteshergiantpowersmadethemselvesfelt.AsshewasslowlygatheringwayshepassedthelinerNewYork,anotheroceanmonarch,whichwaslyinglikearockmooredbysevengreathawsersofironandsteel.AstheTitanicpassed,somemysteriouscompellinginfluenceofthewaterdisplacedbyhervastbulkdrewtheNewYorktowardsher;snappedonebyonethegreatsteelhawsersandpulledthelinerfromthequaysideasthoughshehadbeenacork.