
A vivid, illustrated look at the evolution of ocean‑liner safety, this work uses the Titanic tragedy as a catalyst to examine how ship design once prized speed and luxury over protection. Drawing on historic examples such as the Great Eastern, the author explains the practical benefits of features like double hulls, longitudinal bulkheads, and watertight decks—elements that once made a vessel virtually unsinkable. The text is rich with contemporary photographs and line drawings that bring 19th‑ and early‑20th‑century engineering concepts to life for modern ears.
Beyond the technical details, the book reflects on the human cost of neglecting safety, honoring the engineers and crew who stayed at their posts until the very end. It argues that returning to these tried‑and‑true design principles could prevent future disasters. Listeners will come away with a deeper appreciation of maritime engineering and the timeless lesson that true progress must balance ambition with security.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (133K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2014-07-07
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
b. 1858
A prolific American writer and editor from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he wrote about technology, industry, and big ideas in a lively, accessible way. His work often blended curiosity about invention with a knack for explaining how modern life was changing.
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