In the early hours of April 15, 1912, the luxurious liner RMS Titanic perished in the North Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland after colliding with an iceberg on her first voyage. More than 1,500 people perished in the catastrophe, out of the 2,240 passengers and crew. Numerous novels, essays, and films, such as the 1997 Titanic movie starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, have been influenced by the sinking of the RMS Titanic. The narrative of the ship has become well known as a cautionary tale about the dangers of human hubris. The Construction of the RMS Titanic In the first half of the 20th century, rival shipping lines engaged in fierce competition to build the Titanic. Cunard, a storied British company with two outstanding steamships that ranked among the most sophisticated and luxurious of their time, and the White Star Line, in particular, were engaged in a competition for steamship primacy. When Cunard's Mauretania first entered service in 1907, it quickly set a ...