Launch of Titanic, 1911
Photograph
Titanic was launched on May 31, 1911 at 12:15PM in the presence of Lord Pirrie, J. Pierpoint Morgan, J. Bruce Ismay and 100,000 onlookers. 22 tons of soap and tallow were spread on the slipway to lubricate the ship's passage into the River Lagan. It took 62 seconds for Titanic’s hull – over 882 feet (269 m) long, weighing 24,360 tons – to slide from her building berth into the waters.
In keeping with the White Star Line's traditional policy, the ship was not formally named or christened with champagne. The ship was towed to a fitting-out berth where, over the course of the next year, her engines, funnels and superstructure were installed and her interior was fitted out.
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