National Geographic Secrets of the Titanic

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00:00:04 It began here in ireiand at the
00:00:12 Three thousand men would labor here
00:00:16 They were building a monster
00:00:18 the largest ship the world
00:00:24 In the spring of 1909
00:00:26 a mountain of steel began to
00:00:35 The ship would weigh 66,000 tons
00:00:43 each of her colossal steam engines
00:01:09 The huge scale of these things was
00:01:13 It was a scene out of
00:01:15 20 draft horses were needed to haul
00:01:18 through the streets of Belfast.
00:01:27 Some few observers found
00:01:30 and wrote of her nightmare scale.
00:01:33 But their forebodings fell short of
00:01:37 for the fate of this ship still
00:01:40 and her name is a synonym for tragedy.
00:02:23 In 1910 the huge ship taking shape
00:02:28 in world accustomed to miracles.
00:02:30 Every day it seemed something bigger
00:02:36 Never had so many people been so
00:02:39 never had they taken such delight
00:02:43 so this was called, "The Gildde Age."
00:02:57 This was a time when horses
00:03:01 But things were rapidly changing
00:03:06 everything from rubber bands
00:03:08 from lightbuibs
00:03:14 Progress and prosperity
00:03:18 almost anything seemed possible
00:03:37 May 31st, 1911,
00:03:40 the Roual Mail Ship Titanic,
00:03:45 It was the largest moving object
00:03:55 The Titanic was designed for
00:03:59 on the North Atlantic.
00:04:00 It was not only the biggest ocean liner
00:04:02 it was by far the most luxurious.
00:04:10 Aboard Titanic it was hard to
00:04:14 Advertising the delights it offered
00:04:19 "a floating palace."
00:04:28 So confident were Titanic's builders
00:04:31 lasted just 8 hours.
00:04:33 Almost as an afterthought
00:04:40 On April 10th, 1912,
00:04:50 With their maids
00:04:53 their mountains of baggage the rich
00:04:58 In an age that worshipped wealth
00:05:03 were an awesome assembly.
00:05:07 Titanic was like a time capsule laden
00:05:23 In 1912 these films were shown in
00:05:28 for any glimpse of Titanic
00:05:30 in fact, this is actually Titanic's
00:05:35 But the excitement and spectacle
00:05:38 and many people couldn't
00:05:52 Titanic sailed from
00:05:55 she was expected to reach New York
00:05:58 with 2,228 people aboard her.
00:06:08 There are a few authentic pictures
00:06:11 on her first and last voyage.
00:06:16 A vacationing priest
00:06:19 caught these poignant snapshots
00:06:23 Most of them on a voyage to eternity.
00:06:37 The next day Titanic made her last stop
00:06:40 pausing off the coast at
00:06:45 Here tenders brought out the
00:06:48 mostly Irish immigrants headed for
00:06:54 and here the lucky Father Brown
00:06:57 taking these pictures on his way.
00:07:07 Father Brown caught Captain Smith
00:07:13 poised on the brink of destiny.
00:07:18 Then Titanic sailed into the
00:07:23 she would not be photographed again
00:07:28 vanished in all but human memory.
00:07:39 The event of Titanic's last hours
00:07:44 The tragedy
00:07:48 still seize the imagination.
00:07:57 A British film, made in 1929
00:07:59 was one of the first of
00:08:03 Full ahead.
00:08:05 Full ahead, sir.
00:08:37 Despite radioed warnings, Titanic
00:08:41 She carried only enough lifeboats
00:08:45 and not even that many were saved.
00:08:57 In 1986 a new chapter in the
00:09:02 The men and machines involved did
00:09:13 From the Woods Hole
00:09:16 came the research submarine Alvin
00:09:21 a geologist and undersea explorer.
00:09:27 For decades Ballard
00:09:30 to explore the Titanic wreck.
00:09:32 Now, if all goes well
00:09:44 On July 9th, Ballard's expedition
00:09:47 and drawing on proven
00:09:50 puts to sea from Woods Hole.
00:09:58 One seven five.
00:09:59 One seven five.
00:10:04 The research vessel, Atlantis II
00:10:08 about 1,000 miles due east.
00:10:13 A rare alchemy of talent
00:10:16 has led Ballard to this adventure.
00:10:19 Many led Ballard to this adventure.
00:10:21 Many have called it foolish and
00:10:23 it's been a hard sell.
00:10:26 No one person, no one organization
00:10:31 There was pieces of it
00:10:34 the ship part, the submarine part.
00:10:36 It's very much like Cinderella
00:10:39 So I had to go around and get the
00:10:42 and the dress from somebody
00:10:45 and then I knew everything
00:10:48 I'd turn back into a big pumpkin
00:10:52 to get it done before
00:10:57 The year before
00:11:00 with Ballard as co-leader
00:11:07 A 150 square mile area was searched
00:11:13 towed along the bottom
00:11:22 But Titanic and not lie where
00:11:26 TV pictures revealed only a
00:11:29 sometimes enlivened by a
00:11:34 Days of futile search dragged on.
00:11:39 It is 1 a.m., September 1st, 1985.
00:11:44 The search has been going on
00:11:52 #1:Wreckage. Bingo. Yeah!
00:12:01 #2:Somebody ought to go get Bob.
00:12:04 #3:Bob's gone love this.
00:12:06 #4:This is it! Look at that thing.
00:12:12 All: Oh, alright! Yahoo!
00:12:15 #1:What is it?
00:12:17 #2:I don't know but it's manmade.
00:12:20 #3:There's more stuff coming.
00:12:22 #4:lt's the boiler!
00:12:27 #1: Yes, yes, that's fantastic!
00:12:31 #1:I'll be goddam.
00:12:52 The sucker exists! Gooddam!
00:13:00 #2:Has Cathy got the champagne?
00:13:03 There was an immediate outpouring
00:13:06 a bunch of kids yelling and
00:13:10 very unprofessional.
00:13:12 And then the whole force of
00:13:19 where this tragedy had
00:13:23 it was very... everyone just cracked.
00:13:26 Emotionally everyone just went down
00:13:30 And we had a simple
00:13:35 We felt better and
00:13:39 I was deeply affected by it.
00:13:45 When we came back I wouldn't
00:13:50 I just wouldn't talk about
00:13:53 I just went and hid.
00:13:56 But Ballard's
00:13:58 recaptured the thrill of discovery.
00:14:01 Reviewing pictures taken by
00:14:04 Ballard was eager to get a
00:14:09 Ballard was confident that the
00:14:13 and the U.S. Navy agreed
00:14:18 They say the name of the ship is on
00:14:21 Oh, it is?
00:14:22 On the top, yeah.
00:14:23 It should be visible.
00:14:25 We'll have to go and take a look.
00:14:31 A tiny TV camera serves as the
00:14:36 a robot submarine developed for the
00:14:44 Jason is ideal for exploring wrecks;
00:14:47 getting TV pictures in places
00:14:51 for manned submarines.
00:15:01 Preparing for the Titanic expedition
00:15:05 go into intensive training.
00:15:08 Jason is powered by 4 electric motors.
00:15:11 He can venture as far as 200 feet
00:15:25 Jason is much like a dog on a
00:15:28 moving on commands from his master.
00:15:33 Here in the lab it's easy to navigate
00:15:37 in pitch darkness
00:15:41 Often Martin's only viewpoint
00:16:01 Now some 11months after Ballard
00:16:05 he is returning aboard Atlantis II.
00:16:14 It's clear by now
00:16:15 that no one knew Titanic's precise
00:16:19 This original confusion explains why
00:16:23 There are no landmarks
00:16:25 the coast of Nova Scotia
00:16:33 The sea tolerates
00:16:37 only the knowledge of what
00:16:40 gives this place identity.
00:16:46 When you're out at sea
00:16:50 It has no dimensions.
00:16:51 You tend to wander around in the
00:16:56 any where at any on time.
00:16:58 Then when you find the Titanic
00:17:01 You know exactly where you are and
00:17:07 right where you are and that's eerie.
00:17:11 You want to see lifeboats or people
00:17:16 take drowned right around you.
00:17:20 Yeah, you hear them, you feel it.
00:17:24 Very much so.
00:17:35 The grey down of April 15th,1912
00:17:39 revealed a scattered
00:17:42 Hundreds of bodies floated
00:17:50 The boats contained just
00:17:58 Aboard the liner Carpathia
00:18:03 as the survivors were rescued.
00:18:12 Her compliment of passengers
00:18:19 Everything was quiet calm and orderly.
00:18:23 It was too soon to explain and
00:18:29 Tragically rumors and confusion
00:18:34 have been saved by other ships.
00:18:39 Slowiy, as fragmented and
00:18:44 the world began to realize
00:18:54 In London, silent crowds gathered
00:19:00 Here many of Titanic's passengers
00:19:03 and here a precious few were
00:19:18 In Liverpool, homeport of Titanic
00:19:22 and grief-stricken families
00:19:25 and reeling in shock when it came.
00:19:53 In New York wild rumors circulated
00:19:57 one paper reported Titanic
00:20:04 Anxious and incredulous crowds
00:20:08 and offices of White Star.
00:20:11 Suspense and uncertainty grew
00:20:22 Finally, on the evening of April 18th,
00:20:36 Then as night fell there followed
00:20:39 brought home the full impact
00:20:46 In the glare of photographers
00:20:49 lined Carpathia's rails
00:20:51 but as thousands waited Carpathia
00:21:01 Seeing finally was believing
00:21:06 all that remained of the greatest
00:21:19 By the next day survivors
00:21:24 Frustrated newsreel cameramen were
00:21:28 young stewards who clowned
00:21:31 of the world mourned.
00:21:39 There remained the task of bringing
00:21:42 only some 300 were found out
00:21:50 In fear and superstition
00:21:52 Many ships avoided these waters for
00:22:00 Brought ashore at Halifax some
00:22:04 For others the maiden voyage of
00:22:08 just a few miles from
00:22:17 Today these graves still are tended
00:22:21 shipping line which took over
00:22:32 The disaster is memorialized
00:22:35 changed the course of history.
00:22:38 But what was the meaning of it all?
00:22:40 It caused only an instant's
00:22:44 But, somehow, Titanic made people
00:22:52 Every 5 years the valiant dwindling
00:22:57 is invited to attend a convention
00:23:02 Thank you very much.
00:23:05 You look pretty good.
00:23:07 Thank you.
00:23:11 There are only about 24 known
00:23:21 But the number of people
00:23:24 and this fascination reached
00:23:27 the wreck of Titanic was found.
00:23:33 July 13th, 1986.
00:23:36 The first attempt
00:23:39 planned for this morning.
00:23:43 Bob Ballard and 2 companions will
00:23:46 in the research submarine, Alvin.
00:23:49 In his enthusiasm Bob Ballard has
00:23:54 This morning he has
00:24:07 The crew compartment of Alvin
00:24:10 7-foot, titanium sphere jammed with
00:24:20 Alvin is a tried and trusted design.
00:24:23 It has mapped underwea mountains
00:24:27 and now is poised over the most
00:24:47 Once launched Alvin is independent
00:24:51 The crew can communicate
00:24:53 but in the deep they are
00:24:56 they might as well be on the moon.
00:25:12 To conserve electrical power Alvin
00:25:16 only as fast as gravity allows.
00:25:19 The slow plunge will take 21/2 hours
00:25:22 a time of tedium and growing suspense.
00:25:34 Alvin, this is A-two, over.
00:25:40 Go ahead.
00:25:42 Roger. Ralph
00:25:44 and the bow section should be a
00:25:49 bearing two three zero degrees, over
00:25:57 Ballard reports that Alvin's
00:26:00 its sonar system has failed.
00:26:03 He must rely on
00:26:06 and he cannot stay down much longer.
00:26:09 Alvin, this is A-two.
00:26:11 According to tracking you just
00:26:16 Suggest you come to course 280
00:26:26 I can't believe they can't see it.
00:26:28 I can't believe they cannot see it.
00:26:30 They can only see 30 or 30 feet.
00:26:34 It's... of water.
00:26:37 Atlantis II, Atlantis II
00:26:39 We are at the Titanic, over.
00:26:43 Roger, Alvin, we understand
00:26:49 Roger, we're sitting at the base
00:26:53 or the midsection.
00:26:56 We are deciding what to do next
00:27:02 No sooner is Titanic found than
00:27:07 It takes another 21/2 hours for
00:27:15 We had problems with the submarine
00:27:18 and immediately head up.
00:27:21 So I saw it for 10 seconds
00:27:25 So, well have to go back and
00:27:29 What happens next?
00:27:31 Well, they're gonna be up all night.
00:27:33 They've got a sick puppy and they
00:27:37 and it's gonna take them all night.
00:27:40 Alvin is quickly repaired but
00:27:45 Everyone has been reminded
00:27:48 bad weather, or a combination of
00:28:06 This time everything goes according to plean
00:29:03 Titanic, no longer lost,
00:29:07 There are people aboard the great
00:29:10 74 dark and silent years.
00:29:41 Now, like astronauts newly arrived
00:29:45 Alvin's crew is learning
00:29:52 A disappointment; Titanic's decks
00:29:56 have been consumed by
00:29:59 What speared to be planks turns
00:30:12 A revelation; standing all alone
00:30:17 where Titanic's wheel was mounted.
00:30:19 It gleams as if brand new.
00:30:51 What we thought was organic growth
00:30:57 The ship looks like it's
00:31:02 and it's rusting down its entire side.
00:31:05 All over it's draped in rust.
00:31:08 It's formed a river and little veins
00:31:13 and out onto the sediment.
00:31:39 All right,
00:31:42 We are losing our light energy
00:31:54 On the return to the surface a near disaster
00:31:57 the robot submarine Jason,
00:31:59 is dislodged from its garage
00:32:05 Only quick word by divers saves
00:32:18 Well, that's one way to come home
00:32:20 That's right.
00:32:25 Repairs will go on all night as
00:32:29 and prepares for tomorrow's dive.
00:32:32 We come in on the debris field,
00:32:35 Titanic is a frightening place
00:32:38 Everywhere there are wires,
00:32:42 Coming in along the mud line toward
00:32:47 But the robot, Jason
00:32:51 and venture inside the wreck
00:32:54 Alvin's crew is skeptical about robots
00:33:02 But, Ballard ignores today's
00:33:05 Jason deep into Titanic's interior
00:33:09 The funnels are all gone.
00:33:13 We've never even seen one
00:33:16 The idea is to bring Alvin down
00:33:19 and land at certain places.
00:33:21 Naturally we'd like to enter the
00:33:24 down the staircase and there's a
00:33:27 That staircase goes down many
00:33:31 so it would be a question of
00:33:33 But certainly at least 2 to 3 decks in
00:33:40 On succeeding dives special
00:33:43 the darkness and reveal
00:33:46 of the wreck;
00:33:50 traveling aft, passing over the cargo
00:34:05 the bridge area
00:34:16 the hole where the first
00:34:19 big enough to admit a locomotive.
00:34:46 Now on the third dive Alvin
00:34:50 of Titanic's grand staircase.
00:34:53 Make sure that that lip won't
00:34:56 Don't get too close.
00:35:01 Jason is launched with
00:35:07 Go forward. Tethering out.
00:35:11 I'll be taking shots periodically.
00:35:16 Further out.
00:35:18 That lip is right in front of me.
00:35:20 Yeah okay.
00:35:21 If you can just head out over the edge
00:35:29 Like a frightened puppy
00:35:33 into his garage and go home.
00:35:47 Gaining control and confidence
00:35:52 into the grand staircase.
00:36:08 Seventy for years have taken
00:36:11 this is what Jason's camera sees
00:36:25 Seem-ingly there's nothing
00:36:28 but, then, pillars define a room.
00:36:40 One of these light fixtures still
00:36:43 suspended both in space and time.
00:37:00 The elaborate ornamental clock is gone
00:37:03 leaving only its outline on the wall.
00:37:19 Jason bumps into something
00:37:23 Alarmed, Ballard and
00:37:29 Keep knocking that rust off.
00:37:30 Yeah
00:37:44 Now, 2 miles down
00:37:48 For man and machine
00:38:06 In further tests
00:38:07 Jason skims over the wreck like an
00:38:11 He can move more safely and
00:38:13 get in close to capture small details.
00:38:33 Something door for use...
00:38:35 This door for bridge...
00:38:36 This door for use of crew only.
00:38:44 Napier Brothers Company Engineers,
00:39:07 Some parts of the ship seem almost new
00:39:10 paint still clings to
00:39:14 handles and hinges still turn,
00:39:18 and the awesome steel anchors
00:39:21 still hang from Titanic's bow.
00:39:31 Soon Baliard's work for the Navy
00:39:34 so sophisticated everything can be
00:39:40 On some jobs manned submarines
00:39:44 The success of Jason on Titanic
00:39:52 Bring it around A little more,
00:40:09 Okay, if we want to drop
00:40:12 Okay.
00:40:34 Success.
00:40:36 God, that was not easy.
00:40:40 In one spectacular dive
00:40:45 have accomplished all
00:40:51 We had a chandalier right there!
00:40:52 We were taking pictures, of it.
00:40:56 We went dancing in the ballroom.
00:41:05 Now for 9 days
00:41:16 Deployed each night,
00:41:17 an unmanned instrument package
00:41:21 photos of the wreck site.
00:41:31 I want to go through regions,
00:41:33 There's only a couple targets left.
00:41:35 Ballard and his colleague
00:41:38 begin to create a detailed map
00:41:42 That's it
00:41:44 It reveals new information
00:41:48 accepted accounts of the disaster.
00:41:51 That's right down here, you see
00:41:54 So south of the...
00:41:58 Most strikingly the wreck lies
00:42:02 1,800 feet apart.
00:42:05 This supports some
00:42:09 in 2 as it went down.
00:42:12 Between the 2 sections of the
00:42:16 and scattered throughout the wreckage
00:42:55 a bottle of champagne still corked
00:42:59 and a cup, sitting on a 57 ton boiler
00:43:03 where it gently came
00:43:10 Ballard brought nothing up from
00:43:13 interfere with the wreck.
00:43:17 But that was before Alvin came upon
00:43:46 The handle turns
00:43:49 At any rate,
00:43:51 by the crew before Titanic went down.
00:43:57 As the wreck is explored
00:44:01 and in some cases revised
00:44:06 It is 11:40 p.m., April 14th, 1912.
00:44:13 From the crow's nest
00:44:16 by lookout, Fredrick Fleet.
00:44:20 Fleet immediately rings on alarm bell
00:44:24 where the First Officer
00:44:28 "Hard a starboard,"
00:44:37 Titanic grazes the ice,
00:44:39 possibly causing only
00:44:42 but enough to tell Captain
00:44:50 Captain Smith personally walks back
00:44:55 where, soon after midnight
00:44:59 Radio is its infancy and the newly
00:45:05 Is a novelty to operator
00:45:12 Orders are given that women and
00:45:16 Near the boats
00:45:19 gather here in the gymnasium.
00:45:23 One is multi-millionaire
00:45:27 on an extended honeymoon with
00:45:32 Astor's wife boards a lifeboat here,
00:45:36 But an officer
00:45:39 he meekly chooses to stand aside,
00:45:44 Few yet realize that
00:45:48 there are only enough boats for
00:45:57 Distress rockets are fired from
00:46:10 To the north there is a ship,
00:46:15 Titanic's rockets are
00:46:17 Stanley Lord, but he does nothing
00:46:21 and will spend the rest of his life
00:46:28 Many lifeboats are still being
00:46:32 Few understand that Titanic
00:46:42 The lifeboat davits are still
00:46:46 where Second Officer
00:46:50 Lietauer sends half a dozen
00:46:53 and help fill the boats
00:46:57 The men were never seen again
00:47:06 Here a twisted davit once
00:47:10 and here stood an aging
00:47:13 Mr. And Mrs. Isadore Strauss.
00:47:17 Offered a place on the boats
00:47:20 then Mrs. Strauss refuse to leave him,
00:47:25 and so, they perished together.
00:47:32 In a single first class cabin
00:47:34 there was a wealthy woman
00:47:38 She was a tough and earthy character,
00:47:42 She boarded a lifeboat
00:47:46 and was known from then on as
00:47:53 And now, at last, 1,500 people
00:47:58 soon they were going go die.
00:48:02 But on the boat deck near the entrance
00:48:04 to the grand staircase
00:48:10 No one could agree later what
00:48:13 and all the musicians drowned.
00:48:15 But Titanic's band,
00:48:19 became immortal heroes of
00:48:31 Few honored Captain Smith
00:48:35 as he sailed boldly into history.
00:48:38 He went down with his ship
00:48:43 Some said he told the crew
00:48:46 others, "it's every man for himself."
00:49:18 When the Titanic expedition ended
00:49:21 Bob Ballard left behind
00:49:25 Titanic is their monument
00:49:31 It's memorial to this period of time
00:49:34 to that mistake of arrogance.
00:49:38 It's a whole bunch of things
00:49:42 and now,
00:49:45 it's a very peaceful place
00:49:50 It's sitting upright on the bottom