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Premonitions of the Titanic disaster?

© Neal West

Almost from the time that the great Liner Titanic settled on the ocean floor, stories began to circulate that the disaster had been foretold. Article two, Sailing Day, told the story of one passenger who spotted an ominous sign an left the ship at Queenstown rather than continue the voyage. Other stories of psychic precognition surround the ill-fated ship, in this installment we will examine some of them.

One of the most interesting stories surrounding the Titanic is a book called "Futility" written by Morgan Robertson. This small book is about a down-on-his-luck sailor who signs on as a lookout on a ship called the "Titan." This fictional ship strikes an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sinks with great loss of life. What is strange about this little tale is the amazing similarities between the real "Titanic" and the fictional "Titan." Let's look at them side by side: Titan Titanic Length 800 ft 882.5 Construction All steel All steel 3 propellers 3 propellers 2 masts 2 masts Watertight comp. 19 16 Capacity 3000 people 3000 people Gross tonnage 45,000 46,328 Horsepower 40,000 46,000 Lifeboats 24 20 Speed at collision 25 knots 22.5 knots Month they sailed April April Side of ship struck Starboard Starboard Time of collision Near midnight Near midnight

Truly an interesting set of coincidences, wouldn't you agree? It becomes even more interesting when you learn that the book, "Futility" was written in 1898, 14 years before the "Titanic" was built!

Another journalist who's life became entwined with the "Titanic" was William Thomas Stead. He was editor of the British journal Pall Mall Gazette and later founded the Review of Reviews. Stead later became engaged in spiritualism and became a renowned "automatic writer." Automatic writing is the ability to pick up a pen and be guided by telepathy from spirits. Stead eventually wrote two stories about liners sinking at sea. From the Old World to the New was a story of the sinking of a ship in the North Atlantic after striking an iceberg. Stead died on the way to New York to give a speech on world peace...on board the "Titanic."

Being printed in April, 1912, Popular Magazine's May issue contained a story by Mayn Clew Garnett, about the Liner "Admiral" hit an iceberg while going 22.5 knots, the same speed as the "Titanic." The "Admiral" hit head on and sank in 15 minutes, most of the thousand passengers perished due to a shortage of lifeboats.

An obscure sci-fi novel published in 1902 by William Winthrop, refers to a ocean liner named "Titanic" built by the White Star line. Although this ship doesn't sink, it's another amazing coincidence.

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