Construction Delays

[Mark Baber]

Mike, Titanic was not "uncompleted" in any sense that should have delayed her 10 April sailing. The ship was fully operational, both mechanically and in terms of passenger service and there was no reason not to sail as planned. White Star had not "gone soft with H&W," as you put it and did not "hurry" to sail for any untoward purpose, as you seem to be suggesting. The ship was ready to go and, so, she went.

 

[Mike Spooner]

You may be right the ship does not make money by sitting in a port. But would a few weeks longer make any difference? As sitting in Belfast to complete the ship, I see this is as no cost to White Star, but putting the pressure on H&W to complete the ship as to the purchase order!

 

[Mark Baber]

The cost to White Star would have been the disruption of its schedule. Either the sailing would have had to be scrapped completely, with a resultant loss of revenue, or another ship would have had to be diverted from another service.

And nothing in the history of the White Star/Harland & Wolff relationship supports the thought that the shipbuilder needed to be pressured to complete a ship properly. They did it regularly for over 60 years.

 

[Mike Spooner]

The cost of sending of Titanic on the 10th April? It raise the question if this was the most economical to run a shipping company.
If ships are laid up in Southampton due the lack of coal through the national coal strike in progress. There must of been mooring fees to pay for. Probably basic running cost to cover for as well.
If 4,427 tons of coal is remove from 5 ships St Louis, New York, Philadelphia, Oceanic and Majestic for the Titanic crossing. One has to ask wouldn't be more economical to use one of those ships instead of Titanic? I can see there are costs to remove the coal from the 5 ships. However which ever ships you pick will require less coal than Titanic burning rate. If Titanic was remain in Belfast to complete the outstanding work which I see far better to do whistle in port than at sea, and in port at H&W no mooring fee to pay for.
Then there is the less crew numbers of what ever the ships you decide use at Southampton to pay for to. Removing one ship from Southampton is one less mooring fees to pay for!

 

[Samuel Halpern]

first when the Olympic collided with Hawke

For the record, it was Hawke that struck Olympic.

 

[Zhang Beichen]

I have a question: if the Olympic didn't make any accident, what time will be the Titanic's maiden voyage?