THE SEA TRIALS
Titanic was the first ship to use the distress signal, SOS.
The Titanic was given her sea trials on 2 April 1912 under the supervision of Francis Carruthers from the Board of Trade. In the three years it had taken to construct the Titanic Carruthers had visited her almost 2,000 times.
Travelling at 21 knots in the Belfast Lough the Titanic was required to stop as quickly as possible in order to pass her safety certificate. She came to a halt in half a mile – just less than three times her length. Carruthers issued the safety certificate and declared her “Good for one year.”
