The RMS Titanic was a British Olympic-class ocean liner that became famous as the largest ocean liner built in her day. She also gained a lasting legacy when she sank on her maiden voyage in 1912 with a tremendous loss of life. Estimates vary, but around 1,520 people perished in the accident and the disaster ranks as one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history. The media frenzy about the incident, the discovery of the wreck in 1985, and the box office successes of three major films have perpetuated the fame. The great loss of life resulted in many marine safety standards being established and it affected many aspects of maritime law.
Building and design
In the early part of the 20th century, White Star Line sought to compete with the rival Cunard Line which then dominated the luxury niche for Atlantic transit, with the large and opulent Lusitania and Mauretania, which were the fastest and largest liners afloat.White Star ordered three ships to provide a weekly express se