What explains our nationalized passion for the Titanic? Why do so few historical events grip the heart in the same way? What really caused the great liner to sink into its grave? There have been many great disasters. Some resulted in significantly higher numbers of deaths and property damage. The epic creation and subsequent unfortunate sinking of the Titanic proved that no ship is "unsinkable" and that people underestimated the chances of ever having to worry about the safety of the ship. The White Star Line, based in the United Kingdom, had gone through a number of changes since its establishment in 1850. The company had turned its attention to ocean-going steamships when Thomas Henry Ismay purchased it in 1867. The first ship of Ismay, the Oceanic, completed by the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff of Belfast in 1871, introduced innovations, such as promenade decks, this greatly increased passenger comfort and became the rule on later liners. When Ismay died in 1899, his 38-year-old son, J. Bruce Ismay, took over the business. Bruce Ismay had a real sense of both “business and style” says Marc Shapiro in Total Titanic. With Lord WJ Pirrie, chairman of Harland and Wolff, he considered a proposal from the American financial wizard, JP Morgan, to buy the White Star Line as part of a scheme to unite all the Atlantic shipping lines into a single trust. In 1902, Morgan purchased the White Star Line for its international merchant marine and installed J. Bruce Ismay as president of the company, in 1904. At a dinner in 1907, Ismay proposed the construction of two luxury liners, known as the name of the Olympic class, to take on the Cunard Line for the well-paid Atlantic passenger transport. A third shi...... middle of paper...... the story of an unforgettable liner for generations to come. Works Cited “Titanic”. History. Arts and Entertainment Television Networks, LLC. 1996-2014. Internet. January 28, 2014. .Shapiro, Marc. Total Titanic. New York: Paperbacks, 1998. Print "The Facts and Information About the Ship Titanic-RMS Titanic." » Titanic Universe. Titanic Universe. 2013. Internet. December 11, 2013. “Titanic Facts.” Facts about the Titanic. Titanic- Facts. 2012. Internet. December 11, 2013. .FGO Stuart. RMS Titanic departing from Southampton on April 10, 1912. 1912. Photograph. .Virgin driver. The tragedy of the Titanic seen through the eyes of the Virginian pilot. 1912. Journal/Photograph. < http://www.titanicuniverse.com/titanic-newspaper-articles/titanic-newspaper-article-7>.