White Star Line "Olympic" class were to be the biggest and most luxurious ships in the world. The "Olympic" was the only ship of this class that was profitable for White Star. "Titanic" sank on her maiden voyage, while "Britannic" was requisitioned by the British government before she was fully fitted, and used as a hospital ship during World War I. "Britannic" hit an underwater mine, in the Kea Channel off the Greek island of Kea, and sank on the morning of 21 November 1916. Like many other shipping lines, the White Star Line suffered heavy losses during the First World War which
Lifeboats of the RMS Titanic it more important to make a ship "unsinkable". Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, who served simultaneously as a high-ranking Royal Navy officer and Member of Parliament, told the House of Commons a month after the disaster: The White Star Line never envisaged that all of the crew and passengers would have to be evacuated at once, as "Titanic" was considered almost unsinkable. The lifeboats were instead intended to be used to transfer passengers off the ship and onto a nearby vessel providing assistance. While "Titanic" was under construction, an incident involving the White Star liner appeared to confirm this approach. "Republic"