Coal Shortage - Impact on Titanic

A coal strike, which took place in Britain at about the time Titanic was scheduled for her maiden voyage, meant there would be insufficient supplies for every ship needing coal to cross the Atlantic.  As a result, passengers originally scheduled for passage on other vessels were rebooked to cross on Titanic.

Frank Browne - later known as Father Browne - took this picture which shows some of the other ships whose coal supplies (plus crew and passengers) were diverted to Titanic.  The description for this photo, at the web site featuring Father Browne's Titanic photos, reads as follows:

These three ships, the St Louis and the Philadelphia (of the American line) and the Majestic (White Star line), had their voyages cancelled by the coal strike which had occurred in England that spring. Their coal was used for the Titanic. Their passengers, and many other crew men, were also transferred to the new White Star Liner.