Includes bibliographical references (p. 353-358) and index.
Contents:
Early shipping -- American shipping consortium -- The corner -- Economic expansion -- Community of interest -- Vanderbilt -- Marc Hanna -- The creation of political leadership -- Roosevelt -- The business of the presidency -- The maritime subsidy bill -- Roosevelt rises -- A rift between friends -- The subsidy bill under debate in congress -- Opposition in congress -- The loyal opposition -- Pan-American exposition -- A new president -- An uninvited agenda -- The anti-McKinley -- Hanna's last hurrah -- Financial contributions to an incumbent -- Harriman and the Far East -- Competition in the Far East -- Global interference -- The Panic of 1907 -- Roosevelt is denied the 1908 Race -- Hill and the Far East -- Historic rivalry -- Free ships -- Breathing life into the IMM -- The American invaders! -- Cunard -- IMM -- Lusitania, Aquitania, Mauretania and Titanic -- Investigation and aftermath -- Legacy -- The end of a dream -- Afterword.
Summary:
"The concept was simple, to link American railroads and global dominance of the seas with a railroad line through China and Russia, enter the back door of Europe, and create new royalty: the Transportation Kings. Vanderbilt, Hill, Morgan, and Harriman all pursued the grand dream. They were America's industrial princes, poised for their greatest accomplishments, only to find that they had not considered the gauntlet awaiting them in the courts of kings and Kaisers, parliaments and congress. They awoke John Bull and helped precipitate revolution in China. They brought about the building of Lusitania and, in reaction, they owned and built the Titanic. We all know how the disaster story ends; this is how the story came about."--Publisher's website.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.